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be born again-they must pass from death to life"You hath he quickened, who were dead"—If the heart were not entirely depraved, this change would not be necessary.

3. From the distinction which the scriptures make between the saint and the sinner. "Every one that loveth, is born of God." This declaration implies that all unrenewed men are destitute of love to God, and of course totally depraved.

Should the sinner say, there certainly is some goodness in myself; I would answer, your testimony cannot be admitted. You are a party concerned. Suppose that it does not seem to you that you are totally depraved. You may be blinded by self-flattery. Your character may appear very differently to the omniscient God. "That which is highly esteemed among men, is abomination in the sight of God." Mark the words of the text. "And God saw that the wickedness of men was great," &c. Psalm xiv. Rom. ii: 9-12.

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4. From the experience of every Christian. Look back, my brethren, to the time when you were under conviction of sin. Were you not brought to see that there was no good thing in you? Did not God treat you as if you were totally depraved, by refusing to hear and answer your prayers? Did you not find that you were not only destitute of love to God, but that your hearts were enmity against him? When others were taken and you were left, how did you feel? And

when you began to love God, were you not conscious that you had never loved him before?

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If this doctrine is true, conviction and conversion are necessary; and when persons begin to love God, it will be all new. And so we find it in revivals. So it was with Paul. "I know that in me, that is, in my flesh dwelleth no good thing."

Thus, the experience of Christians perfectly harmonizes with this doctrine. But if the doctrine were not true, the young convert might say, I have indeed experienced a great change, but it is nothing new. I always felt so. I always loved God.

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Finally. From the experience of every sinner. When Adam had sinned, he was afraid, and hid himself from the presence of the Lord. So children when they first learn that God is present, are afraid, and disposed to hide themselves. This shows that they are totally depraved. If there was any love to God in their hearts, they would be pleased with the idea of God's presence. They would love to pray to him, and to converse about him.

Let me appeal to the experience of impenitent sinners. Do you love to pray? Do you love to meditate and converse on the subject of religion? Why is it that all the motives which are presented to your minds, are insufficient to induce you to comply with the terms of the gospel? Why do you not repent? Do you say, you cannot? Then certainly you are totally depraved. If you had the least love to God, you could not help repenting. Think against who you have sinned. What a heart must that be that can feel no contrition

for sin committed against such a glorious being? Think of the love of Christ in dying for your sins, and in offering you salvation without money and without price. Surely if this is not sufficient to melt your hearts, they must be harder than adamant.

Think of the threatenings of eternal death. If you can venture on in sin in view of these threatenings, how amazingly obdurate must be your hearts.

Perhaps some one will say, if these things are so, it will do no good for me to attempt the service of God, and I will do nothing. To such an one, let me say, you express the very feeling of a totally depraved heart. If you had any love to God, you would not stop to inquire whether it would do you any good to serve him. You would delight in his service, and esteem it a privilege to serve him.

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If any of you, my hearers, do not believe that you are totally depraved, let me put your feelings to the test. You know that it will be your duty to enter into your closets to pray this night. If you love God, you will esteem it a privilege to do so. If you find your hearts opposed to this duty, and neglect it, or attempt it with great reluctance, you will know to-morrow, that you possess just such hearts as have been described.

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SERMON XXIX.

The ways in which sinners cover their sins.

He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them, shall have mercy. -PROVERBS XXViii: 13.

Ir is natural to all men to attempt to cover their sins-as natural as it is to commit sin. When Adam was called to an account for eating the forbidden fruit, he attempted to throw off the blame from himself, by saying, "the woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she "" gave me of the tree, and I did eat.' And when the woman was called to an account, she said, "the serpent beguiled me, and I did eat." And it is remarkable, that children sometimes show the ingenuity of the serpent, in attempting to cover their sins.

The first thing, if possible, is to deny the fact. But when the fact cannot be denied, the next thing is to excuse and palliate their sin.

I will mention some ways in which sinners attempt to cover their sins. I shall confine my remarks to some of the ways in which they excuse themselves for neglecting the subject of religion.

One pleads that he has no time to attend to the subject.

Another says, I would become a Christian if I could, but I cannot.

Another cloaks his sin under the failings of professors of religion. He will not become a Christian, because there are so many hypocrites in the world.

Another says, I did not make my own heart, and how can I be to blame.

In these and many other ways, the sinner attempts to cover his sins.

But he shall not prosper. He shall not succeed. He shall fail of the object which he has in view.

If his object is to appear well for the time being, he will fail. It would have been better for him to have said nothing.

Does he plead want of time. How must such an excuse appear? Cannot find time to attend to the concerns of his immortal soul! He can find time to attend to other things infinitely less important. And he must find time to die.

Does he plead that he would be a Christian if he could, but cannot? What an excuse is this! Do you, O sinner, really believe what you say? Is it so? Can you not repent of your sins? Can you not feel sorrow that you have sinned against God, and against Christ? What a heart must yours be! Is your heart so hard and obdurate, what, then, are your prospects? Can you go to heaven with such a heart? "After thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath."

Again. Do you believe that God is such a being, that he will condemn you for not doing what you have no power to do? He has declared, that except you repent you must perish. And is it true that you cannot repent? Then your state must be dreadful.

But would you be pleased if others should tell you

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