much to convince thinking and good men of this. Probably there have not, for a long time past, been so many amongst other denominations who have either practically renounced Infant Baptism, or entertain the strongest doubts respecting it. Let us, then, sow the seed where the ground is thus prepared for us; let us reap the fields which are already "white unto harvest." At the present crisis we shall be expected to add, that Baptists ought to push into the foreground their principles of church polity;— calmly in the most christian tone and spiritby brotherly expostulation with our fellow-Protestants, as well as by unqualified denunciation of the grosser forms of antichrist,-yet perseveringly and decidedly, let us seize the present opportunity, as one in which the minds of men are more than usually alive, both to suspect semi-papal church-systems, and to look with more favour on a system distinctly and unequivocally antagonistic to Popery. The cheap tract we regard as peculiarly useful for such purposes. It reaches, at no great cost, those who would not hear our sermons or lectures, and leaves the Lord's-day so much more free for the great topics of the christian ministry.

And now, brethren, in conclusion, may we express our hope that these very plain, almost trite, observations will aid in disposing our brethren to commence the year in a spirit which, through the Lord's blessing, shall render it a prosperous one. Our readers know that we are anxious for Baptists to fulfil their peculiar denominational duty with vigour,-anxious for them to be like their forefathers, earnest in protesting against State Churches and Papal superstition, whether Roman or Anglican,-anxious even for them to fulfil their duty as citizens worthily of that independence in thinking, which their distinctive tenet so naturally fosters; but unspeakably more solicitous are we that our "churches, walking in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Ghost, should be multiplied.' If the month of January be used in accordance with the suggestion we have ventured, in how many cases might a higher tone of piety and more zeal to do good pervade our churches throughout the year. We are, brethren, yours in the faith, love, and service of our common Lord, THE EDITORS.

FRAGMENTARY NOTES OF VILLAGE SERMONS.

BY THE REV. JOHN FOSTER.

(Taken by one of his hearers.)

No. 13.

"For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things," &c.-1 John iii. 20, 21.

Creation is a very astonishing scene of vice and virtue. In some parts there is nothing but good; in others nothing but evil. Some beings are represented as haters of God,-completely reversing every sentiment of religion,-hating "the Lord their God with all their soul, and heart, and strength," and their conduct corresponds with this feeling; they maintain a hopeless contest; this shews their great malignity; they fight to lose; they resist to sink lower. But in another region there are beings altogether good,-no mixture of evil. Christians promise themselves such a state. There are many beings who never felt a tendency to sin. But here on earth it is a mingled state. You may turn in every direction to find perfect persons, and all in vain. It is more easy, perhaps, to meet with perfect depravity; there are many men just like devils. Have

you not known persons who seemed not to need much change to make them devils? "All but that body,' you would say, "and there would be a devil!" But one thing is certain, all these beings are accountable. A spirit of judgment pervades the universe. God cannot exist without this. He is the standard of perfection, the best authority. It is impossible he can be present otherwise than as a Judge. He cannot be confounded by what he hears and sees of devils and angels. It is a striking consideration that God exercises judgment in every other world, and not less exercises a clear and perfect judgment of every creature in this place, and that no discoveries will alter his judgment unless men are made better by grace, or worse by their own depravity. If there be men free from this constraint, the thought that God judges them, we are perfectly sure what they are; men are sure to make a bad use of liberty against God. If men feel no sacred chain, if the words of Sinai have no effect upon them, we are sure what they will come to. In spite of some fear, men will get worse; but if there is no fear, no dread of God, we are perfectly sure they are only fit for the worst world; and there is plenty of room for them, since they have taken the same course of rebellion against the almighty Sovereign. Thus we are surrounded by law and judgment.

It is the main object of religion to make us feel that all is good and evil towards God. Every thought, motive, and feeling bears some relation to God; to forget this connection is the sure way to be ruined. But, then it might be expected that God would do something to keep himself in the memory of his creatures, by something that might act and speak in his name. Now God cannot do it by shewing himself. Once on Sinai he shewed symbols and emblems of his presence; but those fires are extinguished till the same kind of fires consume the world and sweep all away. But God in general has not thus manifested himself. No man ever saw this awful power; whatever he has seen or heard through infinite space, he never saw God; though there are many things to remind him of God, an infinite number to a devout man. But, then, he has given something as a representative, and this is called Conscience. We should not make light of it. It is a relation of the King of Heaven; we should not be in its society without a solemn regard to it. It has been called "God in man." It is the second "great light," the moon of the soul. Conscience has no existence but as reflecting the mind of God. We early know what Conscience is. It would be a miserable thing to be a stranger to Conscience. Though we have heard of some men who never felt the pains of Conscience, a wretched and dreadful condition. Yes, some men have attained this horrible exaltation of evil. But, in general, men know something of the power of Conscience. It is that which tells us what is right and wrong in reference to ourselves. It has no reference to others it simply refers to the operation of feeling and judgment on ourselves; and it asserts its right to look and examine everything in man. It is placed there not to let all pass for right. Indeed, there is no Conscience where a man feels like that. But in heaven Conscience has no business to find fault. What a glorious condition that is! No wonder God is not loved, when his representative gives so much trouble. Men feel like Ahab when he met Elijah. "Thou hast found me, O my enemy!" A grim sight! A man would rather see anything else than that, or meet anything-the most furious wild beast-rather than meet Conscience with that aspect (a man may say) I saw last night, perhaps. 'Tis as if there were two souls in the mind, one taking account of the other. Have not you felt it so? It is a strange circumstance, but so it is, when the mind would be all harmony, this one thing rises up and will not let the peace take place. A man intends to perform some deed, when

