viction of guilt, discharging in the conscience, the Baptist's beneficent office of old, preparing the way of the Lord, and rendering his name and salvation inestimably precious.

2. Ignorance of the law encourages hateful motives of obedience. By creation the blessed God has an indefeasible claim to all we have, and our entire subjection. This claim he has enforced by express command in all things to obey him. He has added also the strongest commendations of an obedient spirit, and promised to it an everlasting reward. But a most ungrateful perversion is too generally made of these gracious declarations and promises, till the law is understood; and what obedience is paid to the commandments, is paid upon principles, which render it odious in God's sight. For instance, some regard the precepts enjoining liberality, and will feed the hungry, and clothe the naked, and rejoice the widow's heart, in order to atone for sensuality, saying, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." Others are conscientiously true to their word, and faithful to all their engagements; flattering themselves, that such integrity will make pride and profaneness in them easily overlooked as venial infirmities for the righteous Lord, say they, loveth righteousness, and a just weight is his delight. A third and worse sort, if possible, multiply exercises of devotion in commutation for justice and insincerity, malice, and covetousness, confiding in all the promises made to prayer and godliness.

From such hateful motives does that morality, humanity, and false devotion, of which thousands are so conceited, spring. Notions, which prove they have no sense of the sinfulness of sin upon their minds, which sooth their pride, by exalting the value of polluted obedience, and which even encourage transgression, by supposing we have it in

our power to make compensation for it. Yet, offensive to God as this mistake is, nothing can overturn the foundation which supports it, but knowledge of the law, which, denouncing a curse on every thing short of sinless perfection, leaves no ground for this vain imagination. By rejecting with dreadful menaces all human attempts to atone for a single violation of duty, it leaves no possibility of dreaming that obedience in some or many instances can make satisfaction for the want of it in others. It compels the little sinner to confess himself insolvent no less than the greatest; and that nothing can administer relief in his case, which is not equal to the demands of the law, and will not be accepted by it, i. e. the righteousness and blood of Christ Jesus our Lord.

3. Though you may possibly be free from the gross and common error of fancying some sins will be overlooked in the blaze of many virtues, still, through ignorance of the law, you will impiously conceit that your personal righteousness, and Christ's obedience, have equally weight with God, act in the same capacity, and, by their joint influence, procure your salvation. Many, in fact, under a strong sense of religion, do thus dangerously deceive themselves. They endeavour to do their duty in mortifying their lusts, and leading a devout life. On this account, though confessedly guilty in many points, their own goodness, they are confident, will contribute to recommend them to God; and what is wanting, the merits of Christ will make up. Of consequence, so long as they fall into no gross sin, but continue regular, honest, and attentive to religion, they are satisfied they have done their part, and that such worth is in their sincere, though imperfect obedience, as will procure them acceptance with God.

This refined error, unsuspected of danger, keeps

full possession of the mind, till swept away by knowledge of the law. Yet no error can abound more with self-contradiction, or affront to God. With palpable self-contradiction, since it supposes, that at the very time you confess yourself under the guilt of sin, for many omissions and defects, there can be still excellency enough about you to obtain favor with God: that even whilst conscience accuses, and the law condemns you as a sinner, your righteousness will have considerable influence in making reconciliation for you. Palpable contradiction! to confess yourself guilty, and implore pardon, yet expect to be favorably regarded for your works and life. To implore pardon, implies that you cast yourself at the feet of mercy, without any plea, but what is drawn entirely from God. To trust at all in your own obedience, as a coadjutor with Christ, certainly implies a high degree of worth in what proceeds from yourself.

Besides, by holding this error, your affront to God, is as notorious as the contradiction in which it involves you. According to this scheme, the glorious Redeemer undertook our ransom only to render our deficient duties meritorious, and our sins inoffensive. His life, sacrifice, and mediatorial undertakings, serve only as a pedestal on which human worth may stand exalted and recommended. According to this scheme, the pardon of rebels against the Most High, and the reception of leprous sinners into the bosom of Heaven (effects great indeed!) are owing to the work of our own hands, and the virtues of our own character, in conjunction with Christ.

Can a greater affront be offered to that divine goodness, which interposed to save us, when we were lost, than thus to divide the cause of our acceptance between Christ and ourselves? What more

daring opposition to God the Father, who hath given Christ for his salvation to the ends of the earth, than to trust in our own obedience as having a partial influence to procure it for ourselves? What more plain denial of scripture, which appropriates the salvation of sinners, from first to last, to the praise of the glory of God's grace in Christ Jesus? Compare this self-exalting doctrine with Isaiah's sublime account of the combat and conquest of the Redeemer, and then conclude how injurious to his honor it must be, to confide in your own works as coadjutors with him.

save."

The prophet, in surprise at the appearance of a most majestic personage, asks, "Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah?" from the country and capital of the implacable foes to the Israel of God. The Redeemer replies, "I that speak in righteousness, mighty to The prophet then renews his inquiry, "Wherefore [if thou art come not to destroy, but save] art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the wine-fat ?" The Redeemer answers, "I have trodden the wine-press by myself alone." Infinitely too great in my power to want an associate, and infinitely too jealous of my honor to accept of any assistant; "of the people there was none with me:" the salvation of sinners is my act alone in every part; yours be all the benefit, mine the whole glory, Isa. Ixiii. 1—3.

The inspired penmen uniformly teach the same doctrine. Yet so pleasing to the human heart is the thought of assuming a share to ourselves in the grand affair of our salvation, that nothing but the knowledge of God's law can make the attempt appear in its full absurdity and provocation. This indeed will, because it fixes with the greatest exactness the office of good works, and the place of human obedience.

The law will not suffer you to consider the most con. scientious course of obedience in any other light, than as a proof that you believe, with godly sincer. ity, the delightful truth, that Jesus purged away your sins by the sacrifice of himself; for which inestimable benefit, you love him, you keep his commandments, you abhor those sins which caused him to groan, and bleed, and die.

To think and live thus is Christian obedience, of a quite different complexion from what every other kind of religion can produce. This is to use the law lawfully, not as interfering with the Redeemer, or shading his glory, by encouraging expectation of life from keeping the commandments, but as a clear revelation of the infinite demerit of sin, and the absolute need of Christ's interposition, "who is the end of the law for righteousness, to every one that believeth."

4. Self-preference and conceit of personal perfection in the saints, maintain their ground in men ignorant of God's law. The slightest observer of human nature will soon perceive our ruling passion is, to have the pre-eminence in all things. Hence, not only beauty, wealth, learning, or noble birth, but even spiritual attainments, become strong temptations to pride. Of old, we find a numerous party amongst the Jews, conscious of their superior goodness, crying out, "Stand by thyself, come not near to me, for I am holier than thou," Isa. lxv. 5.

The same persons judged it impossible the chief of sinners should be pardoned, and treated them with disdain. That proud spirit is not extinct, but governs many at this day, who stand distinguished for strict religion. To purge out this leaven of the Pharisees, the law is of sovereign use. To tell those who highly esteem themselves for their religious excellencies, that they owe them all to God, is