US no such painful emotions. To abhor it, and " abhor our- selves" for the hidden workings of it in our souls, as holy Job did", we know not: to " lothe ourselves" as hateful and abo- minable on account of it°, so as to "blush and be confounded before God," and scarcely to " dare to lift up our eyes to heaven" on account of our conscious vilenessP, is a state of mind to which we are utter strangers, unless on account of some great iniquity, which, if known, would expose us to inde- lible disgrace. To abhor evil merely on account of its intrinsic hatefulness, and its offensiveness to God, is an attainment very rare, and even in the best of men very weak and imperfect. I think, then, that every one of us may consider himself as con- dennied in my text, and may take shame to himself as bearing that humihating character, " He abhorreth not evil."]
See, then,
1. How little there is of true sanctity amongst us —
[Of the saints of old it was said, " They could not bear those who were evili :" whereas toe can " find pleasure in their society '^j" and, provided they wrap up their jests in elegant allusions and witty turns %" can join with them in laughing at thoughts, which, if delivered in coarser language, we should condemn : we even " set ourselves in a way that is not good," shewing no aversion to " have fellowship in the works of dark- ness, which we ought rather with decided boldness to reprove*." How unlike are we to David, who says, " Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because men keep not thy Law"!" Indeed, Brethren, we should see and mourn over our great defects; and, instead of indulging self-complacent thoughts on account of our not being so bad as others, should rather smite on our breasts with conscious guilt, and humble ourselves before God as " the very cliief of sinners."]
2. How greatly we need the provisions of the Gospel —
[I have before said, that, to remedy the evils which sin has brought into the world, God has sent his only dear Son to make atonement for us, and his Holy Spirit to renew us after the divine image. And now I ask you. Whether any thing less than this would have sufficed ? What could you have done to expiate your own guilt? Or how could you ever, with such polluted hearts as yours, have attained a meetness for heaven? You might as easily have built a world, as have effected either of these things. Nor is there any difference between one man and another in these respects. One may
n Job xl. 4. and xlii, 6. f Ezek. xxxvi. 31.
P Luke xviii. 13. i Rev. ii. 2. r Rom, i. 32.
s Epli. v. 4. evTpaweXia. * Eph. v. 11. " Ps. cxix. 136,