Paul was led by unfeigned benevolence to tell the Galatians, "I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.” And here, “I stand in doubt of you." And who can watch for souls, without feeling the like anxiety for some? Though there are those who raise our hopes up to confidence, yet there are those in every congregation, whom we must consider as dubious; and though we wish not to expose them to others, we would be glad to point them out to themselves; and then to give them the most salutary counsel. I propose therefore,

FIRST, To make a few preparatory remarks on the import of the Apostle's language.

Faithful ministers cannot be content with barely amusing their hearers, and receiving applause, support, or emolument; nor even with a consciousness that they have told them the truth. They are anxiously concerned for their salvation, through the belief of the truth. They seek not yours, but you. 2 Cor. xii. 14.

Ministers must not flatter themselves, in believing, without evidence, that all their hearers are in a state of safety; but should account themselves bound, in faithfulness and love, to intimate their fears concerning many; and should put all upon a strict and impartial inquiry into the ground of their hope; knowing the worth of the soul; the deceitfulness of sin and satan; the terrors of the Lord; the commonness and awful consequences of mistakes, which if detected now may be redressed, but will ere long be irretrievable. We would not willingly excite any needless fears, or alarm; but to help deceive you, by encouraging false confidence, would be still worse.

There are, indeed, some characters often to be found among gospel hearers, of whom we can have no doubt; we too plainly see that they are in the "gall of bitterness, and the bonds of iniquity." (As we thank God that there are many of whom we are persuaded better things, even things that accompany salvation.) But we may well be astonished to see how some can sit under the gospel, and yet go on in open sin, indulging scandalous vices, prophaneness, intemperance, &c., or discovering aversion to religion, and enmity

to godly people. Some avowing false principles, though they hear them exploded; or, at least, being well known not to pretend to mind the salvation of their souls, but living careless, thoughtless, prayerless lives. How does this show the astonishing wickedness of the human heart! But these are not the characters I am now to delineate. I pro

ceed, therefore,

SECONDLY, To describe the persons of whom we are painfully obliged to "stand in doubt."

We do not mean to lay too much stress on church ordinances. We would never encourage any to consider their church membership as a certain proof in their favor. Nor do we consider the want of it as a certain evidence against you; though it is undoubtedly a fault, and a disadvantage, to neglect any divine appointment which you admit Christ has enjoined.

We do not wish to lay too much stress on fluency of speech, and forwardness for religious conversation. It is possible a hypocrite may have more to say respecting religion, than many a sincere Christian. And we would make allowance for want of courage, skill, or natural parts; yet, if you are ready and bold to talk on other subjects, and have nothing to say for God, it is an ill sign.

We would not lay too much stress upon exactly ascertaining the time of your conversion, or recollecting the steps by which you were brought home to God. Show that you are now alive for God, and we shall conclude that you are born of him, whether you know your birth-day or not.

But while, in all our congregations, we mourn over some as evidently unconverted, there are also others who are known to have had serious impressions under the word, are constant in their attendance, decent in their conduct, or have been much reformed; who assent to religious truth; show respect and kindness to ministers, and to the people of God; and have an appearance of love to good things, with other hopeful symptoms; and yet we stand in doubt, we cannot be fully satisfied how it is with them. Some things please us, some grieve us; in short, we stand in doubt." As to some, the chief reason

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may be, that through their

reserve, timidity, or one means or other, we cannot get at the knowledge of the inward exercises of their minds. All may be right, as to the root of the matter; yet we and other Christians lose much pleasure, and they lose much advantage, which might be derived from free intercourse; and God loses glory. Of others we doubt, because they seem to have very indistinct ideas of religious truth, and are very unsettled, even in the most important doctrines of Christianity. They are turned about with every wind of doctrine.

