we were Christians or not, we could not conscientiously or lawfully make a profession of religion unless we were Christians, in the evangelical sense.

In this case it would be perfectly known to us, whether we could make the declarations, involved in a good profession, with sincerity, and according to their real meaning or not. There could, therefore, be no doubt concerning our duty and our qualifications, or our want of them, for performing it. Every man would then know that he could, or that he could not make a good profession; and by this knowledge his duty would be exactly pointed out.

But as such knowledge is not in the possession of the candidate, nor, in my view, attainable by him, some further rule becomes absolutely necessary to direct us in this important concern. I observe, therefore,

Second, That the state of the mind in which a profession of religion may be lawfully and scripturally made, is a preponderating persuasion in our own minds, after a diligent and faithful examination of ourselves, that we can make this profession with the sincerity which has been already described.

God has required all men to make a profession of religion. The command is absolute, and the duty of making it indispensable. At the same time he has required, that this profession should be made with Christian sincerity. In neglecting to make this profession, in this manner, we are continually guilty of disobedience to a known command. It will be remembered, that the profession itself, and the manner of making it, are things equally obligatory.

As has been observed, certainty or knowledge concerning our ability to make this profession with the sincerity of Christians, is not attainable by us, when we become candidates for admission into the church. But in every case of duty, where certainty is not attainable, we are bound to govern ourselves by the commanding probability. Cases of this nature are innumerable, and constitute almost all those in which we are concerned. There would never be a minister of the Gospel, if all candidates for the ministry were to defer their entrance into this office until they knew with certainty that they were quali

fied for the duties which it involved. There would never be a communicant in the Christian church, if all candidates for admission were to wait until they knew with certainty their fitness to become members. Or if this language should be thought not precisely correct, it will be sufficient to say that very few persons would be found either in the church or the ministry. But this most clearly does not at all accord with the intentions of God concerning the formation and continuance of the church and the ministry, as expressed in the Scriptures, nor with the practice of Christ and his apostles with respect to this subject. A single instance will be sufficient to elucidate this practice. St. Paul writes to the Corinthians, (2 Corinthians xii. 5.) "Examine yourselves, whether ye be "in the faith. Prove your own selves. Know ye not your "own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be "reprobates? how that Jesus Christ is among you, except ye "be unapproved ?" These Corinthians were admitted into the church by the apostle himself, and had all apparently given what St. Peter calls the answer of a good conscience at their baptism. Yet St. Paul teaches us irresistibly that, in their own view, they were only probably Christians, and might, by a faithful examination, find themselves unapproved. As St. Paul, under the influence of inspiration, admitted such persons into the church, it is unquestionably right that every minister should do the same. As such persons then made a profession of religion under the direction of inspired men, it is certainly right that the same persons should make the same profession now.

In this case, then, as in almost all others, we are to be governed by the commanding probability.

This I have styled a preponderating persuasion, that we can make our profession with Christian sincerity. But a mere preponderating persuasion is not enough to determine this point, of course. It is to be a preponderating persuasion in our minds, obtained by a diligent and faithful examination. It will then be properly asked, What is a diligent and faithful examination?

To this question I answer, in the first place, That it con

sists in diligently searching the Scriptures for that information concerning this subject which they communicate.

All the information which mankind possess, or can possess, of experimental religion, is derived originally and solely from the Bible. To this fountain of instruction, therefore, every man must resort, who would learn satisfactorily how to answer the great question, whether he is a subject of religion or not. What the Scriptures do not contain, what conclusions they do not warrant, stand in this case for nothing. To them, therefore, every inquirer must betake himself often, earnestly, and faithfully, that he may be able to decide, so far as it can be decided, this momentous question.

Secondly, In examining, with similar diligence, other books professedly written on experimental religion.

