ment till we have some view of God as the avenger of sin.

You see then, brethren, where we we must begin. in the management of the work of this day, if we would be successful in it, and have consolation in communion with God to follow it. We must begin with God. Every religious exercise must begin here, other wise it will avail nothing. Our avowed work is about sin-sin as against God. Every act of sin which we commit begins with God, and in its consequences, ends with curselves; so every exercise in which we engage in order to have it destroyed must also begin with God,. otherwise no good consequences will follow to us. When we wish to examine any object minutely, we place it in the best light we can; let us do this with our sins; let us place them in the light of the divine nature, as this shines forth in the holy law, and we shall not fail to discern their nature truly. Our present work does not relate only to ourselves; God is also concerned in it; as all our sins are against him. Let us then beware of over. looking this consideration of them, lest we add to the dishonour which we have already done to God. To view sin as against our interest is but a secondary consideration, and is purely a consequence of its opposition to God; hence it is, that believers, in confessing their sins, always dwell upon their opposition to God, more than on the injury themselves sustain. With God we profess to deal; to him we make confession; in his presence we profess to humble ourselves; from him we supplicate pardon; and we seek intercourse with himself as the portion of our souls. But if sin be not highly offen sive to him, if we have not dishonoured him by it, and if it do not obstruct our enjoyment of him, why do we give ourselves any concern about it? Why do we search

and try our ways? why do we humble ourselves, and confess our transgressions? Why do we implore forgiveness? Why; sin is an evil thing, an only evil, in the sight of God. Let us, then, begin with him. We will labour in vain, we will search our hearts, and review our past life, to no purpose, if our views are limited to ourselves. Be it our study then to learn how much we have dishonoured God, and how far we have departed from him. In this way only can we expect to meet with him in a gracious and comfortable manner, in his ordinances.

2. PARTIAL views of sin are insufficient to produce proper impressions and a proper sense of it. We must be careful not to overlook any thing that enters into it as an ingredient, any circumstances that attend it, or the consequences which may follow it. The sins of believers are of more extensive consideration than the sins of others. They are not only under the same moral obligation to obedience, they not only enjoy the same common favours in Providence; but they hold a gracious relation to God; his Spirit dwells in them, his love is shed abroad in their hearts, their lusts are in a great measure subdued, their sins are pardoned, and they enjoy communion with God; consequently their sins must be much more provoking to him than the sins of others. They sin against light, against saving mercy, against the motions of the Spirit, and against a sense of the love of God. Sin in them is an attempt to overturn the work of grace in their own souls, to nullify their own pardon, to deprive Jehovah of his pleasure, and the Mediator, of the travail of his soul. It disquallifies them for serving him by whom they are bought, and so leads them to commit a robbery upon him. It proves the occasion of distress to the hearts of his people, emboldens

& B

the wicked in their iniquity, and exposes religion to contempt. Sin has many traits in its character. We are not warranted to overlook any of them through design or indifference, in our researches after it. The closest attention, and the minutest investigation, will be found necessary to obtain any proper discovery of it. A defect here will cause a very material deficiency, in our sorrow, in our confession, and in our return to God; it will prevent our attaining a true and deep sense of sin; and leave us indifferent about pardon. The work of this day of fasting, then, is a work of much care and attention, and also a work of time. To ensure success much close enquiry, much meditation and prayer are necessary. Our work is an enquiry into the works of darkness, an investigation of the mystery of iniquity in our own souls. In prosecuting this work, we will no doubt find difficulties and, obstructions; our provocations are numerous, cur hearts are deceitful, and ready to impose on us; the discovery of much sin in ourselves is not pleasant, it is rather apt to fill us with fears, and we, on these accounts, are ready to stop short. Let us beware of discouragement in our work, as there is no reason for it. We have the light of the word, and the promise of the Spirit, which is all that is necessary to our success; let us therefore improve both. beware of kindling a fire, and compassing ourselves about with sparks, and walking in the light of them. Let us rather walk in the light of the Lord, that we stumble not in our way, nor deviate from it. Let us put the work into his hand, and give him no rest, until he search out the wickedness of our hearts, and turn us from the evil of our ways.

Let us

3. THIS subject discovers to us the necessity of

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resisting temptation, and in what manner it may be best done. All temptation natively tends to sin, and as sin is a very evil and dangerous thing, every effort should be made to prevent the success of temptation. It ought never to be allowed a hearing. If sin be permitted to plead its own cause, it will find no difficulty to do it successfully. The principles of sin remain in our souls; temptation operates on these, and excites them to action, causing them to conceive and produce sin. "Lust when it hath conceived bringeth forth sin," and every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed." If temptation be allowed time, and attention paid to its solicitations, it will as. sume various forms, and urge an inconceivable variety of arguments in order to obtain its end. It attempts to warp the understanding, by some specious pretences of interest or pleasure, or by extenuating the evil of complying. It assaults the affections, and engages them in its interest, by means of which the understanding is easily overcome. It promises much enjoyment, while it conceals the danger. Joseph could not be prevailed upon to listen to the temptation though he was often assaulted, but argued in opposition to it; and when the danger became great he fled from it. Had he listened to the illicit solicitations of his mistress, he had not gained so honourable a victory. We are commanded to resist the devil, and he will flee from us.. Whenever we are assaulted by temptation we are in danger; yet the danger is least in the first instance, and we may then resist with better hopes of success, than we can do afterwards. To keep our minds a

wake, to preserve our resolution, and to make us ready to meet every temptation, we ought to have just conceptions of God and sin. This was Joseph's best

security.

"How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" Let it be our study to maintain permanent impressions of the nature of God on our hearts, and of the evil of sin as against him; this will prove our best security against temptations of any kind. If we see aright the evil of sin, we cannot fail to see its danger; and if we are vigilant in all circumstances, and careful to avoid all occasions of temptations, we are not so likely to be led into sin.

4. To cultivate an intimate acquaintance with God will prove the best security against temptation and sin. Much familiarity with God tends to increase faith and holiness in the soul, to weaken the power of lust, and to strengthen the believer's opposition to sin. In this way he sees more of the holiness of God, advances in conformity to him, and increases in his hatred of sin. The satisfaction which he finds in fellowship with God leads him to abhor the pleasures of sin, and to consider them as very pernicious to his soul; so that he is watchful against any thing that may tend to lead him into it; knowing that it will interrupt his enjoyment. Love to God and holiness will bear a proportion to our intimacy with him; and our hatred of sin and watchfulness against it, will be proportioned to both. Walking closely with God is the only way of obtaining assistance in the hour of temptation; but if we are found at a distance from him in the time of danger, we will find our own strength inadequate to our safety. Let us walk near unto God; let us rely on him by faith; let us maintain daily intercouse with him, and call in his aid in the hour of trial, that we may be able to stand in the evil day. We have his own word, that he will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able to