The doctrine of man's fall and depravity is so positively maintained in the Scripture, that our Reformers, when they composed our Liturgy, did not imagine there was a person disposed to offer up his supplications to the Father of Mercies, who would not acknowledge the fact our church service therefore is entirely designed for the use of sinners, and opens with such sentences, taken from the Bible, as may serve to impress our minds with the deepest humility and self abasement. Such, for instance, are these: "I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me."* "Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out my transgressions."+ "I will arise, and go to my Father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son."t "Enter not into judgment with thy servant, O Lord; for in thy sight shall no man living be justified."§ "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us; but if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Then, after the repetition of one or more of these passages, follows a suitable exhortation

* Ps. li. 3.

† v. 9.

Luke xv. 18, 19.

§ Ps. cxliii. 2.

|| 1 John i. 8, 9.

from the Minister, who concludes with beseeching the people to join him in the confession, which runs in this form-" Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against thy holy laws. We have left undone those things, which we ought to have done, and we have done those things, which we ought not to have done; and there is no health in us; but, Thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders." I have thought proper to repeat these words, though they are so well known, because too many say them by rote, without thinking of their signification; for, if they were spoken from the heart, we should not find those, who use them, entertain an high opinion of their goodness, nor would they manifest an indisposition, at other seasons, to acknowledge their transgressions, and to implore the mercy of God, without which they never can be happy. They consider not, with any degree of seriousness and concern, that, if they are "miserable offenders," they must be guilty before God, and must lie under the sentence, which saith "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things, which are written in the Book of

the Law to do them."* I deny not, that there are some, who excel more in works of piety and charity than others; but still, as the very best are not found without some sin, and as, weighed by the hand of God in the balance of perfection, all will be found wanting, it is certain, that by the deeds of the law no flesh can be justified in his sight, and therefore every man living should humble himself under the mighty hand of God, and cry out, with unfeigned humility and self-abasement, "God be merciful to me a sinner."+

One of the greatest difficulties, which the Ministers of the Gospel have to contend with, is to make a person of a pharisaic spirit assent to this doctrine. As we tell him, there is but one way of salvation for all sinners; for the least, as well as the greatest; for him, who has offended but in one point, and for him, who has offended in many, or in all; he too hastily supposes, that we depreciate the value of good works, and hold out encouragement to sinners to continue in their evil courses; but, though we must say, as, I trust, it has been proved, that the word of God reduces all to the level of sinners, who are to be saved by grace, yet great advantage will undoubtedly be derived by those, who have been accustom

ed to restrain their evil propensities, and who have in many instances endeavoured to live according to the precepts of God's law; for, as the Gospel, which we preach, is a dispensation of holiness, and as the example of Jesus Christ should be regarded by all his disciples, every person, who calls himself by his name, should endeavour to attain the highest degree of purity possible, and that must certainly be much more difficult for those, who have been accustomed to give a loose to their passions, and to work iniquity with greediness, than for others, who have lived a regular and moral life. The latter, indeed, will find it necessary to guard against a spirit of self-righteous. ness, and none can live without being obliged to struggle against tempers, which often shew themselves in one form or other, long refusing to yield to the obedience of Christ.

To conclude. Since the Scripture speaks so positively of the guilt of the whole world, let every man be diligent in the painful, but necessary work of self-examination. Let him scrutinize any single work that he has done, and consider with what temper it has been conducted from beginning to end: let him then say, if he can, "This work, O Lord, thou knowest is perfect in all its parts, and, supposing my salvation to depend upon this,

N

here I claim the reward of my performance; yea more, supposing that the least failure has occurred in any part of the transaction, I consent to the forfeiture of the reward, and not that only, but even to damnation." Would you venture to say this respecting any one action of your life? Rather you will say, even of your most holy things, as you are directed in the Communion service, "Lord, accept this, as my bounden duty, not weighing my merits, but pardoning my offences through Jesus Christ." Mercy in his name will be the prevailing desire of your soul, and you will not cease from beseeching the Lord with great earnestness to pardon your numerous transgressions, and to justify you through Him, whose glorious title, among many others, is, "The Lord our Righteousness." * See, then, that you obtain this pardon before you die. Be not satisfied with thinking well of Christ, and of ascribing to him the glory of saving the human race, but take care that he is your Saviour, not only from the guilt, but also from the power of sin, and when you confess that it is not by works of righteousness which you have done, but by his mercy that you are received into favour, still remember that "without holiness no man shall see the Lord."+ Be