you not hear how inflexible it is in its demands, and how inexorable in its denunciations ? Alter it you cannot, in any respect ; obey it you must, if you will still found your hopes on it in any measure or de- gree : and therefore it is your wisdom to adopt the determination of St. Paul, and to seek henceforth to " be found in Christ ; not having your own righteous- ness, which is of the law, but the righteousness which is of God by faith in Christ1."
What now becomes us in this view of the law ? what, indeed, but humiliation and contrition in the deepest degree ? We must see how many curses hang over our devoted heads. We must not merely look at our grosser violations of the law, but at our defects : for " the wrath of God is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men ;" and every transgression, whether by commission or omis- sion, whether by excess or defect, will receive its just recompence of reward. Let it be granted, then, that our lives have been blameless, as far as respects outward sin : still, if we judge ourselves by the per- fect law of God, our sins will be found more than can be numbered, and greater than can be conceived. When we compare ourselves with some of our fellow- creatures, who trample underfoot all the laws of God and man, we appear to be very worthy characters : and such we are in the sight of man ; but in the sight of God there is by no means so great a difference between us as we are apt to imagine. In estimating our character, and weighing our comparative worth, God may see less indeed of gross iniquity, but a far more abundant measure of spiritual sins, which are not a whit less hateful in his eyes. Suppose it all true which the self-applauding Pharisee affirmed, that he had been no extortioner, not unjust, and no adul- terer ; did he not make ample compensation for this, by his pride, his self-complacency, -his uncharitable- ness ? Yes, in truth ; these weighed as much in the scales of heaven, as the grosser evils from which he was exempt. Had he tried himself by a just standard,
i Phil. iii. 9.