entire withdrawment of his restraining grace, and a complete abandonment to sin and ruin?

In the third place, If the influences of the Holy Spirit are not usually to be distinguished from the operations of our own minds; or, in other words, if we can discover them only in their effects by their directing and controling our thoughts, emotions and purposes; how watchful should Christians be over their own hearts! "Every good gift and every perfect gift, my brethren, is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights." To God are you indebted for all your moments of sober thought on the vanities of this life, and the awful realities of the future. Do you ever, amid the busy and fascinating scenes of the world, chide yourselves for consenting too much to its spirit, and imbibing too readily its maxims? Does conscience ever smite you for yielding to a temptation or neglecting a duty, which, in the view of the world, is too insignificant to demand the notice of your moral judgment? Are you sometimes inclined, even amid your cares and business, to direct the eye of faith to your heavenly Father, and to supplicate the continuance of his mercy and his grace? Resist not, I beseech you, these heavenly suggestions. Grieve not the Holy Spirit, who thus calmly and silently leads your thoughts heavenward, and sheds abroad his love and his graces in your hearts. Do not rest satisfied with those Divine influences, which purify and elevate the holy soul in its secret retirements or seasons of social devotion. God is ever with you, although

you see him not; his grace is ever ready for those who sincerely seek it, although the nature of its operation may elude their research. Watch over your hearts, then, that they may become fit temples for the residence of the Holy Spirit. So shall you be more and more cheered in this pilgrimage of trial, by the constant presence and guidance of God, until you reach at last the holy city, the new Jerusalem, where "the sun shall be no more your light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto you; but the Lord shall be unto you an everlasting light, and your God, your glory."

Again; As the influences of the Holy Spirit are usually to be discovered only in their effects upon our own minds, then let the sinner beware how he attempts to stifle the alarms of conscience, to banish sober reflection from his mind, or to check any inclination which he may feel to attend to the things of his everlasting peace. Perhaps, God's Spirit may now be striving with his spirit. Let him dread, then, to resist its monitory suggestions, lest haply he be found fighting against God.

Finally, how deep and entire must be the depravity of the human heart which renders necessary the interposition of God's Spirit to draw sinners unto Jesus Christ. O let him who continues to reject the Saviour, ponder well this momentous and alarming truth: it is one which our Saviour uttered in the hearing of his unbelieving countrymen: "Ye will not come unto me, that ye may have life !" "No man can come to me, except the Father, which

hath sent me, draw him." Yes, my hearers, we all lie at the mercy of our offended Sovereign. We can do nothing that will make us deserving of his favour. If abandoned to ourselves, we must perish. We have only one hope left: -it is that of the drowning mariner, that some arm may be extended to save him. We have only one Refuge :-it is the Cross of Christ.

DISCOURSE XIII.

ACTS iii. 19.

Repent ye, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.

THESE words are part of an address delivered by the Apostle Peter to a Jewish multitude, in the temple at Jerusalem, soon after the ascension of Christ.

The occasion was this-" Peter and John went up together into the temple, at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. And a certain man, lame from his mother's womb, was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple, that is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple: who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked an alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him, with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up; and immediately his an

cle-bones received strength. And he leaping up, stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God. And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the beautiful gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him. And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering. And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people-Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; and killed the Prince of Life, whom God hath raised from the dead, whereof we are witnesses; and his name, through faith in his name, hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know; yea, the faith which is by him, hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. Repent ye, therefore,

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