sufficient work, in the anticipation of being soon employed again in repairs; writing down in his bill more than his employer owes him, or more than his goods are worth, trusting to the forgetfulness or the inexperience of his employer, that the cheat will pass without detection. And behold a combination of these enormities: observe that man swearing, lying and stealing all in the same transaction, and for the purpose of gaining a few shillings in a bargain. He purchases an article for twelve shillings, he goes to another shop to purchase another of the same description, and beating down the shopman's demand, he produces the first, swearing by his life and soul he got it for ten shillings, he carries them both home, and when a neighbour, wishing to have them from him, inquires the price, then he swears, as he hopes to be saved, or as God is his judge, he paid fourteen shillings each for them. This applies to pounds as well as shillings, and will include and condemn the more extended jobbings and falsehoods (at the Exchange and elsewhere) of multitudes, who may perhaps despise and sneer at the adduced instance of this petty impostor.*

And what is that fourth man, and how are the days of the years of his life characterised He is an adulterer. Without

as they pass?

* Luke xvi. 10.

the smallest reference either to the authority of God or the peace of man, sacrificing the happiness of whole families to the indulgence of his brutal passions, professing friendship with words smooth as oil, while a deadly dagger lurks within his soul, his conscience callous, his feelings stupified in fleshly pleasures, from which nothing can effectually rouse him but the almighty grace of God, or the eternal flames of hell. And what are those other men? One of them is a drunkard; another is a glutton, both lending a hand to self-murder ; another is a gambler, another a duellist, another a smuggler, another a cock-fighter, another a pugilist-O! Lord God of Hosts, what is man, or what are the days of the years of his life that thou regardest him or sparest him?

But to reach the case of others, we must pass from these flagrant enormities, and address the more orderly and respectable sinners of mankind. In degrees of sinfulness, men differ from one another in endless variety, but all are guilty, there is not an exception, no, not As the faces of men differ exceedingly in shape and size, complexion and feature, but all agree in this, that they are flesh, perishing, corruptible flesh. So of their lives; whatever appearances their sins may assume, however they may break forth in some, in all the deformity of open transgression, or lie con

one.

cealed in others under the fair features of outward morality: however, in many instances the flood of natural corruption may have been checked in its destructive course, and kept within bounds by means of judicious treatment in youth, good principles early inculcated, wise restraints imposed, and regular habits acquired; and, however such a character may, and not unfrequently does, shine forth in after life with a rare combination of social and relative virtues, kind, amiable, and affectionate, generous, benevolent, and humane: however he may conscientiously discharge all his duties towards his neighbour, and even do more for his fellowcreatures than they can possibly do for him in return: however, in consequence of these doings he may be applauded (and deservedly) by all who know him; however widely he may differ from the common-place characters, and still more widely from the open profligates of his neighbourhood; yet, notwithstanding all this, it is equally true of him, as of the very vilest of them, that he cannot abide the scrutiny of the balance of the heavenly sanctuary, that when the exceeding broad commandment of the Lord unfolds its spiritual standard, he must be proclaimed a sinner, a lost and helpless sinner, a wretched and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked sinner in the sight of God.

"God seeth not, as man seeth, for

man looketh upon the outward appearance, but God searcheth the heart. He that keepeth the whole law, and yet offendeth in one point, is guilty of all." There is no difference, for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."*

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This branch of the subject, though so exceedingly important in itself, and so plainly and repeatedly declared in the Scriptures, is not believed. It is either denied altogether, or so modified as to be virtually explained away by the vast majority of those who profess to receive the Scriptures as the inspired word of God, and the statements contained in the words just quoted from the apostles James and Paul, are boldly charged with palpable injustice.

Perhaps one of the most effectual methods of exhibiting the truth before us with convincing plainness will be to make some inquiry into the cause of the objections which are brought against it.

Doubtless the pride of man's heart recoiling from the humbling charge, is the chief cause, the root of every objection; but it will accord better with our present object, to consider the operation of that pride in one or two of its details, than to enter generally into the subject of man's corruption.

* James ii. 10. Rom. iii. 22, 23.

One subterfuge then of self-righteous pride, or in other words, one reason why the scriptural statements of the universal guilt of man, are rejected or evaded, is an opinion that in those strong passages of unqualified condemnation, the sacred writers had in view only the idolatrous Gentiles, the barbarous heathen, who were worshipping false gods, and might, therefore, fairly be said to be " without God in the world," who were guilty of the most abominable excesses, and might therefore fairly be said to be "dead in trespasses and sins:" but that such expressions were never intended to apply to the Jews, who were acquainted with the only true God, and brought up from infancy to worship and serve him; and, that consequently, it cannot possibly be supposed that such expressions were intended to apply to us, blessed as we are with the light of a clearer revelation, born in a christian country, baptised with christian baptism, instructed in christian doctrine, and joining in christian worship.

Now, let us examine this objection, and compare the opinion upheld by it with the result of the Apostle's reasoning upon this subject. A similar notion appears to have gained ground among the Jews, who seeing the peculiar distinctions on which they prided themselves, invaded by the indiscriminate spread of the gospel, were glad to avail themselves of