into his own heart-he knew nothing of the ftate of his own foul: his method was easier : he compared himself with others whom he though more wicked than himself, and would cry out, God, I thank thee that I am not as this man is. But in making fuch comparisons we, as well as the Pharifee, may be mistaken. I should add, however, that in comparing our actions with our duty we are still liable, without care, to delufion. We often study to make the commandment as favourable to ourfelves as we can: every part, which we think does not much affect us, is plain and easy, but when we meet with paffages which seem to go hard against us, we are ready to employ all our wit in giving them interpretations contrary to the obvious one: and moft men are excellent lawyers in their spiritual cafes; and can twift the gofpel with admirable dexterity, fo as to avoid its force at least to perfuade themselves they avoid it; for our interpretations, we must always remember, make no alteration in the rules of the gofpel. The last mean I fhall mention to prevent felfdelufion, is to fix in ourselves a strong íense of the natural depravity and deceitfulness of our hearts to open thofe deceitful hearts daily to God God in prayer to confefs our fins before him to implore his forgiveness through the merits of our bleffed Redeemer, and to beg the affistance of his Holy Spirit. By opening our hearts to God we open them to ourselves, and fee the true ftate of our fouls: and this is one of the greatest advantages we derive from the humble confeffion of our fins before God. THE Conclufion then, on the whole, my brethren, is just this:-We are naturally apt to impofe on ourselves; but, whatever our fins are, our impofing on ourselves will not blot them out, nor fkreen them from God. The only question then is, fhall we endeavour to remove our guilt in this world; or fhall we by imposing on ourselves, leave it to appear against us in the next?-This is the fingle point you have to confider. If you think it expedient to remove your guilt in this world, and blot it out, through the mercies of Chrift, before you appear in the next, you must first be careful not to impofe on yourfelves. Let the remarkable story, which hath given occafion to this discourse, have its weight with you let it teach you how very liable the heart of man is to felf-delufion, even in the greatest greatest matters-much more in fmaller: but let it teach you also, that when you have finned, to fearch out the fpirit, and repent. David had finned horribly in the fight of God; and where the text takes him up, he was ftill in the height of his delufion: but his whole life after, as far as we can judge, was a life of repentance. Where fhall we find fuch expreffive forrow for fin as in his penitential pfalms, when he went mourning all the day long, and at night watered his couch with his tears. His fins might have been recorded not only to teach us penitence, but to teach us never to defpair: the greatest fin on repentance and a change of life, may be forgiven through the merits of Chrift. Each of us hath in his own breaft that prophet, which will on every occafion tell him honestly, as Nathan told David, Thou art the man. To this monitor let us at all times liften; and may God Almighty give us grace fo to attend its warning voice, that we may make our peace here, before all opportunity is loft for ever! SERMON VIII. [Preached on the Faft Day, Feb. 25, 1795.] PSALM Xcvii. 1. THE LORD IS KING: THE EARTH MAY BE GLAD THEREOF; YEA, THE MULTITUDE OF "HIS pfalm is fuppofed to have been written THIS by king David, on the occafion of a victory. He attributes nothing to his own power, but refers all the glory to God. To God, likewise, he attributes all the misfortunes that befal the wicked, either as punishment or as trial. The holy Prophet therefore rejoices in the idea that God, whether he gives profperity or adverfity, governs every thing. The Lord is king: the earth may be glad thereof; yea, the multitude of the ifles may be glad thereof. I fhall confider thefe words by fhewing you, firft, what is meant by the Lord's being king; fecondly, on what foundation the earth, and multitude of the ifles, may be glad thereof; and, laftly, I fhall make an application to ourselves. In the first place, the Lord is king; as he is the governor of all nature: all created things are under his control, and are only the inftruments of his government. In his vaft storehouse he has storms, infected air, earthquakes, and various other evils: he has likewife calm fkies, fruitful fhowers, and abundant harvests. In fhort, prosperity and adverfity, in every shape; and even the wickedness of man, fo far as it affects mankind, (his own actions being always free,) are only various means by which God tries, punishes, and rewards the children of men. Again, the Lord is king over mankind, as divided into nations. Men form themfelves into various governments, and amuse themselves with the wisdom with which their feveral fchemes are conducted; but, in fact, all their governments and all their schemes are only the administrations of this great Ruler. Kings may fuppofe they govern, and generals may fuppofe they conquer; but |