Painful anxiety is excited, when we find those who seemed once to have embraced the truth as it is in Jesus, inclining to turn aside, either to the right hand or the left, after an adulterated gospel, either to gratify a self-righteous spirit, or relaxing obligations to duty. The former error was the great occasion of Paul standing in doubt of the Galatians. We should fear you were likely to fall into it, were you to begin to plead for the innocence of error, to enter upon religious disputes with levity and self-confidence, or to neglect making continual use of the mediation of Christ. We begin to

stand in doubt of professors, when we see them inclined to separate things that God has joined together: the priestly and kingly offices of Christ; reliance on his righteousness and strength; zeal against the doctrine of merit, and zeal for good works; piety and benevolence; justice and devotion; holy fear, and joy in the Holy Spirit; who either slight evangelical privileges, or show an aversion to duty. If professors seem anxious for comfort, and show little regard for the divine glory; if they want chiefly to be told how low they may fall, and yet be safe: or, if while their passions are easily and highly affected under the word, they are little concerned to govern their own tempers, nor are they grieved for the sins of those that belong to them. Some asso

ciate much more than we could wish with the men of the world, while they are very shy of the people of God. We know what is said, in 1 Cor. v. 10. But we fear, lest your attachment to such company should be inconsistent with not being of the world yourselves. in doubt, because of their eagerness the honor that comes from men.

Of some, we stand after gain, or after When we think of

sion.

1 John ii. 15. or 1 Tim. vi. 9, 10. how can we help fearing? Some of whom we would fain hope well, excite our fears, when we see them overtaken by their former sins; levity, when carelessness, passion, &c. tarnish their profesWe stand in doubt of some, because they are deficient in important graces; meekness, humility, forgiveness, beneficence. Of some we stand in doubt, because we cannot see any signs of growth; they are at a dead stand in religion; they made a profession long ago, never renounced it, nor openly disgraced it; yet it does not seem to do much for them, nor do they want to do much for God: at best, they ask only What must we do? not What can we do for him? Let me proceed,

THIRDLY, To apply and improve the subject, and give the best counsel I can, to those whose character has been described.

I hope you have heard me without prejudice, as your real friend, who sincerely aims at your good. I have not had a wish now, or at other times, to expose any individual to others; but should be glad to lead you into the knowledge of yourselves. I desire that all may hear for themselves, not for others. And I exhort all to examine, with great seriousness, into the state of their own souls. Dread selfdeception. Be afraid to believe you are safe without scriptural evidence. Do I mean then to encourage doubts and fears? To be sure I do, in some cases. We are bound to

believe both law and gospel, but not all bound to believe our own safety. No self-righteous man truly believes the law. No one who loves sin, fully believes the gospel.

You are bound to believe that God is infinitely glorious; that he is the chief good, and deserves the whole heart; that his law is holy, just, and good; that he who continues not in all things written therein, deserves the curse; that you are righteously condemned, and cannot make amends. And

that you need a Saviour, a great one; that Christ is the only Mediator, all-sufficient, suitable, lovely, altogether so; that he is able to save to the uttermost, and will in no wise cast out any one who applies to him for a full salvation. Of all these things you have ample evidence. And it will never

do to tell the Most High that you cannot believe him, and so he must excuse your making him a liar; any more than it would do to tell him, you cannot see beauty enough in him to attract your heart, and therefore he must abate his law, and take up with mere bodily exercise, and a show of love, while your heart goes after the world and other idols.

But you ought not to believe your own safety unless you can prove it. It would be to your injury if you did. Therefore, instead of lightly taking this for granted, and being displeased if Ministers or Christians suggest there is any danger of being mistaken; it is of importance that you should examine yourselves whether you be in the faith, and prove your ownselves. Know ye not your ownselves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except you be disapproved of God? What has he done in you? What is he doing? And what do you more than others? Examine what change has been made in your internal disposition, as well as your external conduct. If any one be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are done away; all things are become new. Examine your knowledge. This is life eternal, to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ, his Son. Is your knowledge attended with an answerable impression on the heart? Has your heart been directed into "the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ."? Have you received the truth in the love of it? Examine your repentance toward God, and faith in Christ. Does the latter put an end to the former, or increase it? Does it pacify the conscience, and purify the heart? Does your dependance on Christ's obedience for justification, excite you to regard it also as the pattern of your sanctification? Do you wish both parts of sanctification to be carried on-mortification and vivification, or putting off the old man, and putting on the new ?

Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure! Seek acquaintance with the things of God; especially with the person of Christ, his offices, his fulness. Run the race, looking to Jesus. Come out from the world, and be separate, and touch not the unclean thing. Show you are not of the world, as Christ was not of the world. Set your affections on things above. Have your conversation in heaven. Let