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Evidences of conversion: or marks by which a man may know that he has turned from sin to God.

My attention has recently been called to this subject—a subject however which has been often in my thoughts-by a conversation which I had with a person of considerable intelligence, who has made a christian profession at a somewhat advanced period of life. He stated to me apparently with great frankness, the reasons which induced him to make a profession; and gave me a sketch of the history of his life, as connected with religion; and added that he could not positively say that he was regenerated: but still he felt it his duty to make the profession he had made, and he had felt satisfaction in doing so. This conversation has led me to reflect considerably on the question how can a person know that he is really born again? And when I consider the different views which prevail on this subject, I am constrained to offer some of my thoughts to the public through your magazine.

I premise, that the word conversion is understood differently, by the different persons that use it. Conversion is tnrning from sin to God. But a man may be viewed either as turning by his own act, or as being turned by the Spirit of God. Accordingly the word conversion may be used either in an active or passive sense. Either way, however, it will signify that period in the history of the person to whom it is applied, when from being a sinner, he becomes a saint; when from being a condemned sinner, he becomes a pardoned sinner; when from being dead in trespasses and sins he becomes alive to God. In this change there are

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