day, what must be the guilt of a whole life? What reafon to cry out, with the prophet to Jerufalem, "How long "fhall vain thoughts lodge within us?"

(2.) Let me befeech you to confider the fins of the tongue. Here I shall not infist much on the groffer fins of the tongue, lying, flandering, backbiting; of thefe, though few will be fenfible they are guilty themfelves, all are abundantly ready to complain, as reigning in the world in general. Neither fhall I insist on impure converfation, filthy and lafcivious expreffions, or allusions to obfcenity; though I am afraid many here present are far from being innocent of the charge. But befides thefe, the fins of the tongue are fo many, that the most watchful Chriflian cannot fay he is guiltlefs. Even the meek Mofes was provoked to fpeak" unadvisedly with his lips." The apostle James has given us a very ftrong defcription, both of the general prevalence, and mifchievous influence, of the fins of the tongue, James iii. 2.-8. "For in many things "we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the fame "is a perfect man, and able alfo to bridle the whole body. "Behold, we put bits in the horses mouths, that they may "obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold "alfo the fhips, which though they be fo great, and are "driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whitherfoever the governor lifteth. "Even fo the tongue is a little member, and boasteth "great things. Behold how great a matter a little fire "kindleth. And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: "fo is the tongue amongst our members, that it defileth "the whole body, and fetteth on fire the courfe of nature; "and it is fet on fire of hell. For every kind of beafts, "and of birds, and of ferpents, and things in the fea, is "tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: but the tongue "can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly "poifon." And that none may prefume, after all, to think these fins of the tongue inconfiderable, let us remember what our Saviour tells us, Matth. xii. 36, 37"But I fay unto you, that every idle word that men fhall fpeak, they fhall give account thereof in the day of

judgment. For by thy words thou fhalt be juftified, and by thy words thou fhalt be condemned."

(3.) Now, to these fins of heart and converfation, let us add the confideration of all the fins of our actions, by which we either offend God, ourselves, or are the means, by a doubtful or fufpicious example, of inducing others to offend him all the acts of infobriety and intemperance' with regard to ourselves; of injustice, treachery, or oppreffion, with regard to others. Let us confider those fins to which we are led by our refpective callingsand employments, or by our respective ages or tempers, or by our fituation, and the fociety with which we ftand connected. The lightnefs and frothinefs of fome, the fournefs and morofenefs of others, the inconfideratenefs and folly of youth, the plotting and ambitious projects of riper years, the peevishness and covetousness of old age, and the vanity and selfishness we carry with us through the several stages and periods of life. These things are most, if not all of them, fins in themselves, and do infallibly betray us into a great number of others. If we confider all this with any measure of attention, can we refuse to adopt the language of the holy fcripture, that our fins are more in number than the hairs upon our heads, or than the fand that is upon the feafhore? In fine, if we confider the fins we are guilty of, according to our conditions and relations in the world, as hufbands and wives, parents and children, masters and fervants, magiftrates and fubjects, miniflers and people, we fhall find the account fo prodigioufly fwelled, that we fhall have more than reafon to cry out with the Pfalmift, "Lord, if thou fhouldft mark iniquities, O Lord, who "fhould ftand?"

3. Confider the fins that cleave to your religious duties, and every thing you do in obedience to the will of God. The pureft worshipper on earth muft afk forgivenefs for the fins even of his holy things. I am not here to infift upon the hypocritical performances of many profeffing Chriftians, done merely, or chiefly, to be feen of men, or fpread, as a covering, over their hidden and fhameful deeds; nor am I to mention that religious zeak which arifes from ftrife, contention, and vain-glory, and

which chiefly aims at the fupport of party names; because these are directly and eminently finful: they are an abomination in the fight of God. But, my brethren, even in thofe performances which you go about with fome: muafure of fincerity, how many defects are to be found? Oh! how much negligence, coldnefs, and formality, in wor fhip! how many wandering, vain, idle, and workly thoughts, in your hearts, when your bodies are in the houfe of God! Confider only the infinite glory and majefty of God, in whofe fight the heavens themselves are not clean, and who charges his angels with folly ; and fay whether you have ever prayed at all with becoming reverence of fpirit. Confider only the unfpeakable condefcenfion of that God to his creatures, and the unfearchable riches of his grace to the finner; and fay, whether your hearts have ever been fuitably affected with. his love.

