extensive application, and in some measure affecting us all, it may be useful from the words of the text to consider,

First, How we may judge when a person sets out well in his religious course; and,

Secondly, How we may discover when he has been hindered in it.

First, How may we judge when a person sets out well in his religious course?-It is not every one who arrives safely at last, that can be said to have set out really well: for, to take the Apostle's own allusion to a race, the candidate does not always begin happily; he may have stumbled at first, and have afterwards been enabled to recover his ground; some of his obstacles may have been removed, so that he who appeared for a time the hindmost may have at length won one of the brightest prizes. It does not, therefore, appear necessary that the Christian pilgrim should for ever despair, because the earlier part of his journey was not so consistent or vigorous as he could desire it to have been: he should, doubtless, look rather to present than to past circumstances, for the evidence of his state before God. He should rather ask the practical question, Whereas I was blind, do I now see? than confine himself to such inquiries, as, when and how he began to see at all. If his heart be really right before

God, if he be walking holily and consistently in true faith and obedience, if his Saviour be precious to him, if the evidences of conversion be conspicuous in his character, he has plain and convincing proof that he is now at least running well, whenever or however his race may have first commenced. This conviction, therefore, ought to cheer his mind and sustain

his progress; that while he sorrows over his early deficiencies, he may not sorrow as those without hope; that while he learns the painful lessons of humility and self-distrust, he may not doubt of that mercy of God which has made a way for his escape, and enabled him at length to attain a more sincere and consistent character.

But, although these considerations should encourage the humble penitent who perhaps despairs of mercy because he has not hitherto run in the ways of God so consistently as he feels it was his duty and his privilege to do; it must not be denied, that a hopeful and satisfactory commencement of a religious course is always desirable, and usually furnishes the best omen of future progress. It is true, that the racer who appeared wavering, careless, or ignorant at the outset of his course, may at length win the prize, and therefore ought to persist in his undertaking with new alacrity, rather than despair, because of his early failings; but this is not ordinarily the case, either

in temporal or spiritual affairs. He who begins ill will usually end ill. It is important, therefore, that even the very first steps in religion, as well as the remainder of the race, should be correctly and earnestly pursued.

The question, then, which forms the first head of our inquiry is, How we may judge when a person sets out really well in his religious course. To this I would reply, that he may be said to have begun well when repentance, faith, love, and humility, are in due exercise. Let us briefly touch upon each of these points.

1. In the first place, a person cannot be said to begin to run well where repentance is not deep and conspicuous. The structure which is to rise high, and be truly solid, must have a firm foundation. To speak of joy and peace where there has not been true godly sorrow, is but self-deception. Our Lord has described some who received the word with joy; it sprang up quickly; but it was not founded in deep penitence, and it quickly withered away. To have contemplated ourselves in all our guilt and wretchedness; to have felt the folly, the impiety, the ingratitude of sin; to have viewed, in all its terrors, that blackness of darkness which awaits the impenitent transgressor, and to have trembled under the awful apprehension of this becoming our own deserved lot, is a far

more hopeful commencement of a religious life than the contrary frame of mind in which deep repentance seems to have little or no place. In proportion, therefore, as penitence is deep and lasting, we may augur well of the future steadiness and consistency of a person's character. Having seen and felt the terrors of the Lord, such a man will be doubly fearful of going back into his sins: having tasted "the wormwood and the gall," his soul will have them in such vivid remembrance, as to keep him in a constant spirit of prayer and vigilance, that he may not again be entangled with "the yoke of bondage.'

2. The presence of faith also was mentioned as another evidence of our beginning to run well;-not perhaps that strong degree of faith which is attended with great joy and exultation; for many a Christian is running well, who by no means experiences those higher comforts in religion which are often the attendants of the full assurance of faith and hope. But the degree of faith which is sufficient to indicate a hopeful progress, and without which no consistent progress can be expected, is that portion of it which begins at least to purify the heart, to work by love, and to overcome the world. This portion, however small, will soon be visible in its effects: and indeed there is perhaps no symptom more indicative of a fa

vourable commencement of a Christian course, than such a principle as makes earthly objects sink into their due insignificance, and heavenly ones become all-important; such a principle as changes the whole character of its possessor; a principle, in short, which is the "substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

3. But repentance and faith are not all for we cannot be said to have begun our course really well, if our affections are not duly raised to heavenly things. The true Christian, even at his first commencement of the Divine life, must feel deeply interested in the great subjects connected with his salvation. His love must be ardent towards God and universal towards man. A cold, unfeeling frame of mind is a very inauspicious beginning of that new life which is to lead its possessor to give up every thing for his Redeemer; to love the Lord his God, with all his heart, and soul, and mind, and strength; and to become all things to all men for their good to edifying. Indeed, if at any time we may reasonably look for zealous affections, and disinterested and eager exertion, it is surely in those stages of religion when all is new and delightful, and when the heart first begins to expand with the early and cheering rays of the Divine favour. In this respect, as well as in others, the Galatians ran

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