to repent, and turn to God, and to stand ready for death and judgment. Even the most advanced Christians feel many secret reproofs in their consciences, and are constrained to acknowledge, that they should be more meek and humble, more earnest and vigilant, more pure and spiritual. But who is faithful to his convictions? Who makes the advances that he ought, or the advances that he might ? ]
Let us LEARN then from this subject,
1. To be jealous over ourselves —
[If there be so much self-deceit in the world, who are tee, that we should be altogether free from it ? Have not ice a great measure of self-love within us, as well as others ? Are not tve liable to be biassed in our judgment by passion and interest ? and is not our heart, no less than the hearts of others, "deceitful above all things and desperately wicked?" Surely we have need to tremble, when we hear God saying to us, " There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, and the end thereof are the ways of death ^:" and again, "That which is highly esteemed among men, is an abomination in the sight of God'\" Let us then be on our guard against the overweening conceit of our own goodness : let us bring ourselves to the touchstone of God's word : and let us beg of God to " search and try us, to see if there be any wicked way in us ; and to lead us in the way everlasting \" " Not he that commendeth himself is approved, but he whom the Lord commendeth*^."]
2. To seek the influences of God's grace —
[It is no easy matter to be a Christian indeed, " an Israelite without guile." We may be free from gross sin, and yet far enough from that state in which we ought to be. Our own efforts (so to S2:)eak) may suffice to " keep the outside clean ;" but who, except God, can cleanse the heart? None, but he who formed the universe at first, can create our souls anew; nor unless " chosen and called by him," shall we ever be found "faithful" in the last day'. Let us, under a full con- viction of our own insufficiency, cry mightily unto him ; that he would " put a new spirit within us, and cause us to keep his statutes and his commandments, to do them'"." It is " he who must work all our works in us ;" it is he alone that can make us " sincere and without offence until the day of Christ !"]
3. To value and trust in the righteousness of Christ—
[Who amongst us would dare to found his hopes of sal- vation on his own faithfulness ? Who is not sensible that he
e Prov. xiv. 12. h Luke xvi. 15. ' Ps. cxxxix. 23, 24. k 2 Cor. X. 18. 1 Rev. xvii. 14. " «« Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27