assumed the Christian name in ignorance! Do you understand your profession, and does the world believe that you are sincere in it? While you are telling them that you are Christ's, is your conduct such, that they are compelled to admit the truth of it? Do they see a copy of your profession written out in living characters upon all your conduct? Perhape the view that has been given of the Christian profession may startle some of you and make you tremble: I wish it may; for there is need of trembling with some. Should you endeavour to protect yourself against these searching inquiries, by affirming that I have represented the subject in too alarming an aspect, and have made the Christian profession too comprehensive, and too strict, I ask for proof. My appeal is to your Bible. I cite but one passage, "None of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord, and whether we die, we die unto the Lord; whether we live, therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ both died and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living."-Rom. xiv. 7-9. This is what is required in every professor of religion, to live and die for Christ; to have no separate existence from the dominion of Christ, so as to be enabled to say with the apostle, "for me to live is Christ." Is this our profession or is it not? If it be, are we aware of it, or are we ignorant of it? Too comprehensive and too strict it may be for some, and if so they are none of Christ's; they had better abandon a name which they do but dishonour, and a profession which they only contradict; but better still is it that by studying it afresh they should strive by divine grace to come up to the high and holy standard.

What cause for deep humiliation does this subject

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IMPORT OF THE CHRISTIAN PROFESSION.

afford to the most eminent and consistent professors. Even the best of them must take shame and confusion of face to themselves that they have lived so far beneath their own public declaration. Well is it there is mercy for saints, as well as sinners; for even the most distinguished of them must exclaim, "God be merciful to me a professor." O how little have

we by ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty years, honoured Christ, glorified God, recommended religion, strengthened the church, and blessed the world. Wherefore be ye clothed with humility.

Shall we not from this time begin afresh. Let us read over this imperfect outline of our profession, this sketch of our covenant with the Lord, this bond of surrendry to him, this record of our vows, and with a deliberate purpose, and a believing dependance on the promised help of the Spirit of God, let us consecrate ourselves afresh to the glory of Christ, according to the tenor of our Christian profession.

CHAPTER II.

THE OBLIGATION AND DESIGN OF THE CHRISTIAN
PROFESSION.

Ir is every man's duty to confess Christ. But there is a previous duty to be performed, and that is to receive him. We should first be a Christian, and then declare ourselves such; and anxious, most anxious, yea tremblingly anxious should we be, not to advance to the second position, till we have taken up the first. Every thing is, or should be subsequent to this The business immediately to be done by any human being, any fallen creature, is to believe the Gospel, and be at peace with God. He should, without any delay, have the faith of God's elect, and as soon as he has it, he must avow it. We must not, either through timidity, or from any prudential considerations wish to keep our religion a secret, or covet to go by a secluded and unobserved path to heaven. It is not enough for us to commend ourselves to God as sincere, but we must acknowledge our faith "before men." This is most clearly and most solemnly taught us by our Lord; "Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father who is in heaven: but whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.”—Matt. x. 32, 33. Whosoever, therefore, shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful

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generation, of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his Father, with the holy angels."-Mark, viii. 37. "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord."-2 Cor. vi. 17. "The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart, that is the word of faith which we preach, that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth con. fession is made unto salvation."-Rom. x. 8—10, I have already described what this confession means, and shown that it is substantially the same as profession and it now only remains to bring forward these solemn passages in proof that it is our duty to make it. The bare reading of them is enough to show that this is binding upon our conscience, by all the weight of divine authority. Christ forbids not only open enmity but secret love; not only public rebellion, but concealed allegiance. He has commanded a profession, and made it one of the laws of his kingdom, under the peril of our being disowned by him: and he who refuses to comply with this law seems to put his salvation in jeopardy.

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THE DESIGN AND USES of this profession are manifest, and should be constantly kept in view. I need scarcely premise that it is not to make us Christians, for it supposes that we are such already. It is a fearful, though it is to be apprehended, not an uncommon thing, for persons to substitute the profession for the possession, and to consider that they become Christians, by saying publicly they are such.

The ends of profession are various, some of them refer to CHRIST. It is confessing Christ, and intended, as we have already shown, to honour him by a

Yes,

public declaration, that we have believed his divine miss on, as the Son of God and Saviour of the world; the Mediator between God and man; the Prophet, Priest and King of his Church; that we worship him as our God, rely upon him as our Saviour, and serve him as our Master. This is, of course, to glorify him; it is to fulfil the prediction, that to him every knee should bow, and every tongue confess. every professor adds another voice to swell the chorus of praise that is rising to the honour of Jesus ; adds another witness to the multitude that speak of him to the world, and roll his name round the globe; adds another trophy to the spoils which are accumulating in the Church to celebrate his victory over sin and Satan. It is a sweet and cheering reflection to the professor, that his very connexion with the Church, if it be maintained with consistency, is to the honour of Him who hath bought him with his blood.

But there are designs relating to ourselves. It rescues us from the reproach and wipes off the stigma of our being Christ's enemies, and puts upon us the honour of being accounted his friends. The great multitude of mankind lie under the disgrace of being the foes of Jesus; and this in appearance is the case with all who have not separated themselves from the number by a profession. There may be real Christians among them, who in other parts of their conduct are sufficiently distinguished from them, but they are like Peter in the hall of the High Priest, among the foes of Christ. They are in the enemy's camp, though they do not wear his colour and costume. When we join the Church, we say publicly, "Account me no longer an enemy of Christ. I believe in him, adore him, love him, and serve him." Who would not be eager to say this?