"And have I experienced His sanctifying in"fluence on my own soul? Am I a member "of this holy Catholic church? Does my "life and conduct prove me to be such? Am "I acquainted with the nature of this com"munion of saints?' Have I any well-grounded

hope of the forgiveness of sins?' Are the "resurrection of the body, and the life eversc lasting,' to me objects of desire and earnest expectation, so that in the hope thereof I am living as a stranger and pilgrim on earth?" Such reflections, under Divine influence, may be occasioned by the voice of the congregation when repeating the Apostles' creed. And assuredly, did professors of the gospel evidence their sincerity more by their devoutness in public worship, and in the course of their lives, such blessed effects would more frequently be produced. It was thus among the first Christians; for the Apostle declares, that the united testimony of the congregation of believers to the same truths was oftentimes made the happy means of conviction to others: "If all pro"phesy, and there come in one that believeth "not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, "he is judged of all. And thus are the secrets "of his heart made manifest, and so falling "down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth."*

Various other arguments might be produced to prove the utility of such a compendium of theology as that which is contained in the Apostles' creed, and to shew the propriety of a public recital of the articles of our faith. Our Lord Jesus Christ expects us to appear for Him in an

* 1 Cor. xiv. 24, 25.

open and decided manner. "Who is on my "side, Who?" is a question He addresses to all that bear His name. He knows the secret feelings of our hearts, and every article of our belief; but He cannot be satisfied merely therewith, for He has a right to expect, that in the face of reproach, yea of death itself, we should not shun to publish our adherence to Him. He hath set us the example. For concerning this High Priest of our profession the Apostle informs us, that " before Pontius Pilate He wit"nessed a good confession,"* avowing His own character as the promised Christ, the Friend of sinners and the King of saints, at the expence of His life. O what a bright example of courage and magnanimity! Shall we not dare to follow it? Though the rehearsal of the creed, being now a matter of course, will expose us to nothing disagreeable, yet, if we boldly act in conformity to the profession we therein make, we shall prove that the offence of the cross is not ceased, and that all who will live Godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution. But this must not deter us from the path of duty. If Christ be glorified by us, welcome reproach, bonds, or imprisonment! The true disciples of our Lord will "rejoice that they are counted "worthy to suffer shame for His name's sake." If we confess with our mouths His precious name, believing on Him in our hearts, we shall be saved, and His "Euge" will amply compensate for greater sufferings than any we shall ever incur on His account.

Our professions must be sincere, or they will avail nothing to our salvation, but, on the

1 Tim. vi. 13. Comp. John xviii. 37; Matt. xxvi. 64.

contrary, aggravate our guilt and condemnation. How many rehearse the articles of the creed, and mean nothing by the act in which they are engaged! They declare their belief "in God the Father Almighty," without feeling in themselves any reverence for Him, any dependence on Him, or gratitude to Him. They coldly mention the name of " Jesus Christ our

Lord," without any solicitude to participate in His salvation. His conception by the Holy Ghost, and His birth of the Virgin Mary, though celebrated by the heavenly host with devout acclamations of joy, are to them matters of indifference, and pass carelessly over their lips, as if the whole were "a cunningly devised "fable," or at most an historic truth in which they are wholly uninterested. The " glad "tidings of great joy" excite no other sensations in their bosoms than might be expected to arise from the birth of any other person. That "He "suffered under Pontius Pilate," they assent to as a truth, but, having never been oppressed with the burden of those sins which occasioned His passion, they know nothing of "the "fellowship of His sufferings." That "He "rose again from the dead" is admitted to be a fact, because it constitutes part of the national creed; but they are utter strangers to the reviving and sanctifying "power of His resurrection." His ascension into heaven, and session at the right hand of God, are equally unimportant to them, since they feel no need of an interceding High Priest to plead their cause before the throne of God, nor of "a Prince and a Saviour "to give them repentance and remission of sins." Do they believe" that He shall come again at "the end of the world to judge the quick and K

VOL. I.

"the dead?" If they really did, could they live as they do? But how many there are who profess the truths contained in the creed with their mouths, and yet in their hearts deny them! Such is the self-justiciary, who, while he pretends to believe in Jesus Christ, trusts in his own righteousness for his acceptance and salvation: and such also is he who objects to the necessity and reality of a Divine and spiritual influence on the souls of men, while his tongue hypocritically professes faith" in the Holy Ghost."

The truth of our profession, if indeed it has been made with unfeigned lips, will be proved by the tenor of our lives. If we live habitually without prayer and praise; if we walk after the course of this world, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; our lives manifest the insincerity of our declarations. For "he that "hath this hope in him," which the Apostles' creed suggests, purifieth himself, even as "Christ is pure." "Faith without works is "dead." If it be not the labour of our lives to glorify Him whom we call "our Lord," and to conform our hearts and conduct to His will, we prove nothing by a recital of the creed but our own gross hypocrisy before God.

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The Apostle exhorts us to "hold fast our "profession," implying, that great opposition to it may be expected. The rain will descend, the floods come, and the winds blow and beat on our house, and, if it be not founded on the rock, it must fall, and great will be the fall of it. Satan hates Christ, the holy faith, and them who profess it. He will try, O believer, to shake thy confidence, either by flattering thy

* 1 John iii. 3.

James ii. 20.

pride, or by exciting thy fears. The frowns and the smiles of the world will be employed against thee. Thy own evil heart will be ever ready to parley with the enemy, and to open the gates of the citadel to his temptations. Are you aware of all this, and anxious to "hold fast the pro❝fession of your faith without wavering?" Then be constant in the use of all the means of grace. Labour to maintain secret communion with God every day. Consider the "great "cloud of witnesses" to the truth with which

you are encompassed, and " lay aside every "weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset you, and run with patience the race that is "set before you, looking unto Jesus the Author "and Finisher of our Faith, who, for the joy "that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the "right hand of the throne of God."

How deplorable must be the state of those, who, with all the advantages enjoyed under the meridian blaze of Gospel truth, make no profession of Christianity! Such persons are apt to congratulate themselves on their exemption from the guilt of hypocrisy, in not professing what they do not practise; as if a freedom from the palpable duplicity of the unrighteous professor would be admitted at the bar of God in excuse for irreligion. If a tree be alive, at the proper season it will produce leaves, blossoms, and ripe fruit. Where spiritual life exists in the heart, it will manifest itself in the practice. Who would venture to appear before the judgment-seat of Christ with such an apology as this? "Lord, I made no profession of faith in Thy name, because I felt no attachment to Thy person, nor love to Thy ways. I lived

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