NOW OR NEVER. 185 S. There is more power in all of you than you use, or than you are well aware of. It wanteth but awakening to bring it into act. Do you not find, in your repentings, that the change is more in your will, than in your power? And in the awakening ofyour will and reason into act, than in the addition of mere abilities? And that therefore you befool yourselves fo r your sins and your neglects, and wonder that you had no more use of your lmderstandings? Let but a storm at sea, or violent sickness, or approaching death, rouse up and awaken the powers which you have, and you will find there was much more asleep in you than you used. I shall, therefore, next endeavour to awaken your abilities, or tell you how you should awaken them. , When your souls are drowsy, and you are forgetting your God, and your latter enC!, and matters of ' eternity have little force and favour with you, when you grow lazy and superficial, and religion seems a lifeless thing, and you do your duty as if it were in vain, or against your wills; when you can lose your time, and delay repentance; and friends, and profit, and reputation, and pleasure, can be heard against the word of God, and take you off; when you do all by halves, and languish in your Christian course, as near to death-stir up your souls with the urgency of such questions as these:- Question 1. Can I do no more than this for God, who gave me all, who deserveth all? Who seeth me in my duties and my sins? When he puts me purposely on the trial, what can I do for his sake and service? Can I do no more? Can I love him no more, and obey, and watch, and work no more? Question 2. Can I do no more than this for Christ? For him that did so much for me? That obeyed so perfectly; walked so meekly; despising all the baits, and honours, and riches of the world? That loved me to the death; and offereth me freely 16
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