towards their Lord, the only answer, the only hear little of virtue or righteousness; but you hear thought, the only sentiment, was to be, "We are perpetually of the forgiveness of sins. With the unprofitable servants." And who were they, that first Christian teachers, "repent, repent," was the were instructed by our Lord to bear constantly burden of their exhortations; the almost constant this reflection about with them? Were they sin-sound of their voice. Does not this strain of preachners, distinctively so called? Were they grievous, ing show, that the preachers wished all who heard or notorious sinners? Nay, the very contrary; they them, to think much more of offences than of were persons, "who had done all those things merits? Nay, further, with respect to themselves, that were commanded them!" This is precisely whenever this contemplation of righteousness the description which our Lord gives us of the came in their way, it came in their way only to persons to whom his lesson was directed. There- be renounced, as natural perhaps, and also gratefore you see, that an opinion of merit is discou-ful, to human feelings, but as inconsistent and raged, even in those who had the best pretensions irreconcilable with the Christian condition. It to entertain it; if any pretensions were good. But might do for a heathen, but it was the reverse of an opinion of merit, an over-weening opinion of every thing that is Christian. merit, is sure to grow up in the heart, whenever The turn of thought which I am recommendwe accustom ourselves to think much of our vir-ing, or rather, which I find it necessary to insist tues, and little of our vices. It is generated, fos-upon, as an essential part of the Christian charactered, and cherished, by this train of meditation ter, is strongly seen in one particular passage of we have been describing. It cannot be otherwise. Saint Paul's writings; namely, in the third chapAnd if we would repress it; if we would correct ter to the Philippians: "If any other man thinkourselves in this respect; if we would bring our-eth that he hath whereof he might trust in the selves into a capacity of complying with our Sa- flesh, I more; circumcised the eighth day, of the viour's rule, we must alter our turn of thinking; stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hewe must reflect more upon our sins, and less upon brew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Phaour virtues. Depend upon it, that we shall view risee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; our characters more truly, we shall view them touching the righteousness which is in the law, much more safely, when we view them in their blameless." These were points which at that defects, and faults, and infirmities, than when we time of day, were thought to be grounds of confiview them only, or principally, on the side of their dence and exultation. But this train of thought good qualities; even when these good qualities no sooner rises in his mind, than the apostle checks are real. I suppose, and I have all along sup- it, and turns from it to an anxious view of his own posed, that the good parts of our characters, which, deficiencies. "If by any means I might attain as I contend, too much attract our attention, are, unto the resurrection of the dead." These are nevertheless, real; and I suppose this, because the words of an anxious man. "Not," then he our Saviour's parable supposes the same. proceeds, "not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect; but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am

Another great Christian rule is, "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling." (Philip. ii. 12.) These significant words "fear and trem-apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count bling," do not accord with the state of a mind not myself to have apprehended, but this one which is all contentment, satisfaction, and self- thing I do; forgetting those things which are be complacency; and which is brought into that state hind, and reaching forth unto those things which by the habit of viewing and regarding those good are before, I press towards the mark, for the prize qualities, which a person believes to belong to of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." In himself, or those good actions which he remembers this passage, you see, that, withdrawing his mind to have performed. The precept much better ac- from all notions of perfection, attainment, accomcords with a mind anxious, fearful, and apprehen- plishment, security, he fixes it upon his deficiensive; and made so by a sense of sin. But a sense cies. Then he tells you, that forgetting, that is, of sin exists not, as it ought to do, in that breast expressly putting out of his mind and his thought, which is in the habit of meditating chiefly upon the progress and advance which he had already its virtues. I can very well believe, that two per-made, he casts his eyes and attention upon those sons of the same character in truth, may, never-qualities in which he was short and deficient, upon theless, view themselves in very different lights, what remained for him yet to do; and this I take according as one is accustomed to look chiefly at to be the true Christian way of proceeding. "Forhis good qualities, the other chiefly at his trans-get those things that are behind;" put out of your gressions and imperfections; and I say, that this thoughts the attainments and progress you have latter is the disposition for working out salvation already made, in order to see fully your defects agreeably to Saint Paul's rule and method; that and imperfections. is, "with fear and trembling:" the other is not.

