soon as the reader has looked at the Saviour's invitations in the blessed book. By searching there you will find that the Saviour is calling, "Come unto me," &c. He is declaring that applicants he will not "cast out." "Whosoever will, let him take," &c. "Ask, and ye shall receive," &c. &c.

Explanation-It does seem very strange, indeed, to speak of explaining what it is to ask for any thing. It is never necessary except in matters of true religion. It is true there, that men lean toward mistake every step. Ministers talk of freely offered salvation, of God's willingness to receive penitents, &c., whilst their unconverted hearers misunderstand every word. The unconverted think, perhaps, that the change of heart is something exceedingly strange, which they are to wait for. Perhaps others fancy that they are to see light, or hear a voice, as Saul did; or they interpret every word concerning penitence, submission, forsaking the world, going to God, receiving pardon, &c., as having some strange spiritual meaning. Others think that they must be distressed in mind so intensely, and suffer so extremely as to move the Lord's compassion; or they wait for this anguish, thinking that none apply properly, but those in great mental anguish.

Such kinds of mistakes, delusions, and erroneous interpretations, are so common and so universal, that it is necessary to explain the plainest things.

Asking God.-1st, The time.-It seems that he urges us speedily, for he always says now. This word now, being the only one used in reference to time, we infer that expedition is meant.

2d, Place. That we may choose ourselves, for he is everywhere. He is always near to us, and can hear us whatever we say, so that place cannot be so material.

Some, when they go to ask for pardon and heaven, choose to be in secret and alone. Others do not wait so long.

3d, Manner. The only way to ask acceptably with God, is to wish what you ask for. He does not love hypocrisy; and if any should tell him that they wished to be saved, and wished to be Christians, when they did not, they cannot deceive him, for he sees the heart.

Questions asked and answered.-Question 1st.How am I to know he will pardon if I ask?

Answer.-Go and read of him in the New Testament. After observing his kindness, and patience, and meekness, and compassion, and readiness to hear requests, you will begin to suppose, that had you been there, offering a reasonable request, he would not have turned away from you; but if it had been a petition which he had told you to make, you would confidently expect his compliance. Now you have to recollect that he is unchangeable; he is as kind as he then was; he is as ready to hear as he was; he has told you to ask for pardon, and He will not refuse you.

Ques. 2d. How am I to know if I am sincere, if I ask in a proper manner?

Ans. You are sincere if you wish to quit sin. Those who wish to quit sin, try; those who wish to do right, to overcome sin, &c., ask God to help them to leave it. They are sorry when they fail and try again; and when they fall into sin again, they are concerned the more, and make a stronger effort. In short, they wish to do every thing found ordered them in the Bible; and, being sorry for every failure, they keep up a struggle and a warfare against sin.

Ques. 3d.-If I ask for the pardon of all my sins,

and to be taken into the number of the children of God, and to have my name with the ransomed, how am I to know when it is done?

Ans. He has had it written down for your encouragement, that, if you ask, you shall not be refused. He had it written because he does not appear to sinners, and they will not hear his lips pronounce words on this subject. When you ask wanting pardon, you have reason to believe that he does not refuse, because he says he will not.

Ques. 4th.—Am I to hear no whisper, or to have no strong indication, hear no voice, or have no singular impulse to let me know that my sins are blotted out?

Ans.-No. Christ has made you no such promise. You will not see the angel that blots out your sins; you will not see the Saviour to inform you that it is done. "Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." Blessed are those who believe the Saviour's word as it stands on the page of his Book, as promptly as they would believe his word, if they had with him a personal interview.

Ques. 5.-If I were to ask for the remission of all my sins, and were to believe that my words were attended, and my transgressions blotted, I would surely rejoice, might I thus take comfort?

Ans. If you ever believe Christ's real statement as it stands in the Bible, it will be faith, and joy is one concomitant of faith. There was one who once declared, that, under a hope of recently pardoned sin, his predominant feeling was a desire never to offend God again. Such a wish is connected with repentance. It is often the strongest feeling observable at the time. Often, the sinner does never notice the goodness of God; and never

has his attention turned toward that affecting kindness of the Saviour, until his own case brings it before him, and until a hope of pardon arouses his observation.

Farewell.-Reader, if you believe that you never sinned, we tell you farewell in despair; for sin has benumbed your soul into a stupidity which is hopeless. If you know you are a sinner, get pardoned forthwith, for this is the only wise course. If you wish pardon, our farewell advice, as to the manner of seeking it, is to act just as you would do if you saw the Redeemer.

Without seeing the Saviour, ask as you would if you did see him; without hearing him speak, attend to his written words just as you would do if you heard him speak them. "Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." Without seeing the white throne, before which we must certainly stand in judgment, act as you will wish you had when you do see it; without seeing the bright flashes of the peaceful abode, and the joyous features of the white-robed society, act as vigorously as the worth of such a residence should prompt; without looking down into the red atmosphere, where are thrown together "the fearful, and the unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and all liars," act so as to avoid their company and their eternity. Farewell,

CHAPTER XLVI.

AN ACCOUNT OF THE AUTHOR'S UNBELIEF, HIS DELIVERANCE THEREFROM, AND THE MEANS OF HIS ESCAPE.

DEAR READER,-One way to make plain the cure of infidelity, is to give examples of deliverance.

We can remember minute particulars of our own case with more accuracy than those of any other. Facts are never read with less interest in consequence of being presented as the lever by which other minds have been shaken or overturned.

Before entering upon the means of escape from unbelief, it is necessary to notice the mode of descending into that abyss.

*

My parents were professors of religion, with plain education, but well informed in holy things. Firm, ardent, and unassuming, infidelity came not before their thoughts. It seemed to be their impression that entire unbelief belonged to only a few, or that where it was avowed it could scarcely be sincere. I never remember to have heard the truth of inspiration questioned by mortal lips until the age of sixteen; when, having passed through the usual college course, too hastily, I went to read medicine in Danville, Kentucky. As soon as 1 mixed with society, I, of course, entered the company of some who were admirers of the French philosophy. I was not as much with the world as others, but I heard them speak occasionally. When talking of religion their feelings were always awake. They seemed to believe that

*When speaking of ourselves we abbreviate labour, and avoid incessant change of case, by using the first instead of the third person.