desired to please God;" that is, as Apostolius most admirably describes it,' men who are curious of their very eyes, temperate in their tongue, of a mortified body, and a humble spirit, pure in their intentions, masters of their passions; men who, when they are injured, return honourable words: when they are lessened in their estates, increase in their charity; when they are abused, they yet are courteous, and give entreaties; when they are hated they pay love; men that are dull in contentions, and quick in loving-kindnesses, swift as the feet of Asahel, and ready as the chariots of Amminadib;3 True Christians are such as are crucified with Christ, and dead unto all sin, and finally place their whole love on God, and, for his sake, on all mankind: this is the description of a Christian, and the true state of the righteousness evangelical; so that it was well said of Athenagoras, "No Christian is a wicked man, unless his life be a continual lie," unless he be false to God and his religion. For the righteousness of the gospel is, in short, nothing else but a transcript of the life of Christ: Christ is the image of God, and every Christian is the image of Christ, whose example is imitable; but it is the best, and his laws are the most perfect, but the most easy; and the promises by which he invites our greater services, are most excellent, but most true; and the rewards shall be hereafter, but they shall · Ἐστὶ δὲ αὐτὴ ὀφθαλμῶν ἀκρίβεια, γλώσσης ἐγκράτεια, σώματος δουλαγωγία, φρόνημα ταπεινὸν, ἐννοίας καθαρότης, ὀργῆς ἀφανισμός· ἀγγαρεύομενος προτίθει, ἀποστερούμενος μὴ δικάζου, μισούμενος ἀγάπα, βιαζόμενος ἀνέχου, βλασα φημούμενος παρακάλει, νεκρώθητι τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ, συσταυρώθητι Χριστῷ, ὅλην τὴν ἀγάπην μετάθες ἐπὶ τὸν Κύριον. 742 "Song of Sol. vi. 12. 4 Οὐδεὶς Χριστιανὸς πονηρὸς, εἰ μὴ ὑποκρίνεται τὸν λόγον. -Legat. pro Christianis. abide for ever; and, that I may take notice of the last words of my text, the threatenings to them that fall short of this righteousness, are most terrible, but most certainly shall come to pass; they shall never enter into the kingdom of heaven; that is, their portion shall be shame and an eternal prison, áopaλtõdes peõμa," a flood of brimstone,” and a cohabitation with devils to eternal ages; and if this consideration will not prevail, there is no place left for persuasion, and there is no use of reason, and the greatest hopes and the greatest fears can be no argument or sanction of laws; and the greatest good in the world is not considerable, and the greatest evil is not formidable: but if they be, there is no more to be said; if you would have your portion with Christ, you must be righteous by his measures: and these are they that I have told you. 225 SERMON VI. THE CHRISTIAN'S CONQUEST OVER THE BODY OF SIN. ROMANS, VII. 19. For the good that I would, I do not; but the evil which I would not, that I do. WHAT the eunuch said to Philip, when he read the book of the prophet Isaiah, 'Of whom speaketh the prophet this, of himself, or some other man ?' the same question I am to ask concerning the words of my text: Does St. Paul mean this of himself, or of some other ? It is hoped that he speaks it of himself; and means, that though his understanding is convinced that he ought to serve God, and that he hath some imperfect desires to do so, yet the law of God without is opposed by a law of sin within. We have a corrupted nature, and a body of infirmity, and our reason dwells in the dark, and we must go out of the world before we leave our sin. For besides that some sins are esteemed brave and honourable, and he is a baffled person that dares not kill his brother like a gentleman; our very tables are made a snare, and our civilities are direct treasons to the soul. You cannot entertain your friend, but excess is the measure; and that you may be very kind to your guest, you step aside, and lay away the Christian; your love cannot be expressed, unless you do him an ill turn, and civilly invite him to a fever. Justice is too often taught to bow to great interests, and men cannot live without flattery; and there are some trades that minister to sin, so that without a sin we cannot maintain our families; and if you mean to live, you must do as others do. Now so long as men see they are like to be undone by innocence, and that they can no way live but by compliance with the evil customs of the world, men conclude practically, because they must live, they must sin; they must live handsomely, and, therefore, must do some things unhandsomely; and so on the whole matter sin is unavoidable. Fain they would, but cannot tell how to help it. But since it is no better, it is well it is no worse. For it is St. Paul's case, no worse man: he would and he would not, he did and he did not; he was willing, but he was not able; and, therefore, the case is clear, that if a man strives against sin, and falls unwillingly, it shall not be imputed to him ; he may be a regenerate man for all that. A man must, indeed, wrangle against sin when it comes, and, like a peevish lover, resist and consent at the same time, and then all is well; for this not only consists with, but is a sign of the state of regeneration. If this be true, God will be very ill served. If it be not true, most men will have but small hopes of being saved, because this is the condition of most men. What then is to be done? Truth can do us no hurt; and, therefore, be willing to let this matter pass under examination; for if it trouble us now, it will bring comfort hereafter. And, therefore, before I enter into the main inquiry, I shall, by describing the state of the man of whom St. Paul speaks here, tell you plainly, who it is that is in this state of sad things; and then do ye make your resolutions, according as you shall find it necessary for the saving of your souls, which, I am sure, ought to be the end of all preaching. The man St. Paul speaks of, is one that is 'dead,'' one that was deceived' and 'slain," one in whom'sin was exceeding sinful,' that is, highly imputed, greatly malicious, infinitely destructive; he is one who is carnal, and sold under sin ;'* he is one that sins against his conscience and his reason;' he is one in whom 'sin dwells,' but the Spirit of God does not dwell; for no good thing dwells in him ;'6 he is one who is brought into captivity to the law of sin;' he is a servant of uncleanness, with his flesh and members serving the law of sin.' Now if this be a state of regeneration, I wonder what is, or can be, a state of reprobation! for though this be the state of nature, yet it cannot be the state of one redeemed by the Spirit of Christ; and, therefore, flatter not yourselves any more, that it is enough for you to have good desires and bad performances: never think that any sin can reign in you, and yet you be servants of God; that sin can dwell in you, and at the same time the Spirit of God can dwell in you too; or that life and death can abide together. The sum of affairs is this: If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if ye, through the Spirit, |