is natural to the sinner, he hath inherited it with his nature from his parents, who, while they were in Paradise, wished to "be like God," Gen. iii. 5, 6, 22. And what think ye? is not this hating God? (5) how doth the nature of man act, when God walketh contrary to man! How fretful and sullen is nature! how doth she censure the dealings of God, and complain with great discontentment. as though God afflicted her wrongfully! When the sinner is hardly bestead and hungry, he then frets, curses his God and king, and looks upward," Isaiah viii. 21. Even when the wind and weather are not as he wishes, he murmurs, and requires that God should wait on him as his slave with all his elements; and when he doth not, he censures the government of the Lord. What an abominable mønster is man! and into what a bottomless pit of horrible wickedness is he fallen headlong! (6) Further, doth God attempt to excite the sinner to obey and love him, by convincing him sensibly of his hateful heart, and of his abominable condition, and by drawing him from his sweet sins, that he may bring him under his yoke, how doth he struggle against it, "like a heifer unaccustomed to the yoke, that he may break those bands, and cast away those cords from him !” Psalm ii. 3. He will not bow and yield to such strait bonds: "He is stiff-necked, and uncircumcised in heart and ears, he resists the Holy Ghost," Acts vii. 51. Yea, he is unwilling to do the least thing, by which he may serve God: "he says, Behold what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the Lord of hosts," Mal. i. 13. Once more, (7) The natural man hates his neighbour, and therefore he doth not love God, but hates him. This the beloved disciple of Christ teacheth us, 1 John iv. 20.

Sinful man is prone by nature not only to hate God, but "his neighbour also," We were sometimes hateful and hating one another," saith Paul, Tit. iii. 3. Do we not see this daily in ourselves and in others? (a) For nothing is more evident, than that one man despises another: every one thinks that he is the best, and the worthiest, and he therefore esteems his neighbour less than himself, and he cannot endure it, that he is honoured and loved more than himself: he will be angry with him, and will not be able to "speak peaceably to him," as Joseph's brethren manifested their hatred to him, "when they saw that his father loved him more than all his brethren," Gen. xxxvii. 4. (b) It is certain, and daily experience sheweth it, that the natural man hath but little inclination to do good to his neighbour, when he cannot gain aught by it himself. When his neighbour hath need of him, and desires aught of him, he will behave himself proudly and despitefully toward him, because he will

not spare aught of what he hath, as Nabal showed his hatred to David, 1 Sam. xxv. 10, 11. (c) Who knows not that the sinner cannot endure to see the welfare of his neighbour? will not the honour, profit or pleasure of another, fill him with envy, and cause him to persecute his neighbour even to death? The Pharisees had no other reason for opposing Jesus and his apostles with such a great malignity, Matt. xxvii. 18. Acts v. 14—18. (d) How often do we see the sinner start up, inflamed with intense hatred and violent anger, on account of the smallest injury, which he suffers, or only imagines that he suffers he is forthwith ready with wicked Lamech to revenge it sevenfold," Gen. iv. 23, 24. (e) How can any one undertake to vindicate the wicked inclinations of sinful nature," it surely manifests its wickedness, when it hates even those who endeavour to amend and save it by faithful reproofs and admonitions: the sinner cannot indeed brook that his sins and eternal misery should be so plainly and nakedly discovered to him. "He hates him who rebukes in the gate, and he abhors him who speaks uprightly," Amos v. 10. See also Isaiah xxix. 21. 1 Kings xxii 8.

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But with what cloaks of shame will men hide this filth of sin? (1) Will it be said, that the person who speaks here is a believer, who professed in the first question that he belonged to Christ, and who is truly inclined to love God and his neighbour? This would appear somewhat plausible, if the catechism were a confession, which every believer made upon each question concerning himself and the temper of his mind, and not an instruction in the Christian doctrine, which introduceth one while a believer as speaking, and then an unconverted person, and thus here a sinner, who is subject to a broken covenant of works. And admit that a believer speaks here, it is nevertheless with respect to his former condition, when he had such a wicked nature, and with respect to the old man and nature, which still remains in him in a great measure, as Paul speaks of himself, Rom. vii. (c) Doth this answer disturb the weak too much, we may not therefore reject any necessary article of the fundamental doctrines of Christianity. The weak must be instructed, and convinced of their corrupt nature: but I do not believe that weak believers are offended at this; for they see, and are too much grieved on account of their evil nature. They are the Pelagians who are offended here, for they will not be discovered to themselves that they may seek their whole salvation in Christ alone. (3) If we do not see such depravity in all men, it is either because we have not eyes to see it, because many have not an opportunity to exert their hateful nature. Peter could say from his love to Christ, "I will in no wise deny

thee;" but not when he was in the hall of Caiaphas others are prevented by restraining grace from sinning against the Lord, as Abimelech, Gen. xx. 6: and some are converted and strive against themselves. (4) If men cannot hate God as the supreme good, they can hate him as the supreme evil. The sinner is blind, and the loveliness of God is hidden from him: the opinions that he forms of God are hateful: "The way of the Lord is not equal," saith the sinner, Ezek. xxxiii. 20, and "it is vain to serve God," &c. Mal. iii. 14, 15, and therefore he hates God.

If we now compare our evil nature with the commands of God, we will see clearly and plainly, that we are miserable and abominable. For it appears hence, (a) that we are altogether different from what we ought to be. We ought to love God and our neighbour perfectly, and this ought to be natural to us. But instead of this we are prone by nature to hate God and our neighbour, and we are thus "a crooked and perverse generation," Deut. xxxii. 5. Philip. ii. 15. (b) It appears hence also, that we have no portion in the life which was promised upon the perfect love of God and our neighbour: but that we deserve death and the curse, and are already condemned thereto. "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them," Gal. iii. 10. (c) It is also evident, that as long as we are thus disposed, we cannot amend our conduct, and therefore cannot surmount our misery. For our nature is wholly degenerate, we cannot do any thing but sin and transgress the law of God by hating him and our neighbour; this is indeed become our nature; and who can alter his nature and natural disposition?"Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then ye also may do good, that are accustomed to do evil," saith the Lord to his own people, Jer. xiii. 23.

