where his honour dwelleth, and who come here as an holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God, through Jesus Christ; to you, I need only say, pray for a more thankful heart for the privileges you enjoy, remember the promise, Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.'

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Enter, then, into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise; and may he, whose presence blessed the chamber where the disciples were assembled secretly for fear of the Jews, be with us here, and meet and bless all the true worshippers, who worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth.

SERMON IX.

PREACHED NOVEMBER 9, 1828.

1 JOHN, i. 9.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteous

ness.

THE feelings of " a broken and a contrite heart" can scarcely be expressed in stronger language than we have all used this day; and if these expressions be indeed, the language of our hearts, blessed are we; for God has declared, "Unto this man will I look, even to him that is of a contrite and humble spirit, and that trembleth at my word:" and "Thus saith the High and Lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to

revive the heart of the contrite ones." "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted."

But, my friends, is it indeed so with us? Does this spirit of contrition pervade this congregation of professing penitents? Do we really believe what we say, when we acknowledge that "we have erred and strayed from God's ways like lost sheep?" that "we have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts?"-that "we have offended against God's holy laws?"-that "we have left undone those things which we ought to have done," and that "there is no spiritual health in our souls?"-Do we really feel ourselves "miserable sinners," while we so plaintively call for mercy on ourselves as such? What do we consider as the spiritual sorrows which we beseech our God" pitifully to behold?" Do we really feel that we "most righteously deserve those evils" from which he saves us; and in earnest beseech him not to reward us after our iniquities?-Do we, "in spirit and in truth," acknowledge and bewail "our manifold sins and wickednesses, which we from time to time have committed," in thought, word, and in deed, against God? Are we, in truth, heartily sorry for "these

our misdoings." Is "the remembrance of them grievous unto us, and the burden of them intolerable?" I fear, my friends, that many among us have rather been taught by habit to use this form of confession without considering its import, than by grace to use it as the real expression of our feelings before God. Would not the pride of nature rise in some of your breasts in indignant selfdefence, if you heard this language applied by another to your individual case? Have you not scorned the voice of conscience, or of friendship, when it would warn you of sin in terms far less severe than you here adopt? Yet, my dear friends, our church, in putting these confessions into the mouths of her children, says no more than Scripture declares of every man, and the saints of old acknowledged as their own experience. My people," saith the Lord, "have gone astray like lost sheep;" they have forgotten their resting place: - they have "turned every one their own way,' they have "sinned and come short of the glory of God;"-" from the sole of the foot even to the crown of the head there is no soundness in it, but wounds and bruises and putrifying sores."

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From Abel, whose sin-offering was

F

accepted of the Lord, down to the beloved disciple, who declares, that “ If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us," Confession is the language of every saint in Scripture, and it is also the language of every heart which now beats with love to God and man. Why is it, then, that so many, even among those who make confession with the lip, are so totally ignorant of their own guilt in the sight of God? It is because they walk in darkness, and a deceived heart is still leading them aside.

The first office of the Holy Spirit of God is to "convince of sin." He enables the sinner to view himself in the pure light of truth. He shews him the holiness of God, and enables him by contrast to see his own impurity. He shews him the love of Christ, and thereby teaches him what that love is, and convinces him of his own ingratitude. He shews him the spiritual nature of the law, and convinces him that, had his life been blameless in the eye of man, yet God had discerned the roots and principles of evil in his heart. He teaches him to try himself by "the law and by the testimony;" and there he finds that many "things which are highly esteemed