declining people, he brings them to such a discovery of sin, and such impressions of their own vileness." Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: a new heart also will I give you," &c. &c. "Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall loathe yourselves in your own sight, for your iniquities, and for your abominations." Ezek. xxxvi. 25—31. When these promises are fulfilled, the returning soul is made to cry out, "Behold I am vile, what shall I answer thee, I will lay my hand on my mouth."

Man, in his de

5. WHEN it humbles them and leads them to the exercise of humility and self denial. praved condition, naturally forms a high opinion of himself, boasts of his powers, and imagines himself to be what he is not. But though he were possessed of all the excellence to which he pretends, humility would exceedingly become him. Influenced by so high an opinion of himself, he sees no need he has of any thing from God, and therefore will not call upon him; he is rich and increased with goods, and has need of nothing. Instead of esteeming others better than himself, he esteems himself better than others, more intelligent, more holy and more righteous. To them he says in the vain pride of his heart, "Stand by yourselves, come not near to me; for I am holier than you." To God he avows his arrogance like the Pharisee, "God, I thank thee, I am not as other men, or even as this publican, I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess." To receive instruction from others he considers as a reflection on his superior importance. Reproof from a friend only excites his scorn and hatred. Ignorance of his true character, of the depravity and malignity of his own heart, and of

what the law of God requires him to be, leads him to think so highly of himself. He is proud, knowing

nothing; yet would be wise, though born as a wild ass's colt. It would be vain to expect self-denial where such views of self are entertained. The sinner is full of himself, full of self-esteem, and glories in himself as if he were without an equal. He knows not God, sees not his excellence, is not impressed with his holiness, and has no view of sin in its opposition to him. He entertains low and mean thoughts of God, as if he were one like himself, and does not see that sin disho nours or displeases him.

WHEN proper discoveries of God are obtained, and the evil nature of sin impressed upon the mind, the sinner appears in a very different light to himself. His greatness, his imaginary excellence and worth evanish as a shadow, and nothing remains in his view but guilt, deformity and loathsomeness. As God and sin are contraries, they are seen to advantage by contrasting them. God is light; and in his light is sin seen in its true character. This light opens the eye of the mind and fits it for taking a proper and distinct view of objects external to itself, especially of God. When he shines in the heart by his Spirit, he gives the light of the knowledge of himself, as a holy and righteous God. This view makes a powerful impression upon the soul. When the believer, by means of this light looks inward to himself, he discovers a striking contrast to what he sees in God. Darkness, depravity, enmity, and the principles of all sin appear full in his view, and fill him with low and humble thoughts of himself. In God he sees nothing but beauty, infinite beauty, in himself he sees nothing but deformity. While he only heard of God, while he knew him

by mere speculation only, by the operations of his own reason, he had no such discoveries of himself, no such impressions of his own vileness: now, his discoveries are by means of a supernatural light, and he sees and feels very differently from what he did formerly. He abhors himself as one vile and of unclean lips. If he look to God he lays his hand on his mouth while his heart says "woe is me; I am undone; I am a man of unclean lips; mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of hosts." When he compares himself with the saints, he is less than the least of them; and when he compares himself with sinners he ranks among the chief of them. Other believers appear so much more eminent in grace, knowledge and holiness than him, that he is ready to say "he has not the understanding of a man." He esteems the gifts and experiences of others, and rejoices in them; he is ready to receive instruction and reproof from the meanest and weakest disciple of Jesus. He considers his knowledge as nothing, is denied to it, and will not lean to his own understanding. He is denied to his own will, and prefers the will of God, putting his affections and desires in subordination to his law. Sinful pleasures formerly his delight are now embittered and become hateful to him. His own righteousness now appears as filthy rags, which, though difficult, he casts from him as a menstruous cloth. If he discover any thing beautiful about himself, he ascribes it to free grace, saying with Paul," By the grace of God I am what I am." To the soul, thus exercised, God appears exceedingly holy, sin exceedingly sinful; and its views of itself are exceedingly low and humble; the heart is not haughty, nor the eyes lofty.

I SHALL here stop in the prosecution of the subjec

a

and deduce some inferences from the preceding ob

servations.

THE few remarks which have been made open a wide field for practical improvement, which, did circumstances permit, might be entered upon at some length, and with advantage to believers. At present, however, we must confine ourselves to a few things more immediately calculated to facilitate the work of this day, as a preparatory to the solemn transaction which we have in view.

1. No just conceptions of sin can be formed, nor any proper impressions of its evil nature acquired, until it is seen in a true light as against God. This consideration alone constitutes the very nature of sin. Its malignity lies wholly here. This suggests the necessity of forming just conceptions of God; for if we do not know what he is, we cannot know what is opposite to him. Our first work, then, ought to be to learn the knowledge of the most High. We have not this naturally; it must be acquired; and the acquisi tion of it will prove a work of great labour and attention, owing to the darkness of 'cur minds, and the aversion of our wills to such an enquiry. Our deficiency in the knowledge of God does not arise from want of sufficient means, but from inattention to them. The discoveries which the Scriptures give of the divine character are sufficient; and as supernatural illumination is promised to render these discoveries effectual, the fault must be our own if we still remain ignorant of God. Every thing in him, his perfections, his counsels, his character as law-giver and moral governor, and his relations to his people, &c. are subjects demanding our careful meditation. While these things occupy our thoughts, our prayers should be presented to God for his Spirit to open our

hearts.

minds, and to produce suitable impressions upon our We are commanded to search the Scriptures, and to meditate on the things which they contain, especially on God. This exercise would natively leadto the impressions of holy awe and reverence; of holy love, esteem and wonder; and of holy breathings and desires after conformity to God. Such impressions, we fear, are little experienced by many of us; nor can they be known but by feeling them. We all know what it is to feel impressions in the things of common life. A new and strange object fills us with wonder; danger impresses us with fear; and a beautiful and valuable object produces love, esteem, and desire. Fear, love, esteem, and desire, are the impressions produced by meditation upon God. The whole soul is af fected by them, and becomes assimilated to him in holiness and love.

THE native consequence of such impressions of God, will be corresponding impressions concerning sin. The same light which discovers the beauty and excellence of God, manifests the evil and deformity of singi the soul then hates it, loathés it, and anxiously wishi es to have it destroyed. Hence arises in the believer the exercise of godly sorrow, contrition and brokenness of heart. Till we acquire this view of God and of sin in its opposition to him, we cannot see how it is against ourselves and inimical to our interest. It has robbed us of the image of God, but we cannot know the greatness of the loss, which we have sustained, till we know something of God whose image it is Till we see God as the supreme good and the all sufficient portion of our souls, we cannot conceive how evil sin is which deprives us of this. We cannot have even a mere legal sense of sin, nor fear of punish