Wise and good men have, in a variety of instances, collected, with great industry, care, and faithfulness, the passages of Scripture which especially relate to this subject, arranged them in such a manner as to exhibit their connection with peculiar advantage-commented on them with skill and success -and shown their real import with a facility unattainable by most other men, without the aid of their labours. To read these books, is to read the Scriptures with an advantage which we could not otherwise possess, and with a degree of intelligence which we could not otherwise acquire. Here the subject is presented by itself; and without that connection with other scriptural doctrines, which we so generally meet on the pages of the Bible, and therefore is seen more clearly and more comprehensively than it otherwise could be by such minds as ours.

Thirdly, It consists also in such frequent and careful conversation with wise and good men as our circumstances may permit.

Christians, who have had the benefit of extensive experience in practical religion, learn from that experience many truths of great importance, which can never be derived from mere speculation. These, for want of experience, must chiefly be unknown to the candidate; and even these which he knows will often appear to him in a dim and doubtful light, because

they are novelties, about which his judgment is either not formed or not settled. Not a little of the evidence which he will find of his own Christianity, and not a little of the comfort which will flow from it, must be derived from the fact, that his views, affections, and purposes, and the conduct to which they prompt, are similar to those of other Christians. From this analogy, if it exist, he will gain instruction, comfort, hope, and peace, not easily attainable from any other source. At the same time, these desirable counsellors will discover to him his mistakes, lessen his false hopes and false fears, and enable him, in difficult cases, to distinguish between natural and evangelical affections-between enthusiasm and piety.

Such counsellors are, to the inquirer, living, practical commentators on the Scriptures, and will point out to him passages of high importance to his case, which would otherwise escape his attention, and the meaning of such as otherwise he might have continued to misconstrue perhaps through life. They will also learn from him the particulars of his own case-hear and answer the very questions which he wishes to proposeconsider and remove his peculiar difficulties, and enable him the better to judge of the whole subject, not in the abstract only, as he must find it in books, but as it is immediately applicable to himself. This is a most interesting benefit which he cannot obtain from any other source.

Among these counsellors, ministers of the Gospel, from their extensive intercourse with persons in these circumstances, and the superior knowledge which in this manner they scarcely fail to gain of experimental religion, hold undoubtedly the first place.

Fourthly, It consists also in what is appropriately called self-examination.

After all that can be done by others—after all that can be gained from books, even from the Scriptures themselves-the application of the whole mass of evidence acquired by the candidate must be made to his own case by himself. This is the task here lies the difficulty. Books and other men may furnish him a complete summary of the evidences of personal piety, and he may possess it without any material error; but

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they cannot make the application to his own case with such precision as it demands. Books furnish it only in the abstract. Men, aided by his inquiries and representations, may assist him while employed in making the application to himself. But, after all which they may have done, or can do, the principal labour will still remain, and this he must do.

That he may do it successfully, it will be indispensable that he become acquainted with his own character. He must watch his views, affections, purposes, and life; must mark the motive which he feels, and by which he is governed; the objects on which he loves to dwell, and which he chooses to pursue; the persons with whom he delights to converse, and whose characters he regards with complacency; the resolutions of reformation which he forms, and the manner in which they are executed; and the progress which, upon the whole, he appears to make. He must examine diligently, and, so far as may be, without partiality, the manner in which he regards God, the Father, the Redeemer, the Holy Spirit, the Scriptures, the Sabbath, and the worship of the sanctuary, the family, and the closet. He must inquire faithfully concerning his obedience to all the precepts of the Scriptures, particularly to those which require of him the duties of piety and self-denial-the estimation in which he holds Christians-the estimation in which he holds himself-his attachment to the world, to sense and sin-his disposition to resist or yield to temptation, his spirituality, his views of heaven, his disposition to lay up his treasure in that glorious world, and to converse with the persons and objects found in its delightful regions— his love of justice, truth, and kindness—his performance of the duties which they require, and his desire to become a blessing to those around him-his zeal to promote the religion of the Gospel, and the salvation of men-his humility-his reliance on the righteousness of Christ for justification—and his dependence on the free grace of God for pardon, acceptance, and eternal life. These may serve as specimens of the subjects on which he is to dwell, and out of which he will find, if he should ultimately find it, a solid and evangelical hope that he is a Christian.