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162
TIE
RIGHT
IMPROVEMENT
OF
LIFE.
{BERM. xXX1X,
new thy
nature, though thou
art
an,old
hardened
rebel,
and a
transgressor
from thy very infancy.
Lose not
a
moment
more,
but
set
about
the
work
in
good
earnest;,
trifle no
longer
with grace,
thou
who
art
on the borders
of
the grave
;
fly
to
the hope
that
is
set before thee
;
beg
salvation
of God
with daily
and
nightly tears,
and
give
him no
rest
till he
bath heard
thee.
Sch
an importu-
nity
is
like
to be successful
;
and
then,
though
thy
tem-
poral
life
bath been
no
benefit
to
thee hitherto, yet
the
last
moments
of it
may
possibly be accepted,
and prevent
thy everlasting death
:
God
who
is
rich in mercy,
may
bestow on thee some humble place
in
heaven,
but
thou
canst not
expect
to shine
amongst the brightest
saints.
Thou
gayest
be
blbssed
among the dead
who
die in the
Lord, and rest
from thy
sorrows
and
thy
sins; but
thou
hast
scarce any good words to
follow
thee.
Thy
works
in all the sprightly years
of,
thy
life,
have been
matter
of
guilt and
shame,
and
it
is
infinite
mercy,
that
they
shall
he
remembered
no
more.
But
if
thy
heart
be
broken
for
sin,
and healed
by
the blood
of
.
Christ,
thy humble
repentance,
and thy
holy
faith
in
the
fèw
remaining
days
of
old age,
and death
shall
be
accepted through
the
abounding grace of
the gospel.
The
dying
thief
on the
cross
forbids thee
to
despair utterly, though thou
hast
run
a terrible
risk,
and
ventured
on
the borders
of de-
struction
!
And
if
thou
art
saved
at
last, it
is so
as
by
fire,
it
is
like
a brand plucked out
of
the burning, or
as
a
man escaping naked
out of
the
flames,
and passing
on
the very
brink of
hell
into everlasting
life."
THE
RECOLLECTION
Of
the doctrinal part.
"Audis
life
the
only
space
given
inv
to
be
reconciled to
God, and
am
I
still
a
stranger and an
enemy
?
Have
I
wasted
away so many
years
of
this
golden season
of
hope,
this day
of
mercy,
and
have
I
not yet
received
this
mercy,
nor
laid hold
on this hope set before me
:
Search,
exa-
mine,
enquire, what
is
thy state,
O
my soul
?
And if
thou art yet
a
child
of
wrath,
and
unreconciled
to
G.od,
make
haste
and
fly
for refuge
to the
grace
of
the go.pel.
,Cry mightily
for
repentance and
forgiveness
in the name
and
blood
of
Jesus.
Let
no more
days
of
thy
life
pass
away
in such
a dangerous and dreadful
state, lest
life
should
come
to
a
speedy period, and
then
thou
art
ba-
nished
from
grace and hope for ever.