indeed. But he that will bite and take a taste, shall easily judge be twixt the sour bitterness of the one and the sweet savouriness of the other. And as the true Christian man, in thankfulness of his heart, for the redemption of his soul, purchased by Christ's death, sheweth kindly by the fruit of his faith, his obedience to God: so the other, as a merchant with God, doth all for his own gain, thinking to win heaven by the merit of his works, and so defaceth and obscureth the price of Christ's blood, who only wrought our purgation. "The meaning, then, of these sayings in the Scriptures and other holy writings: Alms-deeds do wash away our sins; and, Mercy to the poor, doth blot out our offences, is, that we, doing these things ac cording to God's will and our duty, have our sins indeed washed away, and our offences blotted out: not for the worthiness of them, but by the grace of God which worketh all in all, and that for the promise that God hath made to them that are obedient unto his commandment, that he which is the truth, might be justified in performing the truth due to his true promise. Alms-deeds do wash away our sins, because God doth vouchsafe then to repute us as clean and pure, when we do them for his sake, and not because they deserve or merit our purging, or for that they have any such strength and virtue in themselves.pmod 2 "I know that some men, tuo much addict to the advancing of their works, will not be con tented with this answer; and no marvel, for such men can no answer content or suffice. Wherefore, leaving them to their own wilful sense, we will rather have regard to the reasonable and godly, who, as they most certainly know and persuade themselves, that all good ness, all bounty, all mercies, all be nefits, all forgiveness of sins, and whatsoever can be named good and profitable, either for the body or for the soul, do come only of God's f 1 mercy and mere favour, and no of themselves; so, though they do never so many and so excellent good deeds, yet they are never puff ed up with the vain confidence of them. And though they hear and read in God's word, and other-where. in godly men's works, that almsdeeds, mercy, and charitableness, doth wash away sin, and blot out iniquity; yet do they not arrogantly stick and trust unto them, or brag themselves of them, as the proud pharisee did, lest with the pharisee they should be condemned: but rather, with the humble and poor publican, confess themselves sinful wretches, unworthy to look up to heaven, calling and craving for mercy, that with the publican they may be pronounced of Christ to be justified. The godly do learn that when the Scriptures say, that by good and merciful works we are reconciled to God's favour: we are: taught then to know what Christ by his intercession and mediation obtaineth for us of his Father, when we be obedient to his will; yea, they learn in such manner of speak ing a comfortable argument of God's singular favour and love, that attributeth that unto us and to our doings, that he by his Spirit worketh in us, and through his grace pro cureth for us. And yet this notwithstanding, they cry out with St Paul, O wretches that we are! and acknowledge, (as Christ teacheth), that when they have all done, they are but unprofitable servants: and with the blessed King David, in respect of the just judgments of God, they do tremble and say, Who shall be able to abide it, Lord, if thou wilt give sentence according to our deserts? Thus they humble themselves, and are exalted of God; they count themselves vile, and of God are, counted pure and clean; they con demn themselves, and are justified of God; they think themselves unworthy of the earth, and of God are thought worthy of heaven. Thus by God's word are they truly taught how to think rightly of mer 3 ciful dealing of alms: and, of God's especial mercy and goodness, are made partakers of those fruits that his word hath promised." 1074 to I have only to add, Mr. Editor, that I greatly rejoice in the efforts which are now made to bring the too-long-neglected Homilies of our Church once more into public no tice. They were greatly prized by the good in days of yore; they contributed much to rescue this nation from the thick darkness of popish infidelity; they form, with our Articles and admirable Liturgy, a rallying point, of which, I trust, the friends of vital religion will not neglect to avail themselves. I may, perhaps, be too sanguine; but I am willing to cherish a hope that, by God's blessing upon the general distribution of the Scriptures, Homilies, Articles, and Liturgy, the time may yet be seen, by our children if not by ourselves, when the doctrines of the Reformation shall be faithfully preached by a large majority of the ministers of our Established Church. Such, sir, is the sincere prayer, of your constant reader, ལྡན་ལ་ ོམ་ 16 FAMILY SERMONS. No. LXXI. Psalm xix. 12. Cleanse thou me from secret faults. THE word secret, as applied to faults, may have two meanings; it may imply either those sins which are concealed from the knowledge of the world, or those which escape our own notice. I apprehend, that the latter is the sense intended in my text, because it better accords with the context; Who can understand his errors? Cleanse thou me from secret faults." That is, who can ascertain the number of his offences? They are so frequently committed, that they escape our observation, Cleanse thou me, therefore, O God, from these undiscovered faults. If 90 See First and Second Annual Reports of the Prayer book and Homily Societyd vino tun (bway bae anaong of wait we construe the sentence by a re ference to the words which follow it, secret sins will stand distinguished from those which are presumptuous. The prayer of the Psalmist, therefore, seems to be; Cleanse me from (the guilt of) those numerons sins which I commit through inadvertence, and keep me back also from wilful and deliberate transgression against thee. Behold the picture of genuine humility! While pride is recounting her virtues, extolling their greatness, and overrating their number; the eye of the lowly man is fixed upon his defects, and he is disposed to believe himself more imperfect and corrupt than he can distinctly perceive himself to be. " Cleanse thou me from my secret faults."