couragement to repentance is held out, even to the worst of finners. Let us then reflect whither a wicked courfe of life will inevitably confign us. Will it not hurry us to everlasting deftruction? No one, acquainted with the Scriptures, can have a doubt on this head. Shall we, then, hesitate to accept the gracious invitation to amend our lives, and, by fo doing, to become partakers of everlasting happiness through the merits and fufferings of the Son of God? (Acts, chap. iii. ver. 19.:)

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Repent ye therefore, and be converted, "that your fins may be blotted out." How encouraging is this to the finner to forfake his crooked ways! that his fins fhall not only be forgiven, but fhall be blotted out, fo that not a trace of them fhall remain upon record against him. Our gracious God has, in mercy, ordained that every fin truly repented of fhould be totally blotted out; fince, fuch is the frailty of human nature, that were all the fins and follies of the best amongst us, nay, of the very faints themselves, to remain on record

record and to be exposed to notice, it must cast a damp upon that glorious day which he has decreed fhall be a day of jubilee and complete triumph to the righteous.

Having taken St. John's gospel for the subject of my obfervations, I think I cannot more properly conclude them, than in the words of that excellent collect provided by our church for that evangelift's day.

"Merciful Lord, we beseech thee to "caft thy bright beams of light upon thy "church, that it being enlightened by the "doctrine of thy blessed apostle and evangelift St. John, may fo walk in the light "of thy truth, that it may at length attain "to the light of everlasting life, through Jefus Christ our Lord. Amen."

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THE END.