will as certainly perish, as any ters of righteousness." These indescription of sinners whatsoever. deed will never be wanting in subtle Nay, a partial obedience, which endeavours to beguile the souls of interferes not with their inclinations the simple: yet they can fatally or interests, does not warrant them deceive none, who are not disposed to expect a more favourable doom: to deceive themselves. It may also "for he that keepeth the whole be remarked, that such persons sellaw, and offendeth in one point, is dom impose on other men. The guilty of all." According to the ministers of Christ stand in doubt law itself, a man is condemned for of them; nay, are often fully cona single transgression; and accord- vinced of their awful delusion, and, ing to the gospel, he who habitually with tears of affection, risk their commits one known sin, is adjudged displeasure by trying to undeceive a hypocrite and unbeliever. If this them: but such endeavours are gewere not so, Herod might have re-nerally ascribed to harshness, pretained Herodias; nor would it be judice, or calumny. They seldom necessary for us to part with the deceive consistent Christians, as right hand or the right eye which they may discover by the shyness causes us to offend. and reserve of their conduct towards Whether we consider revelation them, while frankness and cordiality as intended to reconcile us to God, mark their social intercourse with to make known to us the way of more approved characters. Nay, peace, to be the means of our re- the people of the world can comnewal to holiness, to prepare us for monly distinguish real pious and glorifying God on earth, to fit us upright believers from mere specufor enjoying his love in heaven, or lating professors. Many of them to teach us to do good among men, court the society of such self-deand serve our generation; it is evi- ceivers, while they fear meeting dent that hearing without practising with persons of eminent sanctity: fails entirely of accomplishing any they can endure a man's creed, proone of these purposes. This is so vided his example sanctions their obvious in itself, and so constantly spirit and conduct; and as such inculcated in every part of Scrip- professors" are of the world, thereture, that it would be almost incre-fore the world loveth them;" while dible that any man should be de- it hates those whom Christ hath ceived by so palpable a cheat, were chosen out of the world. There it not most lamentably common; are, however, men that make no nor can this fact be accounted for pretensions to religion, who respect but by allowing that "the heart is those that are consistently pious; deceitful above all things, and des- yet these join with many who honour perately wicked." them by their hatred, in heartily despising him, who is a hearer of the word, and not a doer.

III. Then we consider the nature and sources of that fatal self-deception, into which numbers are in this respect betrayed.

But let us consider some of the methods, by which such men deceive themselves. The sacred ScripIt is observable that the apostle tures ascribe the salvation of sinners does not here warn us against the wholly to grace, or free unmerited artifices of "Satan transformed into mercy; and declare that none of our an angel of light;" or those of "his own righteousness has contributed, ministers transformed into the minis- or can contribute, to procure the

in

inestimable blessing: now, some observed, concerning the writings general confused notions of this fun- of his beloved brother Paul, damental truth help numbers to them were some things hard to be deceive themselves. Not consider- understood which they, that were ing salvation in its extensive mean- unlearned and unstable, wrested, as ing, as comprising the whole of our they did the other Scriptures, to reconciliation to God and recovery their own destruction." 2 Peter to holiness; but confining their iii. 16. thoughts merely to pardon and jus- The language of the sacred writers tification; they infer that good concerning faith is likewise most works must in all respects be ex-decided: "He that believeth, and cluded from our views of the gospel. is baptized, shall be saved; and he It is indeed most true, that "we that believeth not, shall be damnare justified freely by the grace of ed."-By faith alone, and by no God, through the redemption that other operation of the mind or acis in Christ Jesus;" but it is equally tion of the life, can the sinner approtrue, that the will and power to per-priate, and be made partaker of, the form real good works is an essential righteousness and redemption of part of our gratuitous salvation. Christ. But while numbers preBy grace are ye saved, through sumptuously use language diamefaith; and that not of yourselves it trically opposite to that of holy is the gift of God: not of works, writ, there are many who deceive lest any man should boast. For we themselves by a misapprehension of are his workmanship, created in the Scriptural doctrine. Various Christ Jesus unto good works, which arguments have convinced them God hath before ordained, that we that certain opinions are true, and should walk in them."—"The grace they_dispute earnestly for them. of God, which bringeth salvation, Surely, say they, we believe; and if teaches us that denying ungodli- we believe, we have all things in ness and worldly lusts, we should Christ, "who of God is made to live soberly, righteously, and godly us, wisdom, righteousness, sanctiin this present world." Eph. ii. 8—fication, and redemption." Hence 10. Tit. ii. 11-14.