But further: There is, upon this subject, a great deal to be learnt from the examples which the New Testament sets before us. Precepts are short, necessarily must be so; take up but little room; and, for that reason, do not always strike with the force, or leave the impression, which they ought to do: but examples of character, when the question is concerning character, and what is the proper character, have more weight and body in the consideration, and take up more room in our minds than precepts. Now, from one end of the New Testament to the other, you will find the evangelical character to be contrition. You

In another passage, found in a chapter with which all are acquainted, the fifteenth of the First Epistle to the Corinthians, our apostle, having occasion to compare his situation with that of the other apostles, is led to say: "I laboured more abundantly than they all." Saint Paul's labours in the Gospel, labours which consumed his whole life, were surely what he might reflect upon with complacency and satisfaction. If such reflections were proper in any case, they were proper in his. Yet observe how they are checked and qualified. The moment he had said, "I laboured more abundantly than they all," he added, as it were, correcting himself for the expression, “Yet not I, but the

grace of God, which was with me." He mag-gers, one of his temptations, one of the propensinifies not himself, but the grace of God which ties which he had both to guard and struggle was with him. In the next place, you will ob- against, and lastly, an inclination, for which he serve, that, though the consciousness of his labours, found an antidote and remedy in the dispensapainful, indefatigable labours, and meritorious la- tions of Providence towards him. Of his gifts, he bours, if ever man's were so I say, that, though says, considering himself as nothing, as entirely the consciousness of these was present to his mind passive in the hands of God, "of such a one," of at the time, yet it did not hinder him from feel- à person to whom such gifts and revelations as ing, with the deepest abasement and self-degrada- these have been imparted, "I will glory; yet of tion, his former offences against Christ, though myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities." they were offences which sprang from error. "I Then he goes on: "Lest I should be exalted am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to above measure through the abundance of the rebe called an apostle, because I persecuted the velations, there was given to me a thorn in the church of God; but, by the grace of God, I am flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I what I am." The faults of his life were upper- should be exalted above measure." most in his mind. No mention, no. recollection of his services, even when he did happen to recollect them, shut out even for a single moment, the deep memory of his offences, or covered or concealed it from his view.

In another place, the same apostle, looking back upon the history of his singular and eventful life, exhibits himself to his converts, as how? not as bringing forward his merit, pleading his services, or claiming his reward: but as nothing other, nothing more, than a monument and example of God Almighty's mercy. Sinners need not despair of mercy, when so great a sinner as himself obtained it. Hear his own words: "For this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting;" 1 Timothy i. 16. What could be more humble or self-depressing than this acknowledgment? yet this was Saint Paul's.

After what you have heard, you will not wonder, that this same Saint Paul should pronounce himself to be "the chief of sinners.' "Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the chief;" 1 Tim. i. 15. His sins were uppermost in his thoughts. Other thoughts occasionally visited his mind: but the impression which these had made, was constant, deep, fixed, and indelible..

If, therefore, you would imitate Saint Paul in his turn and train of religious thought; if you would adopt his disposition, his frame, his habit of mind, in this important exercise; you must meditate more upon your sins, and less upon your virtues.

Again; and which is another strong scriptural reason for the advice I am giving, the habit of viewing and contemplating our own virtues has a tendency in opposition to a fundamental duty of our religion, the entertaining of a due and grateThe eleventh chapter of the Second Epistle to ful sense of the mercy of God in the redemption the Corinthians, and also the twelfth, ought to be of the world by Jesus Christ. The custom of read by you on this occasion. They are very re- thought, which we dissuade, is sure to generate markable chapters, and very much to our present in us notions of merit; and that, not only in compurpose. It had so happened, that some hostile, parison with other men, which is by no means and, as it should seem, some false teachers, had good, or likely to produce any good effect upon acquired a considerable influence and ascendancy our disposition, but also in relation to God himin the church which Saint Paul had planted. To self; whereas the whole of that sentiment, which counteract which influence it became necessary springs up in the mind, when we regard our chafor him to assert his character, to state his preten-racters in comparison with those of other men, if sions to credit and authority, amongst them at tolerated at all, ought to sink into the lowest selfleast, and in comparison with those who were abasement, when we advance our thoughts to God, leading them astray. He complies with the occa- and the relation in which we stand to him. Then sion; and he does, accordingly, set forth and enu- is all boasting, either in spirit or by words, to be merate his pretensions. But I entreat you to ob done away. The highest act of faith and obediserve, with how many apologies, with what ence, recorded in Scripture, was Abraham's conreluctance, and under what strong protestations, sent to sacrifice his son, when he believed that he does it; showing most manifestly, how con- God required it. It was the severest trial that trary it was to his habit, his judgment, and to the human nature could be put upon; and, therefore, inclination of his mind to do so. His expressions if any man, who ever lived, were authorized to are such as these: "Would to God ye could bear boast of his obedience, it was Abraham after this with me a little in my folly; and, indeed, bear experiment. Yet what says Saint Paul? "If with me." What was his folly? the recital he Abraham were justified by works, he hath wherewas about to give of his services and pretensions. of to glory; but not before God." No man's pre-Though compelled by the reason you have tensions to glory were greater, yet, before God, heard, to give it, yet he calls it folly to do so. He they were nothing. "By grace ye are saved is interrupted as he proceeds by the same senti- through faith, and that not of yourselves, lest any ment; "That which I speak, I speak it not after man should boast;" Eph. ii. 8, 9. Here you the Lord, but, as it were, foolishly in this confi- perceive distinctly, that speaking of salvation, with dence of boasting.". And again, referring to the reference to its cause, it is by grace; it is an act of necessity, which drew from him this sort of lan- pure favour; it is not of yourselves; it is the gift guage; "I am become," says he, "a fool in glory-of God; it is not of works; and that this repreing; ye have compelled me."

