received it, because our names are not written in the Bible. The promises of God are addressed, not to this or the other particular person by name, but to characters and descriptions of persons: to the penitent, the humble, the faithful, the obedient. Therefore, to have an inward persuasion, that these promises are personally applicable to ourselves, we must possess that testimony of the Holy Spirit, of which the Scripture speaks, and without which it seems inconceivable how any man, who really believes that there is a world to come, can rest satisfied and contented.

Still the question remains, how can we be assured, in our own particular case, that this confidence is really imparted by the Spirit of God? How can we know whether it be any thing more than the imagination of a sanguine and enthusiastic temper? Surely we cannot but fear that some persons, who speak as if their salvation was perfectly secure, must be deceiving themselves; and, therefore, our question is, have we any test by which we can distinguish between the voice of God within

us, and the groundless fancies of our own presumption and conceit?

To this I answer, that the question is indeed one of the deepest importance, and, more than this, unless it could be satisfactorily answered, I see not how any serious man could derive sober and reasonable enjoyment from any such inward persuasions as we speak of. To a man who believes the Bible to be true, who believes that amongst those who live and die in the profession of Christianity, there are two classes and denominations, that our merciful Redeemer himself has called the one the children of God, and the other the children of the devil, and that every one of us must have his everlasting destiny and portion in the kingdom and inheritance of him who is his father; to one who believes these things, uncertainty is insupportable. No question, in fact, can be equally important, For it is a question on whose solution must depend all rational happiness here, and all rational hope of happiness hereafter. Besides this, it is impossible for any reflecting mind not to see, that the question

assumés peculiar importance at this time on account of the condition of the Church. The quantity of unfelt profession is so great, the language of vast numbers who are considered and who consider themselves religious persons, is so little in harmony with their principles and conduct, that the whole state of things at present has a direct tendency to lead men to conclude, that the matter is little better than delusion and self-deception. In truth, however, my brethren, men, in every age of the world, have been but too little inclined to suspect or to examine the foundation of their confidence and hope. We comply with the forms of religion; we have embraced doctrines which perhaps we have never examined; we have adopted some popular or peculiar opinions in religion ; we are counted by our fellow-sinners amongst the people of God: we have a faith in Christ which does not oblige us to keep the commandments of God, or to mortify the love of the world in our hearts. These I fear are the foundations on which too many of us are building. We are too ready to say,

Peace, where there is no peace; and while we are careless of obtaining that character and disposition to which only true peace and rational happiness are annexed. Nay, some will even call it unbelief, a fear unworthy of the privileges of the Gospel, to doubt our safety, or examine our title to enter into the kingdom of God: just as if security and confidence can discharge us of the duty of watchfulness and circumspection; as if a persuasion of being safe dispensed with the necessity of working out our salvation; as if an assurance of obtaining eternal happiness, is to compensate for the neglect and the violation of the commandments of God.

How any one who believes the Bible to be true can thus delude himself is incomprehensible, and would appear wholly incredible to one who had no experience of the world. A serious man will look well what answer he receives to a serious question: and, therefore, to such a person it must ever be an all-absorbing inquiry, Are we able and by what means, to distinguish with certainty between truth and falsehood, between the testimony of the Holy Spirit,

and the delusions of our own mind, or the deceits of the enemy of our souls? There are two or three observations which will, I trust, assist you to answer this question for yourselves.

I. The first observation is this: That which contradicts the Scripture cannot be the testimony of the Holy Ghost. "Heaven and earth," saith our Saviour," shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." That which was true once, is true for ever; and that which contradicts it must be for ever false.

We know beforehand that it is and must be false. St. Paul speaks expressly, "Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed"." The Holy Spirit is "the Spirit of truth," and the Spirit of truth cannot contradict himself. He is God; and it is impossible for God to lie, or to deny himself1. By his inspiration the Scripture was written, and therefore his testimony in

'Matt. xxiv. 35.

3 John xiv. 17.

2 Gal. i. 8.

4 Tit. i. 2. 2 Tim. ii. 13.