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sheep or a dog. I doubt not but you understand what I mean. Why then should you remain in this miserable bondage, when there is One able to set you free? Perhaps you have concluded that you have gone too far to stop; that you have sinned with too high a hand to be forgiven. A secret despair of this kind, is Satan's great engine, by which he hurries many sinners to the most dreadful extravagancies. But may I not allege my own case for your encouragement against such a conclusion? You have probably heard that I was once "a persecutor, a blasphemer and injurious," 1 Tim. i. 13-15. I was so, indeed, to a degree I cannot express. But I obtained mercy. The exceeding abundant grace of our Lord Jesus Christ brought me out of that dreadful state, and in his providence he has placed me amongst you, that if I only pass you in the street, you have a proof before your eyes of his gracious declaration, that "all manner of sin and blasphemy "shall be forgiven to men for the Son of man's sake. "There is forgiveness with him that he may be fear"ed," Matt. xii. 31. Psalm cxxx. 4. Oh that I could prevail with you to seek him while he is to be found, to submit to him before the gate of mercy is quite shut! then "I am sure iniquity should not be

your ruin :" Ezek. xviii. 30. for "he is able to 66 save to the uttermost all that come unto God by "him," Heb. vii. 25. At least, let me give you one caution: do not make the Scripture, or the people who love it, the subjects of your wanton mirth. "Be not a mocker, lest your bands be made "strong," Isa. xxviii. 22. A common proverb says, "It is ill jesting with edged tools." 1 am sure it may be applied in the present case. If the cause you despise is the cause of God, it will be a dreadful thing to be found fighting against Him.

VI. There remains a considerable number to whom I have not yet spoken; who may know they

I com.

are not believers, yet are tolerably regular in their attendance upon the means of grace, and are not habitually guilty of gross and open sins. mend you for your readiness to hear the Gospel, and rejoice that it has some influence upon your conduct. But I would caution you against resting in outward privileges, or thinking yourself safe because you have escaped the abominations in which you see some others live. There are other sins which, though not so heinous in the judgment of man, are sufficient to ruin the soul. If you "love the world, the love of "the Father is not in you, 1 John ii. 15. To be "carnally minded is death, Rom. viii. 6. Covet"ousness is idolatry, Col. iii. 5. If you are under "the prevailing power of passion, pride and resent66 ment, you are strangers to the grace of God," Gal. v. 20. In a word, "if you have not the spirit "of Christ, you are none of his," Rom. vii. 9. A form of godliness without the power, 2 Tim. iii. 5. will leave you helpless and hopeless. Can you be content to be no more than chaff amongst the wheat, Matt. iii. 12. to converse and worship with the peo ple of God for a season here, and then to be separated from them for ever? If you should see those whom you know and love, your friends and relatives, received into the kingdom at last, and you yourselves shut out, Luke xiii. 25-30. how awful will your disappointment be! May the Lord awaken you to a diligent search into your own hearts, and in his holy Word, and not suffer you to take up with any thing short of a real and saving change! "Look to "Jesus, the author and finisher of faith :" Heb. xii. 2. who is exalted to "be a Prince and a Saviour, to "give repentance and pardon, life and immortal"ity" Acts v. 31. and remember you have his faithful promise, "Him that cometh unto me, I will "in no wise cast out," John vi. 37.

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I can truly say, my dear friends, that "my heart's "desire and prayer to God for you is, that you may "be saved," Rom. x. 1. As some, I fear, have hitherto heard in vain, and some will not hear me at all, I have chosen this method to address you all: I hope none will be offended, for I would not willingly offend a child. I hope I can appeal to yourselves, that God has given me a desire to live peaceably with all men, and, to the utmost of my power, to promote your welfare. "I seek not yours, but you," 2 Cor. xii. 14. In a little time "we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ," 2 Cor. iii. 10. There I must give an account of my ministry, and you must account for the privileges with which you have been favoured. When I think of the solemnities of that day, and the worth of your immortal souls, I am at a loss for words suitable to my desires on your behalf. "I beseech you by the tender mercies of our God," Rom. xii. 1. I warn you, by his approaching terrors, 2 Cor. v. 11. that you receive not this grace of God in a preached Gospel in vain, 2 Cor. vi. 1. And though I cannot expect to prevail on you all, yet I write in hope, that a blessing from the Lord will make the reading of this paper useful to some. And if it be so, even to one person, I ought to esteem it an over-payment for the labour of my whole life.

And now I commend you to God, to the word of his grace, and to the teaching of his Spirit, Acts xx. 32. I make it my earnest request, to the favoured few who know the Lord, and have received the spirit of prayer, that in your supplications to the throne of grace, you will frequently bear in remembrance,

Your affectionate Friend and Servant

in the Gospel of Christ, JOHN NEWTON.

A TOKEN

OF

AFFECTION AND RESPECT,

TO THE PARISHIONERS OF

ST. MARY WOOLNOTH AND ST. MARY
WOOLCHURCH, LONDON.

FROM THEIR MINISTER.

Acts xxvi. 3.

I beseech thee to hear me patiently,

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