glide onward undisturbed, and the soul is rocked asleep on the pillow of past experience. Conscience may be so far stupified, as not even to arouse at the call of death. They may knock at heaven's gate; but they may also hear the dread voice within, "I know you not: depart from me, ye workers of iniquity."

Such self-deceivers will not acknowledge the duty of daily self-examination. It is impossible to rouse them to the performance of it. They are cased in an impervious mail. They have, in this past experience, an antidote to every fear, and an apology for every delinquency. O be thou not of their number. Look for daily evidence of salvation. It is present evidences that are called for; and such cannot be given, without a daily, habitual self-examination. In all your past experience, there is, to say the least, a possibility of your having been deceived; it is therefore not a sufficient ground of trust. You must be ready now "to give to him that asketh, the reason of the hope that is within you." If you pursue the course which I have marked out, you shall never need to bring forward an old and antedated hope, as the only evidence of your faith; but in every look, and word, and action, you shall make it certain to all, that you are in deed and in truth a Christian.

LETTER XVI.

THERE is difficulty, I admit, in the work of self-examination. Even the righteous are scarcely saved,―saved in many instances as by fire. The heart is so deceitful, and the enemy of our soul so full of evil machinations, that we are liable to draw too favourable conclusions of our being in a state of salvation. There are times, too, when we seem afraid to uncover our bosoms to the piercing glance of God. Like merchants who are on the borders of insolvency, we shrink from making a thorough investigation of our accounts. We tremble at the thought of finding ourselves spiritual bankrupts, and are almost willing, if I may be allowed the comparison, to forge evidences in our favour, and to our own

This is especially the character of one who is not habitually and daily engaged in the work of self-examination. There is an uncertainty and confusion about his hopes, which make him afraid to enter too deeply into the state of his circumstances. He does not open the Bible, and appeal to its searching truths. He fears that the scrutiny would sweep down his cherished expectations. He is, therefore tempted to hunt out only those portions of Scripture which appear to favour his case; and to blind his vision to those which would shake his confidence, or eradicate his hopes. When he would examine himself respecting the love or the renunciation of sin, he is far from being a thorough and impartial censor. He can yield up some of the least-loved sinful habits, and can give full credit to himself for the self-denial; but the "right hand" and the "right eye" are not parted with. Some worldly project is in view which militates against too severe a standard of religious character, and which would be found to be inconsistent, by too close an application to Bible ethics. Accordingly, instead of making the world yield to the claims of Christianity, he must narrow down Christianity to accommodate the world.

Business, pleasure, and reputation, when they get the ascendency, make self-examination an irksome and unpleasant duty. When a Christian professor is too eager in pursuit of them, he always feels a conviction of delinquency, depriving him of that free and noble air which is ever the concomitant of an approving conscience; and filling his mind with feeble apologies for himself, or with unjust censures against his superiors in piety.

Now, can such a person come fearlessly up to the work of self-examination? Can he take the Bible in his hand, and appeal to the heart-searching God? Can he be a faithful inquisitor of the internal man? Will he not gloss over his sin? Will he not hunt for evidence to neutralize his guilt?

Such a character is satisfied with just enough of religion to make him respectable here, and afford a vague hope of

He is viewed as hypocritical and insincere by many of his fellow-men; and there is great reason to apprehend that when God cometh to "make up his jewels," he will be found, not among them, but with unbelievers in the regions of despair.

It is by exhibiting to your view, my young friend, this superficial and flimsy Christianity, that I would warn you against it, and rouse you to diligence in aiming at an elevated standard of piety. Whilst there are difficulties connected with the performance of Christian duties, difficulties of no common magnitude, they are still not insurmountable. The timid and the hesitating shrink and despond; but the true child of God knows that he has enlisted in a warfare that cannot end but with life. When he puts his hand to God's covenant, when he gives his name to the Captain of his salvation, it is a deliberate and well-considered act. He . has counted the cost. He has surveyed the enemy; and whilst he acknowledges his own feebleness, he confides in that pledged assistance and protection, which will render him invincible and triumphant.

