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possible-which endeavours will mercifully be accepted for the sake of Christ, instead of faultless obedience. The Tenth Commandment, more perhaps than either of the others, convinces men of the real corruption of their nature, and of their disability to keep the pure and perfect law of God; humbles them under the sense of their liability to condemnation and eternal punishment; leads them. to prayer for the aids of grace; and drives them to have recourse to the merits and mediation of Christ the Saviour, to cover their defects and blot out their sins.

§ 7. In judging of the comparative guilt of different transgressions of the law, though they be all sinful and deserving of punishment, as committed against the will and majesty of God and against the happiness of man, yet we must consider that they are not all equally grievous, nor equally atrocious in the sight either of man or of God. They are not to be viewed in the same light, as to enormity, whether the advantages and consequent responsibility of the persons offending be great, or whether they be less, on account of age, experience, profession, or eminence in rank or qualifications; - whether the offence be committed against the Divine Majesty or less exalted authority-against superiors, equals, or inferiors of our own race;-whether the offence be in itself against a clear and positive command, against light, knowledge, conviction, warning, and conscience, or against a less obvious precept, in ignorance or heedlessness;-whether it consist in overt-act more or less displeasing to God and injurious to man, or in secret thoughts, inclinations, and designs, which are not carried into execution;-whether it be premedi

tated, wilful, presumptuous, and habitual, or the consequence of surprise and temptation, reluctantly committed, and unfrequent;-whether times and places which ought especially to be respected are violated by it, or no particular aggravation of this sort is to be imputed ;-whether it be perpetrated in public, tending to bring scandal on religion, and to setting of bad example to others, or it be in private and not so likely to injure others by contamination or by leading them into the same evil through the excuse of precedent or fashion ;—whether it be immediately or remotely injurious to others, or it be confined in its consequences to the perpetrator.

§ 8. Still it is to be remembered, that every transgression of the law, however qualified by extenuating circumstances, whether secret or presumptuous, is sin against God; and that the wages of sin is death. Every infraction of the Decalogue, either of its letter or its spirit, subjects the violator to the divine wrath, and incurs the liability to eternal punishment. But, though all sin be in its nature worthy of condemnation to eternal death, inasmuch as it is an offence against the majesty of Jehovah; all sin, except that "against the Holy Ghost," is at the same time capable of pardon, upon sincere repentance, and application to the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ. Even the most minute wilful deviation from the Gospel rule, in deed, word, or thought, must be repented of in order to be forgiven; and upon such repentance as is manifested by external amendment and conversion of the heart and soul to God, all transgressions, however flagrant, however subversive of the love of God above all things, and of our neighbour as ourselves, shall as

suredly find mercy, and remission at the throne of grace, through the prevailing intercession of our great High Priest, who ever pleads the merits of his own atoning sacrifice for all, for the chief of sinners, who come to him with faith, contrition, and a sincere desire to be delivered from the dominion, as well as from the punishment of sin. It is necessary, also, to discriminate between sins which are mortal and sins which are venial; that is, between those which grieve and quench the Spirit bestowed on regeneration, and, if not repented of, subject the offender to eternal punishment, and those which remain in the regenerate and do not cause a fall from grace. Wilful sin against faith and conscience is mortal, for in this case sin reigneth unto death;-but the guilt of original sin is remitted, and natural corruption, if it be resisted and mortified through the Spirit, is pardoned, to those who are reconciled to God by the death of his Son. If sin therefore do not reign in our bodies to fulfil the lusts of the flesh, it is venial.

From Scripture.

SECTION I.

1 Matt. xix. 16-19. And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. (Exod. xx. 17.) Deut. v. 21. Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour's house, his field, or his man-servant, or his maid-servant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is his. Heb. iv. 12. For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Matt. v. 20-22. For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of God. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill, shall be in danger of the judgement. But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but, whosoever shall say, Thou fool,

shall be in danger of hell-fire. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery : but I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee; for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee, that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. Matt. xv. 18, 19. But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart, proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. Matt. v. 48. Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. 2 Cor. vii. 1. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us eleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Jam. iv. 1—5. 8. From whence come wars and fightings among you? Come they not hence, even of your lusts which war in your members? Ye lust, and have not; ye kill, and desire to bave, and cannot obtain; ye fight, and war, and yet ye have not, because ye ask not: Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it on your lusts. Ye adulterers, and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world, is the enemy of God. Do you think that the Scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us, lusteth to envy? Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Rom. vi. 6—8. 14. 21–24. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with

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