cape the gallows? I reply, I hope fo. Now if there be no probability of escape, how could I hope? I would naturally defpair, and if I despaired, I could not hope, for hope and defpair do not go hand in hand. So my hope would be but a wifh or defire. So it is with fome finners who are more afraid of what will happen after death, then they are of death itfelf, and yet fay they hope to go to Heaven, when they die, and yet they know in their own hearts and feel that they are unprepared, &c.

I herefrom argue, that their hope is nothing but a wish or defire; for doubtlefs they would wish to efcape mifery, as felf prefervation is faid to be the first law of nature. But a wifh or a defire (which all feel at times, &c.) will no more carry a perfon to Heaven without practice, than a defire to see my parents, would carry me to New-Eng land, or when there, bring me back to Cumberland county, in this ftate, to fee my Papa and Mama, Hobfon, &c. without a determination or refolution.

Again, fuppofe a man poffeffing a plantation would neither plow nor plant, yet expect a crop in the fall, be

cause God was able to make it grow in a day-this man's hope would be nothing but prefumption-prefuming on the power of God without any evidence that God would exert that power.-Juft fo it is with fome people, fay they, I have not been fo bad as many of my neighbors, and God is good, and Christ is good, and I hope to make out fome how when I die. Thus they conclude all is well, without evidence, and deceive themfelves. This prefumptuous hope will do to live by, but will defert the planter in the fall, and thee in death.

O reader! thou mayeft cry peace, but remember it is a great thing to die and change worlds, and pass into eternity and appear before God.

Examine, O examine whether thou haft a well grounded hope.

Obferve, the Chriftian hopes for happiness beyond this life, and his hope is fomething more than a bare with or prefumption that it will be fo without evidence, but rather he is like the man who plows the ground, the crop fprings up and begins to grow, there is a fine probability that he will have a crop in the

fall: fo the chriftian has a probability of Heaven or future blifs, arifing from a good profpc&t, for the fpirit of Chrift which reigns in Heaven, hath convicted him, and given him a divine evidence relative to his prefent dangerous ftate, brought him to repentance, enabled him to yield obedience, and given him an evidence of pardon, fo the burden is gone, and the man feels a change wrought within, and can tell you an experience. God pity thofe that have not an experimental repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jefus Chrift.

Again, the Chriflian viewing the goodness and mercy of God in redemption, and viewing a beauty in holinels, feels his heart drawn out in love to the Lord and to his ways, and can fay in Bible language, "Lord, thou knoweft that I love thee; or we love God, becaufe he first loved us." And they obey him not fo much out of a flavish fear of being damned, as cut of a loving filial fear of offending. Again, they love the Lord's people according to the eleventh commandment, and can fay with John," by this we know, that

we have paffed from death unto life, be cause we love the brethren." The Chriftian loves the image of his master wherever he can fee it; he loves their company and converfation, for their hearts run together in cords of love, like two drops of water. And Chrift has given us a method whereby the wicked may know whether we poffefs religion or not. John 13. 34, 35. By this fall all men know, that ye are my difciples, if ye have love one to another.

Obferve, you take a piece of iron and wood, and you cannot weld them together, but two pieces of iron might be welded together-but iron if welded around wood, the wood would shrink from it and get loofe. So relative to religion-two Chriftians will unite like iron, but it is not every profeffor that is a real poffeffor. And the non-poffeffing profeffor, will not unite with the true profeffor, and if an appearance of unity is taking place, they will fhrink from it like the wood from the iron, which hath too fréquently been the cafe in Chriftendom, to the no small injury of the caufe

of religion in the unbelieving world. But as far as holinefs prevails, fo far a union of fpirit will take place. O may God carry on the revival of religion, now in the earth, and open a door for the promulgation of the gofpel, and may laborers be raised up, fuch as will count not their lives dear to themselves, fo that they may finish their courfe with joy, and a nation be born to God in a day, and the nations learn war no more.

Again, the spirit of Chrift influenceth his followers to obey his commandments, which are, to love your enemies, to blefs them that curfe you, and pray for them that defpitefully use and perfecute you.

And that man who cannot pray for his enemies, but feels malice against them, hath got no religion, for the Chriflian being holy, abhors their evil conduct, yet loves their precious fouls with a love of pity, Mat. 5. 44. &c.

Again, he being juftified by faith, he hath peace with God through Chrift. The fpirit of peace reigning within, he hath peace of confcience, and becomes a peace-maker ; and fuch are called the