in ever so young a person, he disdains not the lispings of children. Christ noticed their hosannas. He said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me," &c. If none around help them, if they sneer at them, oppose them, or persecute them, yet he will not disregard them. God sees the heart. He produced whatever good is in it. Little children need a Saviour

nature.

There was none by and a Sanctifier, or Good men will notice it, Even the irreligious may be forced

they cannot be fit for heaven. with great pleasure.

to respect it.

66

THIRDLY: The destiny allotted him :-" All Israel shall mourn for him and bury him, for he only of Jeroboam shall come to his grave.”

Alas! for Israel, they deserved not such a blessing, as for this pious prince to succeed his wicked father, with whose idolatrous measures they so readily complied; yet they should have some sense of his worth, and their loss; and the providence of God would distinguish him from all his father's family, in granting him an honorable sepulture. This would signify but little as to himself; but the discrimination would show both the divine approbation, and the respect of Israel for his memory. God may not always distinguish, in this manner, those whom he approves, nor may he exempt them from various afflictions before death, nor from an early death.

But

The text does not mention the heavenly felicity, for which his wicked parents had no regard they knew little about that, nor did they concern themselves respecting it. the word of God ascertains the eternal bliss of all, whether old or young, who die in Jesus. They shall be for ever with the Lord, and with all the blessed company of saints and glorious angels. There David would rejoice to see this son of Jeroboam, the enemy of his family. There, is perfect harmony, love, and joy for ever.

Now then, dear children, let me inquire, If the same can be said of you, as of Abijah—that in you is found some good thing toward the Lord God of Israel? Remember, God himself inspects your heart, and cannot be deceived. If there be no good thing in you toward God, how sinful and

unhappy are you! No regard to God, whom angels love to obey, before whom devils tremble: God who made you, and keeps you alive, and is always doing you good! It would be shocking and vile, if you had no love to your parents; but it is still more shocking to have no love to God. Whatever may seem amiable, is superficial if you have no regard to God. You may be thought good-tempered, affectionate, grateful, and dutiful; while you are not so to God. What shall secure you from falling into vile practices, when you become exposed to new temptations? What shall support you under the troubles of life? How will you encounter the king of terrors, who may be soon commissioned to call you hence? Some have godly parents; but unless you are truly sanctified you cannot have an inheritance with them. If you have not that advantage, you need pray the more earnestly, that God would show you mercy; for you are in peculiar danger of eternal ruin. But if you

seek the Lord, he will be found of you.. And who can tell? You may be the instrument of saving your parents too! I have heard a few such instances, especially of one, a child of six years old, who rejoiced at the approach of the Lord's day, because "this is the day that my father is used to pray.” The father was converted by hearing it.

XII.

INDECISION IN RELIGION.

1 KINGS Xviii. 21.

And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him; and the people answered him not a word.

SCRIPTURE history and scripture doctrine greatly illustrate each other. I wonder how it is that they who do not admit the latter, can give any satisfactory account of the former. If I believed that Adam's fall had no connexion with the moral character of his posterity, I could never credit

the story of the flood. If I thought all men were more inclined to virtue than vice, I could never account for the prevalence of idolatry and war. If I disbelieved the depravity of mankind, I could never account for the perverseness of Israel. To me, it seems quite unphilosophical, to suppose one people, for so many ages, to have been different from all others. Besides, if they were so much worse than others, how can the enemies of sovereign grace account for their receiving greater favors than more virtuous nations? And if they were designed to be a fair specimen of human nature, how can we account for their ingratitude and depravity, but by allowing that mankind are desperately wicked? The history of the ten tribes especially shows this, who so generally forsook the worship of Jehovah, from the time of their revolt from the house of David, till their captivity by Shalmanezer. Nor could either judgments, or mercies, or miracles reclaim them: of which we have here a most remarkable instance. Well might Elijah expostulate with them; and well may we stand astonished, that this miraculous interposition had not a more lasting effect.

