plunged in the deepest guilt, by his adultery and murder in the matter of Uriah; but more commonly, that it was in the time of his per-fecution, when the imminent dangers to which he was so often exposed, brought his fing ftrongly to remembrance. Referving what is here faid of the mercy of God to another opportunity, let us now confider the view given us of his juftice, in this paffage, "If thou, "Lord, fhouldft mark iniquities, O Lord, who "fhall ftand?” For this purpose 1 fhall,

1. Endeavour to afcertain and explain the. meaning of the pfalmift's affertion.

2. Support and confirm it from scripture and experience.

3. In the last place, I fhall make a practical improvement of what may be faid upon it.

I.. LET us then, first, endeavour to aftertain and explain the meaning of the pfalmift's expreffion," If thou, Lord, fhouldft mark. "If " iniquities, O Lord, who fhall ftand ?" Thefe words evidently carry in them the deepeft fense of fin, a ftrong and inward conviction, of the impoffibility of justifying himself before.. a pure and holy God, if he fhould deal with him as in justice he might: "If thou, "Lord, fhouldft mark iniquities, O Lord, who "fhall ftand?" God is an omnifcient being, every where prefent, to whom all our

thoughts

thoughts and ways, and confequently all our fins, are and must be perfectly known. The expreffion, then, cannot mean, that there are any fins unregarded, or not obferved of God; because this is impoffible. The marking of iniquities here, feems to be an allufion to what paffes in human courts, where the judges fet down, or put upon record all that is brought against the criminal, in order to found a fentence of condemnation. In this view, the meaning must be, if God fhould fo mark iniquities, as to proceed to punish us for all of which we were really guilty, there could be no poffibility of standing fuch an impartial trial.

I need not tell you, that the putting the words in the form of a question, " O Lord, "who fhall stand?" does not imply, that there is any uncertainty in the matter, or that any can be found pure enough to endure fuch a fcrutiny, but rather ferves to deny it in the strongest manner. Again, we are not to fuppose, that the pfalmift, by putting the queftion thus in general, "Who fhall ftand?" defigned to turn the accufation from himself, or to extenuate his own fins, by bringing in others equally guilty. This is indeed the prac- tice of many in the world, who seem to think the numbers of those who are chargeable with · any fin, an excufe or palliation of the guilt of particular offenders. But the true spirit of repentance

repentance leads to very different fentiments : it makes the finner fix upon his own faults, and point at the fins and plagues of his own heart, without thinking upon the fins of others, unless as they may be an occafion of. difcovering to him more of the depravation and wickednefs of his own nature. So that the genuine import of the pfalmift's expreffion feems to be, If thou, Lord, shouldft execute the decrees of justice, and punish every thing that is done amifs, the holieft man on earth. would not be able to abide the trial; how much less would fuch a finner as I be able to ftand?

II. I proceed now to fupport and confirm this truth from fcripture and experience.. And you will be pleased to obferve, that it is the conftant doctrine of the holy fcriptures; it is the uniform language of humility and penitence there. Thus the pfalmift, Pf. cxliii. 2. "Enter not into judgement with thy fervant: "for in thy fight fhall no man living be ju"ftified." To the fame purpofe, fee the lan-. guage of Job, ch. ix. 2. 3. 4. "I know it is fo "of a truth: but how should man be just with.. "God? If he will contend with him, he "cannot anfwer him one of a thousand. "is wife in heart, and mighty in strength: "who hath hardened himfelf against him, " and hath profpered?" A clear discovery

He

of

of the infinite majesty of God, the unspotted holinefs of his nature, the extent, the purity, and fpirituality of his law, will immediately carry home a conviction of this truth, and make us fenfible what impure and wretched creatures we are: it will make every one of us cry out with Job, after a difcovery of the divine glory and perfection, ch. xl. 4. 5. “Be"hold, I am vile, what fhall I answer thee? "I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. "Once have I fpoken, but I will not an"fwer: yea, twice, but I will proceed no

further." And again, ch. xlii. 5. 6. "I "have heard of thee by the hearing of the 66 ear: but now mine eye feeth thee. Where"fore I abhor myself, and repent in duft and "afhes." Every true penitent will fay, with the pfalmift, Pf. xix. 12. "Who can under"ftand his errors? cleanse thou me from se"cret faults." Náy, he will confider his daily prefervation as an evidence of the divinepatience, in the fufpenfion of his fentence, as in Lam. Hi. 22. 23. "It is of the Lord's mer "cies that we are not confumed, becaufe his "compaffions fail not. They are new every "morning great is thy faithfulnefs."

Thefe, my brethren, are examples of the fentiments and language of the fcripturefaints; and if we look a little into their cha racters, as fet before us in the infpired writings, we shall fee, that felf-abasement is one

of

of the most certain proofs of true religion; that the more any perfon has made real improvement in holiness, he will think and speak in fo much the humbler manner; will more clearly fee the evil of fin, and more readily confess its power and influence over his own heart. I know this is very contrary to the spirit that prevails in the world; and particularly oppofite to the reigning temper of the prefent age. I know alfo, that there are many objections raised against this fundamental truth. But instead of wrangling controverfy, in which our understandings are often loft, and our paffions irritated, rather than fubdued; for further inforcing the above truth, I fhall only urge every hearer to a serious and impartial reflection upon his own conduct. This, I am perfuaded, will, by the bleffing of God, be the most effectual mean of filencing the reasonings of the carnal mind, and forcing the confcience to a confeffion, both of the equity of the law, and the guilt of disobedience.

For attaining this end, I fhall just propofe three general fubjects of examination; and beg that you may fhew fidelity to your own fouls, in bringing them to the trial. 1. How many duties have you. omitted, which you must be fenfible you ought to have performed ? 2. How often have you been guilty of exprefs tranfgreffions of the law of God? 3. How

many