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The veil of self-deception torn off.

bespoke the existence of deep inward emotion and fixed trouble of soul. The sight to me was like dew to the parched ground. I could not but weep. The thought that God in his infinite mercy had begun to touch the hearts of my people, filled me with indescribable emotions. To many, I believe this was truly a solemn day-a day long to be remembered.

"Early on Monday morning I called upon Mrs. V. She met me with great cordiality, but with a sedateness and seriousness of expression unusual to her. On all former occasions, when the subject of personal religion was introduced, she either remained silent, or sought to give to the conversation another turn; but now this seemed the only theme that could interest her.

"She at length said, 'I wish you to tell me, sir, how I can be saved, for I feel that I am a lost sinner.'

"I inquired if she had never felt that till now ? "No,' she replied, 'I have always looked at myself through a false medium. The veil that concealed myself from my own view, has but recently been torn off.'

"On a subsequent occasion, I desired her to favour me with a short sketch of her religious exercises, and the means by which she was first brought to a right apprehension of her own character, and the way of salvation through Christ.

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"From the time,' said she, that I began to reflect upon a state of future existence, which was at an early period, I determined to pursue such a course as would carry me to heaven. I thought I was pursuing that course. Never did I dream that I had not a valid claim to salvation. I fully believed if I did not commit any heinous sin, if I was charitable in giving to the poor, amiable in my temper, courteous in my manners, and regular in my attendance upon public worship, I should discharge my duty in such a way that I should certainly be saved. The gayeties and amusements of the world I thought harmless and innocent, and might be participated in without injury or guilt.

The means by which Mrs. V was enlightened.

"While I heard from the pulpit threatenings addressed to sinners, I supposed that the openly vicious were meant, and those threatenings therefore gave me no alarm. That I partook of the frailties common to my species, I was sensible; that I was a sinner in this sense, I was conscious. But thinking it my misfortune, rather than my crime, I thrust from my mind all anxiety on this subject, with the idea that God would not be strict to mark what was done amiss.

"With these views I remained for years perfectly at ease, indulging the pleasing but delusive hope that all was safe. The first thing that startled me from the deep slumbers in which I was reposing, was a sermon you preached upon the text, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Some remarks in that discourse I shall never forget. You told us "that there was not an individual present, however upright, however amiable, however virtuous, that was not so sinful and guilty as to deserve God's everlasting wrath and damnation; and if there was any one present that had any dependence upon his own goodness, and did not look as exclusively to Christ for salvation, as if he had never performed one good action, that individual would perish."

"These were new ideas to me; I could not credit them. I certainly thought myself better off, and more sure of heaven than the worst of sinners. As far as my good actions go, I am sure they will save me. Such was my conclusion. Still I was uneasy. began to read the Bible more attentively; I began to reckon up at the close of each day my good deeds, to see if I had not enough to balance those I knew to be wrong. The more I read, and the more I examined myself, the more uneasy I became ; I began to doubt whether I did any good thing. Another sermon that you preached, placed before me my sins in such a light, that I gave up myself as lost, and was on the very borders of despair. O how beautiful, how transcendently glorious did Christ then appear, when revealed to me!

The testimony of a plain Christian man.

Then I was deeply and perfectly convinced that if he had been any other Saviour than an entire and altogether Saviour that if I was not saved in the same way that the vilest sinner would be, I should infallibly perish.'

"This is a brief sketch of the account she gave of the manner in which she was first aroused to a sense of her condition. This, thought I, is a lesson intended to teach me to do my duty, and not be discouraged, though I see no immediate results. referred her first serious impression was the one which gave me so much uneasiness, because it was heard with so little interest. I was now more fully determined to know nothing among my people, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.'

