ulous and marvellous enters into our conceptions of its nature and operation. The respect and seriousness which religion inspires in us, are not less deep and effectual because they are rational and practical, arising out of clear and distinct views of its true nature and design, and of the unspeakably important truths, duties, and interests, of which it treats; of the relation to the High and holy One into which it elevates man, and the vast system pertaining to the happiness and glory of the human soul it embraces, beginning in this world, and reaching forward without termination or limit into that which is to come. Religion, thus viewed, cannot be regarded otherwise than with profound awe, than with seriousness most deeply and inwardly felt. Religion, thus set before us, we must know and feel to be indisputably the most serious of human concerns; nothing in life is more serious; no part of life is of more serious moment than that in which one commences a religious life,-except it be that in which one falls back from a religious life into the pathway of death. With as little reason or justice can it be objected that but a very limited and defective view has been given of the necessity of regeneration, of the requisitions of religion, and of the magnitude and difficulty of the work to be accomplished in us. We are taught, I think, by the whole tenor of the sacred writings, that the great object and end of religion, is to beget in us a spiritual mind and affections, to form us to a life of sobriety, righteousness and godliness, to a character of unearthly purity and holiness, into a resemblance to God by fashioning ourselves after the image of his Son, and to exalt us into communion with God in the exercise of an enlarged benevolence, fervent piety, and habitual devotion. We do not then treat the necessity of regeneration as a light matter, in representing it as prerequisite to the accomplishing, or rather as the only means and process of accomplishing these inconceivably great and momentuous results. If any think these ends can be attained with ease, and in a little time, he deceives himself lamentably, most dangerously. Let the uninstructed child delude himself with the conceit, that with a little pains he may soon and easily reach an equality with the philosopher grown gray in study and inquiry; but let not him who is a stranger to religion, conceive for a moment that its glorious and exalted designs can be accomplished in himself without toil, striving and conflicts, without diligent effort, and patient perseverance, without continual communications of aid and influence from above to further his own sincere and earnest endeavors. The necessity therefore of regeneration, the requisitions of religion, their magnitude and difficulty, are to be measured by all that is necessary to prepare man for receiving the end of the Christian faith, the salvation of his soul,the blessedness of an immortal and glorified spirit. None who knows what this imports, will, none can account it, or aught relating to it, a light thing. Another objection that may perhaps be urged against the views of regeneration exhibited in the preceding observations, is, that they leave the distinction very vague and uncertain between the regenerate and unregenerate. In reply, I would first observe, that these last terms, in the Scriptural use of them, as we have sufficiently shown, denote those who are brought under the influence of religion in contradistinction to those who are not. The distinction then in question will be more or less determinate and apparent, according to the degree of ascendency and power with which religion has operated upon the characters of those who have become its subjects, to exalt them, in every point of Christian excellence, signally and visibly above those who yield not themselves to its influence. It is indeed to be lamented that this distinction should be, so often and to such an extent, but very faintly perceptible, that the lines of discrimination should be so indistinctly drawn in too many instances between the characters of the avowed disciples of a self-denying, benevolent, and ho ly religion, and of those who neither are nor profess to be its subjects. It is to be lamented, not that the latter are drawn into an imitation of the former, but that those who have any well grounded pretensions to the name of Christian, should suffer themselves to sink down into a state of approximation to the characters and spirit of mere votaries of the world, and contentedly submit to remain in this state of ignominious depression, instead of rising into that manifest superiority of virtue and excellence, which it should be their glory to seek and exhibit; instead of living to that inimitable example set before them, in their Lord, and even while on earth,reflecting in some degree the purity, and gaining some foretaste of the felicity and joy of heaven. This is to be lamented, not for the mere purpose, of itself a vain and fruitless one, of having the distinction referred to, broadly drawn and permanently established; but for the sake of those in this world and the world to come, whose sin it is, I had almost said, whose condemnation it may prove, that so little of the distinguishing power and excellence of Christianity is found on earth, for the honor of religion and of its great Author, and for vindicating it from any share in the reproach too often and with too much justice cast upon its friends and disciples, What do ye more than others?' that the true friends of religion might rather be in themselves a perpetual and visible refutation of this reproach,such as it would be impossible to gainsay or resist, by so ' letting their light shine before men that these may see their good works, and glorify their Father which is in heaven.' - But I am aware that the objection I am now supposing to be urged, is made on other ground than this, on ground indeed that cannot be conceded. It assumes, we believe, a false rule of deciding who are, and who are not Christians; a rule drawn for instance from the reception or rejection of certain doctrines or articles of faith, from the avowed existence in the mind or ac knowledged absence of certain impressions, feelings, convictions, or persuasions. I call this a false rule of judging, because it is not warranted as a sufficient and decisive criterion by the sacred writings. By their fruits ye shall know them,' is the test which our Saviour directs us to apply in the judgments we pass upon the claims of others to be received and acknowledged as Christians. This is the criterion and proof of Christian regeneration, which he himself sanctioned in that striking illustration of the subject, which he drew from the movements of the wind. We know the existence and trace the course, and measure the power of the wind, itself invisible, by its sensible effects. So too by evidence exhibited to our senses, to our constant observation, by what we see and hear, by outward manifestations, we know over whose spirits religion with its regenerating power has moved, in whom religion is pres ent, resides and operates as a living and actuating principle. This is the only certain, as it is the only Scriptural test, by which we can judge of the reception, the power and progress of religion in the recesses of the human heart, that are concealed from the eye and knowledge of man, except so far as external demonstrations are given of the spirit that rules therein. As we look abroad then upon our fellow-creatures, let us look for the outward indications of a religious life commenced within; and let us rest in the conclusion which charity dictates, which equity demands, which the Scriptures, our highest authority, warrant, and which, moreover, is the safest and best we can attain, that where we behold the fruits, there the tree of life has taken root; that in whomsoever we witness the temper and character becoming a Christian, in him we behold one who has been spiritually born again, one who has experienced the inward regeneration which Christianity requires, and one therefore who has unquestionable claims to be received, respected, and loved as a disciple of Christ. The manner in which this has been effected, is a consideration of very inferior importance. As the power of religion may exist and operate under a great diversity of forms, so it may be introduced into the mind by an equal diversity of means, under an equal diversity of attending circumstances and in degrees which it is altogether beyond the power of human discernment to define. This therefore should be borne in mind in judging of character, when we pass from those who are confessedly burning and shining lights in the world, to those who appear less prominent and distinguishable as examples of Christian piety. Whoever among these last manifests for the most part a Christian spirit, sustains in a good degree a Christian character, acts and lives in the main as a Christian, we should be ready and rejoice to acknowledge as a Christian, though he may in our view have embraced many erroneous sentiments, though he may have many human infirmities still cleaving to him, though he may exhibit remaining imperfections, and even sad inconsistencies and defects. We should rejoice to ackowledge him as such, whether he can or cannot describe the time or the process of his spiritual regeneration, the date and circumstances in which he was brought under the influence of religion; whether this internal effect was wrought gradually, or more suddenly, in the imperceptible progress of education, and under the influence of parental instruction and example, distilling upon his opening mind and character gently and noiselessly as the dews of heaven, or in a way more memorable to himself, because inseparably connected with some striking events or incidents, and more perceptibly to others, because followed with practical consequences obvious and visible; whether, in fine, he uses the same phraseology with us in describing his religious history and present state, or expresses himself in widely different language. Let me be satisfied from his outward life and conversation, from his habitual temper, dispo→ sitions and spirit, that he is no stranger to the influences of religion, and I will regard and treat him as a Chris |