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and judgment arrive; and then to have our conscience arise and charge home our guilt upon us, when it is too late to seek for mercy.

III. The question then arises, and a most interesting question it is to us all: What ought to be the course taken under this consciousness of guilt, great enough to condemn us, and at any moment to strike us speechless before God? What provision may we make against conscience becoming a terror to us on a sick and dying bed— or in some other season of extremity? In what way obtain well-founded peace of conscience notwithstanding our sins? This is the third thing to be considered, and here let us turn again to the history.

When these men were "convicted by their own conscience" they made haste to withdraw from the presence of Christ. A similar feeling led our first parents to conceal themselves from the presence of God among the trees of the garden. Thanks be to God, however, all this is needless : and the gospel of Christ shows us that our safety consists in flying to God, even with all our sins about us, that he may take them away, not in flying from him. Accordingly the excellent prelate before quoted, observes upon the case before us: No sooner do these hypocrites hear of their

sins from the mouth of Christ, than they are gone. Had they been sincerely touched with a true remorse, they would rather have come to him upon their knees, and have said, Lord, we know and find that thou knowest our secret sins: this argues thy divine omniscience. Thou that art able to know our sins, art able to remit them. O pardon the iniquities of thy servants! Thou that accusest us, do thou also acquit us! But now instead hereof they turn their back upon their Saviour and haste away. An impenitent man careth not how little he hath, either of the presence of God, or of the mention of his sins. O fools, if ye could run away from God, it were somewhat, but whilst in him ye live and move, what do ye? whither go ye? ye may run from his mercy, ye can but run upon his judgment.'

Brethren, the whole of that which is our true wisdom and duty is implied in the passage just recited. We can neither fly from God-nor permanently from our own consciences. Inconsideraation can only make our case worse. Extenuating our sins, only aggravates our guilt. Be it then ever remembered that our danger, our ruin lies not in all the number or magnitude of our past transgressions, great as both one and the other are; but only in our present impenitence, and neglect of the Saviour. The least sinner that continues

:

impenitent must perish the greatest sinner truly repenting and unfeignedly believing, shall be saved.

Be it again remembered, that all our encouragement must be derived not from the smallness of our guilt, or from any compensation that we can offer for it: And yet abundant encouragement is provided for us: a sure foundation is laid for the confidence, even of the chief of sinners-truly repenting and turning to God. It is found in this-that Jesus Christ is "the propitiation for our sins"-that he is "the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world"-" that his blood cleanseth from all sin." That "in him, therefore, whosoever believeth is justified from all things."

Know then, that it is in vain to dissemble and cloke our sins-to shun the consideration of them -to attempt to forget them. That is the very

opposite of "the way everlasting." It is an ex

pedient that can last only for a time.

"Be sure,

O sinner, "thy sins will find thee out." they not all noted in God's book?

"Are

Yes, and he

will one day bring them to light to thy utter confusion and dismay; if they are not previously forgiven and blotted out.

Since then, our sins will certainly one day "find us out," our wisdom and our duty are now

"to

to trace them out, as particularly as we can, consider our ways:" "to call our sins to remembrance:" to look at them in all their guilt and aggravation: to pray for the awakening, convincing grace of God's Spirit: that we may, now in the time of this mortal life, so learn to apprehend the heinous nature of our offences against God, that they may not at a future day rise up eternally to confound and condemn us. And having done this, what are we to do with respect to them? nothing else than to fall down before God confessing them all unreservedly, and pleading, for thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ's sake, forgive me all that is past'—" hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities! Remember not against me the sins and offences of my youth!" It is promised that if we thus "confess our sins" with a humble, lowly, penitent, and obedient heart,' that then 'God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.' On this blessed assurance we may rely with humble confidence, and thus " being justified by faith, we shall have peace with God, through Jesus Christ our Lord," and instead of trembling under the apprehension of the wrath of God, justly due to our offences,-may rejoice in hope of the glory of God. In this way, and in no other, will peace

of conscience be secured to us, and effectual provision made that conscience shall not be a terror to us when we can least bear it.

All this is abundantly illustrated to us in scripture, in the parables of the Pharisee and Publican, and the Prodigal, and in the cases of Manasseh, and of David, and of many others. Let the testimony of David serve instead of many, "When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long." "I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin." And hence," Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered."

1. And now, brethren, after this illustration of the subject, may I not justly call you to thanksgiving to God for his holy gospel; a system which does away all necessity, and almost all temptation, to dissemble and cloke, to excuse or extenuate our guilt; and all temptation to fly to a distance from God under the sense of it: which lays a foundation of hope, even for the chief of sinners, and invites all alike to return unto God, "for he will abundantly pardon." Oh then let us make use of it, each one for himself, and return unto God, and in him, to peace and blessedness.

What thankfulness is due from the Christian

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