and fcrupulous Fear of Sin, where there was no Reason to fear: A Weakness we are pretty well got over.

These are the moft ufual, if not all the Scripture Senfes of Infirmity; and I think it appears, that none of them have Infirmity enough in them to be an Excufe for Sin. All Sin is Weakness; the more perfect any Creature is, and the nearer it approaches to Him who is all Perfection, the more remote is it from a Poffibility of finning. It was our Weakness made it neceffary for the Son of God to come to our Affistance, to rescue us from the Law of Sin and Death; which he did by condemning Sin in the Flesh, and by the powerful Effufion of his Holy Spirit. But to what Purpose is the Holy Spirit promised or given, but to overcome our Infirmities, that the Strength of God may be made perfect in Weakness?

But yet, after all these Helps, we are not, nor cannot be, perfect Creatures. St. James says, In many Things we offend all. How fhall thefe Errors be excufed, which the beft of Men are liable to? Is there a Foundation for an Excufe, or must all alike perish in the Error of their Ways? This will receive an Anfwer, if we confider,

Secondly,

Secondly, What fort of Sins they are which will admit of an Excufe, because of the Infirmity from which they proceed.

And here you are not to expect a Catalogue of Sins, for I know no kind of Sin that can be otherwise excufed than by Repentance and Amendment; and at best there is an Impropriety of Speech in Sins of Infirmity. The neceffary Effects of our Infirmities are not finful: Where they are not neceffary, they may be finful; but why they are called Sins of Infirmity in Diftinction to other Sins is hard to say. There is an Imperfection in the Obedience of the best of Men. The five Wife Virgins flumbered, and their Lamps grew dim, and wanted trimming, when the Bridegroom came: But yet they foon made ready, and were received to the Marriage Feaft: And, without queftion, God will favourably look upon the Failings of good Men, and accept their fincere, though not perfect Obedience. This, I hope, we have Reafon to allow : But yet the common Notion of Sins of Infirmity gains nothing by it; for let any one fay what is the Sin of Infirmity that all good Men are guilty of. There is an Imperfection which flows from the Weakness of our present Condition, and shews

itself,

itself, not regularly, but in various Instances. Many good Christians have complained of a Coldness fometimes in their Devotion, and of wandering and roving Thoughts; which is, without doubt, one of those Weakneffes that shall be forgiven to pious and fincere Christians. Will you then make this one of your Sins of Infirmity, an Evil that carries its Excuse always with it? Surely no: For, though it shall be forgiven fome, it will be an Aggravation of the Guilt of others, who have not the fame fincere Obedience and good Difpofition to plead in their Excuse. Some are troubled with impious and blafphemous Thoughts, unworthy Conceptions of God and Chrift, and fuffer a prodigious Torment and Anxiety of Mind because of them, who are Objects of Pity and Compaffion both to God and Man: And when this is the Cafe of well-difpofed Perfons, who are no ways confenting to them, there seems to be as little Guilt in them, as in a Fever or an Ague.

Upon the whole then: Since there is fo little Reason to depend upon this Excufe, and fince all Men in fome Degree stand in need of it, I will fhew you the Way, and I know but one Way of entitling ourselves to this

Plea,

Plea, which is by endeavouring fincerely and univerfally to obey the Will of God; then fhall we be in the Number of those, whofe Infirmities for the fake of Chrift fhall be forgiven.

DISCOURSE

DISCOURSE X.

ISAIAH liii. 3•

He is defpifed and rejected of Men, a Man of Sorrows, and acquainted with Grief.

W

HEN our Lord was led away

to be crucified, and the Wo

men bewailed and lamented his

Mifery, he turned about to 茶 them, and faid, Daughters of Jerufalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourfelves. Words, which we may very properly apply to ourselves for the Direction of our Devotion on this Day of his Crucifixion : A Day it is of Sorrow and Mourning, but not for his fake, who, crowned with Glory and Honour, is fet down on the right Hand of the Majefty on high; but for our own, whose Sins brought down this Load of Woe and of