The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1858-06-02
suu1uy RraAiug.
A Word to an Inquiring Sinner.

niahN at such Il time us taIS are uOad-
ed by their cUnScIences TO repentance {:
and Yet dc their consciemces not know ex-
aciIy what to do. They entangled them
selves III web OF dOclrn.i mysteries or
OF personal DOUBTS, which keeps them Tor
the present inactive. aud Will soon end, II
not res"'ntely Gloken, in keeping them
forever away from Christ, who bought
them with His blood.
And what, dear friend, is the great
work that God requires of YOU How
simple II Is and how easy ! lie made
YOU tor two ends aud for two ends oniv
to love you and to be loved by vou.-
lie wanted one more being 10 love when
lie made you. Ills IOve-u is such AN
oven flowing stream--couId not be satisti
ed, although flowing every where, with
out one more channel for It.
lie is your Father in Heaven No
human words or symbols OF any kind or
conception can do anything more taau
strive after the representation OF Ills love
TO you. The most daring thoughts thal
have ever taken VII. from the human
breast toward N.m are mere mote, IN
the sunbeam, that would not be seen,
they are 30 small, but for the glory of Hls
presence within them. In what WAYS
unnumbered has He not shown YOU from
the first that He loves you.; aud this has
been that He might induce you to love
him in return.
If you will but love Him, He can make
you happy, to q degree almost beyonI
endurance; giving you IAN exceeding
great and eternal weight of glory lie
loves you for your sake, aud lie wants
you to love HIM also, for your own sake.
lt Is in other ways your bIlssfuI, radiant,
and overtiowing joy that he seeks on Ell
ther hand. In his conduct toward YOU
we have an infinite specimen OF dlsin,er.
ested love.
Such is God ; such is He toward you ::
such has he always been. And lie not
only wonders, but feels grieved, that He
has not Yet persuaded you by all Ills
love toward you, to love Him in return.
lhls affecting truth is taught us literally
IN the command, mot to grieve the Holy
spirit, whereby We are sealed unto the
day OF redemption
Your position, therefore, toward God
at this moment, is that OF IA child toward
tender, faithful, devoted parent, who
has been hitherto hearllessiy drsobedient
and stubborn, while yet the parent has
been constantly striving for Years in
every way but that Of giving up his own
authority, and with it his own character
l., 4
celve Of the gre test and best earthly ia.
ther. whose ideal any father that you
have yet seen or hrnr,i of could help YOU
to form IN your highest thoughts, bearing
patiently for long Years with son acting
with the most unnatural! and cruel cold
ness throughout toward him conceive
OF him rs not merely thus enduring
with much long suffering hIs sons base
ness, but also everywhere following after
to Ioad him with new kinduesses, and 20
melt down his opposition by even inten
ser additions Of love TO love, and YOU will
have a faint ea"thly picture Of Gods
great-heartedness toward.you He says
Himself, .hat He is waiting to IT, gr.-
c'ons' to you waiting as An injured pa
rent waits for his child to ask his forgive.
ness.
And what have you 10 do but just this
simple, honorable, joyous duty to frank
ly aud earnestly acknowledge to God in
prayer your whole pas: misconduct, and
pledge yourself TO honor, obey, aud serve
Him by HIS grace in the fatLre and for.
ever. This is Gospel repentance, this Is
the gate TO Heaven.
For hear what God says Whose
confesseth and forsakelh his sins shall
find mercy ) as Jesus also says. lie
that cometh 10 Me will in no wise cast
out The coming here spoken of is
just the coming hitherto dIsobedIent
child to parent, in confession, for for
giveness. To bring you to do this plain,
this acknowledged duty, is the end not
only OF all preaching, but also Of the
Spirits iufluence themselves upon you =
80 that Of every one who shall perish in
the end, the account that the Saviour will
give will be: 'Ye would not come to Me
that ye might have life
And now, wonId you know tie feelings
OF Gods heart toward you, were you thus
come to Him, look at the picture drawn
by Christ Himself OF the feelings that
burned 10 the heart Of the prodigal's IA.
tber, who saw him great way of,' and
could not wait, and ran and fell on his
neck and kissed him. Will not some
reader on perusins this. say
II once, i will srise aud go TO my Fa.
her g--N y. Observer.