A sermon directing what we are to do, after strict enquiry whether or no…

Thirdly, Judge thy self before him as to the fact, and as to the fault: As to the fact, I have never yet loved thee, O God, I own it to thee: Lord! I accuse, I charge my Soul with this before thee, this is the truth of the fact, I have not the love of God in me: And charge thy self with the fault: Oh horrid Creature that I am! I was made by thee, and don't love thee: thou didst breath into me this reasonable immortal Spirit, and it doth not love thee: It is thy own Off-spring, and does not love thee: It can never be blessed in any thing but thee, and it does not love thee: And then hereupon in the

Fourth place, Join to this self-judging, self-loathing: That we are to Judge our selves, is a Law laid upon us by the Supreme Law-giver, the one Law-giver, that hath power to save, and to destroy: And his Word that enjoins it, as plainly tells us what must go with it, that this self-judging must be accompanied with self-loathing, Ezek. 6.9. ch. 20.43. and 36.31. Do God that right upon thy self, that thou mayest tell him, Blessed God! I do even hate my self, because I find I have not loved thee, and I cannot but hate my self, and I never will be reconciled to my self, till I find I am reconciled to thee: This is doing Justice: Doth not the Scripture usually and familiarly so represent to us the great turn of the Soul to God: When poor ⟨p. 8⟩sinners become Penitents, and return, that they are brought to hate themselves, and loath themselves in their own Eyes? And is there any thing that can make a Soul so loathsome in it self, or ought to make it so loathsome to it self, as not to love God, to be destitute of the love of God? And then,

Fourth place, Joyn to this self-judging, self-loathing: That we are to Judge our selves, is a Law laid upon us by the Supream Law-giver, the one Law-giver, that hath power to save, and to destroy: And his Word that enjoyns it, as plainly tells us what must go with it, that this self-judging must be accompanied with self-loathing,