awakening and conviction, things are preparing in divine providence for him to see himself entirely sinful and ill-deserving. God may, by these means, be preparing the way for his conversion; so that when it takes place, he shall feelingly say, "What hath God wrought!" But nothing can have a more direct tendency to build up men in selfrighteousness, and make them rest in something short of a real change of heart, than to tell them, while their carnal mind is unrenewed, they are growing better, and need to do but little more, before they may be assured they will find comfort. A full, and realizing belief of total depravity, will prevent our sewing these pil, lows under arm-holes. It will prevent us from healing the wounds of sinners slightly.

III. If the total depravity of all men by nature is a true doctrine, it should have a practical ef fect; it should prostrate us all in the dust before the Holy One of Israel. It is most suitable, that each one of us should cry out, "Behold I am vile, what shall I answer thee? I will lay my hand upon my mouth.-----I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." Who can number the crimes which each of us has committed? "Is not our wickedness great? and our iniquities in. finite?" If we are yet in an unrenewed state, wę have never done any thing but transgress the law of God. We have never had any regard to the glory of God, nor any disinterested regard to our fellow men, in a single action of our lives. We have lived, and still live wholly to ourselves. "When we fast" (or attend to any other reli gious duty) "do we fast at all unto him, even

unto him? and when we eat and when we drink, do we not eat for ourselves and drink for ourselves?" Zech. vii. 5, 6. Among all the years, months, weeks, days, hours and moments of life, not a year, not a month, not a week, not a day, not an hour; no, not a single moment has ever been devoted to the service of Him, who made, preserves, and feeds us; and who gave his well beloved Son to die for our sins. On the contrary, during all this time we have retained, and even cherished that carnal mind, which is enmity against God: And what heightens our criminality, and makes us appear peculiarly deserving of the pains of hell forever, is this, that we make light of our depravity, and do not think we have done evil enough to be worth regarding. "Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush:" Jer.viii. 12. It is highly provoking to God, that creatures whom he charges with being lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; and with having wholly corrupted themselves, should at the same time boast of the goodness of their lives, and even boast of the goodness of their hearts. We are full of pride and self-importance, when we ought to walk softly all our days. The Lord says, Return unto me, and I will return unto you, but, as though we had done nothing amiss, we say, "Wherein shall we return?" There is, perhaps, nothing which will more surprise such unconvinced sinners, when the scenes of eternity come to unfold, than to become acquainted with themselves. They will then feel the force of Christ's words, "Ye are of your father the devil."

that their conviction of this may not be delayed so long, lest their bands be made strong forever!

This doctrine urges saints, as well as sinners, to lie prostrate in the dust. It becomes us, my christian brethren, to remember our original. If we are now what we profess to be; yet "we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving diverse lusts and pleasures." If we are washed from these defiling sins, it is all a matter of mere grace; and we have still much cause for humiliation. It was a child of

God who said, "I have gone astray like a lost sheep;" and who also said, "Who ean understand his errors?" The sins which those who love God commit every day, especially their sins of the heart, are enough to keep them continually abased before HIM who is of purer eyes

than to behold evil.

IV. If total depravity is a true doctrine, then they, who have not been convinced of its truth, in application to themselves, have little reason to think that they are yet, in any degree, delivered from it. We may by the common influences of the Spirit be convinced, that our hearts are entirely sinful, and yet never be regenerated: but it is difficult to see, how we can be the sub. jects, not only of common, but also of regenerating influence, and still remain unconvinced of our total depravity. At the dedication of the temple, Solomon prays that God would hear his people when they should cry unto him in their distress, who should know every man the plague of his own heart. From this we conclude, that every man, whose prayers are heard, i. e. every good man, does know the plague of his own heart;

which plague of the heart, from attention to the scriptures, we have found, is total depravity, or perfect enmity against God. It is the work of the Holy Spirit, to reprove or convince of sin; and does he not convince every one whom he renews, that before this renovation, his heart is entirely destitute of holiness? If he did not convince him of this, he could not be made to feel his absolute need of the power of the Holy Ghost to renew him. Depravity has its seat in the heart, and experimental religion directly affects the heart, and has its seat there too; therefore it is difficult to see how we can be experimental christians; and yet not know that in our flesh dwelleth no good thing. We can better see how experimental christians may differ in their sentiments about the mode, and even the subjects of the ordinance of baptism; and how they may differ in their views of church government, and in their understanding of some of the prophesies, and various other things which belong to the kingdom of Christ, than we can see how they should differ on the subject of depravity. A knowledge of this is forced upon us in that conviction which precedes a change of heart; and it is more clearly and strikingly taught by the contention between nature and grace, which is kept up in the heart of the believer through the whole of his pilgrimage. The text appears to be introduced as the result of christian experience. If a man were to be sanctified from the womb, he would still, by the remaining corruption of his heart, clearly perceive, that by nature he was totally depraved; and would ascribe it all to re

newing and sanctifying grace, that he was not now as totally depraved as a devil.

Let those, who cannot believe they are by nature such wicked creatures, seriously examine, whether it is not either owing to their stupidity, or to their having changed the character of God, so as to accommodate it to their selfish hearts. The Jews thought they loved God, and supposed they should rejoice to receive the Messiah; but when he came to his own, his own received him! not. They would have been pleased with such a Christ, as they were looking for, but he did not come, and never will come. The one whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, they hated, and put to death. It is perfectly clear from this example, that men may remain unacquainted with the enmity of their hearts a gainst God, by having entirely wrong views about his moral character. Christ said to those who thought themselves to be full of piety, "I know you, that you have not the love of God in you."

Let every one give this subject its full weight. If truth has been exhibited, it is truth with which it is important for us to be acquainted. It is truth which we shall soon know with certainty. It may be infinitely for our advantage to know it now. I hope we shall not any of us remain ignorant of a subject which is so capable of being ascertained, by the study, both of the scriptures, and of our own hearts. And that we may know it effectually, let us continually ask the assistance of the Holy Spirit. Let us earnestly pray that we may discover the evil of sin; be enabled to repent of it, and obtain forgiveness through Jesus Christ: To whom be glory forever. Amen.