[None are so blind as to think they have never sinned : but the generality suppose that they have never sinned in any great degree, so as to endanger their eternal happiness, or to justify God in consigning them over to eternal misery. If in some respects their actions have been incorrect, they have had no bad intentions: their conduct may have been bad ; but their hearts were good. If they have refrained from gross immo- ralities, and been observant of some outward duties, they will, like the Pharisee, " thank God that they are not as other men ;" and will boast before him of the good deeds which they have done3. As for being in any danger of perishing, they cannot for a moment admit the idea : they think, that if God were to cast them into hell, he would be unjust ; that they have never merited such a doom : and it would be quite irreconcileable with the goodness of God to suppose him capable of proceed- ing with such severity against persons of their description. Such were Paul's views of himself; " he was alive without the law once :" having extremely contracted views of his duty, he thought he had done nothing to deserve punishment, and was secure of eternal life and salvation. And such is the delusion by which the whole host of unconverted men are blinded at this day.]
Hence we perceive,
II. The means by which alone they can be brought to a juster knowledge of their state —
[When God was pleased to arrest Paul in his way to Damascus, and to reveal himself to him, he discovered to him the spirituality and extent of the law. Paul had before thought that the commandments related only to outward acts; whereas he was now made to see that an inordinate desire was as much forbidden as the most criminal action ; and that an impure or angry thought were in God's sight as adultery or murderb: he saw too that the curse of the law was denounced against every violation of its commands; and that it as truly condemned men for a dissatisfied or envious wish, as for the most flagrant transgression0. From this time all his delusions vanished: he no longer cherished the fond idea of meriting salvation by his past or future obedience : he saw that he had not in any one action of his life come up to the full demands of the law ; and that consequently he must renounce all dependence on the law for his justification before God.
Thus were his views rectified : and it is in this way alone that any one can attain a just knowledge of his state. " The commandment must come" with power to his conscience: he
a Luke xviii. 11, 12. b ver. 7. with Matt. v. 22, 23.
c Gal. hi. 10.