that he should reign over them. They would, if it were in their power, wrest the sceptre from his hand and defeat his designs, or destroy his existence. They feel as Pharoah did, when he said, "I know not the Lord, nor will I obey his voice."

2. If God be perfectly holy, then sinners will hate one part of his character and conduct as really as anoth er, when they become fully acquainted with it. They are very apt to think, that they love some parts of his character and some parts of his conduct, while they perfectly hate some parts of his character and some parts of his conduct. They are willing, that God should be eternal, self-existent, omnipotent, omniscient and infinitely wise, if he would employ all these divine perfections in their favor. They have no objections against any of his natural attributes, if he would only be so kind, as to exert them, when and where and how they desire he would exert them. The carnal, selfish Israelites were highly pleased, when God visibly displayed his almighty power and amiable sovereignty, in the destruction of their enemies at the Red Sea; and in their protection and the miraculous supply of their wants during their journey through the wilderness.All sinners are willing, that God should be the greatest, the wisest and most powerful being, if he would be on their side and employ his great and glorious perfections to gratify their desires and promote their selfish purposes. They really love him sometimes and for some things; and imagine, that they are really friendly to him. But when they come to see and realize, that he is holy in all his character and in all his ways and in all his works, they hate one of his perfections, as really as another; and one part of his character, as really as

another. They hate his holy power, his holy wisdom, his holy knowledge, his holy love, his holy mercy, his holy grace, his holy purposes and all the holy dispensations of his providence. When they realize, that God has made all things for himself and intends to dispose of all things to promote his own glory and the highest holy happiness of the universe, they hate his whole character and his whole conduct, without a single exception. When they discover the perfect and universal holiness of God, they can discern no form or comeliness in his character or conduct, wherefore they should love him; but they hate every thing he has done and every thing he has designed to do. There is not a single trait in his character, but what they perfectly hate. If sinners did but see and realize, that one perfection of God is as holy as another; and one instance of his conduct is as holy as another; and that his whole character and conduct are perfectly benevolent and harmonious, they would no more doubt of their total enmity and opposition to God, than of their own existence. The more clearly the whole character and the whole counsel of God are exhibited before them, the more the selfishness and sinfulness of their hearts will be awakened and realized. Paul once thought that he was blameless, but when the commandment came, sin revived and he died.

3. If God be perfectly holy, then every scheme of religion, which is founded in selfishness, is hateful to God and fatal to man. The gospel scheme of religion is founded in holiness, and all its essential doctrines are according to godliness; but every false scheme of religion is founded in selfishness, and all its essential doctrines are subversive of godliness. Arminianism

is a false scheme of religion and founded in selfishness. It teaches that all mankind come into the world entirely free from sin, and no more inclined to evil than to good. And though they afterwards become morally depraved, yet their depravity lies in their understanding and not in the heart. It teaches, that all men would love God supremely, if they only had a true speculative knowledge of his true character.--They have no need of a renovation of heart, but only an enlightening of their understanding, to prepare them for heaven. They may love, obey, and enjoy God without having the least disinterested benevolence, or holiness of heart. This selfish scheme of religion is subversive of all godliness, or vital piety. Antinomianism is a false scheme of religion and founded in selfishness. It teaches, that it is impossible for men to act from any other motive, than self love; and that they are under no obligation to love God, unless they know that he loves them and intends to make them forever happy. This scheme of religion is entirely subversive of holiness and diametrically repugnant to the law of God and the spirit of the gospel. Universalism is a false scheme of religion and founded in selfishness. It teaches, that men may live and die totally selfish and yet inherit and enjoy the kingdom of heaven. This scheme of religion is totally subversive of holiness and perfectly contrary to what nine hundred and ninety-nine in a thousand of mankind have always supposed to be either virtuous, or pious. I might mention sabellianism, arianism, socinianism and unitarianism, which are all so many branches of selfishness, which are directly opposed to the pure spirit and holy doctrines of the gospel. It seems strange, that

any with the bible in their hands should devise, or embrace any selfish scheme of religion and build their eternal hopes upon it. For if God be perfectly holy, it is morally impossible, that he should be pleased with an unholy religion, or approve of those, who em brace it. It is safe to say, that any scheme of religion which is founded in selfishness, must be hateful to a perfectly holy God; and totally disqualify men for the enjoyment of him both here and hereafter. It is immaterial by what name a selfish religion is called, or how generally it be circulated and approved, for it will certainly destroy its votaries, unless they renounce it and become holy as God is holy.

4. If God be perfectly holy, then he must disapprove and reject all the religious services of all the unholy impenitent and unrenewed. Though there be a great diversity in the outward appearance and conduct of sinners, yet they are all by nature totally selfish and sinful and equally destitute of supreme love to God, or true holiness. There is no essential difference between the heart of one sinner and the heart of another. As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of one sinner answereth to another. They all act from the same selfish motives, whether they plough or sow, or whether they read or pray; and this he, who looketh on the heart and not on the outward appearance, sees and condemns. This he tells them plainly. He says, "the ploughing of the wicked is sin, and the prayers of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord." Our Savior said a great deal in his private and public discourses, to convince the best as well as the worst of sinners of the depravity of their hearts, which contaminated all their external services, however apparent.

But

ly regular, amiable and sincere. He knew how gen1. erally sinners trusted in themselves, that they were righteous and acceptable in the sight of God, on account of their exterior conformity to the divine commands, while they retained and cherished every selfish and sinful affection. His sermon on the mount, which delineated the nature and effects of pure, disinterested benevolence, was directly suited to expose and condemn all the selfish feelings, desires and pursuits of the most serious, devout, self-righteous sinners. his private discourses were often much more pointed. He stripped the amiable young man of all his boasted goodness and confident hopes and sent him away sorrowful. He expressly said to some of the best of sinners, "I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you." Yea, he called them serpents and a generation of vipers and asked them how they could escape the damnation of hell." Human nature is still the same and the character and conduct and condition of the most amiable sinners, is still the same in the sight of an holy God. The apostle, therefore, asks those, who had too favorable an opinion of unbelievers, "What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial ?" He then addresses himself to such, as had a disposition to overlook the total selfishness and depravity of sinners, and "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord; and I will receive you and be a father unto you; and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." This representation is perfectly agreeable to Christ's declaration to his disciples, "I say unto you, that except your right

says,