It is a reasonable service, founded in personal persuasion, and must be taken up on fuch grounds as that we may fee the absolute security of it-that in all events it is our highest duty and only fafety. It is of the last importance to be fixed in religion-to fix right. The more fixed any one is in the wrong, the worfe is his cafe.

A wavering mind imagines, that, among various objects of worship, the attributes are fo fimilar, as to make it unimportant to which the preference is given; or that the worship may be divided or changed at pleasure, with perfect confiftency and safety.

II. We proposed, SECONDLY, to hold up to view the great abfurdity and impiety of a wavering character, and importance of its oppofite.

To fuppofe the perfect equality of all forms is to explode every profeffion of religion. There can be no comparison between the unity of God and a plurality of gods. Finite may not be compared with infinite. To account for all the phenomena of nature, we certainly need not have recourse to two or more infinite Beings: For one fuch Being could produce and maintain them. And unity of defign proves that one Being framed and governeth the universe. Religion then is to love HIM with all the heart. "Thou shalt "worship the Lord thy God, and him only fhalt thou "ferve." Shall it be enquired what religion is cheap eft? what religion may best accord with human withes, or beft anfwer a prefent purpofe? The proper enquiry is, What is the religion, in embracing which we fhall" fanctify the Lord God in our hearts, and be "ready always to give an answer to every man who 66 may afk a reafon of the hope that is in" us? Under what profeffion may we beft improve in the fpirit of the gofpel? of reformed Christianity? For Chriftians and Proteftants are not enquiring into the merits of pagan idolatry, of Mahomet's Koran, or of Popery.They do not hold different opinions on those fuperftitions.

The religion of Jefus Chrift, if true, is infinitely interefting: It beft inftructs us in the perfections and government of God, the moral nature, accountableness and diftination of man: It fhews us the origin of the prefent corruption of human nature: It reveals a Mediator between an offended God and guilty man--a Mediator who is our ransom and advocate: It reveals the refurrection of the dead, a judgment to come, and eternal retributions according to the deeds done in the body: It enlightens a dark world, and fupplies man, who is weak through fin, with ftrength from on high: It is fuch a religion as fallen man needed: It adds the fanction of a divine promise to any hope of pardon which the penitent might otherwife be prefumed to have-It lays a foundation, chofen of God and precious, on which to build our heavenly hopes. Those who cordially embrace it, have ftrong confolation in two immutable fources, the promise and oath of God who cannot lie. And if his feal hath been fet to it-if it was confirmed by miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost, what may the rejecters of it look for, but a greater damnation? Between this religion and any other, what man of reflection would hefitate? who that will do the will of God can heftate?

If religion is, beyond comparison, the most momentous of all concerns, it is then of the highest importance to be determined in this thing. Indecifion is next to an open denial of it, and naturally conduces to the contempt of all principles of piety." Would you not caft off the fear of God-would you not be found among fcoffers, do not waver in your religious opinions. Use the best means of information. Take them ultimately from the oracles of God. Decide as they decide, comparing one part of fcripture with another. Be open to conviction; but not to the fleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to de

ceive

A wavering mind may be ever learning; but never comes to the knowledge of the truth. Such a ftate of mind is opprobrious in the things of this life; but more fo in the concerns of religion in proportion to the greater importance of thefe concerns. It is base to trifle with man. Is it lefs fo to treat as of trivial concern the fubject of religion, which lies between God and our fouls? Agrippa was half perfuaded to be a Chriftian. He believed the prophets. From them an apostle had fhewn, almoft to the fatisfaction of Agrippa, that Jefus was Chrift. But, while the powerful reafoning of Paul wrought fome conviction, there was an halting between two opinions. From this indecision, it is probable, that Agrippa proceeded to give up religion.

