more like the Publican, who "stood afar off, and durst not so much as lift up his eyes to heaven; but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner." It becomes such sinful creatures as we are, to approach a holy God, although with faith and without terror, yet with contrition, penitence and confusion of face. It was foretold that this should be the disposition of the church, in her latter-day glory, when God should afford her remarkable comfort, by the revelation of his covenant mercy to her: "I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant. Then shalt thou remember thy ways, and be ashamed.--And I will establish my covenant with thee, and thou shalt know that I am the Lord; that thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more, because of thy shame, when I am pacified towards thee, for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord God," Ezek. xvi. 60, &c. The woman of whom we read in the seventh chapter of Luke, who, according to the testimony of the Redeemer himself, had much of that love which casteth out fear, approached Christ in an acceptable manner, when she came with modesty, reverence and shame, and when she stood at his feet, weeping behind him, as not being fit to appear before him, washing his feet with her tears.

One reason why gracious affections are accompanied by this tenderness of spirit, is this,-true grace promotes convictions of conscience. Convictions are usually the first work of the Holy Spirit, and after conversion succeeds joy and peace in believing. This experience has a tendency to put an end to terror, though it rather increases than diminishes convictions. It does not stupify conscience, but renders it more sensible of the heinous and dreadful nature of sin. Grace tends

to give the mind a clearer conception of the same things respecting sin, of which it was convinced under the first workings of the Holy Spirit; that is, its direct opposition to the will and honour of God, his utter detestation of it, and the dreadful punishment it deserves, and to which it leads the finally impenitent. And not only so, but it convinces the mind of the infinitely hateful nature of sin, a circumstance of which it saw nothing, while under legal convictions. The heart of a true penitent is like a burnt child, it dreads the fire; whereas, on the contrary, he who has had only a counterfeit experience, is like iron, which having been heated, and then suddenly quenched, becomes much harder than before. False conversions put an end to convictions of conscience and so either remove, or greatly diminish, that tenderness of spirit which was manifested under legal convictions.

All gracious affections promote this Christian tenderness, or sensibility. It is promoted not only by godly sorrow, but by evangelical joy: "Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling," Psa. ii. 11. Gracious hope has likewise the same tendency: "The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy," Psa. cxlvii. 11. Indeed the more there is of this hope, the more there is also of this holy sensibility of soul. The more servile fear is banished by evangelical confidence, the more is reverential fear promoted. In proportion as the fear of the displeasure of God in future punishment is decreased, in the same proportion will the fear of his displeasure itself be decreased; and as the fear of hell is diminished, in the same degree will the fear of sin be augmented. The removal of doubts, as to our state, is attended by a proportionate in

crease of holy jealousy, as to our own hearts, our own strength, our own wisdom, &c. The less we are afraid of natural evil, the more we are likely to be afraid of moral evil, or the evil of sin. The more we have of holy boldness, the less have we of self confidence. As we are delivered from the fear of hell, we are, in the same degree, made sensible of having deserved it. The less liable are we to be shaken in faith, the more easily are we moved by the solemn warnings of God, and by the calamities of others.

X. Gracious affections possess a beautiful symmetry.

Not that this symmetry is perfect in the present life; it is often defective in many things, through the imperfection of grace, for want of proper instruction, or through some particular un happiness of natural temper. But still there is never that monstrous disproportion in the gra cious affections, and the various parts of true religion in the saints, which is very often observable in the counterfeit graces, and false religion of bypocrites.

The holy affections of the saints possess that proportion, which is the natural consequence of the universality of the work of sanctification. They have the whole image of Christ upon them; they have put off the old man, aud have put on the new man, in all his parts and members. It hath pleased the Father that in Christ all fulness should dwell; there is in him every grace, and they who are his receive of his fulness, grace for grace. John, i. 14, 16. There is every grace in them which is in Christ; grace answering to grace; the same beautiful proportion which is in the original,-feature for feature,--member fer

member. The natural body consists of many members, all in beautiful proportion; so it is in the new man, consisting of various graces and affections. The body of one who was born a perfect child, may fail of exact proportion through distemper; yet the disproportion is by no means like that of those who are born monsters.-It is with hypocrites as it was with Ephraim of old :- "Ephraim is a cake not turned," half baked and half dough --there is no uniformity in their affections.

There is in many hypocrites a great dispropor tion as to the several kinds of religious affections. --Holy hope and holy fear are united in the saints. See Psa. xxxiii. 18, cxlvii. 11. But bypocrites have the firmest confidence, while they are void of reverence, self-diffidence and caution. The joy of the saints, however great, is invariably attended by holy fear The disciples on the morning of the resurrection of Christ, "departed quickly from the sepulchre, with fear and GREAT joy,"Matt. xxviii. 8. But hypocrites rejoice without trembling; their joy is directly opposite to godly fear.

One great difference between the saints and hypocrites is this, the joy and comfort of the former is attended by godly sorrow and mourning for sin. They have not only sorrow to prepare them for their first comfort, but it continues with them after their joy is established. Although Christ hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, so that true believers are freed from the sorrow of everlasting punishment, and may appropriate the consolation which he has provided; yet this does not prevent their joy from being attended by the sorrow of repentance. Real saints are represented in scripture,not only as those who have mourned, but as those who still mourn for sin.

Not only is there often in hypocrites an essen

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tial deficiency, as to some kinds of religious affections; but also a strange disproportion, in the same affections, with regard to different objects.

Some make a great show of love to God, and perhaps have been much affected by what they have heard or thought respecting him; but they have not a spirit of love and benevolence towards men; they are disposed to envy, evil speaking, contention and revenge; and are not very strict and conscientious in observing the commandment of doing to others, as they would that others should do to them: If a man say, I love God, and bat eth his brother, he is a liar," 1 John, iv. 10 And on the other hand, there are some who appear as if they had a great deal of benevolence to men, who have no love to God.

Again, there are some who have strong affections for particular persons; but their love is far from being so extensive and universal, as truly Christian love is. They are warm in their affections for some, while they are bitter in thaiz enmity against others. They are closely attached to their own party, to those who admire and love them, but are fierce against those that oppose them. "Be ye like unto your Father" who is in heaven; for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good.--For if ye love them that love you, what reward have you? do not even the publicans the same?" Matt. v. 45, 46. Some evidence great affection for their neighbours, and are enraptured with the company of the children of God abroad; while, at the same time, they are churlish towards their wives and their other domestics, and are very negligent of relative duties.

As there is a monstrous disproportion in the love of some professors, in its exercise towards different persons, so there is in its exercise to