and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." His mind was attentive to the truth, and his reply discovered considerable acquaintance with it. He could discern between things that differ, and had some right feeling towards that which is spiritual and holy. "Jesus saw that he answered discreetly;" with some degree of judgment and right impression. He perceived that his state of mind was just that critical state, which without awakening any great anxiety in himself, was calculated to render others who really understood it, deeply and prayerfully anxious about him;-that state which seems to depend upon the direction of the present moment, as to its decision for God, or against him. "And he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God," Mark xii. 28-34. Not far from that kingdom which "is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost," and which has the promise of everlasting life; but still not in it; at the very gate of entrance, but not entering; encouraged by the invitation to "knock," but hesitating and undecided; aware in some measure of the importance of " entering in at the strait gate," but still standing without. The reply of the Saviour was calculated to awaken gratitude and inspire hope; to suggest privilege and furnish encouragement; yet it implied deficiency, and could scarcely fail to arouse suspicion, and produce fear. This is precisely the position of multitudes who enjoy all the ordinances of the gospel kingdom. They "have a name that they live;" they are "not far from the kingdom of God;" Jesus looks on them with interest, but their holy decision is yet delayed.

Your position is one of unutterable importance. Your connexion with the visible forms of Christianity is all that could be desired. The Bible is in your hands, and you read it. The sabbath recurs, and you observe it. The sanctuary is open, and you frequent it. The children of God meet in solemn prayer, and you are found in their assembly. Your family is trained to the veneration of Christian truth, and the observance of Christian institutions. You are interested in the respectability and comfort of those who "minister in holy things," and are ready to aid by your pecuniary contributions the efforts of Christians to spread the gospel both at home and abroad. You appear willing to be "taught all things which Jesus has commanded;" you "hear gladly, and do many things." Yet, the Saviour does not reign in your heart by his truth, nor have you any scriptural reason to expect that you shall reign with him in heaven. You have not yet "submitted yourselves unto the righteousness of God." The system of gospel truth is not treated by you as an authoritative declaration of the mind and will of God, requiring your cordial reception, and your immediate and entire obedience. The salvation of your soul is not the one object of your deep and supreme anxiety. You have some vague hope that it will follow; you are miserable whenever you feel that there can be any doubt about it: but you are not practically devoted to it. You do not yet wrestle with God in prayer for it, as that " one thing" without which you must be wretched for ever, and which He will give to all who sincerely seek it. You do not yet read the Bible, and attend upon the ordinances of the sanc

tuary, as means of salvation, earnestly desiring that they may prove such to you, and thoroughly setting yourselves to receive and obey "the instruction that tendeth unto life." If there were any such thing as neutral ground in religion, I should say that you occupy it; but there is not. You might seem to stand between the church and the world; perhaps this is the view which you are disposed to take of your position. You do not wish to be "condemned with the world," and you cannot claim to be of the number of "them who are sanctified." Hear, however, the words of the Lord Jesus," He who is not with me, is against me," Matt. xii. 30. "He that believeth on the Son of God hath everlasting life; but he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; the wrath of God abideth on him," John iii. 36. There is no escape from this decision upon your case. It admits all your merciful distinctions, it recognises all your favourable impressions, it attaches all due importance to your good intentions and purposes; but it leaves you among "them who are without, whom God judgeth," 1 Cor. v. 13. There Jesus Christ places you; there I must place you; and there I am anxious that you should now place yourself. See where you stand. "God hath brought near unto you his righteousness," Isa. xlvi. 13; but you "have not submitted to it." You read about it, you hear about it, you think about it, but you have not made it the basis of your hope of salvation. You may not have any other foundation of hope, but you have not this. The ministers of the Gospel "pray you, as in Christ's stead, to be reconciled unto God," 2 Cor. v. 20; and they are unto you as a lovely song

of one that can play well on an instrument; but you hear their words, and do them not," Ezek. xxxiii. 32. The church of Christ looks at you with deep and intense interest, and longs to see you verifying all the hopes which she has fondly cherished respecting you, but as yet you have disappointed her expectations, and come short of her privileges. That portion of mankind who are altogether reckless as to the consequences of sinning against God, and less attentive than you are to the forms of religion, are looking up to you as a religious man, and forming their estimate of practical Christianity from your partial conformity to its claims; and they are hereby in danger of being confirmed in their mistaken notions as to what it is to be a Christian. Meanwhile, your own mind is not at rest. You enjoy no solid peace. "Your calling and election are not made sure,' 2 Pet. i. 10. You are "not saved." You are still "without Christ, having no hope, and without God in the world," Eph. ii. 12. Are you satisfied with your position? I know that you are not. If sometimes you feel at ease and are quiet, it is only when your thoughts are not turned in upon yourself, or directed forward to the judgment seat of Christ. On other occasions, you feel that something more is necessary to be done, and to be acquired. Permit then the voice of friendly expostulation and entreaty. I plead with you for the sake of my great master, our only Redeemer and Saviour. I plead with you for your own soul and its everlasting happiness. By all the joys of heaven, and by all the miseries of hell, I plead. Give at least one short hour to serious considera-tion. Why should you deceive yourself? "God

is not mocked; whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap," Gal. vi. 7.

I have

"Thou hast a name that thou livest." adopted in the foregoing statements, general language applicable to a large majority of those who enjoy the general privileges of the gospel kingdom, without making the appointed improvement of them. The description includes many varieties of opinion, many shades of character, and many degrees of religious conviction and feeling; but in its general outline, it exhibits the case of all those whose outward observance of gospel ordinances secures for them the name of Christians, at whatsoever point they stop short of the spiritual obedience which the Saviour demands, and by what considerations soever they are held back from giving up their hearts and lives unto him. Let no reader of this page then hastily conclude that because at some minor point the description may fail exactly to mark his individual peculiarity, he is not intended. Art thou still an unbeliever? "Thou art the man." I do not speak of the theory of Christian truth; the historic facts and the general doctrine; thou believest all this; ("the devils also believe and tremble;") but I speak of that sincere and practical regard to the gospel testimony, which has to do with its true nature and design; which receives it as "a message from God unto thee" for thine own salvation; which acts upon it and obeys it as the authoritative announcement of the one plan of God for bringing spiritual life to thy soul. If in this sense thou dost not believe, "thou art the man ;" thou art only "almost a Christian."

Whether your case is described by Jesus as the