But what forms, perhaps, the strongest part of the example is, that the apostle considers this tendency to boast and glory, though it was in his gifts, rather than his services, as one of his dan

sentation was given, lest any man should boast, that is, expressly for the purpose of beating down and humbling all sentiments of merit or desert in what we do; lest they induce us, as they will induce us, to think less gratefully, or less piously,

and by disposition is also meant, the train and habit of our thoughts, two things which are always nearly connected. It is the latter sense, however, in which I use the word; and the particular lesson which I am inculcating, for the conduct of our thoughts, is to think more of our sins, and less of our virtues. In a former discourse, I showprecepts, a due regard to which accords with the state of mind of him who fixes his attention upon his sins and defects, and by no means with his state of mind, who hath fixed his attention chiefly upon his virtues: Secondly, That Scripture examples, that of Saint Paul most particularly, teach us to renounce the thoughts of our virtues, and to entertain deeply and constantly the thoughts of our sins: Thirdly, That the habit here reproved, is inconsistent with a due sense of the love of God in the redemption of the world. I am now to offer such further reasons as appear to support the rule I have laid down.

of God's exceeding love and kindness towards us. There is no proportion between even our best services and that reward which God hath in reserve for them that love him. Why then are such services to be so rewarded? It is the grace of God; it is the riches of his grace; in other words, his abounding kindness and favour; it is his love; it is his mercy. In this manner the sub-ed, that there are strong and positive Scripture ject is constantly represented in Scripture; and it is an article of the Christian religion. And to possess our minds with a sense, an adequate sense, so far as it is possible to do so, of this truth, is a duty of the religion. But to be ruminating and meditating upon our virtues, is not the way to acquire that sense. Such ineditations breed opinions of merit and desert; of presumption, of pride, of superciliousness, of self-complacency; tempers of mind, in a word, not only incompatible with humility, but also incompatible with that sense of divine love and mercy towards us, which lies at the root of all true religion, is the source and fountain of all true piety.

You have probably heard of the term self-righteousness: you find it much in the writings and discourses of a particular class of Christians, and always accompanied with strong and severe expressions of censure and reprobation. If the term mean the habit of contemplating our virtues, and not our vices; or a strong leaning and inclination thereto, I agree with those Christians in thinking, that it is a disposition, a turn of mind to be strongly resisted, and restrained, and repressed. If the term mean any other way of viewing our own character, so as to diminish or lower our sense of God Almighty's goodness and mercy towards us, in making us the tender of a heavenly reward, then also I agree with them in condemning it, both as erroneous in its principle, and highly dangerous in its effects. If the term mean something more than, or different from what is here stated, and what has been enlarged upon in this discourse, then I profess myself not to understand its meaning.

SERMON XI.
(PART II.)

