ALL MEN CONCLUDED UNDER SIN. “

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himself with them, he supposed that his services were pure and spiritual. But he now perceived, that he' ought not to be thus satisfied; for when their religious duties and professions were brought forth to the light, and viewed in connection with thei adoration of the Seraphim, it was manifest that God might justly rejecti them with abhorrence. It was therefore more proper for him to imitate the lepers, who covered their lip, and cried, Unclean! unclean!''

These observations illustrate the apostle's declaration, "There is no difference; for all have sinned, "and come short of the glory of God," Great diversity is indeed found in the moral conduct of men ; and the Judge of the world will proportion the punishments of the wicked to the number and aggravation of their crimes; but in this one respect, there is no difference," for all have sinned." The most virtuous and religious; even they who have served the Lord from their earliest days in genuine piety, must fall down before him in deep humility; and not only confess that they have been guilty of numerous omissions, and deviations from the rule of duty, in thought, word, and deed, but that their very services have often been the fruit of polluted lips. Nor could they ever have been satisfied with them, had they not dwelt among sinners like themselves; and had their views of that glorious God whom they professed to worship been faint and confused.

Let any man carefully and impartially examine his own devotions, in the closet, in the house of God, or at the Lord's table: let him close every duty or every Sabbath, with endeavours to ascertain the degree of

III.] HUMBLED SINNERS OFTEN UNDULY DISCOURAGED

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spiritual worship, and of a corrupt mixture, which the all-seeing eye of an holy God must have witnessed in his performances; and I dare confidently foretell, that he will ere long cry out with the prophet; "We "are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteous

nesses are as filthy rags:" or in the language of the judicious Hooker, The best things that we do have something in them to be pardoned: how then can we do any thing meritorious or worthy to be rewarded? • Our continual suit to the Lord is and must be, to bear with our infirmities and pardon our offences.' Thus" the scripture concludes all under sin; that the "promise which is by Jesus Christ might be given to "them that believe '!" For these are discoveries of sinfulness, from which no man can escape, when he weighs himself in the balance of the sanctuary: są that every one is left to his choice, either to condemn the spirituality of the law and the holiness of the Lawgiver; or to submit to the righteousness of God, and to cry for mercy, saying, "Enter not into judg"ment with thy servant, O Lord, for in thy sight, "shall no man living be justified,"

Thus humiliation cannot be too deep; we cannot be too sensible of our guilt and pollution, or too entirely delivered from self-confidence. But we may easily be too much discouraged, and through despondency neglect the means of grace, and the duties of our station. Many persons, having discovered with great alarm their guilt and danger, and being convinced, by painful experience, of their inability to resist temptation or to keep their resolutions; have rushed

Gal. iii. 22.

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SACRIFICES TYPIFIED CHRIST'S ATONEMENT.

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impetuously into wickedness, impiety, or infidelity, to obtain deliverance from the reproaches of their own consciences; and probably but few are duly humbled, without passing through a measure of discouraging terrors. Even the prophet was on this occasion dise mayed, as well as laid low in self-abasement; and if seasonable encouragement had not been afforded, the very intention of the vision would have been counter. acted, and he unfitted for the arduous services to which he was called.

III. Then we consider the relief and encouragement which he received.

We are not indeed warranted to expect direct assurances by immediate revelation; yet the emblems of this vision aptly represent the way in which the convinced sinner finds peace and hope, connected with increasing humiliation.-It has been remarked, that the scene of this vision was the temple: the altar of burnt-offering was therefore full in view, on which the daily sacrifices and occasional oblations were consuming, by the fire that came down from heaven, The blood of numberless innocent animals slain in sacrifice, and their bodies consumed to ashes, that guilty men might be pardoned and blessed, were constant declarations that sinners deserved death and the fiery wrath of God in another world; and that deliverance could only be obtained by faith in the promised Redeemer," the Lamb slain from the "foundation of the world." From this altar one of the Seraphim took a live coal, and applied it to the

III.] SCRIPTURAL RELIEF TO WOUNDED CONSCIENCES. 58

prophet's lips, assuring him that his " iniquity was "taken away, and his sin purged."

No endeavours were used to comfort Isaiah by persuading him, that he thought too ill of his own character and services: no intimation was made, that the vision had bewildered his mind, and inspired groundless alarms. On the contrary, the heavenly Messenger of peace seemed to allow that " he was a "man of polluted lips," and that his present judgment of himself was according to truth: but he assured him, that his guilt was removed by the atoning sacrifices, and by faith in the typified Redeemer. When Simon the Pharisee disdained the weeping penitent, who washed our Lord's feet with her tears, he did not vindicate her character or palliate her guilt; but graciously noticing her repentance, faith, and love, he declared, that her sins which were many were far

given." This is the uniform method of scripture: but numbers endeavour to encourage trembling sinners, by arguing them into a more favourable opinion of themselves, or by pointing out certain good actions or qualities, which may counterbalance their offences. Such are physicians of no value. They administer fatal opiates to the lethargic, when they have been in a measure awakened: and they prolong the distress of 'the contrite and poor in spirit. No man is terrified merely by the opinion that his sins are numerous and heinous; but through unbelief, ignorance, or confused notions of the divine mercy, and of the blessed gospel of God our Saviour. These are therefore the subjects, on which we should principally insist, if we would bring the distressed in conscience to permanent comfort

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HOLY COMFORT BY THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST

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and stable peace. "Faith comes by hearing:" and while we point out "the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world," we do our part to apply "the live coal from the altar" to the trembling sinner's lips. For when a man is brought to seek encouragement, not from himself or any of his services, but from the infinite mercies of God, through the atoning blood of Christ; and to perceive the Saviour's power and willingness "to save unto the uttermost "all that come to God through him:" he will soon rise superior to his desponding fears, and possess "a good hope through grace," that his "sins though

many are forgiven;" or at least, that his iniquity will at length be purged away.

But whoever may be the messenger of peace to the broken in heart, the holy Spirit is the author and giver of this blessing. "When the Comforter is come," saith our Lord," he shall convince the world of sin:" and," He shall glorify me; for he shall receive of "mine and shall show it unto you'." When humiliating convictions have prepared the heart to welcome a free salvation, the divine Comforter enables the sinner to see the glory of God, and the harmony of his attributes, in the person and redemption of Christ: thus he finds peace and joy in believing, and at length "abounds in hope by the power of the holy Ghost!" This consolation is the effect of regenerating grace, and accompanied by a new creation of the soul to holiness. The faith that justifies is living and active : it works by love of God and man; purifies the heart, and overcomes the world; and thus renders the

John, xvi. 8-15.