heart, and had often besought God to search and try him to the uttermost \ In this way he had marked both the defects of his duties, and the evil propensities of his nature ; and, from a review of Jill his actions, words, and thoughts, was led to acknowledge that his sin was exceeding great. Nor was this confession pe- culiar to him. Holy Job, as soon as he beheld bis true character, exclaimed, " Behold, I am vile'' ! " And Paul no sooner became acquainted with the purity and extent of God's law, than he saw himself a condemned sinner, and confessed, that " in him dwelt no good tiling'^."]
And does not a similar confession become us also ? [Let us only review our past lives, and we shall find too much occasion for the deepest humiliation. Have not many of us been addicted to open, known iniquities ? and do not the consciences of such persons testify against them that their sin is great ? Have not many also devoted all their time and attention to secular concerns ? and will they account it a light thing thus to despise God, and idolize the world ? Have not others satisfied themselves with a formal round of duties, in which their souls were never earnestly engaged ? and can they suppose that God is pleased with a mere lip-service, when their hearts are far from him? Have not others professed Godliness indeed, but walked utterly unworthy of tlieir profession, being as proud, and passio- nate, as worldly too, and covetous, as those who have made no such profession ? and can they suppose their sin is not great, when sinners are hardened, and God is blasphemed through their means ? But why do we speak of the profane and wo>ld/yy or
the formal and hi/pocritical P Must not even the saints them- selves blush and be confounded, when they consider how mise- rably they have fallen short in every thing ? Must they not ex- claim with St. Paul, '^ O wretched man that I am ! " ? Surely we must know little indeed of ourselves, if we do not all see how much the confession in the text is suited to our state.]
When, like David, we are duly humbled under a sense of our guilt, we shall readily adopt,
II. His Petition —
David could not rest without imploring forgiveness at God's hands —
[He found a sense of guilt to be an intolerable burthen to his souH ; and well knew that it would " eat as a canker," till he had obtained the pardon of his sin. Hence he humbled him- self before his God, and cried for mercy.]
Nor
» Ps. cxxxix. 23, 24. '' Job xl. 4.
•^ Rom. vii. 9, 18. ^ Ps, xxxviii. 4.