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they conclude, that practice should

This is the uniform language of only be insisted upon in general the New Testament; and it is most terms; and, while secular motives evidently rational: for the renewal restrain them from scandalous imof a fallen creature to holiness is as moralities, they imagine that all is needful, important, and unmerited well, and nothing further is required. a favour, as pardon and the gift of But they do not duly consider the righteousness by faith: but for want difference between dead and living of attending to this, numbers take faith: they forget that the latter occasion from the doctrines of grace only justifies us in the sight of God: to deceive themselves. Indeed mi-and that the same faith, which unites nisters frequently use unscriptural the soul to Christ, works also by expressions on the subject, which love, purifies the heart, overcomes are extremely liable to misconstruc- the world, and produces unreserved. tion; and they often give a dispro-and zealous obedience. And while portionate statement of the truth: they give peculiar attention to St. yet it must also be allowed, that the Paul's argument concerning justifivery words of Scripture may in this cation by faith alone; they overlook manner be perverted. Thus Peter the account he gives of the holy

fruits produced by this justifying|sive or counterfeit experience. But faith; especially in the conduct of the event too plainly shows their Abraham and Moses, and other an- awful mistake; and that they groundcient believers, as stated in the ed their expectations upon the aceleventh chapter of his epistle to count given of the extraordinary the Hebrews. operations of the Holy Spirit on the The word of God gives us abun- minds of prophets, rather than on dant reason to expect, that the true the promises of his renewing infiubeliever's experience will confirm ences in the hearts of believers. and attest the sincerity of his faith. When therefore they lose the imHe that believeth on the Son of pressions with which they once were God hath the witness in himself:" elated, they relapse nearly into their "Having believed, ye were sealed old course of life, their creed and with the Holy Spirit of promise, confidence alone excepted. which is the earnest of our inherit- seed of the word, which had sprung ance."

The

"The day dawn and the up, withers, because it hath no root: day-star shall arise in your hearts." they are not doers, but hearers only, Eph. i. 13. 2 Pet. i. 19. 1 John v. deceiving their own selves. But 10. The meaning of these Scrip- the seal of the Spirit, like that aftures, and many others to the same fixed to the melted wax, leaves an effect, is very important: and teaches indelible impression, and the image us, that the real disciples of Christ of Christ will in some measure be experience such effects in their own discernible, in the temper and consouls, from believing the doctrines, duct of those who have received it, and relying on the promises of the through all changes to the end of life. gospel, as abundantly satisfy them, We are but little acquainted with that the Lord is faithful to his word, the real character and secret conand that he both comforts and sanc-duct of each other, except in the tifies his people by the Truth. But most intimate relations and connumbers deceive themselves by a nexions; and in populous cities this counterfeit experience. They have is peculiarly the case. We see men been alarmed, have changed the attend on public ordinances, we hear ground of their confidence, have had from them, in occasional conversatheir imaginations heated and dé- tion, the language of believers, and lighted by impressions and visionary we know nothing concerning them representations: they have recol- inconsistent with these appearances. lected the promises of the gospel, It is our duty to love the brethren, as if spoken to them with peculiar and to speak comfortably to them. appropriation, to certify them that Charity hopeth all things and thinktheir sins were forgiven: and having eth no evil: we therefore behave seen and heard such wonderful to such men as brethren; and this things, they think they must no circumstance helps many to deceive more doubt of their adoption into themselves. The self-flattery of the the family of God. They have also human heart is inconceivable, and frequently heard all experience pro- its effects prodigious: so that numfanely ridiculed as enthusiasm; and bers put the candid opinion of mithis betrays them into the opposite nisters or Christians, who scarcely extreme, so that they are embolden- know any thing of them, in countered to despise every caution, as the poise to the accusations of their own result of enmity to internal religion; conscience, respecting many secret and to act as if there were no delu- sins which they habitually commit.

:

