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necessary to justify the capital doctrines of the Bi. ble: to prove, that, far from being arbitrary declarations, they have their foundation in our misery, of which they are the only cure.

By the capital doctrines of scripture, I understand, redemption from sin, and acceptance with God, through faith in the atonement and righteousness of God our Saviour; the illumination of the mind, and change of all its tempers, by the inward operation of the Holy Ghost.

Against each of these doctrines, you must be strongly prejudiced, or only receive them as specu. lative points, till you know man's natural condition respecting God, is exceeding sinful. For, though conscience will not suffer you to say, you have done no evil, yet, if you have been decent, sober, and moral, you will quarrel with the doctrine of scripture : confident you are not so wicked by many degrees as that book of truth affirms you are, nor deserve, in any measure, that punishment which, it so solemnly declares, is the wages of sin.

As strong an objection, and in its tendency as ruinous to the soul, will reign in your heart against the way of life. For your own better obedience, after transgressions, will hold a high place in your conceit, and consequently create steadfast hatred to the doctrine of salvation by grace. A doctrine incompatible with a good opinion of our own virtues and performances: for it annuls every plea to obtain mercy, but the blood of the Redeemer, who, in infinite pity, undertook to deliver man from ruin, by bearing on the cross his sin. A way of reconciliation to God, which never can be cordially accepted, nor effectually used, till we confess the human race is altogether corrupt and abominable in their natural tempers respecting their Maker. Whereas the meek acknowledgment of this truth makes it evident be

yond a doubt, that it became Him, by whom are all things, and for whom are all things, in no other way to justify the ungodly, sinners, and enemies to him, and so to bring many sons unto glory.

Further, whilst men are not supposed to be in their natural state, blind to the truths and excellency of God, and in their earliest disposition set against him, the doctrine of illumination by the Holy Ghost, and his agency as the principle of new life, must be rejected as absurd and false. For if man's under. standing be not dark, or he can, by his own application and efforts, know the truth and obey it, there can be no need of foreign help. In this case, exhorta. tions to exert his own abilities are rational; but calls upon him to pray for the spirit of revelation are foolish. For the same reason, the agency of divine grace can never be thought necessary to form anew the tempers of the mind, unless it was naturally prone to forget, despise, and hate its glorious Creator: because, to reform the manners in a very considerable degree, or to excel in the practice of justice, honesty, humanity, and mercy, requires no supernatural aid. We daily see some who despise prayer, and the oracles of God, yet live in peace, probity, and good-will towards men; so that we do not universally act contrary to social duties. But it is that strength of impiety which opposes our giving to God honor, and glory, and obedience, and supreme love, which renders the agency of the Holy Ghost indispensably necessary. This detestable depravity running in the blood of mankind, and being interwoven with their frame since the fall, demands his energy, who is the great Restorer of the divine image on the mind of man.

The conclusion, therefore, is plain: in proportion as ignorance of the condition of human nature respecting God prevails, the whole scheme of Chris

tian principles must be rejected, or received in hy. pocrisy; whilst, in the same degree as we know ourselves, we shall reverence, embrace, and improve it, to the glory of God, the good of all about us, and the salvation of our souls.

PRAYER,

For the Knowledge of Ourselves,

Suited to the Preceding Subject.

O LORD GOD, Thou resisteth the proud, but givest grace to the humble: subdue our haughty spirit which cannot brook the charge of sinfulness brought against us in thy word. Bring to our remembrance the days in which we were like beasts, ignorant of our dependence upon thee; of thy excellency, or thy authority over us; or of the detestable baseness of rebelling against thee. How long was it before we said, where is God our maker? How often, when sickness or pain, danger and deliverance from it, have forced us to think of thy mercies, has the remembrance of thee fled away, as a dream when one awaketh! Or if, through good education and example, we could not forget thee, how daringly have we despised thy counsel! We have behaved to thee, as if nothing was so unreasonable as thy commandments, or so contemptible as thy service. Our vile lusts we have served from our hearts, but would have none of thy counsel, nor be checked by thy reproof. Our mind has been enmity against thee, not able to bear thou shouldest be so highly exalted, and we be absolutely restrained from every evil gratification. In aversion to thee, we have chosen the company of the ungodly. We

have taken pleasure in their profane manners. We have held thy most zealous servants in derision, counting their lives foolishness, and their end to be without honor.

Such, O Lord God, have been the effects of our natural enmity towards thee. How exceeding sinful in thy sight! Save us from palliating and dissembling this our condition. In the deepest acknowledgment of thy grace, enable us to cry, Lord, what is man that thou regardest him! From full conviction of our entire depravity, may we feel our need of a Redeemer. May we see our sinfulness, such as could not be pardoned, but through his atoning blood; our vile affections so strong, as not to be subdued but by his spirit; and our souls so fallen from God, as to be incapable of entering into his kingdom, till born again from above.

Grant us wisdom, O God, to trace up all our transgressions to their fountain head, the corruption of our nature. And from every discovery of innate depravity, teach us to set an higher value on the blood and righteousness of Christ, and depend only on the grace of the Holy Spirit. From a clear perception, that in us, i. e. in our flesh, there dwelleth no good thing, may we be jealous of ourselves, and circumspect, and put our whole trust in God's promises, power, and grace, to keep us from falling.

O Lord, knowing there is none righteous, no not one, that all are corrupt, and wholly so in their nature, give us an heart to pity and pray for all men; to be kind, tender-hearted, and full of bowels of mercy. May we be led, by what we observe in others, to turn our eyes inward, and lament our own manifold defects, since we are all of one blood, and all inherit the same evil nature.

Finally, we commend to thee, O God, who alone canst shew to men in error the light of thy truth,

all who deny their natural blindness and depravity. O hide pride from their eyes. Convince them by thy spirit, and, by setting their evil ways and doings before them, that they ought to abhor themselves, to bow down before thee, wretched, and miserable, and poor and blind, and naked, as they are, begging to be made partakers of the riches of thy grace in Christ Jesus, who came to seek and to save that which was lost. Hear us for his sake, our only Mediator. Amen.

SUNDAY X.

CHAP. X.

On the Perfection of the Law.

THE law, with its terms of perfect righteousness and life on one hand, of disobedience and death on the other, is the first thing in the word of God which claims our attention. And till this law is known, the gospel cannot be understood; because it is a revelation of the way which God has ordained to deliver sinners from the curse of the law.

This most important connexion between the law and gospel is frequently taught in scripture. Yet, from a strong aversion in us all to confess our shame and guilt, and from a false construction of what is spoken of the law. as if it related to the Jewish state, this point is fatally overlooked by most, who call themselves Christians.

To remove such hurtful ignorance, I shall lay before you the perfection and extent of the law; the excellent benefits which flow from understanding

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