appear to me to rise with irresistible force out of the subject。
On the one hand； I ask my readers to observe what deep reasons we all
have for humiliation and self…abasement。 Let us sit down before the
picture of sin displayed to us in the Bible； and consider what guilty；
vile； corrupt creatures we all are in the sight of God。 What need we
all have of that entire change of heart called regeneration； new birth；
or conversion！ What a mass of infirmity and imperfection cleaves to the
very best of us at our very best！ What a solemn thought it is； that
〃without holiness no man shall see the Lord！〃 （Heb。 xii。 14。） What
cause we have to cry with the publican； every night in our lives； when
we think of our sins of omission as well as mission； 〃God be
merciful to me a sinner！〃 （Luke xviii。 13。） How admirably suited are
the general and munion Confessions of the Prayer…book to the actual
condition of all professing Christians！ How well that language suits
God's children which the Prayer…book puts in the mouth of every
Churchman before he goes up to the munion Table〃The remembrance of
our misdoings is grievous unto us； the burden is intolerable。 Have
mercy upon us； have mercy upon us； most merciful Father； for Thy Son
our Lord Jesus Christ's sake； forgive us all that is past。〃 How true it
is that the holiest saint is in himself a miserable sinner；〃 and a
debtor to mercy and grace to the last moment of his existence！
With my whole heart I subscribe to that passage in Hooker's sermon on
Justification； which begins； 〃Let the holiest and best things we do be
considered。 We are never better affected unto God than when we pray；
yet when we pray； how are our affections many times distracted！ How
little reverence do we show unto the grand majesty of God unto whom we
speak。 How little remorse of our own miseries！ How little taste of the
sweet influence of His tender mercies do we feel！ Are we not as
unwilling many times to begin； and as glad to make an end； as if in
saying； Call upon Me；' He had set us a very burdensome task？ It may
seem somewhat extreme； which I will speak； therefore； let every one
judge of it； even as his own heart shall tell him； and not otherwise； I
will but only make a demand！ If God should yield unto us； not as unto
AbrahamIf fifty； forty； thirty； twentyyea； or if ten good persons
could be found in a city； for their sakes this city should not be
destroyed； but； and if He should make us an offer thus large； search
all the generations of men since the fall of our father Adam； find one
man that hath done one action which hath passed from him pure； without
any stain or blemish at all； and for that one man's only action neither
man nor angel should feel the torments which are prepared for both。 Do
you think that this ransom to deliver men and angels could be found to
be among the sons of men？ The best things which we do have somewhat in
them to be pardoned。〃 ＇4＇
That witness is true。 For my part I am persuaded the more light we
have； the more we see our own sinfulness： the nearer we get to heaven；
the more we are clothed with humility。 In every age of the Church you
will find it true； if you will study biographies； that the most eminent
saintsmen like Bradford； Rutherford； and McCheynehave always been
the humblest men。
On the other hand； I ask my readers to observe how deeply thankful we
ought to be for the glorious Gospel of the grace of God。 There is a
remedy revealed for man's need； as wide and broad and deep as man's
disease。 We need not be afraid to look at sin； and study its nature；
origin； power； extent； and vileness； if we only look at the same time
at the Almighty medicine provided for us in the salvation that is in
Jesus Christ。 Though sin has abounded； grace has much more abounded。
Yes： in the everlasting covenant of redemption； to which Father； Son；
and Holy Ghost are partiesin the Mediator of that covenant； Jesus
Christ the righteous； perfect God and perfect Man in one Personin the
work that He did by dying for our sins and rising again for our
justificationin the offices that He fills as our Priest； Substitute；
Physician； Shepherd； and Advocatein the precious blood He shed which
can cleanse from all sinin the everlasting righteousness that He
brought inin the perpetual intercession that He carries on as our
Representative at God's right handin His power to save to the
uttermost the chief of sinners； His willingness to receive and pardon
the vilest； His readiness to bear with the weakestin the grace of the
Holy Spirit which He plants in the hearts of all His people； renewing；
sanctifying and causing old things to pass away and all things to
bee newin all thisand oh； what a brief sketch it is！in all
this； I say； there is a full； perfect； and plete medicine for the
hideous disease of sin。 Awful and tremendous as the right view of sin
undoubtedly is； no one need faint and despair if he will take a right
