HAVE YOU AN INTEREST IN THIS is a solemn question, for without an interest in Christ, there is no salvation. Besides this, it is to be feared, that many take it for granted that they have, when they have not. Let us then look at the subject seriously, just for two minutes. If you have an interest in Christ, you were once convinced that you had not. You saw the vast importance of it. You were stirred up heartily to desire it. Then you earnestly sought it. You perhaps doubted, and feared that you should never obtain it. You were, perhaps, kept waiting, watching, and praying for it. This deepened and strengthened your desire. At length Jesus was revealed as exactly suited to you, as willing to receive and save you. Hope sprung up in your soul. You fell at his feet overwhelmed with a sense of your unworthiness. You were raised up and enabled to exercise coufidence in him. Your 380 HAVE YOU AN INTEREST IN CHRIST? heart embraced him, Doubt, fear, and unbelief fled; joy, peace, and gratitude filled your bosom. You felt Jesus to be precious, unspeakably precious to you. You could trust yourself, and your soul's salvation in his haud. You found rest. You enjoyed repose. You solemnly en gaged to be his." copy his example. То You were con Jesus was now To do his will. To wear his righte ousness. To wash your robes and make them white in his blood. secrated to his service. yours, and you were his. you could withhold nothing from him, that you could do any thing for him. You felt that you had an interest in Christ. His blood was your peace. rule. You felt that His obedi His cross ence was your justification. was your glory. His word was your His honour was your end. Have you felt anything like this? Is the above your experience? If so, there is no doubt of your interest, and your life should be spent in his service, to his praise. If you are a stranger to the above, beware, lest what you call faith should prove presumption, and Jesus at last re fuse to own you as his. Reader, we must part. My work is HAVE YOU AN INTEREST IN CHRIST? 381 done. Is your soul safe? Are you in Christ? We shall meet before the great white throne by-and-bye-in what character shall we meet? As believers, or unbelievers? As saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation, or as lost, and lost for ever? This is a solemn inquiry. Do not, I beseech you, pass it by. You are interested in Christ, or you are not, which is it? You have received the gospel, or rejected it; you have embraced Christ, or refused him; which is it? You will perhaps bless God that you ever read this little book, or, you may curse the day you ever saw it; for it may be the means of your conversion, or it may increase your condemnation. May God in his infinite mercy, accompany the reading of it with the power and demonstration of his Holy Spirit, that it may be a savour of life unto life in your experience. LINES PRESENTED TO A YOUNG FRIEND ON THE MORNING OF HER MARRIAGE. MAY heaven its choicest blessings now bestow, O may she live beneath the smile of God, United to the object of her heart, Meek and submissive as her God commands, And may her husband, happy in his choice, Charlotte, to all around a pattern give: LINES TO A YOUNG FRIEND, ETC. Remember much will now on you depend: The tongue and temper hold in firm controul, Much of your happiness will now arise, Bear and forbear, and every fault forgive, Conceal your husband's faults from all rouud, Prefer his company to all beside, Put not each other in the Saviour's place, 383 |