frange, that the felf-juftification, which is infufferable to our fellow creatures, fhould be the foundation of our hope before a holy and heart-fearching God?

But, befides, I befeech your attention to the following circumftance: even the falfe fuppofition, juft now mentioned, proceeds upon an abfolute mistake of the nature of moral obligation. There is no pro per merit in the obedience of a creature, neither hath it, in the leaft degree, any title or tendency to extinguish the guilt of crimes. If efteem, love, and obedience, all in the highest degree, be truly and properly due unto God, no reward can be pleaded for on account of the performance, much less can it have the effect of procuring pardon where duty hath been neglected. Let me beg of you to reflect upon a matter of experience, which is but feldom attended to. Does the general goodness of a man's character inchine even the world to indulge him in more bad actions than another? It does just the contrary. A man, who hath been eminent in piety during a long course of years, if he goes aftray in any one inftance, will be more deeply reproached, and his character will fuffer more by it, I may even fay, it will fuffer an hundred-fold more for the fame action, than the character of another whofe conduct has been more imperfect and unequal.

I look upon it as the duty of a minifter to bend his whole force against a difpofition to felf-righteoufnefs. And, indeed, whether we take it from fcripture or reason, we fhall fee that the hope of a finner muft arife not from extenuation, but confeffion; not

99 from human merit, but from the divine mercy. This is fo plain, that had men but any real and just convictions of their obligations and duty to God, such a plea would never come into their minds. Suppofe any perfon were challenged for a debt which he was really owing, and he should answer in this manner, It is very true, I have not paid this; but I paid a debt to you at fuch a time, and another at fuch a time, and a third at fuch a time; would it not be natural for the other to reply, True indeed; but were not all thefe debts feparately due? will your paying one discharge you from another? is not this as much due now as any of the reft were before? If therefore you will give the fame juftice to your Maker, you expect from another, you must confefs that a whole life of perfect and spotlefs obedience would do just nothing at all to extinguish the guilt of the leaft fin. Be not therefore fo foolish as to rest your hope on that felf-righteousness, which, in truth, is no better than filthy rags, and however excellent and perfect it were, could have no effect in procuring the forgiveness of fin.

(4.) There are fome to be found, who endeavour to excufe their actual tranfgreffions, as being no more than the neceffary effects of original fin. This we 'find frequently done by those who are no friends to religion in general, and, perhaps, believe as little of the reality of original as the guilt of actual fin. In fuch, therefore, it is no more than a pretence, that they may rid themfelves of the apprehenfion of both. But there are alfo fome who do not feem to be enemies in principle to the truths of the gospel, who

yet are very ready to excufe themfelves for particular fins, by laying the blame upon their nature in general. It is my nature, they will fay; I have fo ftrong a difpofition to it, that I cannot help it. Thus they feem to fit quite easy under the dominion of fin, and, by giving up all hope of overcoming it, are led to forbear all endeavours to resist it.

On this I cannot help observing, again, how oppofite the principles of fin and holiness are. The fin of our nature, which, in true penitents, is matter of humiliation and forrow, is often produced by others, as an extenuation of their crimes. See how the pfalmift David expreffes himself, Pfal. li. 5. Behold, I was fhapen in iniquity; and in fin did my • mother conceive me.' These words were not fpoken by way of alleviation, but confeffion and aggravation. In the fame fpirit does the apostle Paul fpeak in a great part of the feventh chapter of the Epiftle to the Romans, particularly verfes 14,-24. For we know that the law is fpiritual; but I am carnal, fold under fin. For that ⚫ which I do I allow not: for what I would that do

I not; but what I hate that do I. If then I do that which i would not, I confent unto the law, that it is good. Now, then, it is no more I that do it, but fin that dwelleth in me. For I know ⚫ that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is prefent with me; but how to

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perform that which is good, I find not. For the ' good that I would I do not; but the evil which I • would not, that I do. Now, if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but fin that dwelleth

• in me.

I find then a law, that when I would do ⚫ good, evil is present with me: for I delight in the law of God after the inward man. But I fee another law in my members, warring against the law ' of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the 'law of fin, which is in my members. O wretched • man that I am! who fhall deliver me from the body ' of this death?

That there is fomething myfterious in the firft oc cafion and conveyance of original fin, on which captious perfons may raife cavils, to perplex themfelves and others, I readily allow. But, after all they can fay, it is certain, both from fcripture and experience, that all actual fin is not only perfonal but voluntary. Is there any perfon, who will dare to maintain, in the face of his fupreme Judge, that he is laid under compulfion, or an irresistible neceffity, to think, speak, or do what is wrong? Does any man commit fin, but from his own choice? Or is he hindred from the performance of any duty to which he is fincerely and heartily inclined? If this were indeed the cafe, it would not be true, what we are told in the facred oracles, that God will be just when he speaketh, and • clear when he judgeth.'

I muft alfo obferve, that, upon the plan of the gofpel, the force of this excufe is entirely taken away; because the renovation of our natures is there afcribed to the power and energy of divine grace. Though we are not able to reform our natures, God is able to renew them. Though we cannot resist corruption, God is able to fubdue it. Our weak and helplefs flate by nature, is fo far from being a proper ex

cufe for fin, that a juft and humbling fenfe of it is the very first step towards a recovery. Of ourfelves ⚫ we are not able to do any good thing, but through "Chrift ftrengthening us we may do all things.' We are exhorted to pray for the influences of the Spirit, in the fure hope of acceptance: Afk, and ye 'fhall receive; feek, and ye shall find; knock, and it fhall be opened unto you.' So that, on the prewailing of fin, we have juft reafon to take the whole blame upon ourselves, and to say, 'We are not 'ftraitened in God, but ftraitened in our own 'bowels.'

(5.) In the last place, fome are bold enough to excufe their fins, as being only the effects of the irrefiftible will of God, who hath decreed whatsoever comes to pafs; fome in a more artful and covered way; and fome more openly and explicitly make ufe of God's abfolute predetermination of every event, as taking away the guilt of their voluntary actions. This hath been a very old excufe. It was the fpirit of that language you find, Ezek. xxxiii. 10. 'There fore, O thou fon of man, fpeak unto the house of Ifrael, thus ye fpeak, faying, if our tranfgreffions and our fins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live?' The fame thing is mentioned by the apoftle Baul, Rom. ix, 19. Thou wilt fay then unto me, why doth he yet find fault? for who hath refifted his will?' This infamous and blafphemous excufe is not only often made for particular fins, but is made a pillow of floth in general, and finners lay themselves afleep upon it in fecurity, faying, if it be the will of God, they should