An Affectionate Entreaty.

My Dear Friend:
I pray that the Holy Spirit may sweetly and silently open your heart, to relish the way of salvation through the blood and obedience of Immanuel. "Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins, and by him all that believe are justified from all things.'' Acts xiii, 38, 39. Oh, that you may be even now clothed in the righteousness of Jesus! so that, if you were called away, you may meet God in peace, and hear Jesus say: "Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." In yourself, you never will stand righteous before Jehovah. Oh, that you would be of the same mind with God about your own soul! Now, God is willing that you and I should hide in Jesus. I feel at this moment that He is my Righteousness. I feel that the love of God shines upon my guilty soul through Jesus. This is all my peace. Your tears will not blot out sin; they do nothing but weep in hell, but that does not justify them. Your right views of the gospel will not justify you; you must be covered with a spotless righteousness. Jesus offers you this perfect righteousness; in Him you may stand and hear God say: "Thou art all fair, my love. There is no spot in thee." Do you thus look to Jesus? Do you believe the record that God has given concerning Him? Do you receive Christ with open arms? Do you cry: "My Lord and my God;" my surety, my all?
Dear friend, do not tarry. Eternity may be near. Now is your best time, perhaps your only time, of closing with Christ. How many worlds would a lost soul in hell give for such an opportunity of cleaving to Christ as you have now. "He that hath the Son hath life." This is all my prayer and desire for your precious, precious soul.

THE INVITATION.

"Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out." John. vi. 37.

　Just as thou art, without one trace
Of love, or joy, or inward grace,
Or meetness for the heavenly place,
O, guilty sinner, come!

　Thy sins I bore on Calvary's tree,
The stripes, thy due, were laid on Me,
That peace and pardon might be free.
O, wretched sinner, come!

　Burdened with guilt, would'st thou be blest?
Trust not the world, it gives no rest;
I bring relief to hearts oppressed
O, weary sinner, come!

　Come, leave thy burdens at the Cross;
Count all thy gains but empty dross;
My grace repays all earthly loss.
O, needy sinner, come!

　Come, hither, bring thy boding fears,
Thine aching heart, thy bursting tears;
'T is mercy's voice salutes thine ears.
O, trembling sinner, come!

　"The Spirit and the Bride say, Come!"
Rejoicing saints re-echo "Come!"
Who faints, who thirsts, who will may come.
Thy Saviour bids "thee come!"

　THE ACCEPTANCE.

　Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bid'st me come to Thee,
O, Lamb of God, I come!

　Just as I am, and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot,
To Thee, whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O, Lamb of God, I come!

　Just as I am, though tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt,
With fears within, and wars without,
O, Lamb of God, I come!

　Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind,
Sight, riches, healing of the mind,
Yea, all I need, in Thee to find,
O, Lamb of God, I come!

　Just as I am. Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve,
Because Thy promise I believe,
O, Lamb of God, I come!

　Just as I am, Thy love unknown
Has broken every barrier down;
Now to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,
O, Lamb of God, I come!

　CHRIST OUR PEACE.

　I thought upon my sins, and I was sad,
My soul was troubled sore and fill'd with pain;
But then I thought on Jesus, and was glad,
My heavy grief was turn'd to joy again.

　I thought upon the law, the fiery law,
Holy, and just, and good in its decree;
I look'd to Jesus, and in Him I saw
That law fulfilled, its curse endured for me.

　I thought I saw an angry, frowning God,
Sitting as Judge upon the great white throne;
My soul was overwhelm'd—then Jesus show'd
His gracious face, and all my dread was gone.

I saw my sad estate, condemn'd to die,
Then terror seized my heart, and dark despair;
But when to Calvary I turn'd my eye,
I saw the Cross, and read forgiveness there.

I saw that I was lost, far gone astray,
No hope of safe return there seem'd to be;
But then I heard that Jesus was the way,
A new and living way prepared for me.

Then in that way, so free, so safe, so sure,
Sprinkled all o'er with reconciling blood,
Will I abide, and never wander more,
Walking along in fellowship with God.

"Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." Rev. i. 5, 6.

"South Carolina Tract Society" #105 1861