it; and the best of you, we fear, come short of improving it.  If ye improve it, ye should find it increase upon your hand, and you would appear like his children.  But because people do not improve their time and abilities to lay them out for God, it procures a curse.  For though our obligations go far beyond our duties that we do, yet when we do not lay out all our abilities for Him, and do not bestow our love, our affections, and our time, and all that we have for Him, but bestow them upon other things, we procure His curse.  Young folks, set to the work, and be entreated to give up yourselves to his service, and employ your best things for Him, now when your desires are fast and quick.  Oh, will ye bestow them on precious Christ?  You have a brave prize put in your hand, if ye set aright to the work; ye may see Zion’s King come back, and the crown set upon his head again.”

Urging the necessity of being found within the kingdom of God, he says:—­

“Seeing that the gate is very strait and narrow that leads to the kingdom of heaven, then what shall become of many of you, that never came the length that hypocrites have come?  Oh, what will ye say, and how will ye meet with God, when He comes to count with you for a preached gospel?  What will ye think of a Mediator that was offered to you, whom ye slighted and despised; when the heaven and earth shall melt away; and great men, and mean men, shall howl and cry, and all the tribes of the earth shall wail because of Him?  Oh! this will be the portion of hypocrites from God.

“It is of use for trial—­for all of you to try yourselves, and ponder in your hearts, and say, ’Oh, soul, whether art thou in the kingdom of heaven or not?’ Oh, be exhorted to this, whatever be thy state, O man and woman.  It is safe for thee to search thy state; if matters be right betwixt God and thy soul, it will be thy peace; if not, thou mayest possibly get righted.  For my part, I count him the best Christian that is most accurate in this searching and communing with his own heart; for if ye neglect this, ye may come to lose the sight of your interest in Christ, if ever ye had it.  Do not satisfy yourselves with being near the kingdom of God, but go into it.  For this end, break the bargain and peace with your lusts and idols; and make up your peace with God through Christ, our Peace-maker, and ye shall find great advantage in the exchange; for the wicked have peace, but with sin and sinful men, but the godly have peace with God.  Oh, will ye quit all other things, and seek to be interested in Him?  For it is to be feared that many here have proclaimed peace with sin, and some idol, or other.  Oh, break the bargain, and make peace with Christ!  Make choice of Him; for He can give you that which no other lover can give you.  O break that peace with your lusts and idols, and make peace with Him.  Remember, He offers himself to you freely this day.  Choose, therefore, what ye will do.  O seek for the fulness of the Spirit of Christ, and rest upon nothing but upon himself alone; and seek to be in the kingdom of God, by the thorough work of conversion upon your souls.