view of Jesus Christ at the same time。 No wonder that old Flavel ends
many a chapter of his admirable 〃Fountain of Life〃 with the touching
words； 〃Blessed be God for Jesus Christ。〃
In bringing this mighty subject to a close； I feel that I have only
touched the surface of it。 It is one which cannot be thoroughly handled
in a paper like this。 He that would see it treated fully and
exhaustively must turn to such masters of experimental theology as
Owen； and Burgess； and Manton； and Charnock； and the other giants of
the Puritan school。 On subjects like this there are no writers to be
pared to the Puritans。 It only remains for me to point out some
practical uses to which the whole doctrine of sin may be profitably
turned in the present day。
（a） I say； then； in the first place； that a Scriptural view of sin is
one of the best antidotes to that vague； dim； misty； hazy kind of
theology which is so painfully current in the present age。 It is vain
to shut our eyes to the fact that there is a vast quantity of so…called
Christianity now…a…days which you cannot declare positively unsound；
but which； nevertheless； is not full measure； good weight； and sixteen
ounces to the pound。 It is a Christianity in which there is undeniably
〃something about Christ； and something about grace； and something about
faith； and something about repentance； and something about holiness〃；
but it is not the real 〃thing as it is〃 in the Bible。 Things are out of
place； and out of proportion。 As old Latimer would have said； it is a
kind of 〃mingle…mangle；〃 and does no good。 It neither exercises
influence on daily conduct； nor forts in life； nor gives peace in
death； and those who hold it often awake too late to find that they
have got nothing solid under their feet。 Now I believe the likeliest
way to cure and mend this defective kind of religion is to bring
forward more prominently the old Scriptural truth about the sinfulness
of sin。 People will never set their faces decidedly towards heaven； and
live like pilgrims； until they really feel that they are in danger of
hell。 Let us all try to revive the old teaching about sin； in
nurseries； in schools； in training colleges； in Universities。 Let us
not forget that 〃the law is good if we use it lawfully；〃 and that *' by
the law is the knowledge of sin。〃 （1 Tim。 i。 8； Rom。 iii。 20； vii。 7。）
Let us bring the law to the front and press it on men's attention。 Let
us expound and beat out the Ten mandments； and show the length； and
breadth； and depth； and height of their requirements。 This is the way
of our Lord in the Sermon on the Mount。 We cannot do better than follow
His plan。 We may depend upon it； men will never e to Jesus； and stay
with Jesus； and live for Jesus； unless they really know why they are to
e； and what is their need。 Those whom the Spirit draws to Jesus are
those whom the Spirit has convinced of sin。 Without thorough conviction
of sin； men may seem to e to Jesus and follow Him for a season； but
they will soon fall away and return to the world。
（b） In the next place； a Scriptural view of sin is one of the best
antidotes to the extravagantly broad and liberal theology which is so
much in vogue at the present time。 The tendency of modern thought is to
reject dogmas； creeds； and every kind of bounds in religion。 It is
thought grand and wise to condemn no opinion whatsoever； and to
pronounce all earnest and clever teachers to be trustworthy； however
heterogeneous and mutually destructive their opinions may
be。Everything forsooth is true； and nothing is false！ Everybody is
right； and nobody is wrong！ Everybody is likely to be saved； and nobody
is to be lost！The Atonement and Substitution of Christ； the
personality of the devil； the miraculous element in Scripture； the
reality and eternity of future punishment； all these mighty
foundation…stones are coolly tossed overboard； like lumber； in order to
lighten the ship of Christianity； and enable it to keep pace with
modern science。Stand up for these great verities； and you are called
narrow； illiberal； old…fashioned； and a theological fossil！ Quote a
text； and you are told that all truth is not confined to the pages of
an ancient Jewish Book； and that free inquiry has found out many things
since the Book was pleted！Now； I know nothing so likely to
counteract this modern plague as constant clear statements about the
nature； reality； vileness； power； and guilt of sin。 We must charge home
into the consciences of these men of broad views； and demand a plain
answer to some plain questions。 We must ask them to lay their hands on
their hearts； and tell us whether their favourite opinions fort them
in the day of sickness； in the hour of death； by the bedside of dying
parents； by the grave of beloved wife or child。 We must ask them
whether a vague earnestness； without definite doctrine； gives them
p