his Saviour, nor seeking life and immortality through him.

My beloved friends, it is from this awful mistake that we wish to save you. The question is, not whether there may not be many thousands further off than you are; but the question is, Are YOU converted? are you looking to Jesus? For these alone are they whose souls are saved from death, and whose sins are hidden. Oh, then, let me entreat you to pass the time between the services in solemn reflection upon this important question, Am I converted, or am I not?.

Scarcely a week passes, but my private visits as a minister impress me with the necessity of referring to these grand points of religion. It is since we met in this sacred place that I was called upon to perform the last offices for a young lady, whom I had seen but a very few days before in the bloom of youth and in high health; but she was suddenly cut off, like a flower, with scarcely a day's notice of her danger. Blessed be God, her last hours gave evidence of her conversion; that she was indeed turned to her Saviour, and resting entirely upon him. But, oh, my dear young friends, how forcibly does her early call to the bosom of her Redeemer speak to you! A physician, who was present the evening that I saw her, afterwards

observed, when he heard of her death, that he had remarked her as the most healthy person in the company. But Death loves a shining mark. It is nothing for the wind to overturn a tree decayed by age: it is when a strong thriving plant is at once laid low, that we see the hand of God. Let our Saviour's words, then, fall upon the heart of each young person, as spoken again by her departed spirit, "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."

Nor would I wish those more advanced in life to be unimpressed. It is often my desire that those who doubt the great doctrines of the Gospel would accompany a clergyman in his visits to the sick. During the last week, three messages were left at my house, one after another, to visit a stranger : when I came to him, he said, "I am afraid whether I shall pass the gulf; for though I have for some time heard the Gospel, I fear whether it has really reached my heart, for it has not hitherto affected my life." Ah, my friends, this is a word which ought to strike the hearts of many. Hearing a sermon, or admiring or condemning a preacher; going to one church in the morning, and then taking an evening walk to another; is a very different thing from being really converted to God. Oh! then, you, who profess the Gospel, rest not in a mere super

ficial religion, but recollect the dispensation under which we live; a dispensation of which the very essence is, coming out from sin, and laying hold of Christ; drawing out of Him, by acts of faith, pardon, peace, grace, and glory.

Finally: let those who have a good hope that this is their state, attend to the Epistle of the day*. There cannot be a greater contrast, or one in which the difference between a converted and an unconverted person is more clearly seen. Be earnest in prayer, also, that the Lord will impart his converting grace to many. You must be well aware, that the low state of many of those who profess the Gospel, and the dead state of many who make no profession, require thèse fundamental discourses. Would to God that such a blessing might accompany his word, that we had only to feed the sheep, instead of bringing in those that are without into the fold! May the Lord hasten that time, and add to the church daily such as shall be saved !

* 1 John iv. 7.

SERMON V.

THE MARKS OF CONVERSION.

2 COR. V. 17.

If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are be-

come new.

MANY are the blessings we enjoy from the public recognition of the truth of Christianity as the revealed religion of Almighty God. There is, however, a great danger of being deceived by the name of a Christian. There is so marked a difference between a Heathen and a follower of Christ, that there can be no mistake: one who is sacrificing to an idol, cannot for a moment suppose himself a true disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. But a person who has from his infancy been brought up in a Christian country, who has a general respect for the external ceremonies of the church, and whose standard of religion is formed, not upon the word of God, but upon the general sentiments of society, is frequently thus

deceived.

What,' he says,

'is there defective in me? I have been admitted by baptism into the Christian church, I have attended her ordinances, I respect her ministers, I read occasionally the book she venerates, I observe that standard of godliness and morality which many respectable persons think sufficient: what lack I yet? surely I am a true follower of Christ.'

Now, my friends, to prevent our falling into this deception, which may arise from an external profession, the Holy Ghost has described the character of a Christian by such language that no mere outward circumstance will reach it. On the contrary, if a person will take his standard from the Bible, instead of taking it from the floating opinions of society, he may know his real character: he may determine whether he be a nominal or a true Christian; a mere professor, saying he has faith, or a real possessor, partaking of the benefits our blessed Saviour came to impart to his people. Many are the Scriptures which make this marked distinction. Without occupying time with references to them, our text presents us with a very striking one: "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

The expression" in Christ" is only a Scriptural mode of describing a true Christian. It is