infinitely perfect, but partial or impotent, like one of us. Earthly princes confine their care to the most important points, because attending to every point is, not below them, but above them. The nearer they can approach towards it, the livelier images they are of him, who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and earth, and who numbereth the hairs of our heads †, and weighs every thought of our hearts. Let not good persons be terrified at this: for he knows whereof we are made, and is merciful to them that fear him ‡. But let the inconsiderate, the rash, and the bold, learn from it, both to be cautious how they act, and to recollect how they have acted. We seem very commonly to think that the sins of our former days lose their guilt in proportion to their distance; and are gradually annihilated, as the impression of them wears out of our minds. But with God what is past is not gone. On the contrary, unless we entitle ourselves duly to forgiveness, it remains on record an indelible evidence, against that day, when the books shall be opened, and the dead be judged out of the things which are written in them §. It greatly concerns us therefore to look back on all our faults, that we may see distinctly, what our true condition is. Probably enough, on a superficial inquiry, the verdict may be highly to our advantage. But our business is to make a thorough search, and know the reality: by placing before our thoughts, (after composing them into a serious temper,) first the several rules of a godly, righteous, and sober life, made known to us by reason and Scripture; then our own conduct under each head. Whoever hath not examined thus, has need to begin immediately: Ps. cxiii. 5, 6. + Matth. x. 30. § Rev. xx. 12. and whoever hath, will have need to repeat his work frequently from time to time. But the present season is peculiarly appropriated to pious recollection. If therefore we contrive methods of running away from it now, we too plainly signify our intention of neglecting it for ever: and if those contrivances be public and professed ones, we offend against common decency, as well as religion. In the performance of this duty, we ought by no means to accuse ourselves falsely: but it would be a fatal mistake to flatter ourselves: to overlook or extenuate the faults we have committed, or fancy, that be they ever so bad, we could not help it, and others have done worse; and nothing remains, but to be easy about the matter. How many soever have done amiss, they shall all account for their doings; for numbers of criminals can never change wrong into right; and judging the world is no harder to God, than condemning a single person. He hath notified his will to us all, by the light of our own consciences, by the revelation of his holy word, by the instructions of other religious books, by the private admonitions of our friends, by the public warnings of his ministers. He hath given us much more strength to perform our duty, than we use: he is ready, on our humble request, to add to it as much as we want. And in these circumstances it can never be a slight matter, if, in any one instance, we have been disobedient or negligent towards him; have unjustly hurt or disregarded any of his creatures, our brethren; have corrupted or debased our own natures; and behaved unsuitably to the condition in which he hath placed us, or the spiritual bliss for which he hath designed us. We are strangely disposed to consider some trans gressions, as being subjects of mirth only. But in truth every departure from the rule of right, and the commands of our Maker, is a thing of great moment: and what we are pleased to imagine trifling, were it not for custom and self-partiality, we should see to be of great consequence. We are also extremely apt to think our faults more important in almost every other view, than as they offend God. And yet the direct contrary is one of the plainest truths, that can be. For as all we enjoy proceeds from him; as our happiness or misery depends entirely upon him; and every bad thing we do, (whomsoever else it may injure or not,) is always injurious to his authority, and hateful to his holy nature; he is evidently beyond all comparison the person, whom we are continually to have most in our thoughts, whose favour we should chiefly desire, whose displeasure we should chiefly dread. If therefore we have acted amiss, (and who hath not, in more and greater points, than he is willing to allow ?) barely acting otherwise, without regard to God as interested in the case, can never be enough. Till we feel a deep sense in our hearts of the unworthiness of our behaviour towards him, we are far from becoming inwardly what we ought: and unless we keep alive and strengthen that sense, by humbly and frequently expressing it to him, with earnest desires of his pardon and grace, and hearty endeavours of amendment, we neglect the methods of reconciliation and recovery, which reason itself points out to us. There are so few brought thus far in religion, that very possibly the first natural thought of a great part of them may be, that nothing farther can be wanting to procure them forgiveness and future happiness. And it is very true, that we can do no more, not so much indeed, without the divine interposition. But it by no means follows, that this will be enough, even to save us from punishment, much less to obtain us reward; and least of all the unspeakable reward of everlasting life. As the laws of God are just, he may justly inflict the penalties of them on transgressors. As he is the moral governor of the universe, he must support the honour of his government throughout his creation. Human government can never be supported, without making a great difference, in many cases, between penitent persons and innocent ones. Whether the divine can or not, we none of us know: for the extent of it is boundless, and we are acquainted but very imperfectly with so much as our own small part. Even in this, we see, that by the constitution of things, which God hath appointed, repentance often avails not at all, and often very imperfectly, to prevent the bad effects, in this world, of our faults and follies. And how shall we be sure, that the same kind of rules, which we experience to take place here, may not also take place hereafter? Whatever therefore God shall reveal to us concerning these matters, we ought to receive with implicit reverence: and use with the utmost thankfulness any method, which he shall inform us is necessary, or expedient, in order to avoid the ill consequences of our sins, though possibly we perceive no manner of connexion between the remedy and the cure. Nor shall we in so doing pay any greater regard to the all-wise God, (though unspeakably greater his due,) than we pay continually, and should be inexcusable if we did not, to our poor ignorant fellow-creatures, whom we trust, full as implicitly, with our fortunes, our healths, and our lives. What then hath God taught us concerning our case? That neither such repentance, nor such reformation, as we are capable of, will suffice to obtain us forgiveness and eternal happiness. For he hath ordained farther means for these ends: and he certainly would not without cause; especially such extraordinary means, as those in the text: which I have purposely deferred to mention, till, having shown you, that pardon is the great thing we all want, and cannot of ourselves secure, I might dispose you to embrace with a more joyful faith that reviving assurance, that Him who knew no sin, God hath made to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. And this doctrine I now proceed II. To explain and defend. The natural and obvious meaning of these words, interpreted jointly with innumerable other passages of Scripture, is; that our gracious Maker, being desirous perfectly to relieve mankind both from the original bad effects of the fall of our first parents, and the personal guilt of our own transgressions; but perceiving, in his unsearchable wisdom, sufficient reasons not to do it on such confessions and submissions only, as we were able to make; appointed, that his ever-blessed Son (who voluntarily condescended to engage in the merciful work) should take upon him the likeness of sinful flesh; and bear, for our sakes, inconveniences and sufferings, from which otherwise the dignity and the purity of his nature entirely exempted him; that he took upon him the form of man, not only in order to teach the doctrines and exemplify the practice of true religion, which men had almost forgotten; but also to undergo that painful and ignominious death, which he foresaw wicked persons, offended by his reproofs, would in |