told them his dreams; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh." At this moment the king's chief butler calls to mind the circumstances in which he had been, and the service done him by Joseph in a similar perplexity. He determines,

therefore, to recommend Joseph to Pharaoh, as most likely to give him the interpretation he wished; and he prefaces his recommendation with the words of the text conscious that he was blameable, he makes this candid confession, "I do remember my faults this day."

Considering the text more at large, and with a view to our own benefit, we shall make from it the following observations:-We are all CHARGEABLE WITH FAULTS-We are liable to FORGET our faults -Various circumstances are adapted to REMIND US of them-When thus reminded, we should candidly CONFESS them-Confession should always be attended with real AMENDMENT.

I. We are all CHARGEABLE WITH FAULTS.. In proof of this, is any thing necessary besides an appeal to conscience? Is not the voice of this inward witness immediately and powerfully against us? And the clear testimony of Scripture is on the same side. The term "faults," indeed, is too mild a term to express the baseness and malignity of those offences with, which we are chargeable as transgressors of the law of God. What is your judgment of such passages as these? "There is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good and sinneth not." "They are all gone out of the way; they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one*." David feared God, and

VOL. I.

* Eccles. vii. 20.

Rom. iii. 12.

D

hated evil; yet mark the impression which this truth had made on his heart: "Who can understand his errors? Cleanse thou me from secret faults. Enter not into judgment with thy servant; for in thy sight shall no man living be justified*." James was an Apostle of Jesus Christ; and he affirms, "In many things we all offend." John was beloved above all the disciples; he had imbibed much of his Master's spirit, and bore much of his image; yet hear the decision with which he speaks on the subject: "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." The plain fact is this, nor can it be disproved; it is confirmed by every thing we feel within us, and observe without us; "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God†.”

The faults to which this man refers are mentioned in the foregoing chapter. He had offended Pharaoh, and had been guilty of base ingratitude to Joseph. For his offence against Pharaoh, he had been cast into prison. Joseph, at that time an innocent captive in the same place of confinement, had foretold his release, and subjoined a very modest request: "but think on me, when it shall be well with thee; and shew kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house." Yet I did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him." It was forgetfulnes most inexcusable; it was ingratitude most unkind!-But what are our faults? We have offended, not the king of Egypt, but the King of kings, the King of heaven, the Greatest and Best of all beings. We have forgotten, not the son of Jacob, but the Son of God, the Lord of life and glory. We are chargeable

* Psalm xix. 12. Psalm exliii. 2.

† James iii. 2. 1 John i. 8. Rom. iii, 23.

↑ Gen. xl. 14, 23.

with the vilest ingratitude, not against an earthly benefactor, but an heavenly one; against Him who hath loaded us with innumerable benefits, who hath followed us with tender mercies, who hath done for us what none other could have done, and hath suffered for us in an unparalleled degree! We cannot possibly express our obligations to Jesus Christ; we cannot possibly conceive the extreme evil of our conduct, the exceeding sinfulness of our sin, in regard to him. Every forbidden action that we have done, every sinful word that we have spoken, every irregular thought that we have entertained, or unhallowed wish that we have harboured in our breasts, accumulates our heavy load of guilt, and adds to the dark catalogue of our grievous offences. The fact does not admit of dispute; we are all chargeable with many faults; and these, of the most aggravated kind.

II. We are liable to FORGET OUR FAULTS.

The evidence of this is abundant; for what is the truth of the case? Men have convictions of sin, but they stifle them. As the man who beholds his natural face in a glass, but goes away, and forgets what manner of man he was; so thousands, who learn that they are sinners, dwell not on the thought; if possible, they would dismiss it for ever. Amidst the pleasures or employments of time, they lose even the recollection of their guilt; and, not reformed by their convictions, they go forward in the same course, suspecting no danger, till utter destruction overtakes them.

But what are the causes of this forgetfulness? To what can it be attributed ?-There is, at the root,

great ignorance of the true nature of sin: its malignity is not properly understood. Men think of sin as a light matter if it inconvenience them, perhaps they exclaim against it; but in case it does not, and is sanctioned by persons of reputation, they practise the same things with little compunction or concern. They do not reflect on what sin is in the sight of God, nor think as they ought of its result in a future world; and hence they forget it.-Another cause is sinful partiality to self, strengthened by the deceitfulness of the heart. Self-love, when well regulated, is laudable and useful; because it leads to the hatred of what is evil, and to the pursuit of what is good but that love of self which possesses and actuates thousands, is little different from the love of sin they love indolence, they love sensual gratification and ease: they resemble a man with a diseased limb, who chooses death, by fatal degrees, rather than amputation.-Other causes may be mentioned; such as the hurry of business, and elevation in worldly circumstances. This chief butler was restored to his former office, and occupied in all its engagements in the household of the king; and hence "he did not remember Joseph, but forgat him." Thus great numbers, from the pressing importunity of their secular concerns, from the eager desire of getting forward in the world, and keeping up their consequence in society, forget their souls, forget their sins, forget the Saviour, and abide in the most dangerous state of insensibility and folly. What more common, than to drown reflection in the bustle of life, and to urge the trifling occupations of fleeting time as an excuse for neglecting the awful realities of eternity?

III. Various circumstances are adapted to RE

MIND US OF OUR FAULTS.

This servant of Pharaoh was thus reminded: "I do remember my faults this day." What was there remarkable in "this day?" What was the occurrence of it? The king, his master, had dreamed two dreams his magicians and wise men were totally at a loss to explain them: Pharaoh was greatly perplexed, and his perplexity was evident to all his house: the chief butler called to mind Joseph's kindness, and with this was renewed the recollection of his own blameable conduct. Hence observe, the means of conviction, the circumstances by which faults are brought to remembrance, are various : among these are,

1. Providential occurrences.Some of these regard ourselves; the affliction of our persons, or our immediate connections. Can this be better illustrated than in the case of the widow of Zarephath? She had one son the Prophet Elijah resided in her house: no affluence was there; but by him, the Lord made her barrel of meal not to waste, and her cruse of oil not to fail. Suddenly her son was taken from her by the stroke of death: hear what she said, the interesting question she proposed to the Prophet: "Art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?" It is plain she that day remembered her faults, and the death of her child was the occasion of it. Had her son still lived, and Providence continued to smile, probably her convictions had remained asleep.

And does not what you suffer constrain you to think? God " hedges up your way with thorns;"

* 1 Kings xvii. 18.