her, It is very true, I have not paid this; but I paid a debt to you at fuch a time, and another at fuch a time, and a third at fuch a time; would it not be natural for the other to reply, True indeed; but were not all thefe debts feparately due? will your paying one difcharge you from another? is not this as much due now as any of the reft were before? If therefore you will give the fame juftice to your Maker that you expect from another, you must confefs that a whole life of perfect and fpotlefs obedience would do juft nothing at all to extinguifh the guilt of the leaft fin. Be not therefore fo foolish as to reft your hope on that self-righteousness, which, in truth, is no better than filthy rags, and however excellent and perfect it were, could have no effect in procuring the forgiveness of fin.

(4.) There are fome to be found, who endeavor to excufe their actual tranfgreffions, as being no more than the necessary effects of original fin. This we find frequently done by thofe who are no friends to religion in general, and, perhaps, believe as little of the reality of original as the guilt of actual fin. In fuch, therefore, it is no more than a pretence, that they may rid themfelves of the apprehenfion of both. But there are alfo fome who do not feem to be enemies in principle to the truths of the gospel, who yet are very ready to excufe themselves for particular fins, by laying the blame upon their nature in general. It is my nature, they will fay; I have fo ftrong a difpofition to it, that I cannot help it. Thus they feem to fit quite eafy under the dominion of fin, and, by giving up all hope of overcoming it, are led to forbear all endeavors to refift it.

On this I cannot help obferving, again, how oppofite the principles of fin and holinefs are. The fin of our nature, which, in true penitents, is matter of humiliation and forrow, is often produced by others, as an extenuation of their crimes. See how the Pfalmift David expreffes himself, Pfal. li. 5. "Behold, I was fhapen in iniquity; " and in fin did my mother conceive me." Thefe words were not spoken by way of alleviation, but confeffion and aggravation. In the fame fpirit does the apostle Paul fpeak

in a great part of the feventh chapter of the Epifle to the Romans, particularly verses 14,-24. "For we know "that the law is fpiritual; but I am carnal, fold under "fin. For that which I do, I allow not: for what I would, "that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do "that which I would not, I confent unto the law, that it "is good. Now, then, it is no more I that do it, but fin "that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, "in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is pre"fent with me; but how to perform that which is good, "I find not. For the good that I would, I do not; but "the evil which I would not, that I do. Now, if I do "that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but fin that "dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that when I would "do good, evil is prefent with me: for I delight in the law of God after the inward man. But I fee another law in my members, warring against the law of my "mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of fin, which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! "who fhall deliver me from the body of this death?

That there is fomething myfterious in the firft occasion and conveyance of original fin, on which captious perfons may raise cavils, to perplex themselves and others, I readily allow. But, after all they can fay, it is certain, both from fcripture and experience, that all actual fin is not only perfonal but voluntary. Is there any perfon, who will dare to maintain, in the face of his Supreme Judge, that he is laid under compulfion, or an irrefiftible neceffity, to think, fpeak, or do what is wrong? Does any man commit fin, but from his own choice? Or is he hindered from the performance of any duty to which he is fincerely and heartily inclined? If this were indeed the cafe, it would not be true, what we are told in the facred oracles, that God will be "juft when he fpeaketh, and clear when "he judgeth."

I must also observe, that, upon the plan of the gospel, the force of this excufe is entirely taken away; because the rennovation of our natures is there afcribed to the power and energy of divine grace. Though we are not able to reform our natures, God is able to renew them.

Though we cannot refift corruption, God is able to fubdue it. Our weak and helpless state by nature, is fo far from being a proper excufe for fin, that a juft and humbling fenfe of it is the very first step towards a recovery. "Of ourselves, we are not able to do any good thing, but "through Chrift ftrengthening us we may do all things." We are exhorted to pray for the influences of the Spirit, in the fure hope of acceptance: "Afk, and ye fhall re"ceive; feek, and ye fhall find; knock, and it fhall be

opened unto you." So that, on the prevailing of fin, we have juft reason to take the whole blame upon ourfelves, and to fay, "We are not ftraitened in God, but "ftraitened in our own bowels."

