world is guilty before God, Jew and Gentile, all are by nature under sin, "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" and he quotes, and comments on the 14th Psalm, which commences with the statement" that there is none righteous, no not one." And the highest possible authority, even God himself, immediately after the destruction of the world by the flood, when declaring his purposes of mercy to the survivors, who doubtless were the most favourable examples of human nature, assigns this remarkable reason, will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake." Why? Why? Because the second generation would be better than the first? No; but "

*

I

BECAUSE

THE IMAGINATION OF MAN'S HEART IS EVIL FROM HIS YOUTH!" The uniform testimony of the Saviour was consistent with the rest of revelation. He tells us, that he "came into the world to

* Genesis viii. 21.

seek and to save that which was lost." That he came, "not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." And as he said on another occasion, to the whole multitude, good and bad, except ye repent, ye shall ALL likewise perish," it is evident that he meant that there are none righteous. He teaches us, that we must weep at his feet with Mary, and smite upon our breast in penitential sorrow with the publican; he compares us to insolvent debtors, who owe a vast sum and have nothing to pay, and to wandering sheep, which have strayed from the good shepherd. It is indeed. most evident, that inspiration guides us to the presence of God with the language of penitence in our mouths, and with deep conviction of sin in our hearts : not seeking to justify ourselves, but confessing our iniquities, and lamenting our sins.

II. AND NOW, MY BRETHREN, if we TURN TO THE LITURGY OF THE CHURCH,

AND COMPARE THE SERVICES OF OUR SANCTUARY WITH THESE SCRIPTURAL STATEMENTS, WE SHALL BE GRATIFIED BY DISCOVERING HOW EXACTLY THEY

any

AGREE. Indeed, it is only by examining the church service, with a view to discover whether the truths of God's word are really interwoven in it, that we can form idea of its exact and beautiful correspondence with the divine oracles. The subject of our present inquiry is this; Does the church of England adopt in her liturgy those strong and unqualified confessions of sin which we find in scripture? In order to answer this question, let me call your serious attention to the following points. Look at the introductory sentences which are placed at the commencement of morning and evening prayers. Without one exception, they all lead our minds at once to confession, repentance, and the forsaking of sin. We are exhorted to rend our hearts and not our garments, and to turn unto the Lord our God; because we

have not obeyed his voice, nor walked in his laws, therefore we are called upon "to repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." An example of repentance is held up to us; and we are warned, that "if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." The first impression, therefore, which our church would give us on entering the house of God is, that we are sinful and guilty creatures. Pass on to the exhortation: What are the principal truths enforced in that? We are told, that The scripture moveth us in sundry places to acknowledge and confess our manifold sins and wickedness;' and because of our natural proneness to self-deception, we are further exhorted "Not to dissemble nor cloke them before the face of Almighty God, but to confess them with a lowly, penitent, and obedient heart " We are reminded, that we ought to do this at all times, but especially when we assemble publicly to worship God. The solemn con

fession in which we are then affectionately exhorted all to join, breathes the language of the deepest repentance and contrition: "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, OFFENDERS. Spare thou them, O God, which confess their faults; restore thou them that are penitent!" It would be difficult to imagine language which should describe more selfabasement and self-abhorrence than this. God is then declared in the absolution not to desire the death of a sinner, and an assurance of mercy is held out to all who repent and believe the Gospel. After this encouraging promise, we speedily rise from our knees,

MISERABLE