ful motives to holiness as he has, in the knowledge of God's perfection, and in the gratitude which he owes for his undeserved deliverance.

Imperfect he must still be, and he grieves that he can make but so small an approach to the standard at which he desires to arrive; but he is comforted by the assurance that although, through the frailty and infirmity of his nature, he must ever remain a sinner, yet, inasmuch as Christ came to save sinners only, in this character he may confidently hope for pardon, while in none he could demand a reward.

May we all be disposed so to embrace the mercy of God, and so to express our thankfulness for it, that after a life of faith, and piety, and holiness on earth, we may be united to the company of sinners saved in heaven, and praise to all eternity the wondrous love by which we were redeemed. Amen.

SERMON XII.

CONFESSION OF SIN.

1 JOHN i. 8, 9.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us, but if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

As I have taken, for my text, one of the sentences appointed to be read at the commencement of our church service, so I will begin my discourse to you, with the first words of the pious exhortation which immediately follows. "Dearly beloved brethren, the Scripture moveth us in sundry places, to acknowledge and confess our manifold sins and wickedness; and that we should not dissemble nor cloke them before the face of Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, but

ful motives to holiness as he has, in the ki of God's perfection, and in the gratitu he owes for his undeserved deliverance.

Imperfect he must still be, and h that he can make but so small an approa standard at which he desires to arrive; comforted by the assurance that although the frailty and infirmity of his nature, ever remain a sinner, yet, inasmuch came to save sinners only, in this cha may confidently hope for pardon, whi he could demand a reward.

May we all be disposed so to em mercy of God, and so to express our tha for it, that after a life of faith, and holiness on earth, we may be united to pany of sinners saved in heaven, and p eternity the wondrous love by which redeemed. Amen.

confess them with an humble, lowly, penitent, and obedient heart; to the end that we may obtain forgiveness of the same, by his infinite goodness and mercy,"

It was not without due consideration, that this declaration was placed in the introduction to that admirable form of public worship, which we use every sabbath-day; for it was well understood by those pious Christians, to whom we are indebted for it, that sinful man ought never to present himself before God in prayer, without first acknowledging his wickedness, and imploring pardon. The confession of our sins is one of the very first of duties; for if we do not know ourselves to be sinners, we do not know that we have need of a Redeemer; and if we do not know that we have need of a Redeemer, we are ignorant of the most fundamental fact in the Religion which we profess; had men not been sinners, there would have been no such Revelation as the Gospel; and to those, who do not know themselves to be sinners, that Revelation has been made in vain.

It is not therefore without reason, as I have said, that we begin our devotions with a confession of our unworthiness and sin; not of course for the purpose of informing God of that with which he is very well acquainted, but for the