And, first, There is no occasion whatever to meditate upon our virtues and good qualities. We may leave them to themselves. We need not fear that they will either be forgotten or undervalued. “God is not unrighteous to forget your works and labour of love :" Hebrews vi. 10. He will remember them; we need not. They are set down in his book; not a particle will be lost. Blessed are they who have much there; but we need not count them up in our recollection; for, whatever our virtues are or were, we cannot make them better by thinking of them afterwards. We may make them better in future by thinking of their imperfections, and by endeavouring to encounter, to lessen, or remove those imperfections hereafter; but then this is to think, not upon our virtues, but upon our imperfections. Thinking upon our virtues, as such, has no tendency to make them better, be they what they will. But it is not the same with our sins. Thinking upon these afterwards may make a very great alteration in them, because it may lead to an effectual repentance. As to the act itself, what is past cannot be recalled; what is done cannot be undone: the mischief may possibly be irrevocable and irreparable. But as to the sin, it is different. Deep, true, sincere penitence may, through the mercies of God in Christ Jesus, do away that. And such penitence may be the fruit of meditation upon our

TO THINK LESS OF OUR VIRTUES, AND MORE OF sins; cannot possibly come without it. Nay, the

OUR SINS.

act itself may be altered. It is not always that an injury is irreparable. Wrong indeed has been received at our hands; but restitution or compensa tion may be in our power. When they are so, they are the surest proofs of penitence. No peni tence is sincere without them, if they be practicable. This benefit to those whom we have injured, and an infinitely greater benefit to ourselves than to them, may be the effect of seeing our sins in their true light, which that man never does, who thinks only, or chiefly, or habitually, upon his virtues. Can a better reason be given for meditating more upon our sins, and less upon our virtues, than this; that one train of thought may be profitable to salvation, the other is profitable for nothing?

My sin is ever before me.-Psalm li. 3. To think well is the way to act rightly; because thought is the source and spring of action. When the course and habit of thinking is wrong, the root is corrupt; "and a corrupt tree bringeth not forth good fruit:" Do what you will, if the root be corrupt, the fruit will be corrupt also. It is not only true, that different actions will proceed from different trains of thought; but it is also true, that the same actions, the same external conduct, may be very different in the sight of God, according as it proceeds from a right, or a wrong, a more or less proper principle and motive, a more or less proper disposition. Such importance is at- It is an exceedingly good observation, that we tached to the disposition; of such great conse- may safely leave our virtues and good qualities to quence is it, that our disposition in religious mat- themselves. And, besides the use we have made ters be what it should be. By disposition is of it in showing the superfluity, as well as the meant, the bent or tendency of our inclinations; | danger of giving in to the contemplation of our

was, "Your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you:" John xvi. 22. Was this promise fulfilled to them? Read Acts xiii. 52: They were filled with joy and the Holy Ghost." "The kingdom of God," saith Saint Paul, "is joy in the Holy Ghost:" Rom. xiv. 17. So that

virtues, it is also a quieting and consoling reflection for a different, and, in some degree, an opposite description of character, that is to say, for tender and timorous consciences. Such are sometimes troubled with doubts and scruples about even their good actions. Virtue was too easy for them, or too difficult; too easy and plea-St. Paul, you hear, takes his very description and sant to have any merit in it: or difficult by rea- definition of Christianity from the joy which is son of fleshy, selfish, or depraved propensities, diffused over the heart; and St. Paul, I am very still existing unsubdued, still struggling in their confident, described nothing but what he felt. unregenerated hearts. These are natural, and, as Yet St. Paul did not meditate upon his virtues: I have sometimes known them, very distressing nay, expressly renounced that sort of meditation. scruples. I think that observations might be of His meditations, on the contrary, were fixed upon fered to remove the ground of them altogether: his own unworthiness, and upon the exceeding, but what I have at present to suggest is, that the stupendous mercy of God towards him, through very act of reflection, which leads to them, is un-Jesus Christ his Saviour. At least, we have his necessary, provided you will proceed by our rule, viz. to leave your virtues, such as they are, to themselves; and to bend the whole force of your thought towards your sins, towards the conquest of these.