That astonishment, however, should not be confined to their case, nor should our censures be confined to them. We may wonder at least as much, at the indecision of many under the gospel dispensation, and well may we apply the prophet's expostulation to ourselves. Let us consider,

FIRST, The commonness of indecision in religion. Under the best means of instruction how many halt between two opinions! And this, not so much concerning smaller points, or the mere externals: here they often decide fast enough, yea, too fast; keeping, without examination, to the form in which they were brought up, instead of diligently examining the scriptures. But while some are zealous for names and forms, which they were led to adopt by education or accident, how many are undecided on questions of the greatest importance.

Few indeed halt between revelation and heathenism. Though there are those who talk of "Jehovah, Jove, or Lord," as if it were no matter which were worshipped. However, I need not enter into an examination of the pre

tensions of Baal, Jupiter, or Juggernaut, to prevent your giving them the preference to Jehovah.

There are those, in this country, who halt between Christianity and infidelity; and perhaps some of you sometimes think the Bible is true, and sometimes call its authority in question.

Others are undecided as to the principal doctrines of scripture; whether they shall admit, on the authority of revelation, any incomprehensible peculiarity in the divine nature, of which they could have had no knowledge had it not been revealed. The trinity, the incarnation, the divinity of Christ, the atonement, regeneration, &c.

Many are undecided between self-righteousness and salvation by grace: between self-sufficiency and dependence on divine influence. When these things are argued in the pulpit, they are ready to allow them to be true; but when they hear them sneered at, and misrepresented, they are ashamed to avow them; not having been deeply and experimentally convinced of their truth.

Many are halting between two opinions, respecting sin and holiness. Shall they forsake sin, as what will be sure to damn them? Shall they follow after holiness, as that without which no one shall see the Lord ?

Others halt between worldly pursuits and heavenly realities. These may be regular and respectable in their outward conduct, good members of society; but they mind only earthly things. They sometimes think it will be proper to pay more attention to religion by and by; but at present they cannot find time for it. Some gainful project demands their attention at one time; and some perplexing disappointment, or threatening loss, occupies their minds at another; and so they are in danger of going on, till they are suddenly cut off by death, or unable to exercise their faculties, from disease or the infirmities of age. Let me endeavour

to point out,

SECONDLY, The causes of this indecision.

The ostensible reasons often differ from the real.

Per

haps, if you may allege the cause yourself, you will plead, that it is owing to the difficulties which attend the investi

gation of religious truth. It cannot be owing to the non-importance of the inquiry, whether there be a God, a moral Governor, a future state; whether you are a sinner, needing a Saviour and Sanctifier; how God's favor can be enjoyed; how sin can be pardoned; how you can be made meet for eternal life. I do not believe that it is owing

to want of evidence of the inspiration of the sacred scriptures; nor yet to want of clearness and precision in the language of scripture, on all the principal subjects of revealed truth. Nor will the diversities of opinion, among nominal Christians, excuse you; nor yet the flaws you can find among professors. A goodly number are agreed in all the main points; and multitudes are evidently sanctified by the truth, whose living and dying testimony demands attention. True, they are not perfect, nor do they pretend to perfection. Religion does not teach every one all the etiquette of politeness; but it teaches humility, sincerity, and benevolence.

Ah! I fear your indecision is chiefly owing to want of attention, diligence, and earnestness in your researches. How should you understand divine wisdom, without taking pains? Could you learn any thing else so lightly? I fear there is a want of seriousness and impartiality in your investigation. I fear that you have deep-rooted prejudices against the truth; that you are unwilling the obvious doctrine of scripture should be true. I fear you want humility. You are not willing to admit the truth, that you are guilty and depraved. You are not willing to suffer reproach with the people of God; to have your name cast out as evil; to be despised as belonging to a sect every where spoken against. I fear that you neglect prayer for divine illumination; for the assistance of the Holy Spirit, to lead you into all the truth. I fear that you want faith in the divine testimony; that you are not willing to give implicit credit to God; and hence you so long halt between two opinions. But now think of,

THIRDLY, The evil of indecision.

But if

While you halt between Christianity and infidelity, you act, for the most part, as if the Bible were not true. it should prove true, where will your soul be at last?

You