the vengeance of eternal fire, which yet are looked upon as trifles, -as no sins at all,by a thoughtless world, and the commission of which is in the estimation of that world perfectly consistent with the preservation of a good character. Into sins of this description, then, we should inquire with an exact, careful, and rigorous scrutiny. It is of the very nature of these sins to lull the conscience into a deceitful and fatal slumber, from which it must be roused and awakened by a more than ordinary vigilance and caution.

What has been just said, applies particularly to the sins of the heart, to the motives from which our outward actions proceeded, and the general frame and disposition of our souls. Many an action in itself good and praiseworthy, has proceeded from corrupt, from worldly, and selfish motives. Many a man, who has maintained a fair and irreproachable character in the eyes of the world, has been destitute of real religion, and been, in his heart, devoted to the service of Mammon and the

flesh, not to the service of the living God. You must, too, pay particular attention to all your omissions, your neglects of duty, whether to God or man. Sins of omission are apt to strike and alarm the conscience less forcibly than sins of commission; we have reason to know, however, that they are no less displeasing to God,— no less fatal to our immortal souls. We should remember, that every known duty, which we have wilfully neglected to perform, is to be seriously inquired into, and deplored, as a sin which has exposed us to the divine displeasure.

It can hardly be necessary to add, that when we enter into the examination of ourselves, we must do it fairly, honestly, and impartially. We must not shut our eyes to our own misconduct, or seek to cloke or cover our sins; "whoso covereth "his sins shall not prosper," but we must wish, and endeavour to see ourselves and our characters in their true colours, neither better nor worse than they really are. If we wilfully shut our eyes to our sins, we

shall not repent of them; and if we do not repent of them, they will plunge us into destruction.

Doubtless, in this trial of ourselves, we shall be much tempted to self-flattery and self-indulgence, and we shall find an honest and strict inquiry into the state of our lives and hearts a painful and bitter task. Let not such painful feelings, however, prevent it. It is far better to bear this uneasiness and shame now, than, by our wish to avoid it, to expose ourselves hereafter to shame and everlasting contempt.

To conclude, let me remind you that in the whole of this important and most necessary work of self-examination, we stand in peculiar need of that assistance of the Holy Spirit of God, without which we can do nothing well, and must seek for such assistance in earnest and fervent prayer. We must implore His aid to defend us from the treachery and deceitfulness of our own hearts. We must beg of him that he would enlighten our eyes, "that we may

see the wonderful things of his law," and our own manifold transgressions of it; that he would set our misdeeds before us, and bring our forgotten sins to our remembrance. Finally, let us humbly beseech Him who gives spiritual wisdom and discernment, to aid us in discerning whether there be any way of wickedness in us,and, if there be, to enable us to correct and amend it; and from henceforth by the guidance of His good Spirit, to lead us in the way everlasting.

SERMON III.

ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE PENITENT.

JOHN vi. 37.

"Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out."

WE are repeatedly assured by the Holy Scriptures, that our merciful Creator does not desire the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn from his sin and be saved. As an evidence of this, we may observe, that there is hardly any kind or description of argument, scarcely any form or manner of address, which is not made use of in the Book of God, in order to induce us to leave our sins, and from the heart, to obey the precepts, and to embrace the doctrines of our Holy Religion.

For this purpose, they sometimes endea