tremendous, and its Thunders and Lightnings more awful and dreadful, when CHRISTIAN drew nigh to it; the awakened Sinner, feeking to the Law for Relief, only ferves to manifeft more abundantly the Magnitude and Terror of the Law, and to increase his own Guilt and Fear: this Situation is more dreadful than the SLOUGH of DESPOND. There, Doubts and Fears about acceptance with CHRIST, kept the Soul from going forward: but here, the Certainty of Condemnation from that which has been chofen as the Hope of Life, fills the Soul with Terrors which diftract it, and from which nothing can relieve it but the Gofpel.

GELIST.

Well might Paul call it, the glorious Gofpel of the bleffed GOD. Glorious indeed, to follow with its Mercy, those who turn their Backs upon it. Well might CHRISTIAN "blush for Shame" at the Sight of EVANBut mark SYNTYCHE, in the Dif course of EVANGELIST, and its Effects upon CHRISTIAN; the fevere Refentments of GOD against thofe that flight his Mercy, and turn away from the Gofpel. Let us, my Friend, Fear, least a Promife being left us of entering into bis Reft, we should feem to

come

some bort of it; and let us labour to enter into that Rest, left we fall after the fame Example of Unbelief.

I faid, it is impoffible for an awakened Mind to obtain even falfe Peace by the Works of the Law. Permit me to explain : I do not fuppofe every one that is alarmed with Fears of Wrath, and who from hearing the Gospel concerning Jesus, fets out to feek him, to be truly awakened: they may be frightened, but not enlightened. It is no Wonder, therefore, if they gladly accept as their Relief, a Mode of Religion lefs troublesome to the Flesh, than the Cross of CHRIST. Being blind and deaf to the Spirituality of the Law, thev fee not the Flashes of Fire, nor hear the Thunders of Divine Wrath: they approach the Law without Fear: no Wonder then, if a Reformation of Manners, if they have been grafs Sinners, fhould content them; and a little MORALITY, or even CIVILITY, fhould deliver their Confciences from its Burden. Unhappy Creatures, by ftopping short of CHRIST, they have only changed their Path to Hell. Let us, my Brother, go on finging,

"Should all the Forms that Men devife.
"Affault my Faith with treacherous Art,
"I'd call 'em Vanity and Lies,

"And bind the Gofpel to my Heart."

ANDRONICUs.

COM

LETTER III.

OME my SYNTY CHE, let us retire from the burning Mountain, whose Neighbourhood is the foolish Choice of Pride and Self righteoufnefs: let us ap-, proach the WICKET GATE, and attend to the Heart inftructing, and comforting Scenes of humble Penitence, and Divine Benevolence exhibited there.

I am, fays JESUS, the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no Man cometh to the Father but by me: I am the Door: by me, if any Man enter in, he shall be faved. JESUS is the Way, as he is made of GOD to us, Wifdom, or faving Knowledge: Righteoufnefs to juftify us from Obligation to Punishment, and to give a Title to Life: Sanctification, to make us meet for our Inheritance and Redemption from all the Dangers which threaten us, that we may be preferved from falling, and be prefented faultlefs before the Throne of his Glory, with exceeding Joy. He is the Door, or entrance to all this Grace. He is represented, not

as the ample Portal of a Palace, but as a frait Gate, a little Wicket that will admit only the Pilgrim and his Burden, the Sinner and his Sorrow. When a Sinner believes the Word, and trufts in the Name of the LORD JESUS for Pardon and Acceptance with GoD, he enters this Gate, and begins the Way which terminates in Glory. This Gate, though free for the Entrance of all who will enter thereby, is kept fhut the Sinner muft knock: he cannot open the Gate himself, another muft open it. We are faved through Faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the Gift of God. To all that knock, the Kindness and Love of GOD our SAVIOUR opens the Door, he makes no Objections to any, they are in no wife caft out: nay more, they are faved from those fore Temptations, thofe awful fpiritual Alarms, by which Satan ftrives to hinder the coming Sinner. But let us view thefe Matters a little more distinctly.

The Pilgrim knocked more than once or twice. Though Pardon and Life, are the free Gift of GOD, they must be obtained by Prayer, importunate frequent Prayer, that will take no Repulfe; like the Woman of Canaan, who though repulsed more than B 6

once,

[ 36 ]

once, would take no Denial. The Sinner muft pray confeffing his Sin and Misery, the Plague of his Heart, and the Crimes of his Life: acknowledging the Juftice of his Condemnation by the Law. He must plead his Danger, Diftrefs, and Wretchedness, on Account of Sin; he muft plead the Promises of the Gospel; the Affurances of Success, which have allured and encouraged him to. feek Salvation by JESUS CHRIST: nor must he leave off, nor let the Angel of the Covenant go without a Bleffing.

Though Worlds confpire to drive him thence,.
Moveless and firm his Heart fhould lie ..

Refolv'd, for that's his laft Defence; "If he muft perifh: there to die."

To render the Bleffings prayed for, more welcome and valuable, they are sometimes mercifully delayed, and granted only to our Importunity.

Remark, my dear Friend, the good Will of God to the Children of Men: he re ceives without upbraiding. "We make no Objection against any, (fays GOODWILL) notwithstanding all they have done before they came hither." What Grace and Mercy! what noble generous Goodness! Goodnefs which breaks the Sinner's Heart, and

makes