Read by Howard Douglas King. Edward Payson was an outstanding American preacher of the early Nineteeth Century. From 1807 to 1827, laboring in the pulpit of Second Church in Portland, Maine, he saw extraordinary success in the conversion and edification of souls. He was held in such esteem, that thousands named their sons after him, and prayed that they would grow up to be like him. He preached the same biblical Calvinism that the Puritans preached before him. His written sermons are remarkably easy to read, even today. They are characterized by great vividness and convicting power, and by a captivating eloquence. This sermon is an excellent example of Puritan evangelism. Payson's goal is to convince the sinner that his salvation does not lie -- as he assumes -- within his own power. Armed with a deep knowledge of the deceitful heart of man, he drives the sinner from his refuge of lies, leaving him painfully aware of his ruined and helpless state, knowing that his only hope is in the mercy of a Sovereign God.
