behold its own deformity, dares no longer rest on such a sandy foundation. Others may go presumptuously into God's presence, " thanking him that they are not as other men ; " but the true convert " stands afar off," and, with an unfeigned sense of his own unworthiness, " smites on his breast, and cries for mercy." Instead of preferring himself before others, he now " prefers others before himself," and accounts himself " the very chief of sinners." Nor, however eminent his attainments afterwards may be, will he ever exalt himself. Paul indeed, when compelled to assert the dignity of his apostolic office, did declare that he was " not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles :" but, to shew how far such declarations were from being either agreeable to himself, or voluntary, he repeat- edly called himself " a fool in boasting," and said, that, after all, " he was nothing." Thus any other Chris- tian may be necessitated on some occasion to vindicate his own character ; but, so far from priding himself in it, he will lothe himself in dust and ashes, crying with the convicted leper, " Unclean, unclean ! " The habitual frame of his mind will be like that of Job, " Behold, I am vile."
Further, the mouth of every true convert will be shut with respect to the raising of objections against the Gospel. The doctrine of the cross is foolishness in the eyes of the natural man. To renounce all dependence on our works, and rely wholly on the merits of ano- ther, is deemed absurd. The way of salvation by faith alone is thought to militate against the interests of morality, and to open a door to all manner of licentiousness. On the other hand, the precepts of the gospel appear too strict ; and the holiness and self- denial required by it are judged impracticable, and subversive both of the comforts and duties of social life. But real conversion silences these objections. When the Gospel is " seen and considered " in its true light, Christ is no longer made " a butt of con- tradiction" :" the glory of God as shining in his face is both seen and admired, and the union of the divine
b Luke ii. 34.