who profess to be followers of that Divine Saviour, have "made light of these things," and are utterly inexcusable for not having inquired more fully into the mystery of redeeming love, and for having prac- tically said, " We will not have this man to reign over us1." Now, when the Spirit of God brings this to our view, it appears the very summit of our guilt and folly ; for, in fact, instead of requiting the Saviour's love as we ought, with all imaginable gratitude and self-devotion, we have done nothing, throughout our whole lives, but " crucify to ourselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame k."
Thus the Spirit of God brings to our view a sense of our guilt and danger. But this is not all. He breaks the heart, and humbles it in the dust, and makes us cry out, with the converts on the day of Pentecost, "Men and brethren, what shall we do1?" This effect is absolutely universal. There may be a difference in the degrees with which these feelings are produced in different people : but in quality, and effect, they are the same in all. In all do they pro- duce that " broken and contrite spirit, which God will not despise"1."
Now let not this work be mistaken. Where it exists, whether the person have been more or less moral, it discovers to the mind such a total alienation from God, such an entire want of the Divine image, and such an hateful depravity of heart, as makes a man to say, with the prophet, " Woe is me ! I am undone":" yea, and to exclaim with Job, "Behold I am vile ; I repent and abhor myself in dust and ashes0." These may be thought to be merely parti- cular instances, peculiar to some distinguished saints, and that they are not to be realized or expected amongst us. But the Prophet Ezekiel tells us, that all of us without exception must " lothe ourselves for our iniquities and abominations, and that not only before, but after, that God is pacified towards us11.''
' Luke xix. 14. k Heb. vi. 6. ' Acts ii. 37.
m Ps. Ii. 17. n Isai. vi. 5. ° Job xl. 4. and xlii. (i.
P Ezek. xvi. G3. and xxxvi. 31. VOL. XV. R