power; therefore the infirmities I have been mentioning are doubtless excufeable in the eye of Divine Mercy, if inftantly and refolutely checked: And will then only be charged to our account, if we fuffer them to stay upon our minds, acquiefce in, or encourage them. In which cafe they are no longer to be deemed fins of human frailty, though they did originally fpring from thence, but are justly denominated, and fhall be judged, wilful.

2. The next point wherein we are fubject to frequent failures through the infirmity of our nature, is the management of our speech.-Which, though it may feem to be the effect of thought, and for that reafon to be more criminal when misapplied, as having more of wilfulness in it; yet, if we recollect how apt men are to speak before they think, as likewife the extreme difficulty of

taking such strict heed that we offend not with the tongue, we shall be inclined to impute rash words in fome cafes, as well as evil thoughts, to the weakness and imperfection of man's nature. When Peter denied his Lord, it is plain he confidered not what he was doing; for the text informs us, when he afterwards thought thereon he wept bitterly. And it may be faid without reserve, there is no one fo cautious and circumfpect, but that his words do oftentimes prevent his thought, Even Mofes, the meekest man upon earth, is represented to have fpoken unadvisedly with his lips. The like we have obferved of Paul when before the High Prieft. Nor is it to be queftioned but David himself had an eye to his verbal no lefs than mental tranfgreffions, when he prayed to be cleanfed from fecret faults.

These then have a like pretenfion to

the

the favour and pardon of God.—But in the number of these let no one presume to reckon fuch profane words, oaths, imprecations, or lies, as, through a long neglected habit, are become fo familiar to the speaker, that, however shocking to the ears of others, they may probably escape his lips without thought or notice. Such, we may be affured, are not only criminal, but have an uncommon deal of malignity in them, arifing from the inveterate root they have been permitted to take: And, though they are not without difficulty to be eradicated, yet muft this be done as we value our falvation. So, with refpect to angry and paffionate fpeeches; it is true, a few hafty expreffions are ufually and charitably attributed to the infirmity of particular tempers: But words of malice, rancour, and premeditated ill-will, come under a very different confideration. "Whosoever shall fay unto his brother, L 4 Racha,

Racha, i. e. call him worthless fellow, shall be in danger of the council, of being punished by human judicature: But whofoever fhall fay, Thou fool, i.e. fhall fuffer his paffion to break out into more virulent railing, fhall be in danger of hell-fire."

3. There is yet another fpecies of errors, or undefigned faults, in excuse of which the frailty of human nature pleads loudly for us: And this more properly respects our active deportment; including as well certain neglects of duty, as real trefpaffes. It must be owned in many things we offend all, omitting what we ought to do, and doing what we ought not. The duties refulting from the feveral relations we bear to God, our Neighbour, and our Selves, are fo many and various, that even to diftinguish them with that accuracy and precifion as to give all their

due,

due, and fulfil every obligation in the minutest points, and most intricate circumftances, requires a knowledge exceeding that of the subtlest Casuist. How then shall we not be guilty of omiffions in numberless inftances? For though the word of God directs men to their duty in general under every relation; yet so much is neceffarily left to the judgment and confcience of each perfon in particular cafes, that it can hardly be conceived but amidst the incumbrances of worldly affairs, either through forgetfulness or inadvertency, the most exact and fcrupulous must often fail of doing what they ought to have done. And we may therefore prefume to expect mercy at God's hand for fuch pitiable defects.

However, great care is to be taken that we deceive not ourselves in this article of omiffion: By imputing fuch neg

lects