Not doubting what your judgment must be respect- ing them, I now proceed to point out, II. The resemblance that exists between them and us —
Is it asked, Where shall we find any amongst us like them? I answer, Look at,
1. The profane sinner —
[See his engagements at the baptismal font : see them voluntarily renewed at the time of his confirmation : all here is well : and if these engagements are adhered to, all will be well, both in time and eternity. But behold, when we call upon them to fulfil their duties, our word, though spoken in the name of the Most High God, has no effect: the generality, if they listen to it for a moment, " take no earnest heed to it:" they hear it " as the word of man only, and not as the word of God." Some will speak out plainly in the very language of our text : and though all arrive not at such a height of impiety as to utter this with their lips, millions all around us declare it by their lives. We call upon them to " renounce the world, the flesh, and the devil;" to "believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith ;" and to " keep God's holy will and commandments, and to walk in the same all the days of their life." But who will regard us ? Who will carry into effect any one of their own promises ? Who, when called upon to act up to his engagements, does not deny that God has required it at his hands ? And who does not even vindicate his own ways, as necessary to his welfare in the world, and as alone conducive to his present happiness ? Verily, we may behold in the Jews a just picture of the Christian world ; professing all that is good, and determinately following their own evil ways.]
2. The self-righteous formalist —
[Hear him joining in our Liturgy, and you will say, There is a repentant sinner, cleaving to the Lord with full purpose of heart. But tell him in private what a sinner he is ; tell him what contrition becomes him ; tell him how entirely he must renounce all self-confidence, and rely solely on the Lord Jesus Christ ; and you quite offend him — ' He deserves not such heavy judgments : he needs not seek for mercy in this humiliating way. It may be well enough for publicans and harlots to abase themselves in this manner ; but he needs it not ; nor will he consent to accept of mercy on such terms as these.' In vindication of themselves, persons of this descrip- tion will cast reflections on religion, as depriving men of all happiness, and as a source of all the sorrow and melancholy that are found in the religious world. In vain we tell them,