might be supposed that this habit of free enquiry would tend to make the mind unsettled in matters where a steady conviction is absolutely necessary to its peace; but here also the apostolic precept will be found satisfactory, directing us ever to conduct our investigations with a view to holding fast that which is good."

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The doubts and difficulties which arise in the mind of a person anxiously enquiring after the things that belong unto salvation demand the respect of all, and the peculiar attention of the Christian minister; and the text has been selected as affording a principle which may be found on due consideration most effectual for their settlement and satisfaction. It seems to say that enquiry is a duty, and yet to pronounce unsteadiness a fault; it seems at once to promote investigation, and to define its object and its use; furnishing at the same time the enquirer with

a criterion by whose use that which is to be held fast may be discerned from that which must be rejected.

I proceed to the consideration of this most interesting subject with a deep sense of the responsibility which lies on the office of a teacher, of the risk of error attaching to every human effort towards the elucidation of divine truth. Since however the words of inspiration are diversely inter-preted by mankind, it becomes the duty of those who minister therein to expound them to the best of their power; and the exhortation to prove or try all things is to them an additional motive towards exertion in the convincing of others. I exhort you therefore, according to the words of the text, to prove (1) or try those notions which now distract your mind by the test therein laid down; I demand your serious attention to the arguments by which I shall endeavour to point out and

ascertain "that which is good;" and I pray God for Christ's sake that he may give his blessing to the enquiry, and enable you to hold fast the opinions you may thus adopt to the present peace and eternal welfare of your soul.

I would not however have you by any means suppose that I am about to argue against what can with any propriety be denominated an excess (2) of religious principle. I do not think that there can be such an excess. I do not see how we can love too earnestly or serve too devotedly Him whom it is our acknowledged duty to love and to serve with "all our heart, with all our mind, with all our soul, and with all our strength." Neither I conceive are we ever likely to be too zealous for our neighbour's good, when we are bound to love him as ourselves, and to do unto others as we would they should do unto us. No, it is not against an excess

of religion that I would argue, but against what is sometimes called a mistaken excess, though it would be more truly named an exceedingly dangerous mistake or error; for it consists not in obeying Christ more than others, but in disobeying one part of his Gospel under a notion of complying more strictly with the rest. The notions with which your mind is now agitated are if I rightly understand them violations rather than excesses of Christian principle; they lead not to the too accurate fulfilment but to the direct transgression of Christian duty; and it will be my endeavour to ascertain which of them is good and which is evil, by an enquiry into their nature and tendency, with a constant reference to the words and to the spirit of the Gospel.

There are many circumstances which render such an enquiry difficult, especially where there is no opportunity of personal conference and perhaps it may be de

sirable to point out and obviate some of these particulars, with a view to a more satisfactory result to the enquiry thus earnestly undertaken. For indeed I would fain hope that our present communication is no vain wrangling of words, no strife of ingenuity, or contest for human victory; the peace of mind, perhaps the eternal welfare, of one or both enquirers is at stake; and we cannot surely doubt, that He who has given us the same faculties, the same language, the same word of revelation, has put it in our power to arrive at the same conclusions on matters of such deep and common concern. Known unto Him are all our thoughts; let no erroneous prejudice obstruct their right employment! To His providence we must refer this our unexpected conference; let us conduct it with honest purpose of conviction, as in the presence of an all-seeing eye!

I. One circumstance which operates