between the first and second classes; the Lord says, 'let both grow together till the harvest:" and the Church, echoing the words of the Apostle, says to all and to each of them, "judge yourselves, brethren." But while this is the case, the Church commands us to make a distinction, between the two first, and the two last classes.

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When tests of admission to the Church, and continuance in it, are put before you, and you refuse to take them, it is then no matter of judging in any one to say, that you will not join the Church, or you will not continue a member it becomes a plain fact. When the minister puts the test before the people, and they refuse it, it is the people themselves who say this, and not the minister. They say, not indeed with their lips, but practically by their actions, "We will not belong to the Church; we will not confess Christ." The Church commands a great many things for the regulation of the body, but she commands but two as essential to her membership. The Church expects her ministers to warn and admonish those who do not attend Divine worship; and a great many matters of secondary importance are also required; but she only draws the distinction, of who are members and who are not, upon Christ's own directions. He commanded, in Mark xvi. 16, "He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved;" and again, "This is my blood of the New Testament &c., drink ye all of it." Matt. xxvi. 27, 28. These are Christ's own orders; these are the words of Christ. The Church says, therefore, that no unbaptized person shall be considered as a member; and it follows that no person who, having been baptized in infancy, refuses, when of proper age, to confirm the vows of baptism, or to continue after Confirmation by Communion, is in a state of membership. My brethren, this is no opinion or fancy of mine. It is the command of Christ: it is the requirement of the Church. You have your Bibles and your Prayer-books; look at them

and see. Every minister of the Church of England is sworn to minister to the people according to this principle: and as we have not the power to judge between the first two classes before referred to, it is our duty to put the truth in such a manner before the people that they may be enabled to judge themselves.

When the Lord Jesus Christ shall come again in glory it will be found to be the eternal truth of God, that those who have come to him inwardly by faith and outwardly by profession will be saved. For you will remember both are necessary; as St. Paul says, Romans x. 10, "With the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." And those who have not come to him by faith, what shall I say of them? May the Lord apply the truth to any such who may be here: they will not-they cannot be saved. If this be true what anxiety can be too great for the minister to feel on behalf of his people? While they are sleeping over their dangerwhile they are passing away from the world daily, the Church brings before them the solemn truths I have referred to; and they themselves repeat these very truths as true: then if the minister let the people go on repeating the most solemn words as true, while by their lives they deny what they so constantly declare with their lips, would you not think him hard-hearted who could shrink from showing them their danger? The world, I know, see no necessity for this; they consider a faithful minister to be a wild enthusiast. But I will tell you what God considers him. He is an honoured instrument of God;-honoured indeed! chosen from amongst his fellow-sinners to be a light set up by God before the people, and entrusted with the commission of Christ: honoured before the angels, who are all the while looking on, and wondering at that which is so little attended to by the people to whom he is sent. I

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repeat it, he is an honoured instrument of God. Can you then wonder at his anxiety, seeing that it is a matter of such honour and interest to the minister himself? For God who has been pleased to appoint his instruments to preach his gospel, and to give them power to do the work He sets them about, mercifully promises them a free and a voluntary reward; not a reward of merit, for there is no merit at all in the matter. As St. Paul says, "A dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me; yea, woe is me if I preach not the gospel." There is no merit in preaching the gospelno merit in imploring sinners to be reconciled to God. But though there is no merit in this, yet God has graciously been pleased to promise a reward according to the measure of the "little flock" which the minister may be employed to collect and bring to Christ out of the world that lieth in wickedness; and these shall form his crown of rejoicing in the day of the Lord Jesus. This reward, however, will not be given if there be no jewels to put into his crown. This is marvellous, my brethren; but it is true. Marvellous! that while the minister must do that as a duty which Christ commands, yet that his own interest should be so greatly and so gloriously involved in it.

With these two motives then to influence him, how is it possible that any minister can be satisfied so long as any of his people keep themselves from Christ, and remain out of his Church? how is it possible that we can neglect to use the little power which Christ has given to us, and which the Church has put into our hands?

As I have shewn you already, the Lord and the Church forbid the minister to judge as to the difference between those that are within-the two first classes of persons in every parish but the Church places in the minister's power one means of producing a distinction; that is, to urge the people to a diligent spirit of self-examination: -to call

upon each member to examine and judge himself, and to cast the responsibility of his real state before God entirely upon himself. The Minister cannot draw the line between the first two classes; but it is an utter mistake and contrary to truth—an utter mistake and contrary to plain common sense to suppose that every person in a parish is a member of the Church, whether they join her Communion or not and it is also an utter mistake to suppose that every person who does communicate is a true spiritual member. In the case of those who do not join the Communion, the minister need not say any thing, for the individuals say for themselves that they will not belong to the Church: and in the other case he cannot say any thing, for unless we see plain open sin, and that it brings a scandal upon the Church, the minister has no power to interfere. While this is the case, it is a truth which cannot be too often or too plainly put before you, that none but the true members, the little flock will be saved after all. Therefore, my dear friends, there cannot be a greater kindness to you than to use every means to put you in the position of making you judge yourselves, and see where you are in this important concern, and how you stand in the Church. If your Churchmembership be a matter to be seen by men only, then you may have your reward here; but you will not be saved in the day of the Lord. If you rest on the opinion of man at all, whoever the man may be, whether what your neighbours may say of you, or your minister, for the reality of your religion, you may have your reward; men may speak well of you; they may judge you to be religious; but you will not be saved in the day of the Lord, You may be very exact in your outward behaviour, and very regular in your attendance upon ordinances; or you may be less exact; this does not make the real difference: if your heart be not renewed by the Holy Spirit, you are not one

of God's people. When you come to church it must not be merely because it is a Sunday duty; nor to the Communion merely because the Church expects it of you: but it must be because you know how Christ has loved you, and because you know the difference between the Church and the world that lieth in wickedness. Yes, lieth in wickedness (or in the wicked one); however the world may appear to you in its painted and varnished character of amiableness and kind-heartedness, which after all is only like the tiring of Jezebel, or like the whited sepulchres, which appear beautiful outwardly, but are inwardly full of corruption; graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them. If you really understand the truth and importance of this distinction, then you will thank God for every opportunity and every help in examining your own hearts.

Brethren, it is with much consideration and deep anxiety for your souls, that I have adopted a plan which, by God's grace, may bring the people of this parish to a habit of selfexamination. The object I have in view in the monthly Account to which I have already referred, and which it is my intention, God being my helper, to continue to send to you, is to endeavour to make you enquire where you stand in it, each one for himself, not searching for the place where his neighbour stands. It will be a help to you in seeking to judge yourselves; and I earnestly pray God to bless it. I expect it will be received in various ways. The little flock will take it, and look at it, and make use of it. They will not think about others, but each will be earnest in discovering where he himself is to be found. When they look at the attendance of the congregations, they will grieve over the number of those who neglect the services, and they will pray for them: therefore it will work Iwell for them. Some of the second class that I have