Address —
I. To the self-confident —
[If you be not yet convinced of your need of Divine influences, go home, and try to perform some spiritual acts in your own strength : try to go to Christ with contrition ; to cast yourself upon him with humble confidence ; and to devote yourself to him in unreserved obedience. Do this, do it really, and with your whole heart, and we will retract all we have spoken, and confess either that the Bible is false, or that we have mistaken its true import. But we fear not the issue of such a trial : we are persuaded it would tend, more than any thing, to your conviction. Having within your own power the means of ascertaining the truth or falsehood of what you have heard, you will be utterly inexcusable if you neglect to do it.]
2. To the timid—
[Let it not be a source of discouragement to you that you feel your weakness : for " when you are weak, then are you strong." Can you do nothing of yourselves ? then live the more dependent upon God : and " he will perfect his strength in your weakness." He has said, " Fear not, thou worm Jacob, thou shalt thresh the mountains." What a labour is this to be performed by a worm ! yet it shall be clone. Trust then in him, and be of good courage: and He who "sent Christ to you," will draw you to him, and he who draws you to him, will accomplish in you all his good pleasure, till you are " raised at last" to a full enjoyment of his presence and glory.]