THE TRUE PENITENT. 487 was none with him, therefore his own arm brought salvation unto him. While the gospel trumpet is blown in Sion, and the self - hardened, scoffing infidel, hears it with disdain and ridicule, what joy will the awful declarations convey to thy penitent and listening soul ! With what rapturous delight wilt thou hang upon the lips of the messengers of peace, the sons of consolation, who preach free salvation by the blood of Jesus ! While he himself, confirming the word of his servants, says to the melting heart, with his still, small, and yet powerful, renovating voice, Behold, I sit upon my throne making all things new The words that I speak are spirit and life I do not condemn thee, thy sins are forgiven -Be thou clean Thy faith bath saved thee Go in peace, and sin no more. Rev. xxi. 5. John vi. 63. Luke vii. 48. 50. Matt. viii. 3. John viii. 11. And O ! what will thy believing enlarged heart experience in that day of God's power, and thy spi- ritual birth ! Christ, the true light of the world, the eternal life of men, coming suddenly to his temple, and filling it with the light of his countenance, and the power of his resurrection ! Christ shedding abroad in thy ravished soul, the love of thy heavenly Father, of thy bitterest enemies, and all mankind ! In a word, the Holy Ghost given unto thee ! Or, Christ dwelling in thy heart by faith ! John i. 4. 1 John v. 12. Rom. viii. 15. and v. 5. Gal. i. 16. Eph. i. 13. and iii. 17. Being thus made partaker of Christ, and of the Holy Ghost, Heb. iii. 14. and vi. 4. thy loving heart, thy praising lips, thy blameless life, will agree to testify, that the Son of man bath power on earth to forgive sins ; and that if any mari is in Christ he is a new creature ; old things are passed away, behold all things are become new. Matt. ix. 6. 2 Cor. v. 17. Till this is thy happy experience, pray (as the drawings of the Father, and convictions of the Spirit will enable thee,) earnestly pray for living faith, for a faith that may be to thee the substance of the pardon thou hopest for, and the evidence of the great sacrifice !R. Ìj
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