say, perhaps, That is God's work, and may also be left to him. But it was not thus that the Apostles judged, in reference to Us Gentiles. They could not, by any power of their own, convert a single soul: but did they therefore decline to use the means which God himself had appointed? No: they preached Christ to all to whom they could gain access : and it was in confirmation of their word that the Spirit of God descended on their hearers. St. Peter, when speaking to Cornelius and his company, said, " To Christ give all the prophets witness, that, through his name, whosoever believe th on him shall receive remission of sins." And then it is parti- cularly said, " While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the word1." Thus, in con- currence with your efforts, God in his mercy will return to his deserted people ; and again " take them as his people, and be their God." Surely, the very hope of this is sufficient to animate you in your exertions: and if only in a few instances you may be instrumental in effecting this blessed end, it will richly repay you for all the liberality that you can exercise, and all the labour you can bestow.]
r Acts x. 43, 44.
Ezek. xxxvi. 31. Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe your- selves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.
IT should seem,, that the more excellent any man became, the higher thoughts he would have of his own excellence: and the more he was conformed to the will of God, the more he would be filled with self-complacency. But the very reverse of this is the truth. Men's humiliation will always increase in proportion as they know the extent of their duty, and are made sensible of their defects ; and conse- quently, the more they advance in holiness, the more they will lament their past, and remaining, iniquities. The words of our text confirm this. They are ad- dressed, not to persons living in wilful and deliberate sin, but to persons " cleansed from their filthiness," and possessed of "a new spirit, whereby they are