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perfect, converting the foul: The teftimony of the Lord is fure, making wife the fimple: The ftatutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes: The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be defired are they than gold; yea, than much fine gold-Moreover by them is thy fervant warned: And in keeping of them there is great reward.

SERMON IV.

INDECISION IN RELIGION.

1. KINGS Xviii. 21.

HOW LONG HALT YE BETWEEN TWO OPINIONS? IF THE LORD be god, folLOW HIM; BUT IF BAAL, THEN FOLLOW HIM.

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HE people of Ifrael were distinguished for wavering in their religious opinions. Their apoftacy was fo general in the time of Elijah, that he imagined himself the only exception. They have forfaken "thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and flain thy prophets; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life." This prophet was fent by God to reprove king Ahab, who, with his father's house, led the way in the revolt. The context relates the mode by which Elijah tried the respective claims of Jehovah and of Baal, and the refult of the trial. I need not recite it. An idol, that could neither fee, hear, nor fpeak-an idol fuppofed to be taken up with other concerns than the prayers of the fupplicants-fuppofed to be asleep or abfent, was fet up, by an whole community, as a rival to the God of their ancestors. A combination of artful impoftors deluded the rulers and people. In this cafe, worthy of a special divine interpofition, the true God, by a miracle, removed the delufion. The people could no longer doubt: They could hold but one opinion: They inftantly exclaimed with one voice, The Lord, he is the God. We

do not enquire how long the impreffion lafted. If it afforded, at the time, juft and abundant matter of conviction, it could never afterwards lofe any part of its force, as a principle of evidence. The God, who then answered by fire, could not cease to be the only living and true God, because the miracle might be forgotten, or its impreffion impaired or loft.

The fubject, to which I laft called your attention, was, That religion must be our own choice. Decifion in religion, in oppofition to an unfettled, wavering mind, will come under our prefent confideration. It must be a fixed, not a fluctuating choice. Indecifion is as inconfiftent with religion as compulfion. The text is a pointed reproof of the inconftancy of the ancient people. In applying to their idol the feverest sarcasm, the prophet fhewed them their enhanced guilt. They preferred a fenfeless ftatue to the living God, whose dominion and providence, in the overthrow of idolatry, had been marvellously difplayed in the view of the nations. To Elijah's addrefs, in the words before us, they could make no answer.

I. We enquire, firft, what is meant by halting between two opinions in religion? and what by being determined and fixed?

II. Secondly, The great abfurdity and impiety of a wavering character, and importance of its oppofite, will be held up to view.

III. Thirdly, The prophet's expoftulation claims fpecial attention. How long balt ye between two opinions?

I. FIRST, What is meant by halting between two opinions? and what by being determined and fixed in religion?

To halt between two or more opinions in religion is the reverfe of deliberation and a found mind.Opinions, haftily embraced, are as haftily given up, as circumftances, books, converfation or company may vary. Such a mind is open to every prevailing error. Or it has in view fome exemption, indulgence,

advantage or fraudulent purpose. "He that waver"eth is like a wave of the fea, driven with the wind, "and toffed-unftable in all his ways."

Religion is uniform and immutable-to be affumed with the deliberation which our Saviour expreffeth by fitting down and counting the coft. The nation that goes to war, without previously comparing its own ftrength with that of the enemy, may expect a disgraceful defeat. The man who begins to build without calculating the probable expence, lofes his time and labor, waftes whatever he expends on his ftructure, and becomes the fcorn of fpectators. In affuming the profeffion of religion, we engage in a warfare-a war with inward corruption, the allurements of the world and the hofts of hell. We lay the foundation of a spiritual fabric—a foundation for eternity. We fhould therefore make an eftimate of the conflicts, temptations and dangers in this war-the foes with whom we have to fight, and the armour with which we must be provided. We fhould carefully attend to the foundation which we lay, and the materials with which we build. A profeffion, taken up without examination-taken up for convenience, in compliance with fashion, or to answer any worldly purpofe, will be renounced in an hour of temptation.

In fecular purfuits, those who are wife in their generation keep in view their respective objects, and perfeveringly encounter difficulties and oppofition. They do not fluctuate between different opinions, either with regard to the general object of purfuit, or the means of obtaining it. Here they are determined, and have but one opinion.

The votaries of fcience, the feveral learned profeffions, the husbandman, merchant, artificer and mechanic have respectively a favorite purfuit, to which they feasonably and fedulously apply, carefully obferving the beft opportunities. Their decifion is manifeft from their accurate difcernment and great industry

the fatigues and obftacles which their diligence and patience overcome-the facrifices they make to final and complete fuccefs-their rifing above misfortunes. In juft and honorable worldly purfuits, men fteadily purfue their end by honorable means. In unjust and illaudable ones, they are equally fixed, and can be diffuaded by no confiderations of honor or virtue, no expoftulations of friends, admonitions of providence, or remonftrances of confcience. When in the con

cerns of religion, men do not halt between two or more opinions, they have affumed it from deliberate attention to its nature and importance from a full perfuafion that the gain of the world is no compenfation for the lofs of the foul-that any temporal facrifices and fufferings will be abundantly recompenfed, when they fhall receive the end of their faith. In this perfuafion they abide by their choice of religion amidft all difficulties and hazards.

Many have never confidered maturely. They have their choice yet to make: Or they are undecidedone while almoft perfuaded; foon halting between variant opinions, at a lofs what religion to choose, or whether any-or attempting to ferve two masters.-Many who begin well do not perfevere. Some providence, or feasonable truth, is impreffed upon them. But the hour of temptation returns, the cares of this life croud upon them, and they decline from any warmth of affection which they felt for a time. Such as are determined in religion imitate the twelve; "Lord, to whom fhall we go?" whom elfe fhall we follow?" Thou haft the words of eternal life." Therefore we will not go back from following thee, though we fhould die with thee.

The fpirit of religion may be languid, but never dies. Many waters cannot quench, nor the floods drown it. Religion may be affumed from education, or cuftom, or a reverence of human authority, or tranfient conviction. Neither of thefe can fuffice.

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