them there are, notwithstanding, perfpicuous intimations to private Christians univerfally, that if they apply to 'God, with proper difpofitions, he will teach them what is needful. Not that they are to expect a communication of knowledge, in the intuitive or miraculous manner which was experienced by the Apostles. Vast mistakes, it is well known, have often exifted in the Chriftian world, on this fubject; nor have examples been wanting of different fectaries in religion, as well as different perfons, who have equally fuppofed themselves to have been taught by the Spirit, when the doctrines they have profeffed to maintain under this inftruction, have been wholly contradictory of each other.

But admitting the affections, as we have already seen, to have an influence on the human judgment, and in great degree to direct the views of the understanding, it appears to be perfectly confonant to reason, as it surely is to revelation, that the improvement of the mind in religious science, should follow as the natural confequence of its improvement in moral virtue. Without judging, therefore, of the particular degree, in which the private Christian may expect the aids of the Spirit, to illuminate and confirm him in the belief of the truth, I conceive the fact in general may be pleaded for, on the fame prin ciple that we admit the fanctification of every believer's heart to be through the good will, and animating power of that God, who, as he governs in the kingdoms of Providence and nature, according to the wifeft laws, and in perfect harmony with the moral agency of his fubjects, has an indubitable right to govern, in the fame manner, in the great and glorious kingdom of grace. Encouraged by this thought, If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given to him.

Having thus endeavoured to explain the doctrine in the text, and illustrate the principles on which it is founded, there are now feveral deductions which come to view, on account of their intimate connection with the subject; to which will you permit me, in the following part of the discourse, to request your candid attention.

The first is, that as every man, agreeably to common confent, is accountable to Almighty God for his moral affections; fo, for the fame reafons, he is accountable to him for his religious fentiments and opinions.

I am well aware, that this affertion is difconfonant to the prevai ing belief of many perfons at the present time. It has become fashionable to speak of it as a matter of little confequence, what our religious fentiments are, or whether we have any or none. The spirit of free enquiry, and right of private judgment, it is to be hoped, will ever be maintained in this country, among the inviolable and facred bleffings which belong to man. If fuch a wish, however, beguile us into the fuppofition, that the great Author of truth, after giving us a Revelation, is quite indifferent in regard to our opinions refpecting it, we certainly offer him a great affront, and turn our liberty into dangerous licentiousness.

Should it be here enquired, how far, as Christians, we muft really agree, and in what particular points of doctrine it may be fafe to differ; it is readily acknowledged, that no explicit anfwer can be given to fuch a question. In afcertaining what belongs to the Chriftian character, there are a variety of circumftances to be confidered, far above the reach of any human skill, and fitly to be judged of by God alone. That a great diverfity of religious fentiments may happen in the Chriftian world, in perfect agreement with a state of real virtue in the minds of their yarious abettors, is evinced by what often occurs among

men,

men, who are remarkably eminent for their piety, genius, and close application to the ftudy of divine truth. Undoubtedly we have remarked, that there are thousands of other perfons, who, through various means, may be faid to be strictly paffive in the adoption of their opinions; and owing to the imbecility, and not the badnefs of their minds, are more properly to be compared to certain curious machines defigned to be acted on, than to the agents who are employed to put them into motion. True candour therefore, will always incline us to make great allowances for our difagreements in religious doctrines. It is not fuppofed, by any thing which has been advanced, that abfolute demerit is in all cafes affociated with the errors of our creed. The fingle point profeffedly maintained, is the refponfibility to which we are fubject before the Almighty, for our fentiments in religion, whatever they may be a point which cannot readily be denied, whilst we believe in revelation; for if, according to its exprefs language, we are to give an account for all the thoughts and words which relate to our common dealings in human life, and our intercourfe with men, furely it is as confonant to sacred truth and reason, that we should render the fame account for thofe thoughts or fentiments, which have relation to the more important article of our religion, or, as it may be termed, our intercourse with God.

And let it be remarked, that this refponfibility be comes more truly important, when the doctrines on which we pals opinion, are clearly among the effentials in religion. As thefe are few, it may be thought perhaps, that with those who believe in Christianity, there is but little danger that they will ever be denied. In a direct and profeffed manner, they are indeed lefs frequently brought into difpute than any others. May it

not, however, be made a very serious queftion, whether by the conftructions fometimes annexed, or the articles either maintained or denied to belong to them, they are not often as virtually given up, as by a pofitive and entire renunciation? The human mind, often dazzled by the falfe colourings of deception, is fubject perhaps to no greater evil than that of deceiving itself. Every palpable denial of truth is at once perceived to be dangerous. Where a genuine doctrine is difrelished, the abilities of men are fully equal to the invention of sophistical arguments to depreciate or counteract it, which bearing in fome particulars the femblance of truth, operate likę magic influence on the minds of the inventors, producing a kind of conviction, that they are in fact engaged in fupporting and raifing it to honour. How often has the work of mediation by Jefus Chrift been fo treated of, by false reasoning, as in effect to stamp on our Saviour the character of a minister of fin-the article of justification by faith, been explained in fuch a method, as by implication to countenance a real 'laxnefs in morals;-and the Gospel itself confidered as containing what may emphatically be called the doctrines of grace, been denied this its distinguishing glory, when, whatever might appear to be the cafe confequentially, it would be difficult to affix on the abettors of thefe explanations, the direct renunciation of any one of its fundamental truths?-Making, therefore, all the proper allowances which charity fuggefts, I imagine it must be granted without reserve, that the corruption of the human heart has a vaft influence in the production of all falfe creeds on the fubject of religion. The fact is, that in whatever inftances the opinions of men are the refult or offspring of their affections, they may fo far be faid to form a part of their moral characters;-occupying, in this refpect, the fame place with

their actions, which however indifferent, if confidered abftractedly from the motives, yet as in almost all cafes they naturally refult from them, are therefore, without any fcruple, acknowledged to be the proper objects of praise or blame.

Nor let it be thought that these ideas concerning the future refponfibility of mankind for the articles of their creed, apply not with equal force to those who even boast in having no established sentiments of any kind. In former centuries, the contention in the Christian world was for points of orthodoxy. One extreme is often followed by another. At prefent, the prevailing excess seems to be for candour and liberality. There is a spirit of candour, which is in pure conformity with the Gospel: It is the product of refined, of humble, and of virtuous love. There is a falfe fpecies of it, profefling equal regard for the different fyftems of religious opinions, but generated in the want of proper regard for any. It is the candour of the vacant and unstable mind, afraid explicitly to renounce the truth, but too indolent to examine it, uniting complacency in the Deift, as well as in the believer in the Christian system, and to be accounted for hereafter on the fame principles with infidelity itself.

This leads me seriously to ask, whether there is any plea on which the profeffed Deift can reft a comfortable hope of judicial acceptance or excufe before his Judge, on fuppofition he is in an error? If the Scriptures be of divine original, it is to be inferred, that they contain all thofe evidences of their authenticity, which, though they were not intended to enforce belief, yet, in the circumstances of mankind, are fufficient to produce it in the en quiring and uncorrupted mind. Whatever apologies, therefore, may be offered for the fallibility of the human judgment, certainly it must be a very folemn process, when, at the appearance of the Judge, enquiry is made concerning

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