and to speak of those things you used to call pleasures, with the greatest contempt; and of your delight in them with the greatest detestation: I doubt not you were sincere in it, you had no occasion to be otherwise with me.

Sir R. My sincerity to you, I hope, admits no question, whether my heart may not be insincere and deceive me, that I cannot answer for.

Bro. That is what I am upon,I say, try the spirits, whither do all these motions tend? Do they carry you on to humble repentings for sins past, and holy resolutions for time to come? If this work puts you forward to a change of life, to a love of the name and ways of God, and of the people of God,-in a word, if it apparently directs to holiness, it is the work of the Spirit of holiness, there is no doubt of it,—it is a dispensation of the grace of God to you, by the operation of the Spirit: it must be so, there is no other influence either able, or by the nature of things inclined to work in such a manner; and you have great reason to rejoice in it.

Sir R. Alas, I rejoice! is it impossible for me to hope? And without hope is there any rejoicing?

Bro. The lower you are in the esteem of your penitent thoughts, the nearer you are to the gate of hope: remember the Publican, he durst not go forward to the temple to pray.

Sir R. There you touch my very soul again: why that wicked creature wounded me so deep, that it entirely robbed me of all my hope,-she was a true instrument of the devil in that; for as he is in the worse kind of despair himself, he labours to push others into the same condition; that in their reflections upon sin, they may commit the more; for I am very sensible it is a great sin to despair, it is a dishonour to the power and omnipotency of Divine mercy,

Bro. I suppose that was when she bantered profanely about your praying to God for her, and told you it would signify nothing.

Sir R. That had been nothing,-for what signified the words of a foolish enraged creature? But when she repeated that scripture, the prayer of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, it was like a dart struck through the liver. I knew that was the word of God, though it was spoken out of the mouth of an evil messenger,-my heart sunk within me at the words; I quitted talking to her as soon as possible, and while I did talk I hardly minded what I said, my thoughts were so harassed; then I came out to seek for you, but you were gone to London, and what to do I knew not.

Bro. I am very sorry I was gone, but I hope the same Spirit of God, who was working convictions in your mind, gave you comfort.

Sir R. Indeed, brother, I received but small comfort, I looked upon myself in the same condition as king Saul was, when he said, the Philistines were upon him, and God was departed from him; the weight of my convictions lay upon me, and I looked upon myself as shut out from the gate; one whom God would not hear, as Saul said; and, in a word, that I was forbid to pray to him,and it wrought such a dejection upon my mind, that I could scarce hold up; my wife and all my family took notice of it.

Bro. It was well no strong temptation presented while you were under those troubles.

Sir R. I suppose they were really temptations, for I was often pressed in my thoughts to give over my concern about it; to go to the tavern, or a visiting, or a hunting, and drive away these melancholy thoughts: but it was all like music to a sorrowful heart, that served but to make it more heavy, and I had no taste of those things, though they were formerly my greatest delight: but all that followed me during this whole time, was the words of the Publican, whose story you mentioned, and his words, would often break from me with a kind of involuntary emotion, Lord be merciful to me a sinner.

Bro. Very well; and was it not the powerful grace of God, think you, that preserved those aversions in you against your former delights; that took away your taste of those things, and the gust of your appetite from your pleasures; that seasoned your soul with godly sorrow, that by the sadness of the countenance the heart might be made better? Dare you say that it was by the same strength, that those things which were doubtless laid in your own way as snares, proved no temptation to you?

Sir R. My strength! How is it possible that I should have the least strength to any thing that was good, who have given up myself to all that is wicked, through the whole course of my life!

Bro. Very well. Then the powerful grace of God must have supplied you give him the honour of his own work, let him have all the praise.

Sir R. How can I praise him, that cannot pray to him, that am not admitted to take his name into my mouth? whose prayer is an abomination; why he may strike me dead, if I should offer to look up to him. How can I praise him?

Bro. That is all a delusion of the devil; and I must say, it is one of the most old fashioned temptations. You said it came out of the mouth of one his agents; did you not. Why should you then suffer it to take any hold of you?

Sir R. It is the word of God for all that.

Bro. Yes, so it was the word of God with which the devil tempted the Son of God; his second temptation was supported in that manner, For it is written, or, Thus saith the Lord: which is the same thing: but you must explain one scripture by another, and take the word of God in the general meaning, as well as in the literal expression.

Sir R. These are things I understand not. Is not the thing plain? Are not the words express? If they have any other signification, let me hear it.

Bro. It is true, a wicked man, while resolving to continue in his sins, his prayer is an abomination: the reason is

evident; he mocks God; and the word is express in that, God will not be mocked; that is, it is an abomination to him to be mocked, he will revenge it, and do' his own henour justice.

Sir R. Is this the true meaning of that place? and how shall I be satisfied that it is so?

Bro. By farther searching into the scriptures, and by the general purpose of God in the gospel. It is evident, the whole scope of the gospel, and of the dispensation of grace, which I have mentioned before, is to persuade sinners to repent and turn to God. Innumerable texts might be quoted to convince you of this; but it seems needless; If sinners are to turn to God, and yet are shut out from God, from praying for his grace, how shall they turn?

Sir R. That is very true; but show me some apposite case to this, that may overthrow the force of its literal

sense.

Bro. I'll shew you several; first, take the story of Simon the sorcerer: an eminent case, and exactly apposite to what you are upon; Simon was a wicked man, that must be allowed, to an extreme beyond what can be thought of here; a sorcerer, a conjurer, one that dealt immediately with the devil, of whom the apostle testifies afterward, that he was in the gall of bitterness, and the bond of iniquity, and that his heart was not right in the sight of God. If any man alive was in the predicament of one whose prayer is an abomination, Simon was the man: yet observe what Peter, the blessed preacher of repentance, says to him, Acts viii. 22. "Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee." Now sir, what think you? May Simon the sorcerer pray to God, and may not you?

Sir R. You have brought a strange case, I confess, and it grows upon my mind; if I take you right, it is thus, then? That if I am convinced of my sin, regret my past life, and, in a sincere abhorrence of my past offences revive to reform and become a new man, 1 may be assured

that I am permitted to pray to God; to ask pardon, blessing, assistance, support, and every thing that I want.

Bro. You have stated it right, and I am sure I have the authority of God's word to confirm it: I'll give you the same text which was mentioned in our former discourse, which you said you found in the book about reading the scriptures, Isa. i. 15. There are five verses, from 11 to 16. full of God's abhorrence of, and abominating the sacrifices, that is, the prayers of men who continued in their sins; the last runs thus, "When you spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea, when you make many prayers, I will not hear." This is a dreadful scripture, what can be the reason of it? The next words explain it, Your hands are full of blood. This is plain, full of sin unrepented of, and sins to come resolved on; to what purpose can such creatures pray ?

But read the next verse, and there you see the terms on which God is always ready to hear the worst of sinners; ver. 16, 17." Wash ye, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do well: Come, now, let us reason together." The meaning of this is as clear as the light; come repenting, resolving to break off from your sins, and God will then accept your offering and then follows the gracious promise; "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be whiter than snow."

Sir R. Dear brother; blessed be God for these scriptures, and God's blessing be upon you for your clear and comforting exposition. Now I see my way clear, I see the gate of heaven opened, it must be my own fault, if I do not fly thither for help and comfort: I am sure I am a penitent for my soul abhors the sins of my past life; and if he that has wrought this part in me will support my mind in the pursuit of it, I hope I shall continue to abhor it. And this is what I shall pray for with as earnest a desire, even as for pardon itself.

[Sir Richard discovered all the while he was speaking,