© FOnGIVENESS OF SIN. but they know that their goodness extends not to Him with whom they have to do, nor is he profited by their righteousness. They will be in the performance of all duties, but they expect not deliverance by any duty. It is Goal, they say, with whom we have to do; our busi- ness is to hear what he will say unto us. There are other ways whereby sinful souls destroy themselves by false reliefs. Diversion from their per - plexing thoughtfulness pleases them. They will fix on something that cannot cure their disease, but may make them forget that they are sick ; as Cain, under the ter- ror of his guilt, departed from the presence of the Lord and sought inward rest in outward labor and employ- ment ; he " went and built a city." Gen. -4 : 17. Such courses Saul fixed on ; first music, then a witch. No- thing is more common than for men thus to deal with their convictions. They see their sickness, feel their wound, and gó to the Assyrian, lbs. 5 : 13 ; and this insensibly leads men into atheism. Frequent resort to creature - diversions from convictions of sin, is ä great means of bringing on final impenitency. Some drunkards had, it may be, never been so, had they not been first convinced of other sins : they strive to stifle the guilt of one sin with another. They 1Iy from themselves, from their consciences to their lusts, and seek for relief from sin by sinning. This is so far from believers, that they will not allow lawful things to be a diversion of their distress ; use Iawful things, they may and will-but not to divert their thoughts from their distresses; these they know must be issued between God and them ; wear off they will not, but must be taken away. These rocks a gracious soul takes care to avoid. He knows it is God alone against whom he hath sinned ; and God alone who can pardon his sin. "To Thee,'OLord, do I come ;" thy word concerning me must stand; upon thee will I wait ; if thou hast no delight in me, I must perish.
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