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some mixture of good with the evil?-What saith the Scripture?"every imagination of the thoughts of man's heart is only evil."

Admitting this, yet may there not be some intervals of goodness? What saith the Scripture? "every imagination of the thoughts of man's heart is only evil continually.”

If this be indeed the state of man's heart, yet may not the innocent season of youth be an exemption from this awful charge?-What saith the Scripture? "the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth," Gen. viii. 21. "The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies," Ps. lviii. 3. "Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child," Pro. xxii. 15. "Childhood and youth are vanity," Eccles. xi. 10. And, as if determined to abase the pride of fallen man, and to place the doctrine of original sin beyond dispute; David, speaking under the influence of the Spirit of truth, declares, "I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me," Ps. li. 5.

Very many apposite and important passages might be adduced, all of which attest this solemn truth of original sin. "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one," Job xiv. 4. "What is man

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that he should be clean; and he which is born of a woman that he should be righteous ?" Job xv. "How can he be clean that is born of a woman ?”

Job xxv. 4.

Hence we conclude, with divine inspiration, that we are "by nature the children of wrath," Ephes. ii. 3; that "there is none righteous, no not one,” Rom. iii. 10.

O! my soul, cavil not with thy justly offended Creator, but confess thy guilt, both original and actual. Seek for grace to lie low at his feet; and to accept with joyful heart those gracious offers of

pardon and peace, which are so freely made to thee, through the great propitiatory sacrifice of his wellbeloved Son.

The grace of God when viewed, as it always ought to be, in connexion with the wretched state of sinful man, shines like the beauteous rainbow on the darkened cloud. Its lovely hues cheer and delight the mind in the midst of surrounding gloom.

How consoling to a soul bowed down under a sense of guilt, are the following promises: "When I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee, LIVE; yea, I said unto thee, when thou wast in thy blood, LIVE," Ez. xvi. 6. Then comes the source of this mercy ;"I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee," Jer. xxxi. 3.

But how can a polluted creature be pleasing to a pure and holy God? Behold the effects of sovereign grace: "I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean; from all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you; a new heart will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh; and I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statues, and ye shall keep my judgments and do them," Ez. xxxvi. 25 to 27.

The safety and perseverance of the redeemed is sweetly declared in the following delightful promise: "I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them; that I will not turn away from them to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me," Jer. xxxii. 39-40.

Support and final success are also promised to

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the believer under all the various trials and difficulties which he may be called upon to endure in the cause of his covenant God and Saviour. "Fear not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee, with the right hand of my righteousness," Is. xli. 10. "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee: and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee: for I am the Lord thy God, the holy one of Israel, thy Saviour," Is. xliii. 2, 3.

For the present and everlasting consolation of the believer, a full and free forgiveness of all sin is graciously declared: "I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins," Is. xliii. 25. "I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and as a cloud thy sins: return unto me, for I have redeemed thee," Is. xliv. 22. "Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded, world without end," Is. xlv. 17.

me.

Well may the ransomed sinner exclaim: "O! Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away and thou comfortest Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid; for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation," Is. xii. 1, 2. "I will extol thee, my God, O! King: and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. Every day will I bless thee, and I will praise thy name for ever and ever," Ps. cxlv. 1.

"Bless the Lord, O! my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O! my soul, and forget not all his benefits: who for

giveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies," Ps. ciii. I to 4.

Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things. And blessed be his glorious name for ever. And let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen.

When I survey the human race,
And sin's deceitful windings trace,
Lord, what is man, amazed I cry,

That thou for him shouldst deign to die!

How vast the love that brought thee down,
To take affliction's thorny crown,
'Midst scoffs, the gorgeous robe to wear;
'Midst sneers, the sceptred reed to bear.

Yet, with this crown and purple robe,
Thy kingdom far exceeds the globe;
A kingdom wide as endless space,
Prepared for man through sov'reign grace.

Whilst others spurn this matchless love,
Do thou my warm affections move;
Drawn by thy sacred Spirit, Lord,
May I adore th' incarnate Word.

Then shall I live in heav'nly rest,
And die in peace, supremely blest;
Borne on some friendly seraph's wing,
The praises of my God to sing.

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VII. ON THE DECEITFULNESS OF THE HEART.

THE word of truth declares, "the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked: who can know it?" Jer. xvii. 9.

The deceitfulness of the heart is so great, that no human penetration can discover its extent, or detect its various windings.

Fully to know this hidden evil is the prerogative of Jehovah; for when the question is asked, "Who can know it?" the important answer is given, "I the Lord, search the heart and try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings."

The holy, ever blessed Trinity, three persons in one Jehovah, can alone raise man from the ruins of the fall, and restore him to holiness, happiness, and heaven.

How vain then are all attempts to renovate the old Adam. The ancient philosopher and the modern rationalist have each found their boasted efforts ineffectual, in restoring the disfigured mind of man to moral beauty.

The arts of civilization may indeed render the savage peaceable, domestic, and industrious; just as a refined education gives to the more cultivated parts of society, that vigour of mind and suavity of manner which greatly add to the enjoyment of social life. But without the sanctifying grace of God, communicated through the faithful preaching of the Gospel, the rude barbarian, though civilized, still retains his blindness respecting the true God, and all his native propensities to evil.

If we turn our eyes from the civilized heathen, to his superior in the scale of intelligence, the polished and well-educated inhabitant of a Christian country, we behold in this latter character, science,

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