contrite Heart, O GOD! Thou wilt not defpife.

What Cause for Rejoicing have we that here is an acceptable Sacrifice always near at Hand! Break my Heart, O GOD, and then heal it!

Joel ii.

13.

Heart and not your

Rend your Garments, and turn unto the LORD your GOD; for He is gracious and merciful, flow to Anger, and of great Kindness, and repenteth Him of the Evil.

This is the Humiliation ac

ceptable

lviii.

ceptable unto the LORD: we have His own Word for it: not Isa. that a Man fhould bow down 5. his Head as a Bulrush, and spread Sackcloth and Ashes under him, that all may fee he is fafting, but that he fhould rend his Heart by the Contemplation of his own Unrighteousness, if he can; and, if he cannot, that he fhould pray GoD to rend it for him, without sparing for his Crying.

9, 10.

To the LORD our GOD belong Dan.ix. Mercies and Forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against Him; neither have we obeyed the Voice

of

of the LORD our GOD, to walk in His Laws which He fet before

us.

3.

Did ever Any humble himself with a true penitent Heart before GOD in vain? Though a faint, lukewarm "6 LORD, LORD, open unto us," is not enough, yet humble, prayerful prayerful Importunity

Hab. ii. hath never failed. Yea, though He tarry, wait for Him: be strong, ftrong in Prayer, and He shall comfort thine Heart. For to Him belong Mercies and Forgiveneffes, though we have rebelled against Him.

O LORD!

24.

O LORD! correct me, but with Jer. x Judgment! not in Thine Anger, left thou bring me to Nothing.

Nothing fo difarms Him as our calling upon Him, under the intolerable Senfe of our Sinfulnefs, for the Correction which we feel we need. He will only give us enough: He never fmites for the Pleasure of fmiting: He relents and pities even while He punishes—Oh, take it thankfully!

Repent ye! for the Kingdom of St.

Heaven is at Hand.

St. John

Matt. iii. 2.

St.

Matt.

xxiv.

42.

St. John raised this Cry in the Wilderness. The People went out to him; put themselves in the Way of hearing it. O my Soul, let me do likewife. I need daily Repentance, daily Renewal in the Spirit of my Mind. The Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand; I know not the Signs of the Times, nor whether I fhall be among those whom our LORD, when He defcends from Heaven with a Shout, shall find alive on the Earth; but this I know, that He hath faid unto every one of us, Watch, for ye know not at what Hour your LORD cometh.