(5.) In the last place, fome are bold enough to excuse their fins, as being only the effects of the irresistible will of God, who hath decreed whatfoever comes to pass; fome in a more artful and covered way; and fome more openly and explicitly make ufe of God's abfolute pre-determination of every event, as taking away the guilt of their voluntary actions. This hath been a very old excufe. It was the fpirit of that language you find, Ezek. xxxiii. 10. "Therefore, O thou fon of man, fpeak unto the house of "Ifrael, thus ye fpeak, faying, if our tranfgreffions and "our fins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how "fhould we then live?" The fame thing is mentioned by the apostle Paul, Rom. ix. 19. "Thou wilt fay then unto me, why doth he yet find fault? for who hath refifted "his will?" This infamous and blafphemous excufe is not only often made for particular fins, but is made a pillow of floth in general, and finners lay themselves afleep upon it in fecurity, faying, if it be the will of God, they fhould be faved, the event is infallible, let them take ever fo defperate a course; and if otherwise, it is impoffible for them to oppose his irresistible decree.

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In order to oppose this profane perverfion of divine truth, let me put you in mind, what fin and folly it muft be in us, to fet the nature of God at variance with his revealed will, or one declaration of his in oppofition to another. It is from the fcriptures alone, that you learn God's fupreme dominion and appointment of every event. VOL. II.

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And is it not certain, that the fame fcriptures do lay the guilt or finfulness of every action to the finner's charge? Does not God abfolutely refufe, nay, in infinite condefcenfion, he folemnly protefts against having it imputed to himself. Let the guilty hear and tremble, Ezek. xxxiii. II. "As I live, faith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in "the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from "his way and live. Turn ye, turn ye, from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O houfe of Ifrael!" And again, James i. 13. "Let no man fay, when he is tempt“ed, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted "with evil, neither tempteth he any man." Perhaps, fome will fay, we cannot reconcile the certainty of events with the freedom of actions, or the imputation of guilt. But what is this, but faying we are not able to fathom or comprehend the perfections of an infinite God? And is this any cause of wonder? It would not be the true God, if you could fearch him out; it would not be the Almigh ty, if you could find him to perfection. "It is higher

than heaven, what canft thou do? Deeper than hell, "what canft thou know? The measure thereof is longer "than the earth, and broader than the fea."

Surely, my brethren, it is manifeft, that the fame God, to whom all his works are known from the beginning of the world, and who rules by his power for ever, hath established a neceffary connexion between the means and the end, between the caufe and effect. And, as it would be altogether madness in common life, to fit ftill and ferbear activity and diligence, under pretence of its being impoffible to hinder or alter the will of God; fo it is equally mad and impious, to lay the blame of our finful hearts and inclinations on the appointment of God. He can and doth control and over-rule, by his fovereign providence, all his creatures and all their actions, in a fubferviency to his own glory; but, as to the finfulness of every deed, the finner alone is chargeable with it, and in the day of judgment, the finner alone muft anfwer for it.

Before I proceed to the third branch of the deceitfulnefs of fin, I muft beg your attention to a few obfervati ons on what hath been already faid. And,

ift, You may obferve how various and involved, and how deep-laid the excufes for fin are. The ways of the world, the general prevalence of fin, and many of those very circumstances which ought to make us dread its influence, and fill us with abhorrence of it, are frequently made ufe of to extenuate its guilt. The corrupt inclination of our hearts, which is the fource of all fin, and may be faid to be the effence of fin, is often made ufe of to excufe or palliate its effects, as the badness of the tree for the fourness of the grapes. How ill qualified are we to judge fairly on fuch a fubject? We are partial in our own caufe, and give an unjuft decifion from our relation to the pannel. Down then with the reasonings of the carnal mind. Sufpect them, dread them, shut your ears against them. What reafon is there to fit down in filence, and humbly acquiefce in the account given us of our character, and ftate, by a God of infinite holiness? There is no error to blind his judgment, no interest to bias his inclination, and there is no equal who may contend or enter into judgment with him.

2dly, You may fee that the excuses for fin, are not only infufficient, but deeply criminal. In the form they affume, they may appear plaufible; but, when they are ftripped of their disguise, they will appear to be horrible. The immediate pretence may appear to have nothing very atrocious in it; but when they are traced to their fource, they will be found to take their rife from the most malignant infidelity or atheism in the heart. You fee, from what has been faid, that many excuses for fin, at last, land in laying the blame upon God himself. All the encouragement we take in fin from the divine patience, all our abuse or perversion of the gifts of nature, or the course of providence, lands ultimately here. Let us therefore pray, that it may please God to open our eyes on the wonders of his law, on the riches of his grace, and the greatness of his power. Let us confefs, that "to us belongeth fhame "and confufion of face; but to our God belongeth mercy." Let us adopt the words of the Pfalmift, Pfalm xix. 12. "Who can understand his errors? Cleanfe thou me from "fecret faults."