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

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 regionshis 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.

Fifthly, To all these must be added constant and fervent prayer to God, to guide him aright.

Prayer is the best single mode of self-examination. At the same time, nothing else will secure to us the guidance of our Maker. He who would prosper in the great duty which has been discussed, must ask faithfully and fervently for the immediate blessing of God upon all his endeavours; for without this blessing, they will be in vain. It is not enough that we ask once, or twice, or thrice. We must ask continually. We must importune. We must wrestle. We must pray always, and never faint.

Such are the views which I have formed concerning this most interesting subject. When it is remembered that the covenant, into which we enter when we make a profession of religion, is in the Scriptures frequently styled an oath; that it has all the obligation of an oath; that the subject is the most important, and the transaction the most solemn of all those with which we are concerned on this side of the grave. I am persuaded that my audience will confess the high import of the duty itself, and realize the indispensable necessity of performing it whenever it is professedly performed, in a faithful and evangelical manner.

SERMON XIII.

THE DANGER OF OPPOSING RELIGION.

ACTS V. 38, 39.

"And now I say unto you, refrain from these men, and let them alone; for if this counsel, or this work, be of men it will come to nought. But if it be of God ye cannot overthrow it, lest haply ye be found even to fight against God."

THE story, of which these words are a part, is summarily the following:

After the remarkable deaths of Ananias and Sapphira, and apparently through the solemnity and alarm diffused by these awful events throughout the multitudes who were informed of it, many converts were added to the Lord by the miracies and preaching of the apostles. Nor was the impression confined to the city of Jerusalem. A great number of persons from the neighbouring cities brought their diseased friends and neighbours to the apostles. All these, together with such as were afflicted in the same manner in Jerusalem itself, were healed. The agitation became general, and soon reached the Sanhedrim. The high priest, accordingly, summoning this body together, composed chiefly of the licentious, opulent, and voluptuous sect of the Sadducees, laid violent hands upon the apostles, and put them into the common prison, where the vilest malefactors were confined. The angel of the Lord, however, opened the prison doors by night, and, bringing them out, di

rected them to go into the temple, and preach the Gospel to the people of Jerusalem. They went and preached accordingly.

The next morning the high priest called together the great council of the Jews, and sent the proper officers to bring the apostles before them. The officers went to the prison, but, not finding the apostles, returned to the high priest, and told him, that they had found the prison shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the door; but that, when they had opened the door, they found no man within. This story alarmed the council, and agitated their minds with a variety of doubts and fears concerning the event.

While they were in this situation, a person came and told them, that the apostles were in the temple preaching to the people. Immediately they sent the officers again, and brought them, but without any violence, for fear of those who had assembled to hear them.

When the Apostles came before the council, the high priest imperiously asked them, "Did we not straitly command you "that ye should not teach in this name? and behold, ye have "filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this "man's blood upon us." To this charge Peter and his companions firmly replied, "We ought to obey God rather than 66 man. The God of our fathers hath raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with "his right hand to be a prince, and a Saviour, for to give re

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pentance to Israel and remission of sins. And we are his "witnesses of these things, and so is also the Holy Ghost, "whom God hath given to them that obey him."

By this information, St. Luke informs us, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay their prisoners. But Gamaliel, a Pharisee, a doctor of the law, the instructor of St. Paul, and had in reputation among all the people, having commanded the Apostles to be sent out of the council-chamber for a short time, addressed to his companions a series of observations which persuaded them to dismiss their prisoners. They accordingly recalled them; and having ordered them to