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voices to that of Chrift when he should judge

his people.

We fee then, that a man will be accepted by God on the judgment day, even though he has had much imperfection; but I would also add that, imperfect as thofe apoftles for a long time were, both in their faith, their knowledge, and their goodness, they were in due time led on and ftrengthened, as well as comforted, by the good Spirit of God, to whofe guidence they committed themselves; and almoft every one of those, who, once through their worldly fear, forfook their mafter, are believed to have died martyrs.

I fay, therefore, let us encourage ourselves by thefe examples, and let us not be deterred by the difficulties of the way, but "let us prefs forward in our courfe, and let us be followers of them, who by faith and patience inherit the promifes." And let me now alfo bring another point to my reader's comfortable remembrance, which is, that a man's past fins, even if ever fo great, will, when they are repented of, be no obftacle to his falvation; for fuch is the merciful appointment of God in the gospel. "Who are thofe," it is faid in the Revelations, "who are clothed with white robes, and have palms in their hands;" the anfwer is," thefe are they that have washed their garments, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."-" Chrift is that Lamb of God, which taketh away the fins of the world; and by him all who believe fhall be juftified from all things." Heaven, as we

have reafon to fuppofe, will not be peopled by those who were innocent from their youth, and whose spotlefs lives will form their title to admif fion; for an adulterous, though penitent David, will be found there; a once perfecuting Saul, a converted Mary Magdalene, a thief, who repented even on the cross, and a Peter, who once denied his Mafter. Thefe, and many more, in point of finfulness not unlike to thefe, fhall, through the all-powerful grace of Christ, obtain a glorious refurrection; for these all repented of their fins, they all, as they had time and opportunity, "brought forth fruits meet for repen. tance," and thefe fruits which are called in Scripture, the fruits of the Spirit, being produ ced by the Holy Spirit's influence on the heart, are thofe very works which we have been fo largely defcribing.

Let us then lay our foundation for good works in repentance and deep humility. The tempers which have been spoken of, fuch, for inftance, as forgiveness of injuries, and a dread of judging others, as well as an overflowing love and pity to our fellow-creatures, arife naturally and cafily from a heart broken with a sense of our own iniquities; for the qualifications for Heaven which God requires in us, are not thofe of a finlefs being, but of a penitent and humbled finner that has been taught in the fchool of repentance, and has thus learnt to walk in newnefs of life; and even that love of God, which is fo leading a part of true religion, is not a lit

tle excited and encreased by the fenfe of God's forgivenefs of us, according to that remark of our Saviour:" Her fins which are many, are forgiven, therefore hath she loved much."

Let it be our great fear, however, left profeffing to admire the grace of the Gospel, and to believe its truths, we fhould not be found on the day of judgment to have been walking in a manner worthy of it; and let us treasure up in our minds the many warnings given us in Scripture, that it is by our works that we fhall be called upon to prove that we have been true difciples. Behold," fays the bleffed Saviour of the world, "I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give to every man according as HIS WORK fhall be."

THE

TWO WEALTHY FARMERS,

OR,

THE HISTORY OF

Mr. BRAGWELL AND Mr. WORTHY.

PART VI.*

MR. BRAGWELL was fo much afflicted at

the difgraceful marriage of his daughter, who ran off with Timothy Incle, the ftrolling player, that he never fully recovered his fpirits. His chearfulness which had arisen from an high opinion of himself, had been confirmed by a conftant flow of uninterrupted fuccefs; and that is a fort of chearfulnefs which is very liable to be impaired, because it lies at the mercy of every accident and crofs event in life. But though his pride was now difappointed, his misfortunes had not taught him any humility, because he had not discovered that they were caufed by his own fault; nor had he acquired any patience or fub. miffion, because he had not learnt that all afflictions come from the hand of God to awaken 'us to a deep fense of our fin, and to draw off our

*For the five first parts fee Vol. I.

hearts from the perifhing vanities of this life. Befides, Mr. Bragwell was one of thofe people, who, even if they would be thought to bear with tolerable fubmiffiou fuch trials as appear to be fent more immediately from Providence, yet think they have a fort of right to rebel at every misfortune which befalls them through the fault of a fellow-creature; as if our fellow-creatures were not the agents and inftruments by which Providence often fees fit to try or to punnish us. This imprudent daughter, Bragwell would not be brought to fee or forgive, nor was the degrading name of Mrs. Incle ever allowed to be pronounced in his hearing. He had loved her With an exceffive and undue affection; and while he gratified his vanity by her beauty and finery, he deemed her faults of little confequence; but When the difappointed his ambition by a difgraceful marriage, all his natural affection only erved to increase his refentment. Yet, though e regretted her crime lefs than his own mortication, he never ceafed in fecret to lament her ofs. She foon found out she was undone, and Wrote in a strain of bitter repentance to ask his orgivenefs. She owned that her husband, whom he had fuppofed to be a man of fashion in difuife, was a low perfon in diftreffed circumlances. She implored that her father, though refused to give her husband that fortune for hich alone it was now too plain he had married er, would at least allow her fome fubfiftence, or that Mr. Inkle was much in debt, and she

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