But it will be said, are we not to taste the comforts of religion? Are we not to be permitted, or rather ought we not to be encouraged, to relish, to indulge, to enjoy these comforts? And can this be done without meditating upon our good

actions.

own authority for saying, that, in his Christian progress, he never looked back; he forgot that which was behind, whatever it might be, which he had already attained; he refused to remember it, he put it out of his thoughts. Yet, upon this topic of religious joy, hear him again: "We joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ:" Rom. v. H; and once more, "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace:" Gal. v. 22. These last are three memorable words, and they describe, not the effects of ruminating upon a man's own virI answer, that this can be done without medi-tues, but the fruit of the Spirit. tating upon our good actions. We need not seek But it is not in one apostle in whom we find the comforts of religion in this way. Much we this temper of mind, it is in them all. Speaking need not seek them at all; they will visit us of of the Lord Jesus Christ, St. Peter thus addresses their own accord, if we be serious and hearty in his converts: "Whom having not seen, ye love; our religion. A well-spent life will impart its sup-in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believ port to the spirits, without any endeavour, on our ing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of part, to call up our merits to our view, or even al- glory:" 1 Peter i. 8. This joy covered even lowing the idea of merit to take possession of our their persecutions and sufferings: "Wherein ye minds. There will, in this respect, always be as greatly rejoice, though now, for a season if need much difference as there ought to be, between the he, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptarighteous man and the sinner, (or, to speak more tions," 1 Peter i. 6, meaning persecutions. In properly, between sinners of different degrees,) like manner St. James saith, "Count it all joy without taking pains to draw forth in our recol- when ye fall into divers temptations, that is, perselection instances of our virtue, or to institute a cutions;" and why? "knowing this, that the trycomparison between ourselves and others, or cer-ing of your faith worketh patience:" James i. 2, 3. tain others of our acquaintance. These are habits, which I hold to be unchristian and wrong; and that the true way of finding and feeling the consolations of religion, is by progressively conquer-ligion. No persons enjoyed these comforts in so ing our sins. Think of these; contend with these, and, if you contend with sincerity, and with effect, which is the proof indeed of sincerity, I will answer for the comforts of religion being your portion. What is it that disturbs our religious tranquillity? What is it that embitters or impairs our religious comfort, damps and checks our religious hopes, hinders us from relishing and entertaining these ideas, from turning to them, as a supply of consolation under all circumstances? What is it but our sins? Depend upon it, that it is sin, and nothing else, which spoils our religious comfort. Cleanse your heart from sin, and religion will enter in, with all her train of hopes and consolations. For proof of this, we may, as before, refer to the examples of Scripture Christians. They rejoiced in the Lord continually. "The joy of faith," Phil. i. 25. "Joy in the Holy Ghost," Rom. xiv. 17, was the word in their mouths, the sentiment of their hearts. They spake of their religion as of a strong consolation, as of the "refuge to which they had fled, as of the hope of which they had laid hold, of an anchor of the soul sure and steadfast:" Heb. vi. 18, 19. Their promise from the Lord Jesus Christ 4 A

Let no one, after these quotations, say, that it is necessary to fix our attention upon the virtues of our character in order to taste the comforts of re

great perfection as the Christians whom we read of in Scripture, yet no persons thought so little of their own virtues. What they continually thought upon was the abounding love of Christ towards them, "in that, whilst they were yet sinners, he died for them," and the tender and exceeding mercies of God in the pardon of their sins, through Christ. From this they drew their consolation; but the ground and origin of this train of thought was, not the contemplation of virtue, but the conviction of sin.

But again: The custom of viewing our virtue, has a strong tendency to fill us with fallacious notions of our own state and condition. One almost constant deception is this, viz. that in whatever quality we have pretensions, or believe that we have pretensions to excel, that quality we place at the head of all other virtues. If we be charitable, then "charity covereth a multitude of sins." If we be strictly honest, then strict honesty is no less than the bond which keeps society together; and consequently, is that without which other virtues would have no worth, or rather no existence. If we be temperate and chaste, then self-government being the hardest of all duties, is

47

the surest test of obedience. Now every one of | to the words, sins and crimes; meaning thereby these propositions is true; but the misfortune is, that only one of them is thought of at the time, and that the one which favours our own particular case and character. The comparison of different virtues, as to their price and value, may give occasion to many nice questions; and some rules might be laid down upon the subject; but I contend that the practice itself is useless, and not only useless but delusive. Let us leave, as I have already said, our virtues to themselves, not engaging our minds in appreciating either their intrinsic or comparative value; being assured that they will be weighed in unerring scales. Our business is with our sins.