/> To this state of mind every real Christian will be brought. Close self-examination and subsequent reflections will discover to him so much evil, which when committing it he did not suspect, that he will centertain an habitual jealousy of himself. How different is the opinion of themselves, formed by the best and the worst men! The best are often deeply dejected on account of their faults. The worst are prone to~ exculpate themselves, and are the last to feel any tenderness of conscience. A person's guilt is, therefore, by no means to be measured by his sense of it. D. Various causes contribute to con(ceal from a man his faults. They may be said, generally, to be a defect of knowledge, and a want of a right disposition of mind, l Many sin against God without being conscious of it. But here, an objection will be surged. It will be asked, How can a man be said to sin, when he is not aware of it? Sin is the transgression of a law; but the law should be known, in order that the guilt may altach: you cannot blame a person for doing that which he did not know that he was forbid to dos?" I answer; thats where ignorance is unavoid-able, there sin may be excumble. stai dangt slit 2017 to eluɔmy da allow, But a man who would avail him 1 nothing. Here, then, the disposi→ tion of mind communicates, guilt to the sins of ignorance. He that would avail himself of the pleal of ignorance, should be able to say, If I had known the law, I would have observed it; I would have made any sacrifices for the sake of obeying it; I had the disposition to keep it, and my breach of it was occasioned only by unavoidable ig norance. Then, indeed, the plea would be good. But we should ask ourselves such questions as the following:Has my conduct been upright, in those points which have been known? If I did not know the law of God, why did I not know it? Might I not at least have known it better if I had desired to do so? And does not the want of that desire imply a criminal disposition God has sent us his word; but if we will not read it, will not attentively and studiously consider its demands and its prohibitions, we are surely as guilty, when we violate its precepts, as if we had distinctly known them. Who then can shelter himself under the plea of ignorance? Who has not had a general suspicion that God required more holiness than he has practised? These reflections may afford an admonition to some persons who profess an unwillingness to learn to read, because they are afraid of increasing their kuowledge of their duty; they shew their ignorance to be voluntary, and therefore vcriminal, by the argument they use. They choose ignorance, because they do not like the law of God. They are like the wicked and slothful servant, who had indeed but one talent; but that one he hid in the ground. At the same time, however, let me remark how much is due from those whom God has blessed with good opportunities for acquiring knowledge. Their enlightened understanding, their correct judgment, their power ofureasoning their leisure for reflection, their extensive erudition, their lability to procure and read, not only 700 Family Sermons.-No. LXXI. On Psalm xix. 12. [Nov. the Word of God, but various treatises of good men upon the duties incumbent upon us; are talents put into their hands of which God will require an account. And though ignorance, where it is wilful, is no sufficient excuse for sin; yet it must be allowed, that knowledge increases responsibility; and great will be the guilt of that person who is well acquainted with every art, and conversant in very science, except ing only that in which above all others he ought to be best instruct ed, the duty which he owes to his God. con tal ban While we are, perhaps, flattering our pride with the hope of of having done every thing right, we may baye deceived ourselves in the idea of right., Positive sins are apt to be the only ones which we notice. The want of right dispositions, is often a subject little considered. A person may retire calmly to rest at night, thanking God that he has during the day been guilty of no act of injustice or violence, and applauding himself for his virtues. But has he, therefore, no guilt to answer for? Examine the long ca ca talogue of Christian tempers which he has neglected to cultivate, and he will have much more reason to adopt the cry of the publican, "God be merciful to me a sinner!" Has he, for instance, been influenced by a prevailing desire to glorify God, oc by an inclination to gratify himself! Has he been anxious to live as rational creature, formed by God for his service? Has he been taking care of his soul, labouring to improve himself in virtue, and to grow in grace and in the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ? Has his $ Zeal for God made him labour to promote the cause of God in the world, to discountenance sin, and to encourage godliness? Has he felt a due compassion for the wants and miseries of his fellow-sinners, a su preme love to God, and an earnest desire to be conformed to the image of Christ? Have a lively faith, humble hope, a holy joy, been in exercise throughout the day? Alas! nothing of this was thought of, or expected, or desired. Yet surely, these affections are proper and right. They glorify God, they become his creatures, they are worthy of his Gospel, and naturally result from due reception of it. To be without them, therefore, is to be so far deficient and criminal,26 Alas! what a fund of unknown iniquity. is here brought to light, "Who can understand his errors" his deviar, tions from the Law of God: his de ficiencies when compared with the standard of true righteousness? 