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lay all at his feet? Wilt thou be content to run all hazards with him? Wilt thou take thy lot with him, fall where it will? Wilt thou « deny thyself, and “ take up thy cross, and follow him?Art thou deliberately, understandingly, freely, fixedly determined to cleave to him in all times and conditions ? If so, my loul for thine thou shalt never perish, but art pafled from death unto life, John iii. 16. Here lies the main point of thy salvation, that thou be found in thy covenant-closure with Jesus Chrift; and therefore, if thon love thyself, see that thou be faithful to God and thy soul vere.

Dire£. VIII. “ Resign up all thy powers and fa“ culties, and thy whole ivterett to be his." « They

gave their own felves unto the Lord,” 2 Cor. viii. 5. “ Present your bodies a living facrifice,Rom. xii. 1. The Lord seeks not yours, but you : Resign therefore thy body with all its members to him, and thy foul with all its powers, that he may be glorified in thy body, and in thy spirit, which are his, 1 Cor. vi. 20.

Again; thou must give up thy whole interest to him. If there be any thing that thou keepest back from Chritt, it will be thy undoing Luke xiv. 33. Unless thou wilt forsake ali (in preparacion and resolution of thy heart) thou canst cot be his disciple: Thou must hate father and mother, yea, and thy own life also in comparison of him, and far as it stands in competition with him, Matt. x. 37. Luke xiv. 26, &c. In a word, thou must give him thylilf, and all that thou hast, without reservation, or else thou canst have no part in him.

Direct. IX. « Make choice of the laws of Chrifto as the rule of thy words, thoughs, and

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" actions,” Palm cxix. 30. This is the true convert's choice: But here remember these three rules; 1. - You must choose them all ;" there is no getting to heaven by a partial obedience; read Psalm cxix. 6. 128. 160. Ezek. xviii. 21. None must think it enough to take up with the cheap and easy part of religion, and let alone the duties that are costly and self-denying, that grate upon the interest of the flesh; you must take all or none. A fincere convert, though he makes most conscience of the greatest fins, and weightiest duties, yet he makes true conscience of little fins, and of all duties, Pfalm. cxix. 6. 113. Matt. xxiii. 23. 2, “ For all times," for prosperity and adversity, whether it rain or shine. A true convert is refol. ved in his way, he will stand to his choice ; he will not set his back to the wind, and be of the religion of the times. “I have struck to thy testi" monies; I have inclined my heart to thy fta

tutes always, even unto the end. Thy teitimo“ nies have I taken as an heritage for ever.

I will " have respect to thy statutes continually," Psalm cxix. 31. 44. 93. 111. 117. This must not be done hand over head, but deliberately and understandingly. The disobedient fon faid, “ I go, “ Sir,”? but he went not, Matt. xxi. 30. How fairly did they promise, All that the Lord our God shall speak unto thee, we will do it!” And it is likely they spoke as they meant; but when it came to the trial, it was found that there was not such a heart in them as to do what they had promised, Deut. v. 27. 29.

Thirdly, “ Observe the special duties that thy “ heart. is most against, and the special fins that is “ is most inclined to; and see whether it be truly

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« resolved to perform the one, and forego the « other." What sayest thou to thy bosom fin, thy gainful fin ? What sayest thou to costly, hazardous, and flesh-displeafing duties? If thou haltest here, and doft not resolve, by the grace of God to cross the flesh, and go on, thou art unfound, Psal. Xviii.

23.; and cxix. 6 Direct

. x.“ Take heed of delaying thy con« version, and set about a speedy and present

turning;" “ I made hafte and delayed not," Pfalm cxix. 50. Remember and tremble at the fad instance of the foolish virgins, that came not till the door of mercy was shụt, Matt. xxv 11.; and of a convinced Felix, who put off Paul to another season, which we do not find ever came, Aas xxiv. 25. O come in while it is called to-day, left thou shouldeft be hardened thro' the deceitfulnefs of fin, left the day of grace should be over, and the “ things that belong to thy peace « should be hid from thine eyes. wooing thee, now Christ is waiting to be gracious to thee, and the spirit of God is striving with thee: Now ministers are calling: Now conscience is ftirring: Now the market is open, and thou mayest buy oil : Now Chrift is offered for thy acą ceptance. O strike in with the offers of grace; O!

If thou make light of this offer,

swear in his wrath thou shalt not taste of his fupper, Luke xiv. 24;

Diree. XI. “ Attend conscientiously upon the “ word as the means appointed for thy conver« fion," James i. 19. 1 Cor. iv. 15: Attend, I fay, not customarily, but conscientiously; with this desire, design, hope, and expectation, that

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thou mayest be converted by it. To every fermon thou shouldeft come with this thought : « O, I “ hope God will now come in; I hope this day so

may be the time, this may be the man by whom “God will bring me home.” When thou art-coming to the ordinances, lift up thy heart thus to God; “ Lord, let this be the sabbath, let this be sr the season wherein I may receive renewing

grace. O let it be faid, that to day such a one © was born unto thee!

Direct. XII. « Strike in with the Spirit when “ he begins to work upon thy heart;"! When he works convictions, O do noc ftipe them, but jein in with him, and beg the Lord to carry on conviction to conversion. « Quench not the spirit :" do not outstrive him, do not refift him. Beware of filing convictions with evil company or worldly business. When thou findest any troubles for fin, and fears about thy eternal ftate, beg of God that they may never leave thee eill they have wrought off thy heart thoroughly from fin, and brought it over to Jesus Chrift; Say to him, “ Strike home,

Lord, leave 'not the work in the midst. If thou seest that I am not wounded enough, that I am “ not troubled enough, wound me yet deeper, Lord o go to the bottom of my corruption, “ and let out the life-blood of my 'fins." Thus yield up thyself to the workings of the Spirit, and spread thy fails to his gufts.

Direct. XIII. “ Set upon the conftant and dili“gent use of serious and fervent prayer.” He that neglects prayer is a profane and unfanctified finner, Job xv. 4.; he that is not coristant in prayer is but an hypocrite, Job xxvii. 10. This is one of the first things conversion appears in, chat it

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fets men on praying, Aals ix. 11.; therefore set to this duty : Let never a day pass over thee, wherein thou hast not, morning and evening, set apart some time for set and solemn prayer in se., cret. Call thy family also together daily and duly, to worship God with thee. Woe be unto thee, if thine be found among the families that call not on God's name, Jer. X. 25. But cold and lifeless devotions will not reach half-way to heaven. Be fervent and importunate; importunity will carry it; but, without violence, the kingdom of heaven will not be taken, Matt. xi. 12. - Thou muft strive to enter, Luke xiii. 24.; and wrestle with tears and supplications, as Jacob, if thou meanest to carry the blessing, Gen. xxxii. 24. compared with Hofea xii. 4. Thou art undone for ever without grace, and therefore thou must set to it, and resolve to take no denial : That man who is fixed in his resolution says, “ Well, I must “ have grace, or I will never give over till I have “grace; I will never leave seeking, waiting, and “ ítriving with God and my own heart, till he do

renew me by the power of his grace,This man is in the likeliest way to win grace.

Direet. XIV. “ Forsake thy evil company," Prov. ix. 6. ~ and forbear the occasion of fin," Prov. xxiii. 31. Thou wilt never be turned from fin, till thou wilt decline and forego the tempta, tions of fin.

I never expect thy conversion from fin, unless thou art brought to some self-denial, as to flee the occasions. If thou wilt he nibbling at the bait, and playing on the brink, and tampering and meddling with the snare, thy soul will surely be

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