Searcher of hearts: and yet the ability to attain this perfection for ever absent, knowing that "the law is spiritual, but that I am carnal, sold under sin.”a "To will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good I find not. The good that I would, that I do not, but the evil which I would not, that I do."

But let me pursue this.

My thoughts:-Have they been pure? have they been holy? Have they been such, that I can exclaim with any confidence to God, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts?" Or have I not rather been one of those ungodly, who are so proud that they care not for God, neither "is God in all their thoughts." My desires, the imaginations of my heart, have they been invariably towards God, or have they not rather been only "evil continually?" Have I done as the apostle has bidden me," cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ!" Or, again, "Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, what

soever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

Have I done so? No! I would not even in thought be justified by the works of the

law.

My words: Have they been pure? Have they been temperate? Have they been holy? That noble gift of language, by which God has elevated man above the brute creation, how have I employed it? Too frequently have I forgotten His praise, who gave it. Too frequently have my words been careless and inconsiderate, sometimes unchaste and foul, sometimes deceitful and blasphemous.

Yet what saith the will of God, "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." "If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain." "For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile." But above all, our blessed Lord himself has told me, "Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof at the day of judgment; for by thy words thou shalt be justi

C

d

Eph. iv. 29. James i. 26. 1 Pet. iii. x.

fied, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned."a

How then shall I dare to be justified by the works of the law!

My actions-Is my duty towards God in worship and praise-Is my duty towards man in charity, and doing to others as I would they should do to me-Is my duty to myself in temperance and chastity—Are these things so easy, so invariable, of such every day attainment, that I can contemplate any probable success, any likelihood of pleasing God? Have I "followed after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness." Have I stood in any one deed, "perfect and complete in all the will of God?"e Have I "abhorred that which is evil, and cleaved to that which is good?" O no!

Then when I cast my mind back upon these things, and when that I meditate "in the night watches, and commune with mine own heart in my chamber, and am still," with what fear and trembling, what perplexity of thought, what care of spirit, must I contemplate the chance of my soul's sal

vation?

If it be true that "Our God is a consuming fire," for so says the law. If it be

true that "The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ;" and that "they shall shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord."a For so says the gospel. Wherein shall I stand?

When I dwell on these fearful things; when I know the extreme penalty demanded, that God's justice must be satisfied, that punishment must be suffered; when I know that "whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."

Then what is my state?

Why am I created? Why am I cast in this terrible condition, the heir of a curse most deadly? "delighting in the law of God after the inward man, but seeing another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin."c What shall I do? Whither shall I turn?

How can I but exclaim : "O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body

of this death?"a

b

a 2 Thess. i. 7.
Rom. vii. 23.

James ii. 10.

d Rom. vii. 24.

THE REMEDY.

"But why art thou cast down, O my soul, and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God."a

I know that "the law was given by Moses," but I know also that "grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." I behold" Abraham who believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness;" for "the promise that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith." "Therefore, it is of faith, that it might be of grace, to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed, not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all."d

Now, this promise of God to justify by faith, precedes the wrath of God, by which he threatens to condemn by the law; and surely "the covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect."

Then why did God give any law at all? Where was the necessity of God's appearing a severe task-master, and an avenging ma