The very sermon to which she

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"Another occurrence about this time encouraged me to go on and strive to preach Christ faithfully. One of my parishioners with whom I had previously had but slight acquaintance, called one Monday evening to see me. I was a little surprised at it, for he had usually seemed disposed to keep out of my way. He was an Englishman, in moderate circumstances, and advanced considerably beyond the meridian of life. He was a communicant in the church, and from all that I could learn, a very consistent and exemplary Christian, though somewhat eccentric. On the present occasion he seemed unusually affable, and soon adverted to the sermons on the preceding Sunday. After expressing his satisfaction in listening to the truth they contained, he said rather abruptly,

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"Are you conscious that your style of preaching has changed within a few months?'

"In what respect?' said I.

"In every respect,' said he. "Ah-do you think so?'

"I know so !—why, sir, you now begin to preach like a converted man-like one who has himself stood at the cross of Christ. In preaching there is nothing like experience. When we have been there ourselves, we know

Rev. Mr. Berridge.

how to show others the way. I hope your future course will be like good old Mr. Berridge's.'

"What was his course?'

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Why, sir, he was a wonderful man. The Lord seemed to bless him so that, wherever he went, souls were immediately converted. When he entered the ministry it was very different. He began his labours at Stapleford, near Cambridge. He supposed that he was a converted man, for even when he was very young he had deep convictions of sin. He was a serious and solemn preacher, and had great zeal, and persevered in his duties with faithfulness. But no success seemed to attend his labours. After some six or seven years he was appointed vicar of Everton. He removed to that place; but he did not seem to succeed any better there. And what was the reason? He had no clear views of the gospel. He knew as yet experimentally very little about the way of salvation. He was a stranger to that evangelical faith which works by love and purifies the heart, and makes Christ all and in all. He had been all along preaching up the righteousness of the creature, instead of the merits and righteousness of Christ, for acceptance before God. After he had been at Everton a few years, it pleased the Lord to open his eyes, and show him his own condition as a sinner. He now saw that he had been like a blind man leading the blind. There was now revealed to him such a view of his own sinfulness, and of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, that he was almost ready to despair of mercy. He cast away with loathing his own righteousness, and fell down at the foot of the cross as a guilty perishing sinner. God graciously looked upon him and bade him live. His eye was now fixed on the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. He went forth and began to preach Christ. What was the result? Seals were immediately added to his ministry. The young and the old came to inquire, what they must do to be saved. Several talented young men were numbered among these early converts, who entered the

The effect of faithful preaching.

ministry. One of them was the Rev. Mr. Hicks, who afterwards became his assistant, and whose labours God greatly blessed. Mr. Berridge, as soon as the light broke in fully upon his mind, felt it his duty to go about and preach Christ everywhere, where the people would hear him. He did not confine his labours to his own parish, but made frequent tours through the counties of Bedford, Cambridge, Essex, Hertford, and Huntingdon, exhorting men to flee from the wrath to come. The very first year after he commenced these labours, making Christ and him crucified all his theme, he conversed with more than a thousand persons who had been brought under serious impressions through his ministry. And during one year of his ministry, it was ascertained that not less than four thousand persons were awakened to a sense of their condition as ruined sinners, under his and Mr. Hicks's sermons. He went on in this track of usefulness for twenty years before he was called home. It was nearly at the end of his course, that he came into my native parish, and preached one evening. I had always attended the parish church. I had been baptized and confirmed, and had also taken the sacrament, and thought I was a good Christian. Though I was not openly immoral, I had no more idea of heartfelt religion than a heathen. Drawn out by curiosity to hear one preach, of whom so much was said, I heard words from the lips of Mr. Berridge that evening that I could not forget. He tore up all my old foundation. Though I resisted the convictions of my own mind a long time, I was obliged at last to flee to Christ as my only refuge. Then I saw every thing in a new light. Old things had passed away, and all things had become new. And now, sir, I hope your course, as I said, will be like that of good Mr. Berridge.'

"This conversation confirmed my determination to preach Christ and him crucified. I could now plainly see why this old Englishman had not been drawn towards me. I thanked the Lord for this new testimony, that my preaching was more in accordance with the Bible, and resolved that

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