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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 pastor.

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

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be relied upon as an infallible sign of the presence 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