ight read them clearly recorded.
Well may holy David exclaim, "Remember not the sins of my youth nor my
transgressions, according to Thy mercy remember Thou me." Conceive,
too, the multitude of sins which have so grown into us as to become
part of us, and in which we now live, not knowing, or but partially
knowing, that they are sins, habits of pride, self-reliance,
self-conceit, sullenness, impurity, sloth, selfishness, worldliness.
The history of all these, their beginnings, and their growth, is
recorded in those dreadful books; and when we look forward to the
future, how many sins shall we have committed by this time next
year,--though we try ever so much to know our duty, and overcome
ourselves! Nay, or rather shall we have the opportunity of obeying or
disobeying God for a year longer? Who knows whether by that time our
account may not be closed for ever?

"Remember me, O Lord, when Thou comest into Thy kingdom[4]." Such was
the prayer of the penitent thief on the cross, such must be our prayer.
Who can do us any good, but He, who shall also be our Judge? When
shocking thoughts about ourselves come across us and afflict us,
"Remember me," this is all we have to say. We have "no work, nor
device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom" of our own, to better ourselves
withal. We can say nothing to God in defence of ourselves,--we can but
acknowledge that we are grievous sinners, and addressing Him as
suppliants, merely beg Him to bear us in mind in mercy, for His Son's
sake to do us some favour, not according to our deserts, but for the
love of Christ. The more we try to serve Him here, the better; but
after all, so far do we fall short of what we should be, that if we had
but what we are in ourselves to rely upon, wretched are we,--and we are
forced out of ourselves by the very necessity of our condition. To
whom should we go? Who can do us any good, but He who was born into
this world for our regeneration, was bruised for our iniquities, and
rose again for our justification? Even though we have served Him from
our youth up, though after His pattern we have grown, as far as mere
man can grow, in wisdom as we grew in stature, though we ever have had
tender hearts, and a mortified will, and a conscientious temper, and an
obedient spirit; yet, at the very best, how much have we left undone,
how much done, which ought to be otherwise! What He can do for our
nature, in the way of sanctifying it, we know indeed in a measur