252 BAXTER'S DYING THOUGHTS. Christians found the mortification of the fleshly lusts a great ad- vantage to the soul's delight in God. 4. And many errors about God's nature and worksmuch hinder us from feasting on his love. 5. And especially the slight and ignorant thoughts of Christ, and the wondrous workings of God's love in him. 6. And especially if our belief itself once shake, or be not well and firmly founded. 7. Andour slight thoughts of the office and work of the Holy Ghost on souls, and our necessity of it, and our not begging and waiting for the Spirit's special help.' 8. And lastly, our unfaithful forgetfulness of manifold experi- ences and testimonies of his love, which should still be as fresh before us. Alas ! my soul, thou feelest thy defect, and knowest the hin- drance, but what 'hope is there of remedy? Will God ever raise so low, so dull, so guilty a heart, to such a foretaste of glory, as is this effusion of his love by the Holy Ghost? The lightsome days in spring and summer, when the sun reviveth the late naked earth, and clothes it with delectable beauties, differs not snore from night and winter, than a soul thus revived with the love of God doth differ from an unbelieving, formal soul. Though this great: change be above my power, the Spirit of God is not impotent, backward, barren, or inexorable. He hath appointed us means for so high a state ; and he appointeth no means in vain. Were my own heart obedient to my commands, all these following I would lay upon it; yea, I will do it, and beg the help of God. 1. I charge thee, think not of God's goodness and love, as un- proportionable to his greatness and his knowledge nor.overlook, in the whole frame of heaven and earth, the manifestation of one any more than of the other. 2. Therefore, let not the wickedness and misery of the world tempt thee to think basely of all God's mercies to the world ; nor the peculiar privileges of the churches draw thee to deny or con- temn God's common mercies unto all. 3. I charge thee to make the study of Christ, and the great work of man's redemption by him, thy chiefest learning, and most serious and constant work ; and in that wonderful glass to see the face of divine love, and to hear what is said of it by the Son from heaven and to come boldly, as reconciled to God by him. 4. O, see that thy repentance for former sins against knowledge, and conscience, and the motions of God's Spirit, be sound, and thoroughly lamented and abhorred, how small soever the matter
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