but quickly, and "That is wrong,"

says,

something comes up, not silently, -some strange mystical power says, "It is evil." Though all mankind have this Conscience, it is no infallible guide of itself. It must follow the Judgment. Therefore it is possible-necessary -if the Judgment is perverted, so will be the Conscience. If it thinks that is good which is evil, Conscience will do so too. How many melancholy proofs of this among the heathen, with whom almost every abomination is a duty. You recollect Paul's references to his past life:-"I thought I ought to do many things against Jesus of Nazareth." His conduct shewed what a sad condition his Conscience was in, since, when he became a follower of Jesus Christ, he spent the remainder of his life in doing just the reverse. How important is a Judgment enlightened and true! How dreadful to have a Conscience that by some dreadful, horrid disaster, has become conformed to Satan and the world, that prevents all disturbance and fear, by soothing the soul! Conscience may speak the truth, but not so mightily as it should do;-this is a most common result. It does not so often pronounce the reverse to the truth, but makes much too little of it. Thus it seems to have been with our first parents; it was but a little thing! This is one of the most common offences of Conscience, altering things, by changing the degrees of goodness or badness. Now, to this end is the Revelation of God, that our Consciences may be kept in communion with God. How could this be but by Revelation? A great deal of grace is requisite not to call "evil good, and bitter sweet." These are the very terms employed by the prophet. Conscience is liable to be perverted by the very things against which it is intended to guard. It is depraved by many things,-by example; the Judgment, indeed, is depraved by that. But, besides this, the habit of seeing sin, tends to lessen our fear and abhorrence of it. The want of retirement and reflection is another cause. If men are always in a bustle, always acting, thinking, and talking of things that have no relation to Conscience, Conscience must become rusty; it cannot feel the presence of God but by frequent retirement. It is injured by self-love. How often is this our case! We do not disapprove in self what we should in any other mortal on earth. We look (as they say) through that end of the glass that makes it less. All the world knows this is the state of human feeling. Sinful habits do mighty things to wear out Conscience, at least, the habit of Conscience; and without the habit it is of little use, though it may sometimes rise like a man from the dead. For Conscience not to be habitual, there might as well be none at all; if it only comes a spectre to frighten a man, it is of no use. Irreligious opinions weaken the force of Conscience. This has been the case of late years. Men have rejected the Bible and the existence of God because they were plagued by Conscience; that is the reason, the philosophy of it all. But opinions not so bad, any thing that tends to lessen abhorrence of sin, will produce such an effect. To destroy Conscience, men need only trample on it often; they will reduce it to silence, except in a thunder-storm or sickness; then it will rise up like a giant armed. But, in general, let men refuse to hear it, and its voice will become weaker. No mortal has absolutely a complete Conscience, any more than an absolutely complete Judgment. Every man has too much of the original nature. No such thing grows on earth. So much more we need to take care of it. All Consciences seem to have taken opiates. The fruit of the forbidden tree has been a drug to make Conscience sleep-that seems the use of it. Compare any man's Conscience with the declarations of God.

The determinations of Conscience, when the mind feels most, are sure to be most correct. We may be sure the strongest feelings are never too

much for the sin. The Conscience may, indeed, scruple to do what is quite lawful; as, in Popish times, to eat meat on Friday was considered a great sin; so much the worse for them, when Conscience had so much to attend to, that they should so employ it about things of this sort. But, except in cases of superstition or delusion, Conscience never feels too much. No one yet had too dreadful an estimate of sin. The most certain way to have a Conscience highly refined, is to think often of God, the greater Judge. If men try to get rid of Conscience, there is another Judge they cannot escape. Shall you mend yourself by the change? No; when sent to that Judge, the other judge will seem to have exercised a guilty levity.

If Conscience accuses us, we shall certainly stand guilty before God. God remembers all that Conscience has forgotten or mistaken; for "God is greater than our hearts, and knoweth all things."

