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God support, mercy, and relief, over and over again, uttering the same prayer in the same words. his sufferings, the urgency of his wants, as a conNothing he finds suits so well the extremity of tinual recurrence to the same cries, and the same call for divine aid. Our Lord himself, in his last agony, affords a high example of what we are saying Thrice he besought his heavenly Father; therefore is not only tolerable in devotion, but it and thrice be used the same words: repetition is natural: it is even dictated by a sense of suffering, and an acuteness of feeling. It is coldness of aetion, which requires to be enticed and gratiSed by continued novelty of idea, or expression, or action. The repetitions and prolixity of phariscal prayers, which our Lord censures, are to be understood of those prayers, which run out into were formality and into great length; no sentiment or affection of the heart accompanying them; but uttered as a task, from an opinion (of which our Lord justly notices the absurdity) that they should really be heard for their much speaking. Actuated by the spirit of devotion we can never dead in this way: we can never be the object of

censure.

Lastly, and what has already been intimated, e spirit of devotion will cause our prayers to have an effect upon our practice. For example; we repeated the confession in our liturgy with a sense of guilt upon our souls, we e penitential should not day after day be acknowledging to God ransgressions and neglects, and yet go on exin the same manner, without endeavouring make them less and fewer. We should plainperceive that this was doing nothing towards : and that, at this rate, we may be sinsing all our lives. Whereas was Monfessional piety, viz. thoughtin us at the time, this would t, especially in the case of an that the mind would become ncerned, more and more filled

with compunction and remorse, so as to be forced into amendment. Even the most heart-felt oonfession might not immediately do for us all that we could wish: yet by perseverance in the same, it would certainly in a short time produce its desired effect. For the same reason we should not time after time pray that we might thenceforward, viz. after each time of so praying, lead godly, righteous, and sober lives, yet persist, just as usual, in ungodliness, unrighteousness, and intemperance. The thing would be impossible, if we prayed as we ought. So likewise, if real thankfulness of heart accompanied our thanksgivings, we should not pray in vain, that we might shew forth the praises of God, not only with our lips, but in our lives. As it is, thousands repeat these words without doing a single deed for the sake of pleasing God, exclusive of other motives, or refraining from a single thing they like to do out of the fear of displeasing him. So again, every time we hear the third service at church, we pray that God would incline our hearts to keep his commandments; yet, immediately, perhaps, afterward allow our hearts and inclinations to wander, without control, to whatever sinful temptation enticed them. This, I say, all proceeds from the want of earnestness in our devotions. Strong devotion is an antidote against sin.

To conclude, a spirit of devotion is one of the greatest blessings; and, by consequence, the want of it one of the greatest misfortunes, which a Christian can experience. When it is present, it gives life to every act of worship, which we perform: it makes every such act interesting and comfortable to ourselves. It is felt in our most retired moments, in our beds, our closets, our rides, our walks. It is stirred within us, when we are assembled with our children and servants in family prayer. It leads us to church, to the congre gation of our fellow Christians there collected; it accompanies us in our joint offices of religion an especial manner; and it returns us to

homes holler, and happier, and better; and lastly, what greatly enhances its value to every anxious Christian, it affords to himself a proof that his heart is right towards God; when it is followed deavours after virtue, by avoiding evil and doing up by a good life, by abstinence from sin, and engood, the proof and the satisfaction to be drawn

SERMON VII.

OF THE DOCTRINE OF CONVERSION. I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance-Matt. ix. 13.

Ir appears from these words, that our Saviour in his preaching held in view the character and spiritual situation of the persons whom he addressmen in these respects; and that he had a regard ed: and the differences which existed amongst to these considerations, more especially in the preaching of repentance and conversion. Now I think, that these considerations have been too wch omitted by preachers of the gospel since particularly in this very article; and that the docine itself has suffered by such omission.

has been usual to divide all mankind into two esses the converted and the unconverted; and, so dividing them, to infer the necessity of conwhatever. In proposing the subiect under this form, we state the distincth, in my opinion, too absolutely, and draw from a conclusion too universal: because there is a ess and description of Christians, who, having en pusly educated, and having persevered in these pas courses, into which they were first ugh are not conscious to themselves of ever ag been without the influence of religion, of everusing lot of its sanctions, of ever hav

; of ever, in the general et, having gone against them. ly be reckoned either coned. They are not converted,

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for they are not sensible of any such religious alteration having taken place with them, at any particular time, as can properly be called a conversion. They are not unconverted, because that implies a state of reprobation, and because, if we call upon them to be converted (which, if they be unconverted, we ought to do,) they will not well understand what it is we mean them to do; and, instead of being edified, they may be both much and unnecessarily disturbed, by being so called upon. There is, in the nature of things, a great variety of religious condition. It arises from hence, that exhortations, and calls, and admonitions, which are of great use and importance in themselves, and very necessary to be insisted upon, are, nevertheless, not wanted by all, are not equally applicable to all, and to some are altogether inapplicable. This holds true of most of the topics of persuasion or warning, which a Christian teacher can adopt. When we preach against presumption, for instance, it is not because we suppose that all are presumptuous; that it is necessary for all, or every one, to become more humble, or diffident, or apprehensive, than he now is: on the contrary, there may amongst our hearers be low, and timorous, and dejected spirits, who, if they take to themselves what we say, may increase a disposition, which is already too much; or be at a loss to know what it is herein that we would enjoin upon them. Yet the discourse and the doctrine may, nevertheless, be very good; and for a great portion of our congregation very necessary. like, I think, is the case with the doctrine of conversion. If we were to omit the doctrine of conversion, we should omit a doctrine, which, to many, must be the salvation of their souls. To them all calls without this call, all preachings without doctrine, would be in vain: and it may be

The

that a great part of our hearers are of this ription. On the other hand, if we press and t upon conversion, as indispensable to all for purpose of being saved, we should mislea

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same, who would not apprehend how they could be required to turn, or be converted to religion, who were never, that they knew, either indifferent to it, or alienated from it.

In opposition, however, to what is here said, there are who contend, that it is necessary for every man living to be converted, before he can be saved. This opinion undoubtedly deserves serious consideration, because it founds itself upon Teripture, wacther rightly or erroneously interpreted is the question. The portion of scripture upon when they, who maintain the opinion, chiefrely, sur Saviour's conversation with Nicodemussed in the third chapter of St. John's Gospe. Qur Saviour is there stated to have said Doves, "Except a man be born again, he casse de kingdom of God;" and afterward, sation, and in some sort an exposition herton, to have added, "except a man be water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter gdom of God." It is inferred from that all persons whatever must unversion, before they be capable of salsad it cannot be said that this is a forced cd interence; but the question before us is it a necessary inference? I am not admit, that this short, but very recoversation, is fairly interpreted of the Spirit, and that, when this Spirit is givAs a new birth, a regeneration; but I it is no where determined, at what time under what circumstances, this gift is ; nay, the contrary is intimated by comto the blowing of the wind, which, in its action, is out of the reach of our rules and ons: the wind bloweth where it listeth, a hearest the sound thereof, but canst not re it cometh, and whither it goeth; so ne that is born of the Spirit." The ....s uncertainty is, that we are left at libay for spiritual assistance, and we do pray a all stages, and under all circumstances,

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