Ps. XXV. 11. For thy names sake, 0 Lord, jyafdon mine ini- quity ! for it is great.
GOD is a mighty Sovereign, " who doth according to his own will," " neither giveth account to us of any of his matters." We may indeed mark the traces of wisdom and goodness in every thing which he does ; but " his ways and his thoughts are very different from ours, and far above them." In the dispensations of his providence he pays no regard
to the moral characters of men, but " makes the sun to shine equally upon the evil and the good." In the dispensations of his grace too he is far from pre- ferring those whom we should think he would select. He often inchnes the hearts of " pubhcans and har- lots to enter into his kingdom," while he leaves less abandoned Pharisees and Formalists to perish in their sins. This, if it be a humihating truth, is also re- plete with comfort. If it take away all grounds of boasting, it cuts off at the same time all occasion for despondency. If he " have a right to do what he will with his own," the vilest person in the universe may approach him with a comfortable hope of acceptance, and may address him in the language of the text. In these words of the Psalmist we may notice,
I. His Confession —
David was not ashamed to confess that his sins were exceeding great —
[There is no reason to think that David in this psahn ad- verts to his transgression with Bathsheba. It is probable that the psahn was penned many years before that event. The Royal Penitent speaks rather of his in-dwelhng corruptions. He had long been accustomed to observe the workings of his own 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 all his actions, words, and thoughts, was led to acknowledge that his sin was exceeding great. Nor was this confession pecuhar to him. Holy Job, as soon as he beheld his 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 con- fessed, that "in him dwelt no good thing*^."]
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 'i Have not others satisfied themselves with a formal round of duties,
a Ps. cxxxix. 23, 24. ^ Job xl, 4. <= Rom. vii. 9, 18.