gulf of despair to which this distrust in God leads. But the sin of it has always appeared to me the greater whenever I have tried to contrast it with the faithfulness of God; for not to repose confidence in Him pre-supposes cause of distrust; but who has ever trusted God and been disappointed, or leant upon his promises which he has not fulfilled? How ought we then to be profoundly ashamed of distrust, and how ought we rather to magnify his mercy in bearing with us continually?

He has also a peculiar method of his own in shaking the young Christian's belief in the promises of God. He so works upon their feelings, or corruptions, or both, that they are afraid to take the comfort the promises are meant to give. Nor is this so strange, for the seed of infidelity is sown in every heart: it is no exotic, it is a plant the root of which lies deep in our system, and it is quite natural to disbelieve, and herein the greater need of the prayer, "Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief" to work faith in us.

But his grand machination consists in stirring up the feeling of sin, and, at the same time, to keep out of sight the Saviour; this he does by bringing the evils and diseases of our nature continually before us, while he labours to suppress the work of Christ-the grace of the spirit, and the tender mercy of God. But it is not wise always to look at one side of the picture, neither right, reason, or revelation recommend this; but when, in future, your sinfulness is ever felt to be great, ever be thankful, and bless God that you have a great Saviour to subdue it.

SECTION V.

BURDEN OF SIN.

PHILEMON-EPAPHRAS-TIMOTHEUS.

Philemon. If you did know my state, Sir, you would not think me singular, nor deem it strange, if, after so short a space, I make bold to return. But without entering into particulars, every day my situation is more uncomfortable; all my former acquaintances, in turn, have been at me, and try to tease me beyond measure and endurance: indeed, I fear I shall be kept from a place of worship altogether. This, I need not say, would be a great trial; but it is at present by no means the greatest.

Epaphras.If a babe in Christ, as there is reason to hope you are, I am well aware you need all the Christian help you can get; and, blessed be God, that help is amply provided. The Lord is ever mindful of his people; of the weakest he is always the tenderest: the lambs of his flock are always the special objects of his watchful care. (Isaiah xl. 11.)

This blessed truth affects no less the whole body of the faithful than yourself: when the infant church entered into the wilderness, and began to take a few steps towards Canaan, the Lord immediately appointed a cloud to direct them by day and a pillar of fire by night; yet, notwithstanding this miracle of mercy, which was for their guidance, they had many other helps also:

Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, was specially raised up for that purpose; and while the church encamped in the desert, we are told, he became eyes to them. (Numbers x. 31.)

Philemon.-I am sure I need every assistance; I resemble a man neither walking in the light, nor yet groping wholly in darkness; I see partly, and yet I do not see clearly (Mark viii. 24.); so that I question whether ever any one felt as I do.

Epaphras.-Your feelings are not singular, neither your present anxiety respecting yourself; if the Spirit of God is working in you and for you, this anxiety probably may increase; the oldest Christians feel it, and if they are not troubled with increasing convictions, they have often to complain of pride, unbelief, and multitudes of sins: they think nobody like themselves, as you now do; but, I pray you, think it not strange, as though some new thing hath happened unto you; nor be discouraged. Remember the old proverb-" a dark morning is often the prelude of a bright day;" and let me add also, that the fairest day of grace has always at its dawn the darkest clouds in it.

Philemon.-But I wish to tell you the special cause of my trouble it is not because I am tried in different ways, and from many causes, and in several quarters: it is not that I have none to sympathize with me, nor any who will listen to me, but because I now feel more than I ever did before, I am such a sinner.

Epaphras.-I am truly thankful to hear you say so, and would that all others were as teach

able, and equally willing to be led; there would be less of misery and more of peace.

Philemon.—The feeling of sin, and the knowledge of ourselves, and exposure to wrath, I now see clear enough is not written out upon the natural heart; neither does the idea of it arise from any inward consciousness of evil, nor yet from that natural light" that lighteth every man that cometh into the world" (John i. 9.); but it arises from the law of God in its appeal through the Spirit to the conscience.

Epaphras.-Even so: and with this view the law is presented to us in Scripture as one great and universal taskmaster: it brings all into subjection (Gal. iii. 24.); it compels all to submit to its sway; to know hard bondage, and to serve with rigour : it is so clamorous for its work (James ii. 20.) and so strong in its claims, that it obliges all people, in all places and at all times; it binds its iron yoke round the neck of the inward as well as of the outward man: unlike that form of it imposed on the Jews, it allows nothing for the infancy of the church, and the peculiarities of national polity; but it holds on and is in full force under every dispensation, as showing the eternal bound of right and wrong, and being the open expression of the mind and will of the great Jehovah.

Philemon.-This frightens me still more dreadfully; and this description of it fills me with amazement. Little did I dream of such a state of things once.

Epaphras.-And hence it is that mankind in general form such erroneous conceptions of them

selves they hold up a flattering mirror, which reflects not the true figure of their sins: they do not understand the spirituality of God's law; they view its requirements through a wrong medium. Hence, sin does not appear to them in its proper light, nor in all its naked deformity, but divested of its heinousness, and in a false disguise.

Philemon.-Indeed, I confess with shame, (though I did it ignorantly and in unbelief, not knowing better,) that I used thus to deal with the law; formerly I made light of it; it was a point of charity with me to extenuate some sins; to explain away others, (they being so common and fashionable;) and if at any time pressed to consequences, so easy was my conscience, and so peaceful my soul, that I felt no great difficulty in making a clear riddance of them altogether.

Epaphras. I rejoice it is not still so! You now feel that the law of God is the moral pulse of man; if that pulse beat not at all, nor once stirs within you, but is wholly silent, then you are dead in sin: if it is rapid or violent, it shows that the work of conviction is begun, and the soul is in a state of painful excitement: but it is only when its pulsations are equable and well regulated that it argues that the moral constitution is in a desirable state of health.

Philemon. If it is a good sign when the law produces deep convictions, and stirs up feelings of every sin and misery within one, then I am sure I have that sign.

Epaphras.-There may be, and often are, deep impressions which do not prove lasting these