And thus the law teacheth the sinner his misery, (1) As a rule, which showeth him that he was obliged under the sanction of a promise of life, and a threatening of death, to love God and his neighbour perfectly. The conscience, enlightened and informed by the law, acknowledges and approves of this obligation, and saith with Paul, Rom. vii 12. "The law is holy; and the commandment is holy, and just, and good."

2. The law is also an accuser, and witness to him, and as such awakens his sleeping conscience, and calls him to himself, and before the tribunal of God, to behold there with shamne his hateful and evil nature, and his abominable conduct. "There is one that accuseth you, even Moses," saith the Saviour, John v. 45. And thus

"the word" of the law "is a judge of the thoughts and intents of the hearts," Heb. iv. 12. See also Rom. ii. 14, 15.

3. The law teacheth him his misery also as a judge, who upon comparing the duty of man with his irregular conduct, pronounces the dreadful sentence of eternal condemnation on him: "For the law worketh wrath," Rom. iv. 5. "It stops the mouth" of the transgressor, Rom. iii. 19, renders him anxious, ashamed, humble, concorned, and tender, 1 Kings xxii. 11, 19, and causes him to confess his sins, and to justify God, Psalm li. 4.

But as no word of God, nor any use which man can make of it will affect the mind, unless the Spirit of the Lord himself influence the heart, so neither can the law of God, nor a man's meditations, teach him his misery, unless the Spirit of the Lord accompany them, and "convince him of sin, of righteousness and judgment,” John xvii. 8, cause him to "mourn and lament bitterly," Zech. xii. 10, and thus become to him "a Spirit of bondage to fear," Rom. viii. 15. APPLICATION.

If time would permit, we might easily show from what hath been said, (a) in opposition to the Socinians, that the love of our enemies was commanded under the Old Testament also, inasmuch as our enemies are also our neighbours, and the love of our neighbour is enjoined by the law and the prophets (b) in opposition to the Papists, that a sinner is not justified before God by the law, because "by the law is the knowledge of sin." Paul teacheth us this, Rom. iii. 19, 20. (c) and in opposition to the Antinomians, or adversaries of the law, that the law must still be preached strictly for we learn thus to know our misery, which is certainly necessary. But we may not busy ourselves with these, though other wise exceedingly weighty matters. We hasten to conclude, and have still many important matters to lay before you for your profit.

Behold, friends, how we learn our misery from the law, and how we are conducted by it to deliverance, and to a blessed consolation. What think ye have ye, (I speak to you all, and to each of you in particular) have ye I say already seen in the law your misery with sorrow, shame, and concern? Is it evident to you, and do ye know experimentally, and with anxiety, that ye have such an evil disposi tion, and are therefore hateful, and deserve condemnation? Ye have been now so long instructed in the law, Sabbath after Sabbath it hath been read in your hearing; if ye have had any decent education,

• This refers to a custom of the Dutch church in Holland, of reading the ten commandments every sabbath, at the beginning of publick worship, which custom is still retained in some of the Dutch churches in America, It is the practice to read also the creed, and a chapter from either the Old or New Testament, at the beginning of worship.

ye have been made to learn and say it by heart; and how often hath the law been explained to you fully, and in order. But who, yea who hath learned his misery out of it, so that it hath humbled him? surely very few. With the church of Laodicea, our present Christians imagine that "they are become rich, and increased in goods, and have need of nothing: and they know not that they are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked," Rev. iii. 17. Is not this true, is it not a glaring truth? For,

1. The most of you have never yet "come to yourselves" with the prodigal son, Luke xv. 17. Ye concern yourselves with every thing that doth not belong to you, but with respect to yourselves, ye are never at home, and always strangers; the honours, pleasures and profits of the world do so influence your whole heart, your whole soul, your whole understanding, and your whole strength, and do so captivate your affections, that those visible things "have shut your eyes, that ye cannot ses; and your heart that ye cannot understand; ye feed upon ashes; a deceived heart hath turned you aside, so that ye cannot deliver your souls, nor say, is there not a lie in our right hand?" Isaiah xliv. 18, 20. And therefore "ye do not repent of your wickedness, saying, what have I done?" Jer. viii. 6.

2. Many of you think that your heart is good: ye depend upon it and "trust in it, like the fool," Prov. xxviii. 26. Because ye are not guilty of any public and scandalous enormities, which are cognisable by the magistrate, but are decent and devout, therefore ye are ready to say with that presumptuous young man, Matt. xix. “All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?" Sometimes ye survey yourselves with pleasure and admiration, because ye are so wise, diligent, good natured, exceedingly virtuous, and not so wicked and abominable as this and that person: and ye are even ready to thank God for it with the Pharisee, Luke xviii. 11, 12. Ye will never believe that ye hate God, and your neighbour, and no man is able to convince you of it. Ye may believe, and be able to demonstrate from the word of God against the adversaries. that man is prone by nature to hate God and his neighbour; but that ye in particular are so evil and perverse, ye cannot either see or believe.

3. It is true, ye all know that ye are great sinners: but how do ye know this? out of the law, and by comparing yourselves with it? No, but only from report and heresay. For how many sins have ye? ye say indeed that your sins are more in number than the hairs of your head; this ye have heard from others, and ye only repeat it without thought after them: for ye cannot mention six sins, of which