tified heart, need not to be given, than the indulgence of such views and desires.

Mr. Livingston was actuated, when he made the above choice of a profession, by an inordinate ambition of the honours of the world; and the fact clearly evinces that he was then without hope, in a state of great spiritual blindness, alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that was in him.

The reader must not infer, however, from this remark, that he was void of all serious impressions. Impressions of divine truth, of a powerful kind, had been early made upon his mind, which were never wholly erased, and which, when from under the watchful eyes of his parents, and mingling at pleasure with college companions and others, had a happy influence upon him. He had been instructed in those great doctrines of the gospel, the belief of which involved his present and everlasting peace. Though he could not intelligently unite in the publick worship of God, in his native placebeing there, at the time, conducted in the Dutch language-yet he had been carefully trained up to a religious observance of the Sabbath; and afterwards, when he became a member of college, it was his privilege to hear, in a language that he did understand, the precious truths of salvation, regu

their sins, in the exercise of repentance towards God, and of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ !—If, however, he had no clear, distinct perception of evangelical truth-no genuine gracious experience, under parental and ministerial teaching; still, as has been before remarked-and the same is evident from his own words-it was, in a very important sense, profitable to him: and though such early teaching never had, in any case, any other effect, than simply to preserve a young person from the follies and dangers to which, in his intercourse with the world, he cannot but be greatly exposed, or to check his waywardness-this alone constitutes an ample reward for all the toil, and solicitude, and patience, of the teacher-be he a parent or a pas

tor.

But the convictions and impressions which Mr. Livingston received from time to time, were connected, it is believed, more closely than he seems to have imagined, with his future conversion. They were pleasing indications that the Spirit of God was hovering about his path; and it is not improbable that they formed, in their effect, the incipient step in that renovating process which it was his happiness subsequently to experience. Conviction is not indeed conversion,-nor does conversion always follow conviction; and conviction, therefore, cannot

presence

be relied upon as an infallible sign of the and operation of saving grace :-yet more or less conviction precedes conversion; and, when it comes again and again, exciting to prayer and vigilance and other religious duties as often as it comes,it looks, to say the least, as if the Lord, in the dispensations of his mercy, is preparing the way for the good work. How far the way is thus prepared, or the precise connexion between the work and certain antecedent circumstances which, as means serve to introduce it, will be best known in that world where the dealings of God can be accurately retraced, and where, upon remembering all that the Lord had done for him, the heir of glory will be constrained to exclaim-He hath done all things well.

Mr. Livingston applied himself assiduously to the study of law until the close of 1764, when his health being a good deal impaired, in consequence, as he supposed, of close application to reading and writing, he deemed it his duty to give up his attendance at the office of Mr. Crannel. This retirement gave him abundant leisure for serious reflection; and apprehensive, from some symptoms of pulmonary disease, that his glass was nearly run, and that he would soon have to appear before the Judge of all the earth, the momentous concerns of eternity took entire possession of his mind. - He now saw his true character and condition as a

tures became consequently my earnest study and daily prayer, and to them I appealed upon every question which arose in my mind."

"Convictions of sin, of guilt, and misery, became clear and pungent; and some confused idea of redemption through a Saviour, and the possibility of pardon, and the restoration of my depraved nature, engaged my thoughts and prayers, without intermission. For several months, I could do nothing but read and meditate, plead at a throne of grace, and weep over my wretched and lost estate."

and new

"As new inquiries and difficulties arose, truths, with their inseparable consequences, came under consideration, I repaired to the Bible, I supplicated for light and instruction, and had to contend, study, and struggle for every article of faith in succession."

"Two doctrines, above all others, engaged my ardent attention, and caused a severe and long conflict."

"The first was the divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ. I saw, in his word, that he was a great Saviour; that the Father was well pleased in his Son, and that sinners, the chief of sinners, were

accepted in the Beloved. I believed that he was able to save, even to the uttermost, all who came unto God by him. It was also evident, that in all his fulness, he was freely offered in the Gospel, and the vilest sinners were authorized and commanded to believe in him, to accept him in all his glorious offices, and become exclusively his property. But if he were only a man, I did not dare to give myself away wholly to him, as I should then, by a solemn act, engage to belong to a mere creature, and thus, by becoming united even to Jesus, I should not yet come home to my God, from whom I had revolted. This checked my exercises for a time, and brought me into great fears and perplexity; until, from his word, I obtained a clearer discovery of the perfections of God, and of the infinite evil of sin. This convinced me that no finite arm could vindicate the divine government, and rescue me from the curse; that he alone who made me could possess authority and power to redeem me; and that my Saviour must not only be truly man, but also truly God. I then satisfactorily perceived and understood that it was the doctrine of the Bible; I saw it was the uniform declaration of the sacred scriptures, that the Son of God was one with the Father; that he that hath seen the Son hath seen the Father; and that, therefore, if I came to Jesus I should come home to my God: my Maker would