Decifion in religon is, I am inclined to think, very much the basis of a confiftent fteady character in other respects. We must come to a wife decifion here, or be eternally ruined. Be not deceived; for God is not mocked. Let not him, who halts between two opinions, think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

The beft feafon to determine and fix in religion, doubtless is when the mind in any measure feels its weight, the providence and Spirit of God having excited an attention to it. What reasonable profpect is there, that fuch as refift providential admonitions and the strivings of the Spirit, from time to time, will at length give ferious and earnest attention to religion?

"A

Indecifion in religion is a fource of much uneasiness. The language of God is, Give me thine heart. "conformity to his whole will is fo much our duty "and intereft, that, if our minds were in a right state, "we could not have the leaft hesitation about any part " of Chriftian practice. The bleffed God is fo infi"nitely fuperior to every other object, that we ought "not to defire any thing in comparison with him.“Jesus Christ is fo good a friend, and hath done fo

"much for us, that we should never think any thing "too much to do for him. We fhould account his "yoke eafy, and his burden light. But our natural "fondnefs for worldly and fenfual objects darkens our "understanding, perverts our judgment, and often "makes things appear quite different from what they "are, or quiets our minds when we know we do amifs. "Thofe imperfect and undetermined impreffions of "religion, which the double-minded man feels, ferve " rather to perplex and torment, than guide and fe"cure him. He is ever finning and repenting, refolv"ing and breaking his good refolutions. He enjoys no comfort here; he can have no rational prospect "of happiness hereafter."

A ftate of fufpenfe, in any matter of confequence, is most undefirable and painful--and especially in a matter of the greateft confequence. Confcious integrity may support and fortify under embarrassments or perplexity from without: But a mind hesitating and wavering in religion can find no reft; It is divided between light and darkness, righteousness and unrighteoufnefs, Chrift and Belial, the temple of God and idols, faith and infidelity, heaven and earth. See then the worth of a found mind, an undivided and fixed heart-an heart wholly devoted to God.

Befide the restleffnefs of variant opinions, or indecifion in religion, fuch a wavering mind precludes all efteem and confidence of our fellow men. Such a mind in the concerns and interefts of this world, public or private, and much more in those of the foul and another world, is defpifed and detefted. Neither talents nor ftation can protect it from contempt. Yea, this folly, more than any other, in perfons of rank and distinction, is as dead flies in the ointment of the apothe cary. They forfeit their respectability, whatever it might be, were they of any certain fixed character. They are watched as unfafe and infidious, or neglect ed as fickle and inconftant. Scarce any character is

thought more ignominious than one given to change. His profeffions are not regarded; because he does not regard them himself. He would make many friends, and takes the fureft courfe to have none.

Further; those who are unrefolved and inconftant in religion must be odious in HIS eye to whom the thoughts and intents of the heart are open, who hath pleasure in uprightnefs. Compared with his approbation, it is a small thing to be judged of man's judgment. He feeth all the windings and labyrinths of a deceitful heart-whatever divides from him-the variant opinions and profeffions it embraces to conciliate the favor or avoid the difpleasure of man-every ref uge of lies to which it trufts-every mode of compounding for the indulgence of fome darling fin. There is then infinite hazard and aftonishing prefumption in wavering on the fubject of religion.

Let us attend to the prophet's expoftulation, How LONG halt ye between two opinions?

This expoftulation was, with special propriety, addreffed to a people whofe inconftancy in religion was without example. "I will plead with you, faith the "Lord, and with your children's children will I plead. "For hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? But according to the number of thy cities "are thy gods, O Ifrael!"

A wavering character in religion was not, however, appropriate to that people; nor is it uncommon. The like expoftulation, therefore, can seldom, if ever, be unfeasonable. Here young and inexperienced minds certainly need a caution.

Admitting the general obligation and importance of religion, and that fuch as halt between variant opinions, fuch as are inconftant, cannot be religious; admitting that it requires an undivided, fixed heart; then we muft, fooner or later, come to a determination on this fubject; or abide the confequence of wa vering and duplicity.