TIME ARE NOT CONSCIOUS THAT ANY ATROCIOUS SINS HAVE INTERVENED, WHICH MIGHT HAVE CAUSED A CHANGE SO REMARKABLE. They conclude, that all the hopes they had once fo fondly cherished, were without any grounds, and that all their former experiences were but imaginary ones. "For," say they, "if they had been real, "God would not have thus withdrawn from us the "light of his countenance." f. Other Chriftians, when they deliberately furvey the dealings of God with their fouls, doubt of their being children of God, BECAUSE, HAVING BEEN CONVERTED IN THEIR YOUTH, THEY CANNOT, LIKE OTHERS, SPEAK OF THEIR EXERCISES WITH RESPECT TO REGENERATION, A CHANGE OF HEART, OR A PASSING FROM DEATH TO LIFE. In the days of their youth, they felt that they loved Jefus; that they hated fin; that they ardently defired to depart from it; and that it was their fupreme delight to hear and meditate upon his word: But having advanced in life, and their corruptions having obtained greater ftrength, those sweet emotions have in a manner ceased, and the affections which were once fo lively, are lulled to fleep. Then again the Eternal awakens them from their lethargy; their hatred of fin again returns; again they would flee from it as their moft deadly foe; again their fouls are inflamed with love to the Lord Jefus, and to all that bear his image; and again they go on their way in the experience of much calmness and compofedness. Now whenever perfons of this description hear other Chriftians converfe on the subject of the new birth, and the marvellous change which it produced in them, they begin to be fufpicious, and to imagine that all their exercises were nothing more than childish affections, or the effects of a pious education. "For," say they, "we have "never undergone fuch a change." g. Many are brought to doubt of their being children of God, by OBSERVING ON THE ONE HAND, THE PROSPERITY OF THE WICKED, AND ON THE OTHER, THAT WHILST THE UNGODLY HAVE NO BANDS IN THEIR DEATH, THEY HAVE TO GROAN UNDER MOST OPPRESSIVE BURDENS AND TRYING AFFLICTIONS. They are reduced to penury; they meet with various calamities; ficknefs and pains are their conftant companions; they are grieved by the distresses which friends near and dear to them experience.-Now when they see the enemies of true religion wafted gently on the tide of prosperity, and themselves, who have professed to be on the Lord's fide, perpetually buffeting the storms of adverfity, they immediately draw a conclufion most erroneous, and fay with Gideon, Judges vi. 13, "If the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? If God were our Father, would this 66 poverty have overtaken us? would we have had "to pafs through fuch scenes of diftrefs? Can "these things correfpond with a father's love and "faithfulness? Would he not rather as a father "have provided for us? It cannot but be, that our cr way is hid from the Lord, and our judgment is pass Such were also the fenti "ed over from our God." ments of Afaph, before he went into the fanctuary of the Lord: Behold, fays he, thefe are the ungodly that profper in the world; they increafe in riches. Verily I have cleanfed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency: For all the day long have I been plagued, and chaftened every morning, Pfalm lxxiii. And it is not a matter which should astonish us, that even fuch temporal afflictions fhould excite fear and doubt in the mind. It is not fo eafy as fome may fuppose, to be fo acquiefcent in the adverfe difpenfations of Providence, as to unite with Job, and exprefs ourfelves in the language of refignation to the Divine will, faying, The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; bleffed be the name of the Lord. h. There are all fome of God's people who queftion their being in a gracious ftate, BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO STRUGGLE AGAINST SO MANY SINFUL AND BLASPHEMOUS THOUGHTS OF GOD. Are they engaged in public worship or in secret prayer? their thoughts are often wandering to and fro. On a fudden, fuggeftions are made to their minds of a most dreadful nature, at which they not only must recoil, but which fills them with terror; and which they dare not mention to their nearest friends. "Can fuch thoughts," say they," arife in the hearts "of those who are converted to God, and who poffels that divine principle which purifies THE 86 HEART. It cannot be; and therefore we muft "conclude, that God is not our Father, that Jefus is "no Saviour of ours, and that his Spirit dwells not "in us." i. Another will express himself thus: "I dare not, " on any principle whatever, hope, that a good work "is begun in me; for the LIFE OF GRACE IS A "HIDDEN LIFE, which is exercised when the Chrif "tian is alone with his God. But this is not my "cafe; for, in the presence of my fellow men indeed "I appear in the character of a child of God. "When I am in company with the pious, I can "with fluency and fervour converse on the great "and leading doctrines of grace-I can join with "them in prayer.-My external deportment is vaft T 66 ly different from that of the men of the world→→→ "Their defires and difpofitions comport not with "mine: and when waiting upon God in his ordi "nances, often has my heart been awakened. But, "ah! I never RETIRE ALONE but both MY ZEAL, "my ANIMATION, and my attention CEASE and DISAPPEAR; I cannot, with any fixednefs of "heart, meditate on God or on divine truths; my prayers languish on my tongue; all is dulnefs; "a lifelefsnefs obtains. And are not these the true "characteristics of hypocrites, who like myself have "the form, but are deftitute of the power of godli"nefs?—I fear that at best I can be efteemed one "who may show the way of life unto others, but "walk not therein myself." k. Laftly, (for who can mention all the particular fources from whence the ftreams of doubts and fears iffue?) The language of another is, "I am fearful "that I have NO GOOD OBJECT in view in all I "perform; that I feek not the glory of God, but "mine own intereft. Do I enter into the company "of true believers? it is more that I may edify than "that I may be edified. If I do any action which " is really good, pride fwells my heart. Now, cer tainly, these cannot comport with the exercises of "those who are in a state of grace. I therefore must "conclude, that I, who am by nature dead in trefpaffes and fins, have never been quickened by the almighty and irresistible energies of the Holy "Ghost." 66 66 See thus, the difficulties which Chriftians meet, and which operate as so many causes that they travel the celeftial road doubting and fearing as they progrefs therein. We must now, in the THIRD place, endeavour to apply the healing balm to each of these wounds, and POINT OUT THE MEANS, by which thofe followers of Jesus may proceed heaven-ward, in the experience of comfort, joy, and peace. Each particular cafe, in the order they have been flated, will be feparately confidered, and that advice fuggefted which may ap pear fuitable. The doubts and fears of YOUNG Chriftians 1. Arise from an apprehenfion that their convictions are not genuine, because THEY WERE NE VER ACCOMPANIED WITH THAT GREAT DIS- a. Such learn to attend with care TO THE WAYS OF GOD IN DISPENSING GRACE. All his children are not led in one and the fame way. Some muft drink of the bitter waters of MARAH, whilft others may recline beneath the palm-trees, and regale on the streams which iffue from the wells of Elim. Yes, it sometimes happens that those who have been the boldest in iniquity, have been brought to the enjoyment of fellowfhip with God, in a way the most cafy and endearing, without having more convictions and views of the awful nature of fin than were abfolutely neceffary to induce them to turn their eyes to Jefus, and to come unto him, that they might receive freely at his hands a right to life and falvation, which he alone poffeffes an all-fufficiency to impart. Whilft others, who have led fober and moral lives, have been AWFULLY brought over to Chrift; they have experienced in their confciences, terrors equalled only by the torments of hell; their anguifh at the contemplation of their fin and guilt the human tongue cannot defcribe; the dread horrors of their minds burft into view, being depicted - |