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management of their weapons, and anger against their opponents, can supply them. Where a cause is maintained in this manner, you may easi ly understand, that there is none of that earnest desire of learning the truth, and that anxious fear of mistaking it, or of that distrust of self, and those doubts concerning our present knowledge and belief, which constitute that sincerity, that leads the inquirer to the word and Spirit of God for direction and teaching. Lay these things together, and they will, on scriptural grounds, cut off many confident pretenders to sincerity from their claims as entirely as they exclude Annas and Caiaphas, and the chief Priests, Scribes, and Pharisees, from being sincere inquirers into the truth of the Old Testament; when, in support of their own au. thority and reputation, and influenced by pride and anger, they, under color of their law, put to death him of whom Moses and the Prophets did write, even Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God. And as to men of another spirit, whe appear sincere, humble, and willing to

be taught of God, in their inquiry after truth; but do not entirely agree with what has been laid down, as my view of the truth; I would only wish them to observe the distinction established between some and others of these doctrines. Such persons do not, I dare say, materially differ from that, which has been mentioned as necessary to salvation; and therefore, as I allow that they may have been in the main taught of God; so I only require the same allowance; and that it may be supposed, that the same God, who according to his promise, hath led both, as far as needful to salvation, in the same way, has in other things left us to differ, for the mutual exercise of candor and forbearance, till that time, when we shall know even as we are known.

Lay these things impartially together, consider my former sentiments on religious subjects; my selfsufficiency and positiveness in my opinions; my world. ly interest and character,both toappear. ance at stake; my sincerity in my relig ious inquiries thus evidenced; and then, suppose my present sentiments to be

enthusiasm, and pernicious delusion, and will it not be evident to your own consciences, that I was a most unlikely person to fall into them?

II. In the second place I would observe, that this change in my sentiments was very gradual.

When any person suddenly changes his religious opinions for others very different from them, it is no inconsiderable evidence of a changable, and fickle disposition; it gives cause to suspect, that he was not well established in his former sentiments; that he had taken them upon trust, and was a stranger to the arguments, wherewith they might be defended,and to the objections, which might be urged against them. If worldly interest, reputation, or conveniency, seem to favor the change, there is room for a presumption, that these had an undue influence upon him; if not, it may be insinuated, that he was deluded with specious appearances, that he did not allow himselftime to weigh the arguments pro and con; that he had only changed one set of notions for another, without having duly considered either side.

Such objections may reasonably be made and the consequences of such precipitate changes too often justify them. But though I was always, and still am, of an headlong, and impetuous spirit in other things; and when once I have purposed, can have no rest, from incessant agitation of mind, till I have accomplished; yet in this particular I acted contrary to my natural temper. Indeed, at first, I did in some instances too much betray my impetuosity; but at that time I acted not in the character of an inquirer, but in full confidence, that it was pleading the cause of truth, and had no more thought of becoming what the world calls a Methodist, than of turning Mahometan; and after that first hurry was over, though commonly in earnest, and sometimes in considerable pertubation of mind, I was outwardly calm and satisfied; being generally enabled to be lieve, that if I were in any thing at present mistaken, I should sometime be guided to the truth. My determination to set about this inquiry proceeded not so much from anxious fears about my own soul, as from a deep sense im

pressed upon my heart, of the impor tance of my ministry, and the worth of the souls committed to my charge, and of the awful account to be given of them; and as I all along bestowed some pains in instructing them in what I believed to be the truth; I was preserved thereby from any discomposing fears, or undue disquietude of mind. I sat down very coolly to search for the truth, I proceeded very gradually, and with extreme caution; I took up no one opin ion upon trust; I gave up none of my sentiments, until the arguments, wherewith I had learned to defend them, were convincingly answered; nor did I admit any new articles into my creed, till either every objection was obviated, or I was pressed on the other hand with oth ers, still more unanswerable. Much, very much, prayer and meditation preceded every change of sentiment; and I was near three years from the beginning of my inquiry, before I came to a determination, what was the truth. So long deliberately, and step by step, I examined the premises, before I finally proceeded to draw my conclusion. I

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