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 their profes- sion, being as proud, and passionate, 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 t]\eprofa7ie and ivorldly, or t\\e formal and hypocritical? Must not even the sai?its themselves blush and be confounded, when they consider how miserably they have fallen short in every thing? Must they not exclaim 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 soul'^; and well knew that it would " eat as a canker," till he had obtained the pardon of his sin. Hence he humbled himself before his God, and cried for mercy.]
Nor shall ze>e restrain prayer before God, if we will but consider the state of an unpardoned soul —
[No words can fully express the misery of one who has all the guilt of his sins upon him. He has 7io peace with God, seeing that " God is angry with him every day," and " the wrath of God abideth on him." He has 720 peace in his oivn conscience ; for though he may drown reflection for a while in business or pleasure, he is like the troubled sea which cannot rest, but casts up mire and dirt^. He is also destitute of any well- founded hope : he may buoy up himself with blind presump- tion ; but he will feel many misgiving fears, and forebodings of evil. He has no comfort in his afflictions; for, not having God for his friend, he cannot go to him with confidence, or obtain those refreshing consolations which strengthen and up- hold the godly. Iii a dying hour he is yet more toretched : if he be not insensible as a beast, how does he regret his mis-spent hours, and wish that God would prolong his state of probation! But in the eternal tvorld his misery is completed : he comes to the tribunal of justice without any mediator to reconcile him to God, or any advocate to plead his cause : yea, the very voice
•^ Ps. xxxviii. 4. ^ Isai. Ivii. 20.