no support. In either case, it is a want of correct views of truth that does the mischief. We see nothing but this to hinder our embracing the truth in the love of it, as a man will betimes and thankfully fly for safety, when he sees his danger. The more general impression with us is, that we see things straight and right enough, but a want of will or power keeps us back. But we do not take this to be a true statement of our case. We see nothing right and fully, and a want of such seeing keeps us where we are; that is, we do not take God at his word; we let our nature interpret things for us; we cook and season them to our relish, and then think, if the effect is not adequate, the fault is not in us,not at least in our want of accuracy. Did we see the whole truth, see sin as a most abominable thing, hated of God, and hateful in itself, see ourselves, 'led by foolish and hurtful lusts,' weak, erring, knowing little, and not able to know much, we should see wisdom in what we now call the foolishness of God;' we should abhor ourselves, and repent in dust and ashes; things, which we had only heard of and thought about before, we should see and know, and we should, without thought of any invention, gladly repair to the fountain set open for sin and uncleanness." Nothing can be truer than

1 Compare this with what Job says, chap. xlii. 3—7.

the deficiency of the sinner's views of truth, especially the deficiency of his views of the nature of sin, and of his own sinfulness; and as this is a sufficient, a rational explanation of his indifference, we 、 need look no farther. It would be well to stop on this in the full conviction that we are deluded; that we do not see things as they are, do not know ourselves, and can do nothing as of ourselves. This would be so far a right understanding, and might lead on to right action: but no-we will not receive truths so deeply wounding and offensive to our humour. We are not 'undone' yet; we do not believe God when he says, 'Thou hast destroyed thyself, but in me is thy help."1 O no-this is not our condition. We can help ourselves yet, can improve a little, can do 'works without the grace of Christ,' which will make us more worthy of the favour of God. We have not truth enough in the mind to bring us to Christ, but just enough to make that disagreeable to us, and to put us upon a task-religion, a faithless service, (faithless as to God's word,) whereby we stifle our apprehensions of guilt and danger. All these are attempts to patch up a righteousness of our own, and indicate, not faith in the gospel, but a desire to climb up some other way,' to bring a 'price for life;' to evade the punishment, without abandon

1 Hos. xiii. 9

ing the practice of sin. They all suppose the belief of some native goodness in us, and a disposition to make the best of our state before God. They show, therefore, the grossest misconception of essential truth, a virtual disbelief of the peculiar doctrines of the gospel. Those truths, which should inspire hope and confidence in the breast of an awakened sinner, are blank and void. The whole system is without form; as a 'root out of dry ground,' having no uses that we should desire it. We have views which dispose us to dispense with the atonement of Christ; but this surely appears to be a cheering and indispensable truth, if we see our deserts aright,-yet a very humiliating and offensive one, if we see them not. Hence the prevalent disposition to lower the standard of holiness to what we conceive to be within the reach of our own powers. Hence the holiest men have the deepest sense of their indebtedness to Christ, and the most affecting apprehensions of personal unworthiness and defilement; and this brings us again to the principle we have had in view; for whence have the holiest men the most vivid perceptions of the nature of sin, and of their own ill-desert, if it be not true that our perception of moral qualities, whether good or evil, is modified by our own character?

CHAPTER VIII.

Singularities in human conduct-Importance of knowing ourselves— Proneness to possess God with our own likeness-Causes of delusion in our judgment of him—Application of the subject to the reader-Reasons for distrusting his own opinions shown by various analogies-Continued argument with him-Separate responsibility of the head and heart-Peculiar evidence of divine truthDifficulties in the way of believing-When they are insuperableHow overcome- —Misconceptions of the gospel-Necessity of divine grace-Questions and troubles about human ability consideredOffice and sacrifice of Christ how estimated-Characteristics of the times-Needful despair-Proofs of infidelity.

Most of us are aware of the frauds and deceptions which run through all ranks of men, and endanger our peace and security in a thousand ways; and it is singular so few of us should ever be upon our guard, or see that more fatal hypocrisy by which we deceive and overreach our own hearts. It is indeed very singular we can be so readily convinced of the self-delusions of others, and yet never be suspicious and wary of ourselves; so sharply observant of things around us, and yet never retire within ourselves to notice what is passing there. It is a flattering and beguiling distemper which we have, and, if we will not undertake the task of its examination

with a curious and impartial eye, how knowing soever we are in other respects, we shall be ignorant in this, the most important of all; we shall be unapprized of a thousand mistakes; our self-deceits will carry us from ourselves, and bring us in such reports on what we do as suit our inclinations.

The conduct and experience of men, as we have seen, furnish strong analogies in support of the position, that there is a general tendency in our nature to ascribe our own views of sin and of ourselves, to God; to possess him, so to speak, with our own character. This tendency admitted, we see at once the great importance of being acquainted with ourselves, and with the various deceits to which we are liable. Without such acquaintance, we can have no ground for trust in our views of the character of God, or of our standing in his sight. Nay, so apt is our depraved nature to fondle and cherish its own creations, that the great danger is, our self-deception will be more complete and inveterate on this subject than on any other, and we become chiefly wedded to the worship of that object, which bears the greatest likeness to ourselves, as thereby we fall in smoothly with our own propensity, and come unawares to honour ourselves most, yea, to receive the worship which is offered as to another. We cannot be too apprehensive of this danger, or too highly