Some doubts and fears of a tender confcience anfwered.

1. I fear Chrift is not willing to fave me. Anfw. What is this but limiting, or fetting bounds to infinite mercy ?-What greater figns of his willingness would you have than those he hath already given you? He hath died, and purchafed falvation for you, Heb. ii. 9. 1 John ii. 2. He calls and intreats you to come and accept of it, Matth. xi. 28. He faith he will not caft you out, John vi. 37. He complains that you will not come, John v. 40.-And wilt thou yet fay, he is not willing ?-If thou art willing, he never was otherwife.Be of good comfort, he calleth thee. Ifa. Iv. 1. Ho! every one that thirfteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.-Bring only yourself, come out of need, as all do; as the prodigal did.

2. But I am fo unworthy.

Anfw. If you would have nothing but what you are worthy of, you must have nothing but hell. What was Abraham, or Saul, or any, worthy of, before the Lord called them? Say not, I am unworthy. Art thou willing? Rev. xxii. 17. Whofoever will, let him take of the water of life freely.

3. But my fins are very great; and I am confounded at the fight of them. Alas! how can I think of a pardon?

Anfw. Are thy fins great? the more need thou haft of a faviour. Greater finners have been pardoned, Manaffeh and Saul.But doft thou think thou art more guilty than Chrift is gracious?

read Ifa. i. 18. Come and let us reafon together, faith the Lord, though your fins be as fcarlet, they Shall be as white as fnow, though they be red like crimson they fhall be as wool. John i. 7. The blood of Jefus Chrift his Son cleanfeth us from all fin. Blefs God for that word all.

4. But I have a proud, hard, dead heart.

Anfw. Put that among your fins, and come to Chrift.

5. My fins are many as well as great. I fin daily; I fo fin that I must fuffer.

Anfw. Yea, if there were none to appear for thec. Luke vii. 47. Her fins which were many are forgiven her. 1 John i. 7. Chrift is a daily advocate. 1 John ii. 1, 2. If any man fin we have an advocate with the Father, Jefus Chrift the Righteous, and he is the propitiation for our fins. This fcripture fhould be as daily bread for believers to live upon.

6. I have finned against light and conviction. Anfw. So did David and Peter, who yet were pardoned.

7. But I am a revolter and backflider.

Anfw. Fer. iii. 1.-Thou haft played the harlot with many lovers, yet return again unto me, faith the Lord. Hof. xiv. 4. I will heal their backflidings, I will love them freely.

8. I am afraid of departing from God again.. Anfw. Jer. xxxii. 40.—I will make an everlafting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them to do them good, but I will put my fear into their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.

9. I have no ftrength.

Anfw. Ifa. xlv. 24. Surely fhall one fay, in the Lord have I righteoufnefs and strength. 10. I am afraid to die.

Anfw. Pfal. xxiii. 4. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the fhadow of death I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. Phil. i. 23. I am in a frait between two, having a defire to depart and to be with Chrift, which is far better. When you die God fhall be with you; and you fhall be with God and Chrift forever. The difference between inherent and imputed righteoufnefs.

1. Inherent righteoulness fanctifies, imputed righteousness juftifies.

2. Inherent righteousness makes us fhine before men, imputed righteousness makes us fhine before God.

3. Inherent righteoufnefs pleafes God, imputed righteoufnels appeafes him."

4. Inherent righteoufnefs difcharges from hypocrify, imputed righteoufnefs from guilt.

5. Inherent righteoufnefs makes us pray. imputed righteoufnefs makes our prayers pre

vail.

6. Inherent righteoufnefs is our fincerity, imputed righteousness our perfection.

7. Inherent righteousness respects the law, imputed righteoufnefs anfwers the law.

8. Inherent righteoufnefs is the evidence of our falvation, imputed righteoufnefs the foundation of it.

9. Inherent righteoufnefs is our joy, imputed righteoufnefs our glory, fa. xlv. 25.

10. Inherent righteoufnefs is to be loved, imputed righteoufnels to be trufted.

11. Inherent righteoufnefs is imperfect, imputed righteousness perfect.

12. Inherent righteoufnefs is our qualification for heaven, imputed righteoufnefs our title to it. Directions for thofe that are under convictions of Confcience.

1. Do not prefume, you are not yet come to the heavenly Canaan.

2. Do not defpair, you are in the way to it. 3. Beware of ill company.

4. Fear falling away, Heb. iv. 1. Preserve a tender frame.

5. Keep up prayer. Be much in ejacula

tions.

6. Do not reft in convictions, nor duties, nor any thing fhort of Chrift.

7. Be much in humiliation and confeffion. 8. Remember to keep holy the Lord's day. 9. Study your foul's cafe, and labor to get your hearts affected with it, and mortified to the world.

10. Remember the great day of accounts, Eccl. xii. 14.

11. Prepare for, and think not strange of trials, Heb. x. 32.

12. Let not religion be your diverfion, but your business.

Directions to keep from fin.

1. Run not into temptations.

2. Maintain a conftant watch againft, and fear of fin.

3. Beware of pride and prefumption. 4. Avoid and abhor flothfulness. 5. Remember you ftand by faith. ftrength is in Chrift, look to him for it.

Your

Means to gain repentance.

1, Sit with care, conftancy, and confcience, under the word of truth and gofpel of grace. 2, Study the nature of God.

3, Sit loose to the world.

4, Confider the fhortness of life, and the lim itation of the day of grace.

5, Be much in the bufinefs of felf-examination Pfal. iv, 4. Stand in awe and fin not, commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be fill. Lam. iii, 40. Let us fearch and try our hearts, and turn again unto the Lord.

6, Seriously expect approaching judgment. 7, Think much of death and eternity.

8, Walh thy heart in the blood of Jefus, and take every day a turn on mount Calvary.

9, Serioufly apprehend the poffibility, nay, the probability nay the abfolute certainty of a pardon through Chrift.

10, Sue for repentance at the hand of God: Say with Ephraim, Turn thou me and I fhall be turned, for thou art the Lord my God, Jer. xxxi,

18.

1, Mind

10.

Means to live at peace. your own Bufinefs, 1 Theff. iv, 11. 2, Keep your tongue from evil, 1 Peter iii,

3, Do not contend for every trifle, whether it be matter of right or opinion.

4, If others neglect their duty to you, be sure that you perform yours to them. To render railing for railing, is to return fin for fin.

5, Make your enemy fee and feel your love

to him, Rom. xii. 20.

6, Beg of God for universal charity.