2. One principal cause that our sins are so much concealed from our view, is, that we form our standard of what is right, not from the pure and holy law of God, but from the general opinion of our fellow-sinners. The custom of the world is our guide. The standard of right and wrong which it generally adopts, is our Scripture, But how many depraved principles, pernicious habits, evil passions, and sinful indulgences, are not only permitted, but even countenanced, by the too-general practice of mankind. Only gross sins, and those which tend to disturb the peace of society, are scandalous; not those which dishonour God. Thus, a person is expelled from society if suspected of pilfering the value of a single shilling but he who is guilty of habitual irreverence towards God and contempt of him, a crime as much exceeding in guilt that first mentioned, as God is more worthy than man; may be received every where with a smile. What a corrupt standard is here set up! How perverted the judgment which establishes this rule! Yet many have little or no perception of right and wrong but this; and do not troubles themselves to obtain any other But our defective or false standard, cannot alter the nature of things. If we call darkness light, and light darkness, we do not make them so. What a view of our secret pins here opens itself to our view! ། are governed by covetousness, selfishiness, or ambition, and yet never consider themselves as doing wrong. What reason have we to pray, Cleanse thou me from my secret faults!"" And let not these be thought ex travagances and refinements in re ligion, to be little expected in practice. Unless we have these dispo-Who can understand his errors?" sitions, we must be Christians of a very different kind from the Apostles and the first converts, and we shall have little taste for their writings. Some there are Oh that they were "more numerous!who are endeavouring thus to be what the Gospel requires; and if not in the measure they wish, yet this is still their desire and aim: nor are they satisfied, much less do they applaud themselves, while they fall short of it. Hence there is in them that sin cere humility, that earnest confes sion of sin, that joy in the hope of pardon through Christ, and that watchful jealousy of themselves, which are among the characteristics of a real Christian. In all these cases, it is not any obscurity in the law of God, or want of capacity to understand it, which prevents the knowledge of our sinfulness. Our disposition is in fault. Love of sin is the root of all the error. An inclination to sin produces self-flattery; it blinds the eyes, and perverts the judgment; it disposes us to explain away the baseness of our transgressions, disguises them under smooth names, and even exalts them into virtues. Hence also proceed 'inconsideration, and inattention to what passes within. We do not sit down to examine our motives, to survey our actions, and trace them to their principles. Evil passions possess our breasts, and evil actions follow; but both the one and the other pass unnoticed by us. Nor is this all. We are often under the influence of desires and tempers positively evil, without knowing it. Such is the deceitful ness of sin, and of our hearts, that we do not always see the connection between an action and the In every study, diligence is neprinciple which produced it. Many cessary to success; but the study a word is spoken and many a deed of our own hearts and the pursuit performed under the influence of of holiness are left to chance. The pride, vanity, covetousness, or an- conscience of one thus indifferent to ger, which are by no means sus- his own progress in goodness bepected to arise from these corrupt comes callous. It gives him no sources. The same actions may re- pain. The very monitor, implanted sult from a good principle, and to by God to warn him of evil, para that good principle self-love attri- takes of the corruption, and suffers butes them. "Relief the poor may be administered either through ostentation or benevolence. The public worship of God may be attended either through vanity or devotion. A bad action may be censured from dislike either of the person who committed it or of the sin. And though some distinctions of this kind may be broad and gla ring, yet so intricate are the wind ings of the human heart that great caution, and even much jealousy of ourselves, are necessary to detect the secret and subtle error. There are persons, who through their lives' CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 155. si? days and weeks of sin to pass over without any friendly notice. That false complaisance which prevails in the world conspires to conceal from each of us our vices. Thus selflove within, and flattery without ; blindness in the understanding, and corruption in the heart; erroneous conceptions of the nature of sin, and indisposition to examine our hearts; inconsideration, and insene sibility of conscience, so effectually conceal from the transgressor the evil of his life, that he not only does not understand his errors, but is puffed up with pride, and thinks 1.14% |