It is our duty, my brethren, to confider, how far we have been from preaching the word of God with proper impreffions of the majefty of him in whole name we fpeak; how far we have done it with fimplicity and dignity, neither fearing the cenfure, nor courting the applaufe, of our fellow-finners; how far we have done it with that tenderness and affection, with that holy fervor and importunity, which the value of thofe precious fouls to whom we speak manifeftly demands. And is it not your bufinefs to confider, how feldom you hear with that attention, reverence, humility, and love, with which the facred and importants truths of the everlasting gospel ought to be received; how many hear much more as judges than as learners, as cris tics rather than as finners; and content themselves with marking the weaknefs of an indifferent, or praifmg the abilities of an animated fpeaker? And how many run with itching ears from one congregation to another, or even from one party or profeffion to another, not that they may be edified, but that curiofity and fancy may be.. gratified? How many loft ordinances, how many mif: fpent fabbaths, have we to lament before God?

When we come to the fecond table of the law, how many finful motives mix their influence in the duties we

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perform to our neighbors ? how many acts of juftice owe their being, in part at least, to fear of reproach? how many works of charity owe their splendor to a defire of applaufe, as well as to a better principle? I fhould never have done, were I to go through all the great duties of the Christian life, and obferve the finful defects that cleave to them. I believe I may fay with great truth, that would we but deal faithfully, there would be no more neceffary to our humiliation, than a ftrict examination of our duties themfelves. This would oblige us to confefs, that "all our righteoufneffes are as filthy rags before God;" that we must not plead for reward, but forgiveness; that no merit of our own, but infinite mercy alone, must be the foundation of our hope.

III. I come now to make fome practical application of the fubject, for your inftruction and direction. And,

I. How great is the deceitfulness of fin! how aftonish, ing the blindness of finners! How easy and obvious is the confideration of our fins, in the order which have endeavored to fet them before you! Sins of omission, on the one hand, and of commiffion, on the other; and dtí, ties faulty in both refpects, viz. by effential qualities neg lected, and fins mixed with the performances: fins in thought, in word, and in deed, againft God, our neighbor, and ourselves. Yet, alas! how many are there in a great measure ignorant of the fins they are chargeable with, and therefore fleeping in fecurity! Think, my be. loved hearers, on your condition. To know your danger, is the firft ftep to deliverance. Is not the law of obedi ence clear, written upon all the Creator's works? Is it not ingraven upon the confcience? and is it not often repeated and inforced by the difpenfations of Providence? Would there be fo much of divine judgment, if there was no offence? Every natural evil proclaims the fin of man, An inclement feason, an injurious world, and a frail, dying body, confpire in pointing out our finful ftate. And yet, after all, how blind is the finner to the discovery, how deaf to the friendly warning, how regardless of the ap.

proaching trial! Awake, I befeech you, while there may be peace, and look upon your danger, while there is yet given you time and opportunity to fly from it.

2. If the holiest cannot ftand before God, if no flesh living can be juftified in his fight, how fearful must be the ftate of those who are lying under the guilt of atrocious, aggravated, and repeated crimes! Though great profligates often defert the ordinances of God, that they may fin at greater ease, and meet with lefs refiftance; yet, in fo numerous an affembly as this, there is reafon to fuppofe there are not a few of the chief of sinners; the rather, that while fome defert the ordinances, that they may have ease from within, others attend them as a cover, that they may blind their neighbors, and meet with lefs fufpicion or difturbance from without. How, then, can murderers, fornicators, fwearers, drunkards, thieves, and retain. ers of unjust gain, hear what hath been faid on this fubject without trembling for themselves! Hear for your fouls fake; hear for eternity's fake; hear, I befeech you, for Chrift's fake. O that the Spirit of God may carry home the truth, and make it "quick and powerful, fharper "than a two-edged fword," Heb. iv. 12. It is an easy thing for you now to diffemble the fins which men would punish, and even to boast of the fins which men must tolerate; but hear and remember the two following paffages: Heb. iv. 13. "All things are naked, and opened "unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do ;" and, Heb. x. 31. "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands "of the living God."

3. In the last place, If any christian defires to keep his confcience tender and faithful, to have a deep growing and humbling fenfe of his own finfulness; if he would bar the gate against the entrance of pride, or banish it after it has obtained admiffion; if he defires to walk humbly and watchfully-let him live as in the prefence of God, let him often fift himself at his awful tribunal. It is eafy to justify ourselves before men, who have fo little to require, and from whom so much may be concealed. The truth is, it is not a great matter to be able to fet the world at defiance. But to look up to that God who fitteth upon