Again: The habit of contemplating our spiritual acquirements, our religious or moral excellencies, has, very usually, and, I think, almost unavoidably, an unfavourable effect upon our disposition towards other men. A man who is continually computing his riches, almost in spite of himself, grows proud of his wealth. A man who accustoms himself to read and inquire, and think a great deal about his family, becomes vain of his extraction: he can hardly help becoming so. A man who has his titles sounding in his ears, or his state much before his eyes, is lifted up by his rank. These are effects which every one observes; and no inconsiderable degree of the same effect springs from the habit of meditating upon our virtues. Now humble-mindedness is a Christian duty, if there be one. It is more than a duty; it is a principle. It is a principle of the religion; and its influence is exceedingly great, not only upon our religious, but our social character. They who are truly humble-minded, have no quarrels, give no offence, contend with no one in wrath and bitterness; still more impossible is it for them to insult any man under any circumstances. But the way to be humble-minded is the way I am pointing out, viz. to think less of our virtues, and more of our sins. In reading the parable of the Pharisee and the publican, if we could suppose them to be real characters, I should say of them, that the one had just come from ruminating upon his virtues, the other from meditating upon his sins. And mark the difference; first, in their behaviour; next, in their acceptance with God. The pharisee all loftiness, and contemptuousness, and recital, and comparison, full of ideas of merit, views the poor publican, although withdrawn to a distance from him, with eyes of scorn. The publican, on the contrary, enters not into competition with the pharisee, or with any one. So far from looking round, he durst not so much as lift up his eyes; but casts himself, hardly indeed presumes to cast himself, not upon the justice, but wholly and solely upon the mercies of his Maker: "God be merciful to me a sinner." We know the judgment which our Lord himself pronounced upon the case: "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other:" Luke xviii. 14. The more, therefore, we are like the publican, and the less we are like the pharisee, the more we come up to the genuine temper of Christ's religion.

Think, then, less of your virtues; more of your sins. Do I hear any one answer, I have no sins to think upon; I have no crimes which lie upon my conscience: I reply, that this may be true with respect to some, nay, with respect to many perwons, according to the idea we commonly annex

acts of gross and external wickedness. But think further; enlarge your views. Is your obedience to the law of God what it ought to be, or what it might be? The first commandment of that law is, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength." Is there, upon the subject of this commandment, no matter for thought, no room for amendment? The second commandment is, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." Is all with us as it should be here? Again, there is a spirituality in the commands of Christ's religion, which will cause the man who obeys them truly, not only to govern his actions, but his words: not only his words, but his inclinations and his dispositions, his internal habits, as well as his external life.. "Ye have heard that it hath been said of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, He that looketh on a woman to lust after her," that is, he who voluntarily indulges and entertains in his mind an unlawful desire, "hath committed adultery with her already in his heart," is by the very entertainment of such ideas, instead of striving honestly and resolutely to banish them from his mind, or to take his mind off from them, a sinner in the sight of God. Much the same kind of exposition belongs to the other commandments; not only is murder for bidden, but all unreasonable intemperate anger and passion; not only stealing, but all hard and unfair conduct, either in transacting business with those who are upon a level with us, or, where it is more to be feared, towards those who are in our power. And do not these points open to us a field of inquiry, how far we are concerned in them? There may not be what, strictly speaking, can be called an act or deed, which is scandalously bad; yet the current of our imaginations, the bent of our tempers, the stream of our affections, may all, or any of them, be wrong, and may be requir ing, even at the peril of our salvation, stronger control, a better direction.

Again: There may not be any action which, singly and separately taken, amounts to what would be reckoned a crime: yet there may be actions, which we give into, which even our own consciences cannot approve; and these may be so frequent with us, as to form a part of the course and fashion of our lives.

Again: It is possible, that some of the miscar riages in conduct, of which we have to accuse ourselves, may be imputable to inadvertency of surprise. But could these miscarriages happen so often as they do, if we exercised that vigilance in our Christian course, which not only forms a part of the Christian character, but is a sure effect of a sincere faith in religion, and a corresponding solicitude and concern about it? Lastly, uprotitableness itself is a sin. We need not do mischief in order to commit sin; uselessness, when we might be useful, is enough to make us sinners be fore God. The fig-tree in the Gospel was cut down, not because it bore sour fruit, but because it bore none. The parable of the talents (Matt. xxv. 14.) is pointed expressly against the simple neglect of faculties and opportunities of doing good, as contradistinguished from the perpetration of positive crimes. Are not all these topics fit matters of meditation, in the review of our lives! Upon the whole, when I hear a person say he has no sins to think upon, I conclude that he