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that you may be fit for falvation by Chrift. Thefe hopes will foon be dafhed in pieces. Faith in the imputed righte oufnefs of Chrift is the finner's only plea. The more vile you are in your own apprehenfion, the more need you have" to put on Chrift." The fubfequent change of heart and practice muft be the effect of his power, is a part of his purchase, and ought to be received as his gracious gift. And I will venture to foretel, that you will make the greater progress in true holiness, the less you are difposed to boast of, or to truft in it.

This, I apprehend, is the gofpel itself, ftiled in fcripture, with the highest propriety, the "gofpel of the grace "of God." "Chrift came not to call the righteous, but

finners to repentance." If you will rely on him for falvation, he will fhed abroad the love of God in your hearts by the Holy Ghoft, which will be a powerful and operative principle of new obedience. I befeech you, therefore, in the most earnest manner, not to reject the counsel of God against yourselves. Nothing can be more liberal, or more gracious, than the offer of the gospel: "I will give "to him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life "freely." There is no fin of fo deep a dye, or fo infectious a ftain, but the blood of Chrift is fufficient to wash it out. There is not any flave of Satan fo loaded with chains, but he is able to fet him free. If you perifh, it is of yourfelves. I have given you warning, from a fincere and ardent concern for your everlasting intereft; and may God himself, for Chrift's fake, by his Holy Spirit, effectually perfuade you to comply with it.

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[Dr. Witherspoon published a separate volume of Sermons on the leading truths of the gospel, with the design of forming some thing like a connected fyftem of these truths. The sermons that were thus published are kept together in this edition of his works. They begin with the discourse that immediately fol lows, on Rom. iii. 23; and end with that entitled "Obedience "and Sacrifice compared."]

ALL MANKIND BY NATURE UNDER SIN.

SERMON 1.

ROMANS iii. 23.

For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

THE

HE whole revelation of the will of God to mankind, both in the Old Testament and the New, proceeds upon the fuppofition that they are finners; that is to fay, tranfgreffors of his law, and liable to the ftroke of his juftice. This only can give meaning to the doctrine of redemption. None can understand, at least none can relish or embrace it, unless they believe, and are perfuaded of this preliminary truth.

What I have now faid, appears from many express paffages of the holy fcriptures; and is particularly evident from the general strain, and from the very structure, of the epistle to the Romans. In it the apostle, who had never been at Rome, gives a full and particular account of the doctrine of Chrift; and he lays the foundation for this by a diftinct and laboured proof, that all mankind, both Jews and Gentiles, are under sin. In imitation of his example, I intend to begin my discourses on practical religi

on, by endeavoring to imprefs your minds with a fenfe of the fame truth. This muft lead the way to the faving knowledge of the Redeemer; and as he only can build fecurely, who takes care that every part of the fuperftructure reft immediately or ultimately upon the foundation, it is as necessary to be remembered by faints, as to be received by finners.

It may perhaps, on a flight view, appear to be fuperfluous. All mankind,' fome will fay, are ready to ac'knowledge that they are finners; and there is great reafon to believe they are fincere in this confeffion.' But, my brethren, a little reflection may convince you, that this general acknowledgment is either very infincere, or very imperfect and defective. It is plainly a light fenfe of fin that enables the multitude to fleep in fecurity. It is plainly a light fenfe of fin that betrays men into the commiffion of it, and emboldens them to continue in it. It is plainly a light fenfe of fin that blunts the edge of all the threatenings in the word of God, and the admonitions of his providence. Is it not from a light fenfe of fin, that when the preaching of the gospel is not wholly deferted, its ineftimable truths are received without thankfulness, and heard without profit ?

For thefe reafons, I propose, through the affiftance of divine grace, to difcourfe a little on the words of the apof tle now read: "For all have finned, and come short of the "glory of God:" And, in fo doing, fhall

1. Endeavor to confirm the truth contained in them, That all mankind are finners, or tranfgreffors of the law of God, and liable to his righteous judgment. And,

2. Shall make a practical improvement of the fubject.

I. In the first place, then, let us endeavor to confirm the truth contained in the text, That all mankind are finners, or tranfgreffors of the law of God, and liable to his righteous judgment. And here, my brethren, it puts me a little to a stand, in what manner to handle this important fubject; whether in the way of reafon or affection; whether in the way of cool and conclufive arguments directed to the judgment, or pointed interrogatories direct

ed to the confcience. Many, nay, innumerable, are the cavils that have been brought by men of corrupt minds against this fundamental truth. The father of lies, indeed, feems to confider it, and juftly, as the corner-ftone of true religion, which, if he is able to weaken or undermine, it muft end in the fall and ruin of the whole fabric. If there be any among you, as poffibly there are, infected with the poifon of infidelity, all exhortation and warning will be treated by fuch with difdain, while their objections, however weak, have not been brought into view. On the other hand, there are multitudes of finners borne away by luft and paffion, who are incapable of underftanding the force of fpeculative reafoning, and who have an unhappy tendency to overlook, as what does not concern them, every thing that is treated in that way. I fhall be obliged, therefore, to have an eye to both and oh! that it may please God to enable me fo to propofe to the judgment, and fo to prefs upon the confcience, this neceffary truth, as that fome carelefs perfons may be awakened, and brought to an attention to the one thing needful; and that if any have hitherto taken up with imperfect notions of religion, and built their hope upon the fand, they may be perfuaded in time to diftruft that dangerous fituation, and to found it upon the Rock of ages.

For the reafon above affigned, it is difficult to determine, what ufe is to be made of fcripture-teftimony on fuch a fubject. The charge of guilt upon the finner, feems to be only preparatory to, and muft, as it were, pave the way for the reception of fcripture-truths. If the teftimony of God in fcripture is to be refted on, this one paffage is fufficient; but the unbelieving heart is ready to challenge and call in question every fuch fcripture-declaration. I find the worthy author of a well-know catechifm, commonly used in the inftruction of children, joins together fcripture and experience, in the answer to that queftion, "How do you know, that you are born in a ftate of fin "and mifery?" Anf. "God's word tells me fo. Besides, "I find my heart naturally backward to that which is good, " and prone to that which is evil." After the exampl and confidering, that by the law is the kno L1

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VOL. I.

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