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and of sense, lest they should encroach upon him and steal into his heart; he "cuts off a right hand, and plucks out a right eye" (this means, he sacrifices what he loves best, and prizes most of earthly goods, or human feelings) rather than that they should be an offence to him, and lead him into sin; he often abstains even from indifferent and innocent enjoyments, for the sake of more completely mortifying and subduing his natural and carnal inclinations; and above all, he is ever earnest in prayer to God, for strength and courage to enable him to do that which he is too feeble, and irresolute to do of himself, to conquer and reduce to obedience his own rebellious nature; however "willing the spirit" may be, yet knowing that "the flesh is weak," he desires to profit by the instructive example of Peter, and to take a warning from him, lest he too should fall through security, and neglect of prayer. And if he does err, through the power of his own corruption, and the malicious art of the Devil, and fall into sin, he does not think of excusing himself, as if it were an unavoidable infirmity, but, with Peter, he reproaches himself, and bewails bitterly his inexcusable offence; and though he says with David, "behold I was shapen in wickedness, and in sin hath my mother conceived me," yet he says it not by way of apology, but

as a confession of his vileness; he humbles himself to the dust before God, and prays, "have mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodness, according to the multitude of thy mercies, do away mine offences! wash me thoroughly from my wickedness, and cleanse me from my sin ; for I acknowledge my faults, and my sin is ever before me."

How different, on the other hand, is the conduct of the irreligious man! On Christian motives, he denies himself in nothing; he "lives after the flesh," indulges all his desires, and gives the rein to all his passions, not considering that the very apology which he makes for it (that he is living agreeably to the propensities of his nature) is the plainest acknowledgment of his sin, and will hereafter be brought against him as the sole ground of his condemnation, and everlasting punishment; he will justly have his portion with all such persons as that self-indulging sinner, described in our blessed Saviour's parable, who thinking only of his sensual enjoyments, and congratulating himself on having much goods laid up for many years, which would enable him to take his ease, to eat, drink, and be merry, is set forth as an awful example to warn us, that the gratification of worldly, and carnal lusts, though it may be attended with a base

Let me then

pleasure in this life, will be followed by ruin and misery, in that which is to come. entreat you to consider seriously, that, as Christians, you are called to a life of self-denial, and to pray fervently that you may be enabled by God's help to mortify your own nature, to subdue your sinful inclinations, and to rise superior to the temptations of an evil world. And may "the grace of God, which bringeth salvation, (effectually) teach us all this great truth, "that denying ungodliness and wordly lusts, we ought to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world, looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works;" "having this hope in us," may we "purify ourselves even as he is pure," that "when He shall appear, we may be (found) like Him," and be admitted to a participation of His glory, who liveth and reigneth with the Father and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

SERMON XVII.

SELF DENIAL, BETTER THAN SELF INDULGENCE.

ST. LUKE IX. 23.

If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow

me.

IN my last discourse on this text, I endeavoured to convince you, that the Christian life must of necessity be a life of self-denial; I showed you that such is the representation of Scripture, which speaks of us as having to endure a perpetual conflict with our own evil passions and inclinations, encouraged and fomented as they are by the temptations of the world, and the suggestions of our spiritual enemy; and which describes the Christian, in very strong and explicit terms, as "a new creature," changed and transformed

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