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be in love and charity with all men; because I think no awakened soul can be long debarred the communion on account of it; the scripture direction is plain, that if a man recollect that his brother hath aught against him, he is not to withdraw his gift and stay away, but to be immediately reconciled-to put away the resentment or the provocation, whichever be on his side, and come again. "Let not the sun go down upon thy wrath."

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The new-born spirit, thus faltering at the threshold of the temple, does not know what he will know as he proceeds-that the mountain which now seems to bar his approach to God will continually present itself at every period of the life of faith: and he must do to the last, what he might do at the first, say to it—“ Be thou removed and cast into the sea"-for this power was not promised to the strength and growth of faith, but to its smallest possible existence. That mountain mass of sin, which the dawn of spiritual light so mistily discloses, will not diminish as the day-light grows-clearer, and blacker and more distinguishable each dark feature lies, and the advancing saint could only think that he grows worse, should he stand still to gaze upon himself, instead of looking to

Jesus, the author and finisher of his faith. Let the willing, but fearing communicant examine himself-not upon his measure of faith or progress in holiness-he will come to no assurance thus: let him examine himself what it is that keeps his soul from Christ and from the blessings of this holy table: for I must ever treat the two as one: he who knows that he has come to Christ, cannot have a doubt that he is welcome here. The hesitation very probably originates in believing a part instead of the whole of the Gospel promise. We believe sometimes that Christ has opened the gates of heaven for us, and left us to find the way to it as we can; has purchased for us the opportunity of salvation, and left it to ourselves to make effectual use of it; whence our uneasiness lest we mistake the way: Or having found, as we believe, the entrance gate, uncertain of strength and grace to persevere, we enter trembling and go on in fear. Or it may be that we accept from Christ the pardon of our sins, but look to ourselves for power to overcome them; justified in him, but sanctified in ourselves: like kingly grants of earth, to conquer and maintain the kingdom conferred upon us freely. Such thoughts as these lurk often in an unexamined faith, little

suspicious of its own unsoundness, while mournfully desponding at its want of strength. If the willing candidate finds anything of this sort in his mind, let him come and bring it with him to the altar-and see if it will stand before these pledges of the Saviour's love-if it is possible such a love has done but half its work. Gaze on the emblems of his body and blood, and hear his own words repeated, and think if it is possible that coming to him you should be refused that trusting him you should perish. Contemplate that blood, and see if there can be anything for you to add to its sufficiency-consider that body, and see if anything can be wanting to finish the work he has begun: Has it been shed for an experiment-broken for a may be? 'Draw near in faith, and take this holy Sacrament to your comfort.'

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They that were bidden shall not taste of my supper." Why? because they presumed upon an invitation not intended for them? No-but because when I had bidden them they were not willing. He that is not chosen is cast out; because he comes unbidden? No-but because when he comes he does not put on the robe of righteousness prepared for him, and wash himself in the fountain opened for sin and for un

126 OF THOSE THAT ARE AFRAID TO COME.

cleanness he prefers his own tattered and polluted raiment, his cherished sins or virtuous pretensions, to the imputation of Christ's righteousness, and the imparted graces of the Holy Spirit.

CHAPTER VII.

OF THOSE THAT COME UNWORTHILY.

"MANY are called-but few are chosen." It is the will of God, for the vindication doubtless of his own truth and honour, that the doctrine the most offensive to the natural heart, and the most proudly resisted by the world, is that which it is most continually destined both to witness and to verify: the worshippers of Christ are the few and not the many. Wherever the cross is exhibited, it is the few and not the many, that with a broken and a contrite heart bow down before it; wherever, and however the gospel invitation is proclaimed, it is the few and not the many that with a true and living faith accept the promises and enter into rest. "For strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Few was the church of God when it floated over the waters of a drowning

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