They even persuade themselves that becomes an unquiet inmate, unless these allowed crimes are of the same some way be taken to silence its renature with the infirmities, which monstrances. Various methods have believers humbly confess and de- therefore been adopted of reconciling plore and thus they maintain a a worldly life with the hope of future confidence in direct opposition to happiness: and self-flattery, which Scripture, and call it faith; nay, palliates a man's vices and enhances they deem this a high attainment, the value of bis supposed virtues, is and "hope against hope," in a sense, a powerful coadjutor in this atwith which neither Abraham nor tempt. But among these plans perPaul were at all acquainted. haps no one is so cheap and conveMistaken notions of liberty like-nient, as bearing and assenting to wise lead men into fatal delusions: the gospel; if a man be able to perfor instead of deeming the service suade himself, that such a faith will of God perfect freedom, and seeking save him. This requires less troudeliverance from the yoke of sin and ble and self-denial, than any other Satan, from love of the world and system: while it helps him to asfrom the fear of man; they imagine cribe that decency of conduct, which liberty to consist in living according secular motives impose, to his reto their own inclinations, without ligious opinions; and to deem all remorse of conscience or dread of his omissions and transgressions, consequences; just as numbers can defects, which are common to beform no idea of civil liberty, unless lievers. A superficial hearer of the they be allowed to indulge their word may thus easily suppose, that selfish passions without restraint. he is in the way of salvation, while When therefore we exhort them to he lives in habitual disobedience to submit to the easy yoke of Christ, the known commandments of God: and to serve him in holy obedience; and when the faithful address of a they exclaim that this is legal, and minister shakes this vain confidence; leads them into bondage: and they the man may be seduced to charge choose such teachers as "promise the blame on the doctrine, and to them liberty, while they themselves shrink from conviction by going to are the slaves of corruption." These those places, where smoother and are a few of the innumerable ways, more comfortable things are spoken. in which men deceive themselves,-Could we therefore witness all by hearing the word of truth with- that passes in the retirement, the out reducing it to practice. family, and the dealings of those,

These are the sources of this evil,

But whence arises this fatal pro- who after a time forsake our mipensity to self-deception, in a mat-nistry, we should perhaps not be at ter of infinite importance? Our Lord all surprised at losing them; though answered this question, when he we must grieve to discover such said, "Every one that doeth evil, awful self-deception. hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be which will certainly terminate in reproved." The human heart is everlasting ruin, unless it be preprone to idolize the world, and to viously discovered and remedied. seek happiness in the enjoyment of it; and is averse to a life of practical godliness. But when a man is at all acquainted with the doctrines of the Bible, his conscience Scripture.

IV. Then we consider the contrast here stated between the mere hearer, and the practical student of

The word of God, that perfect his need of the mercy and grace law of liberty, through which the proposed in the gospel. By persebeliever is freed from bondage and vering in this course of self-examicondemnation, is compared by the nation, without being offended by apostle to a mirror; in which a man the discoveries he makes; he will beholds the reflection of his person, speedily understand that he ought and by which he may adjust every to humble himself before God, for thing in his appearance after the sins more numerous than the hairs most becoming manner. The mere of his head: and experience will hearer resembles one, who gives a convince him, that he can neither transient look in this mirror; but atone for the least of his former taking little notice of his appear- transgressions, nor answer the rightance, and bestowing no pains to eous demands of the divine law; alter any thing in his attire, "he nay, that he cannot truly repent, goes his way, and straightway for- except by the promised assistance getteth what manner of man he was." of the Holy Spirit. His daily efforts -Thus many give a slight attention will bring him more and more acto the truth, and get a transient quainted with his sins of omission glimpse of their own state and cha- and commission, the defilements of racter: but they dislike the morti- his duties, the hidden evils of his fying discovery, are uneasy under heart, the strength of his depraved the fleeting conviction, and have no propensities, and the power of hainclination for that repentance and bits and temptations. These things conversion to which the Scripture will render him weary of attempting calls them. They therefore try to to "establish his own righteousbelieve, that approbation and assent ness," or to change his own nature. may suffice, and that the gospel does He will now be capable of undernot require practice. They go and standing the words of the apostle : plunge themselves into business or" By the works of the law shall no pleasure, and soon forget their con- flesh be justified in the sight of God, victions: and thus remain ignorant for by the law is the knowledge of of their accumulated guilt and urgent sin." The publican's prayer, "God danger, and strangers to regenera-be merciful to me a sinner," he will tion, reconciliation to God, the life now most cordially adopt; and the of faith, the sweet obedience of love, nature, glory, and preciousness of and all those things that accompany the free salvation revealed in the salvation. gospel will be more and more unOn the other hand, the man who folded to his view. Thus he will steadfastly looks into the Scriptures, learn with increasing simplicity to comparing all his conduct past and plead the name of Christ in genuine present, and even his thoughts, faith; to come to the Father by affections, tempers, motives, and him, and to rely solely on his rightwords, with the holy law; who thus eousness, redemption, and medialearns his whole duty to God and tion, for acceptance and eternal life. his neighbour, according to all his In this manner the practical stuvarious relations and obligations; dent of Scripture, being justified by and who continues daily considering faith, and having peace with God his ways, and contemplating him- through our Lord Jesus Christ, will self in this faithful mirror; will soon make still further progress in the become acquainted with his own divine life. The convincing and enheart and character, and perceive lightening influences of the Holy