Watts - Houston-Packer Collection BX5207.W3 S4x 1805 v.1

32S NONE EXCLUDED' FROM HOPE. SE [ RM. XIJK. too thoughtless about the guilt of ruy sins, and about the forgiveness-of them in the court ofheaven. Nor have I found my sinful nature changed,, nor my affections sanc- tified. I have very little of these spiritual desires and delights which have been before described as part of my salvation, I feel the inward workings ofmy soul vain and carnal still; I am not prepared for the heavenly world, and surely then I have never truly believed in Christ, nor received his gospel." To such complaints as these, I would propose these three several answers: Answer I. It may be so indeed. All this complaint may be just and true; and perhaps thou art an unbe- liever still, dead in trespasses and sins, and exposed every moment to the stroke of death, and to everlasting misery. This is the case of manya thousand beside thy- self: Even the greatest part of those who are called chris- tians, are yet afar off from God and from salvation, and have no just ground to suppose that they are believers in Christ. But it is of infinite concern for thee, O sin- ner, to busy thyself about this enquiry. There is not any one act in thy life, in which thou canst be engaged, that is of greater and more awful importance than this; for thyheaven or thy hell depends upon it. Some sit all their days under the gospel, and hear no- thingbut the outward sound, always unmoved, unawak- ened, and unaffected; slumbering and nodding upon the borders of eternal fire; while others hear the voice of the Son of God, . arise from the dead and receive a new, a divine life. Some in the same family, perhaps of thy own kindred, thy flesh and blood, or some that are upon the same seat in the public assembly, are convinced and converted, believe in Christ, and are saved ; while thou remainest a hard and impenitent sinner under the voice of the same grace, and the preaching of the same salva- tion. And if this be thy case, it is a dreadful one indeed. Consider, howwill thy condemnation be aggravated, that thou hast heard the góspel published with so muchglo- rious evidence in such a land, and such an age of light as this is, and yet thou.abidest in the state of hnpeni- tence, and, unbelief, and death. Thou hast had the blessings of heaven offered at thy door, and hast hither-

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