were told to look back into one week of our lives to
find out whether we were _fighting against_ sin as an enemy, or
_cherishing_ sin as a friend: and if living in sin, as servants of
Satan, we had the solemn truth to lay home to our consciences that our
prayers never reached heaven; the promise, true for the children of God,
that he would hear and answer prayer, was not true for those who were
the servants or slaves of sin.

Then there was an appeal to those who felt conscious of sin and wished
for forgiveness, and I felt I belonged to that class, and listened with
increasing eagerness. Was it for them to say, "I must then reform my
ways and make myself better before I can go to Christ for pardon?" Oh,
no! The prayer of the publican, "God be merciful to me a sinner," was
heard and answered. Christ's invitation was addressed to the weary and
_heavy laden_, "Come unto _Me_." He died to take our punishment instead
of us; and those who, instead of cherishing sin, felt it a burden too
heavy for them to bear, were to bring it and lay it down at the foot of
the cross, and find rest to their souls.

There followed a few words about sins _forgiven_ being sins _forsaken_.
Any person who had been in the habit of dishonest dealing would adopt
habits of rectitude, and would make restitution when possible. Those who
had uttered falsehoods would no longer persist in untruthfulness, but
would speak the whole truth, even if to their own cost. And all this
would be because Christ _had_ forgiven them, and not in order to _obtain
forgiveness_. I do not remember the rest of the sermon, but just at the
end there was a beautiful piece about the happiness of finding the great
barrier gone:--Just as when a little child, conscious of some wrong
action, feels ashamed to meet the eyes of its loving parents, and is
conscious of a separation that casts a dark shadow over all the usual
home happiness, at last, with repenting heart and quivering voice,
whispers in the loving ears of father or mother the secret trouble that
lies heavily upon the sin-burdened conscience, and in the tender embrace
of forgiveness finds pardon and peace: so with the sinner who has found
peace at the foot of the cross; the barrier of separation is no more;
the way into the holiest is made manifest by the blood of the Atonement;
and the promise is written in letters of gold, "_If ye abide in me, and
my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done
unto