; joy
darted into his eyes. "Oh, dear Jem," said he, "it is _not_ too
late, I will arise and go to my Father, my heavenly Father, and you,
sir, will show me the way, won't you?" said he to Mr. Thomas, whom
he recollected. "I am very glad to see you in so hopeful a
disposition," said the good minister. "Oh, sir," said Brown, "what a
place is this to receive you in? Oh, see to what I have brought
myself!"

"Your condition, as to this world, is indeed very low," replied the
good divine. "But what are mines, dungeons, or galleys, to that
eternal hopeless prison to which your unrepented sins must soon have
consigned you? Even in the gloomy prison, on this bed of straw, worn
down by pain, poverty, and want, forsaken by your worldly friends,
an object of scorn to those with whom you used to carouse and riot;
yet here, I say, brought thus low, if you have at last found out
your own vileness, and your utterly undone state by sin, you may
still be more an object of favor in the sight of God, than when you
thought yourself prosperous and happy; when the world smiled upon
you, and you passed your days and nights in envied gayety and
unchristian riot. If you will but improve the present awful
visitation; if you do but heartily renounce and abhor your present
evil courses; if you even now turn to the Lord your Saviour with
lively faith, deep repentance, and unfeigned obedience, I shall
still have more hope of you than of many who are going on quite
happy, because quite insensible. The heavy laden sinner, who has
discovered the iniquity of his own heart, and his utter inability to
help himself, may be restored to God's favor, and become happy,
though in a dungeon. And be assured, that he who from deep and
humble contrition dares not so much as lift up his eyes to heaven,
when with a hearty faith he sighs out, _Lord, be merciful to me a
sinner_, shall in no wise be cast out. These are the words of him
who can not lie."

It is impossible to describe the self-abasement, the grief, the joy,
the shame, the hope, and the fear which filled the mind of this poor
man. A dawn of comfort at length shone on his benighted mind. His
humility and fear of falling back into his former sins, if he should
ever recover, Mr. Thomas thought were strong symptoms of a sound
repentance. He improved and cherished every good disposition he saw
arising in his heart, and particularly warned him against
self-deceit, self-confidence, and hypocrisy.

After Bro