Should we not wish to be taught by what means to be justified before God-not by any works of our own? This subject gives value to the atonement of Christ. By his blood and righteousness alone can our Consciences be pacified. Fishponds, June 21, 1818.

MILK FOR BABES.

BY THE REV. CORNELIUS ELVEN.

"A bruised reed He will not break."-Isaiah xlii. 3.

Only think of the great apostle of the Gentiles, giant as he was in the mysteries of the kingdom, stooping to tend the lambs of the flock, to be a "teacher of babes." Hence he says, 1 Cor. iii. 2, "I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able." In humble, though distant imitation of this profound "master in Israel," we have a word to say this month to those sincere though doubting disciples who are unduly and painfully anxious about the commencement of the work of grace upon their hearts. Reflect then, we say to such, how it would astonish you to hear an individual affirm he did not believe in his own existence, because he had no personal consciousness of the moment and circumstances of his birth; or another, standing in the midst of a waving corn-field, expressing his doubt of its reality, because he could not tell when first the seed put forth its germinating power; or another, with the sunbeams shining around him, very much doubting whether it were day, because he could not indicate the precise point of time when the first ray of light announced the morning. Now, each of these the natural birth, the springing of the grain, and the shining of the sun-are emblems selected by the Holy Spirit to represent the work of grace upon the heart. Notwithstanding which, it is no small perplexity to many gracious persons, that they cannot tell THE

PRECISE TIME AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THEIR CONVERSION.

To such of our readers as are perplexed thereabout, we are desirous of suggesting a few thoughts for their devout consideration.

First, then, dear friends, let your enquiry turn upon the existence, rather than the commencement, of the work of grace upon your hearts. The latter may not, as appears from the emblems referred to, be ascertainable in all cases; the former may. For "so is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground, and should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how" (Mark iv. 26, 27). We ask you, then, the following questions:-Do you

hate sin? Have you really felt and prayed as did the prodigal, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before Thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son ?" Does your penitential recognition of sin extend to the thoughts of the heart and the words of the lip? Can you in your inmost soul say, "I hate vain thoughts;" "I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue ?" And is this your prayer, "Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me ?" Can you answer, Yes? Then, however trembling and afraid, here is certainly breath and pulsation,-here is life. But bear with us a little further. Renouncing your own righteousness, are you simply clinging to the cross? Is the eye of faith, however dimly, looking through the tear of penitence to a crucified Saviour, for justification, pardon, sanctification, and eternal life? Do you really love all that "love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity ?" If you were far from home, and unexpectedly met with a portrait of your dearest and most loved friend, however coarse or common the frame and setting might be, would it not awaken the most pleasurable emotion ? And if, unexpectedly, you met with some poor christian, however uninviting his exterior, if you discovered, upon conversing with him, the image of Christ, although up to that time you had been strangers, would your heart burn within you by the way? Then by this you may "know that you have passed from death unto life, because you love the brethren.” Do you delight in the house and ordinances of God, and do you sometimes "drink of the brook by the way ?" Do you prayerfully desire the conversion of others, and do you sympathise with holy angels who rejoice "over one sinner that repenteth ?" Are you willing to take up your cross, and "follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth ?" Is the company of the vain and trifling a grief and burden, when you are compelled to endure it, and is your supreme delight in the people, the service, and the cause of Christ? Have you a tender conscience? And, sensible of your own weakness, is your daily prayer, "Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe?" In a word, may the desires of your heart be summed up in this,-to love and serve Christ, and to dwell with Him for ever? Then we hail you happy. "If the Lord had meant to have destroyed you, he would not have shewn you these things;" for these are "things which accompany salvation." We have selected these points with some care. Examine yourselves by them again and again, and may they help you to thank God and take courage.

The next consideration we submit, is, that in the case of those christians who were naturally of a mild and amiable disposition, and who, from the influence of a religious education, have been preserved from the grosser evils into which others have fallen, but little difference is observed in their outward conduct, and, therefore, their conversion, though as real, cannot be so apparent as in others. In a case like that of Timothy, it would be unreasonable to expect a recital of conversion as circumstantial and sudden as in that of Saul of Tarsus; yet the former is believed to be as genuine as the latter. Besides this, another consideration in connexion with this subject, is the sovereignty of the Holy Spirit; for thus saith the scripture, "There are diversities of operations, but it is the same God, who worketh all in all" (1 Cor. xii. 6). We are especially solicitous to be understood as believing, that in every case of conversion there must be a saving operation of the Spirit of God on the heart; as much so in that of Jeremiah, who was sanctified from the womb, as in that of the thief, who was converted on the cross. Far from us be the teaching, that any natural amiability, or early religious training, would in any case, of itself, merge into piety, any more than the most lovely corpse could resuscitate itself, and wake up to life. We have not so learned Christ. But as, in some cases,