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I. THE NECESSITY OF COMING TO A DECISION IN

RELIGION;

II. SOME OF THE CAUSES WHICH PREVENT MEN

FROM THUS COMING TO A DECISION.

And may it please Almighty God to bless our labours in pursuing these important inquiries!

I. In the first place, we are to inquire into

THE NECESSITY OF COMING TO A DECISION IN RELIGION.

1. To this end consider, the circumstances of every fallen creature. If, indeed, any security were granted for the endurance of life, indecision, for a season at least, might be less irrational. But that creatures, whom a breath speaks into existence, and another breath consigns to the dust-creatures standing on the very verge of heaven or hell-should procrastinate their decision, should continue to hesitate, when an hour may deprive them of all further power of choice, and carry them beyond the reach of repentance and mercy, is most affecting and awful. What would be said of the individual who, if his worldly circumstances were thus critical and solemn, should trifle with the danger, laugh at his advisers, and slumber on without adopting any means to avoid or avert the impending ruin? Should we not charge him with an infatuation almost amounting to madness? Is the conduct of those less unreasonable who are trifling and indecisive in the great and paramount concerns of eternity? Have we not a right to expect at least the same vigilance and seriousness here, which we exact in the affairs of the present life? Is not the indecision which respects the everlasting condition of our souls, of all others the most preposterous and awful?

Is it not, indeed, enough to rend the heart of every real friend to his species, to think of an immortal being, to whom perhaps only a few moments are assigned for determining on the means of escape from irremediable perdition, and of securing endless happiness, sporting with all these momentous realities, and lavishing his time and → affections upon the trifles, the follies, and the vices of a perishing world? I would most solemnly call upon such persons to "awake, and arise, that Christ may give them light," before the shades of ruin shut upon them for ever.

2. But, secondly, consider the misery of a state of indecision, even in the present stage of being.It is not my intention to deny that a man may, for a time, contrive to drown reflection in intemperance, or banish it by dissipation, or stifle it amidst the occupations of business; that he may not, for a season, even find a sort of satisfaction in pursuing the splendid vanities which cross his path, and still more in exerting himself usefully for the temporal good of society, without any regard to the will of God. But such happiness is the mere meteor of the moment. Affliction, or pain, or disappointment in our worldly objects, almost instantly disperses it. And suppose only a single ray of real light to break in upon the mind, and the voice of inconsideration or folly to be silenced: Suppose the conscience once to whisper, that perhaps all is not right; that perhaps the way chosen is the wrong way, and that it may lead to destruction; that perhaps repentance and faith, the love of God and the Redeemer, and, in short, a true conversion of the heart to God, may be necessary in order to meet the coming judgment

without dismay; that "friendship to the world" may be found in that day to be "enmity with God;" that it may then be discovered that "without faith it is impossible to please Him, and that "without holiness no man shall see Him:"-Suppose only such thoughts to be suggested to the awakening conscience; and, then, farewell to all the delusive peace of the worldly, the trifling, and the unconverted! Then come awful misgivings and racking apprehensions, and that agitation of the soul which such feelings can scarcely fail to raise. O what a refuge from all these doubts and fears is the Gospel of our compassionate Redeemer! How great the comfort of feeling ourselves on the safe side of the strong line of separation between the servants of God and the servants of the devil!

What a high privilege to know that we have taken "the testimonies of God as our heritage for ever;" that we have chosen the good part, which shall never be taken from us! "This," and this.only, "is life eternal, to know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."-Thus much, then, for the necessity of decision, in order to our happiness here.

3. But above all, and in the third place, decision on these points is necessary to our eternal salvation. -There are individuals, indeed, who escape from all conviction as to the necessity of decision, by persuading themselves that it is impossible. And if this persuasion were just, doubtless it would be less incumbent upon us to awaken the fears of the wavering and undecided. But then, if so, why does the language of Scripture so little harmonize with such an hypothesis? Why did the Prophet, in the text, condemn the

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people for "halting between two opinions?" Why are we commanded to "search the Scriptures," which "testify of Christ," as himself "the way, the truth, and the life?" Why are we told that all the institutions of Christ, and all the ministrations of his Gospel, are intended so to establish us in the belief and obedience of the truth, "that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine?" Or how should God have declared, that he who believeth not," he, that is, who is destitute of the "faith which worketh by love," "shall be damned ?" Why is it that we meet with these and a thousand similar declarations in Scripture, if there were in reality that impossibility of arriving at a just decision, with respect to the principles to be embraced and the conduct to be pursued, which the objection supposes; or if even there were any great difficulty, to the humble and devout inquirer, in arriving at a safe and satisfactory conclusion respecting them?

Consider, moreover, the judgment of the holy men of every age or country, as to the possibility of coming to a decision both as to the truths to be believed and the duties to be practised. With what other conviction did the Apostle enjoin his favourite disciple to "hold fast the form of sound words," which he had heard of him? Why, if martyrs questioned the possibility of coming to such a decision, have they been willing to shed their blood for the "testimony of Jesus?" Why, if the fathers of our church entertained any such opinion, were they prepared to die at the stake for those truths which they embodied in the formularies of the church, and

which they have transmitted as an invaluable inheritance to ourselves? No, my brethren. There is, I am prepared to admit, much difficulty in coming to a decision upon many worldly subjects. Men remember ill, and reason worse. False witnesses continually rise up to contradict each other. Confusion and error hang like a cloud over almost every topic of human inquiry. But the sincere, and devout, and humble examiner in religion, will soon, by the blessing of God, escape from the cloudy region of doubt and perplexity, into the clear sunshine of scriptural truth. He will see things as they really are, and be enabled to erect a solid superstructure of Christian principles and Christian practice, on "the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone."

Beware then, my brethren, of resting on this plea of the impossibility of decision." When in danger of acquiescing in a persuasion so full of mischief, call to mind the declarations: "A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways: let not that man think he shall receive any thing of the Lord." "Whatsoever is not of faith, is sin." And again, "without holiness no man shall see the Lord." Remember also the sayings of Christ himself: "He that believeth not the Son, shall not see life." "Except ye repent," "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye cannot enter the kingdom of God." "The fearful and unbelieving shall have their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone." Can any words be more explicit as to the necessity of a distinct and unequivocal faith and practice? Which of these passages would a man choose to carry to the trial of the