and the teaching and assistance of God's Holy Spirit can be sought, and it will not be sought in vain.

Here the inquirer should be reminded of the greatness of the Christian's privilege, in being permitted and encouraged to seek divine aid in the time of doubt and uncertainty. He must already know that the advice of a kind and wise friend is valuable in seasons of difficulty. How invaluable then must be the guidance of that heavenly friend, whose word is indeed fitted to be " a lamp unto our feet, and a light unto our path;" who, though he gives no new directions while he answers prayer, yet enlightens the understanding to understand the rules already laid down in the Scriptures. By him alone can we be guided into all truth.

But lastly, this inquiry refers to the realities of the life that is to come.

Surely then, to every mind convinced in any degree of the need of salvation, the inquiry must appear to be of infinite moment. Every investigation connected with time, must sink into insignificance when compared with this. The results of this are connected with eternity itself. It is for the life of the soul, that it should be pursued. This consider ation should produce intense interest, and excite to persevering diligence; and indeed, unless this be in some degree the state of mind of the inquirer, he has not viewed the subject in the light of eternity. Let the language of Christ produce its proper and intended effect, and no arguments will be required to convince the reader of the importance of this subject. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness." "For what shall it profit a

man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul ?”*

We have thus attempted to show, that the present inquiry is one of the greatest importance, because it has respect to him who made us, and to whom we are accountable; because it refers, not only to our lost and ruined condition as sinners, but also to the way of salvation which God has been pleased to make known. The Bible having been given to man for the purpose of assisting, directing, controlling, and answering these inquiries, a neglect of its sacred and authoritative statements will manifest a disregard for our own true welfare, and a contempt for that Being, who, in giving us his word, seeks to "make us wise unto salvation."

But it is taken for granted, that the reader is in an inquiring state of mind; that he is convinced of his great ignorance respecting those matters which concern his soul, and that his anxious wish is, not only to know the source of instruction, but also the manner in which he ought to pursue his inquiries.

We remark, then, that this inquiry should be made with a deep conviction of the importance of the subject. Till there is this, there can be no strong desire to pursue it. It must be viewed as intimately connected with our best and dearest hopes; or trifling difficulties will deter, and insignificant obstacles will frighten the inquirer. It is here we see the necessity of Divine illumination, in order to enlighten the understanding, and to awaken

* Matt. vi. 33. Mark viii. 36, 37.

the sinner to the supreme importance of inquiries connected with eternity. No arguments of men will effect this; no appeal even to their own interest will arouse them to attention. No power on

earth is able to subdue their natural disinclination to such inquiries. A temporary conviction may be produced, and the judgment may admit, that to know God and to possess his favour must be desirable; but the conviction becomes weakened, till at last it disappears. The conviction of ignorance and danger, which first led to inquiry, must continue, nay, must be strengthened, if the pursuit after religious knowledge is wished to terminate in the possesssion of heavenly wisdom.

Let the inquirer, therefore, earnestly seek that deep interest in the matter of religion, which will induce him to view every other subject of inquiry, as comparatively unimportant. Let him ever desire to view religion as including in it the elements of true happiness, and as demanding, not merely the exercise of all the powers of his mind, but the willing subjection of those powers to the teaching of God's Holy Spirit. This leads me to notice,

That the inquiry should be pursued with humility of spirit, and a willingness to receive instruction.

We are not only naturally ignorant of the things that concern the welfare of our souls, but we are also so unwilling to receive information, that months and years are allowed to pass away in a criminal indifference to these important concerns. Divine teaching is promised to those who ask it; but it is not sought. There may be activity displayed in

the pursuit of human knowledge, and even a great readiness to receive instruction from fellow-creatures in temporal matters; but there is a strong dislike to be taught the first principles of the oracles of God. And even when the sinner is in some measure convinced of his ignorance and his guilt, there is a lingering unwillingness to be taught the humbling truths of the gospel. But this very state of mind should produce deep humility, for it is unsuitable, injurious to man, and displeasing to God. The conviction also that God alone is able to give the instruction that is necessary, should check every thing like pride. Nay more, the consideration that he who declares his readiness to communicate the most important information to his creatures has been insulted by them, should deeply affect the heart with a sense of his condescension and his love, and render the sinner ready to hear whatever God has to say to his soul. The fact also that the hu man mind never could have found out one of the truths necessary to salvation by its own efforts— that they are purely and entirely matters of Divine revelation, should render man teachable-ready to learn of him who condescends to human weakness, and who giveth wisdom without upbraiding, even though the learner is slow and dull. Another consideration should not be forgotten, namely, that the want of docility on the part of the learner will be fatal to every inquiry. If what God says does not produce attention nor receive credence, the mind is at once shut against the truth.

But we are supposing that there is a real desire

to learn; if so, the learner will cheerfully receive the instruction of God's holy word. There may be, indeed, parts of it which he cannot understand; yet he will not reject or cavil with it on that account, because he is convinced that he is but a babe in religious knowledge. He will readily admit, that it is to his ignorance of Divine things he must ascribe the difficulty, and not to the obscurity or mysteriousness of God's revelation. Docility is not credulity. The inquirer is bound, by every consideration, to investigate the subject of religion in all its parts. He is to receive no one truth, connected with the salvation of his soul, but what has been examined, and which he believes to be of God. doing this reason is to be exercised; indeed all the powers of the mind must be employed in this inquiry. These are not to be elevated above revela tion, though they are to consider its claims: and when this is done, with a real desire to find out the truth, the result will not only be favourable to the inquirer, but the distinct provinces of reason and revelation will be easily defined. Jehovah has declared, that" the meek he will guide in judgment, and the meek he will teach his way."

In

The inquiry should also be pursued with dili

gence.

Active as the human mind may be in worldly matters, it is wofully indolent in matters of religion. This natural apathy is increased by early prejudices against the truth, by a continuance in sin, and even by accessions of human knowledge, and attention to the lawful duties of life. To over