I hope that you have thus considered the subject, and determined to make a thorough disciple. I trust that with you religion shall be all in all. It must be the business of every day; it must be the business of life.

It is a grand mistake, to suppose that the superficial Christian can possess spiritual enjoyments. They are not for him. They are for the laborious, the self-denying, the pains-taking Christian. It is the soldier who sleeps in his armour, springs to his post at a word, rushes into the thickest of the fight, and deals his well-directed blows upon the enemy, it is he, and he alone, upon whom his admiring Commander bestows the meed of honour, and the trophies of victory.

Be it yours to imitate him in the spiritual conflict; and it shall be yours to share, like him, in the rewards of conquest: and even far before him shall you be honoured, for you shall sit at the King's table, and partake of the rich provisions of his temple. Every thing urges you to diligence

and your reward. O then, forgetting the things which are behind, reach forth; press onward; and the prize, the glorious prize, shall be soon and for ever yours.

LETTER XVII.

SELF-EXAMINATION respects both feeling and conduct. A difficulty occurs in ascertaining whether the former is according to the spirit, and the latter correspondent with the precepts, of the Bible. I am persuaded that you are already impressed with the importance of the duty, and are resolved that it shall occupy a prominent place in the daily exercises of the closet.

But methinks I hear you inquire, in what way you are to proceed; how you are to know that you pursue the duty to advantage; and whether you are not, after all, liable to deception. I have already forewarned you of difficulties which will appear formidable, and which, at the very threshold of your Christian course, will be thrown in your way, to arrest your progress, and frighten you from the discharge of duty. But be not discouraged nor intimidated. Repeated efforts in prayer to God will enable you to overcome the opposition; and that which at first appeared fraught with difficulties will be found, after a few incipient discouragements, easy and delightful.

Satan will exert his utmost power to hinder you from this all-important duty. He knows how much your hopes, and your advancement in holiness, depend upon the faithful discharge of it. Having, in so many other cases, succeeded in hindering its performance, he will hope in yours to succeed. May the grace of God enable you to disappoint him. May you persevere, even amid discouragements, until the duty shall become to you a most precious privilege.

When you enter upon this work, you will first look upward to heaven, in a few short petitions, that God would grant you his Holy Spirit; that he would fix your attention on the immediate duty before you; that he would keep

you from a superficial investigation; and enable you to deal closely and thoroughly with your heart.

We are very liable, in our retirement, to wandering thoughts; and I doubt not, that hours have been wasted in the closet, in a vain attempt to fix the mind, while it eluded the effort, and sported itself in fanciful and foolish visions.

It is important, therefore, that we at once counteract this desultory state of mind, by fervent prayer to God. We should then, in a measure, anticipate Satan, who is always most busy with the children of God, when they are the nearest to duty, and are about to receive some great spiritual benefit.

Our self-examination, I have already said, respects our state of feelings, and our external conduct. Has the former partaken of the spirit of Christ? Has the latter corresponded with his precepts? It is no very difficult matter for a conscientious and reflecting individual to retrace the occurrences of a single day. But, if the business be deferred for weeks and months, his sins will be multiplied and forgotten, amid the fluctuating scenes of life. Conscious that there has been much, in both heart and life, to condemn, but forgetting the particulars, he is obliged to repent in the gross.

But he who daily calls himself to an account, will, after a few trials, find the employment both easy and edifying. With what feelings, he will ask, did I awake? Did my gratitude for nocturnal repose and protection rise with the rising light to Him who is the Watchman of Israel, and who never slumbereth nor sleepeth? or was I, like the brute, indifferent to the kindness of my heavenly guardian? Did I arise with the breath of praise on my lips, and the spirit of devotion in my heart? or were my thoughts scattered and desultory? In my morning devotions, can I say that I enjoyed a near access to God, so that I communed with him, even as it were, from the mercy-seat? Did I wrestle? did I agonize? Was this the spirit, or were my prayers formal and forced? Was my frame of mind sluggish and cold?