mob bow the knee before him, and pay him mock homage. See him led forth bearing his cross, and fainting under its weight. See him stretched out, his hands and feet pierced through, and nailed to the accursed tree. See it raised from the ground, and his body suspended between the heavens and the earth. There, my brethren, hangs our Redeemer-There we may see what our sins have done, and what we deserve. This is that Saviour whom we profess to love; and shall we crucify him afresh? Shall we not rather "crucify the flesh with the affections and lusts." Let us call to mind our solemn obligations. We have avouched the Lord Jehovah to be our God. This we have done before the world. And shall we take on us the name of Christ, and go out into the world and betray his cause? Shall we wound the Saviour in the house of his friends? Or shall we not rather " crucify the flesh with the affections and lusts ?"

21

SERMON XIX.

The same subject Continued.

And they that are Christ's, have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts. GALATIANS v 24.

IN a former discourse from these words, I considered what is implied in mortification of sin, wherein it resembles crucifixion, and the means of promoting it.

In further discussing the subject, 1 propose, in this discourse, to consider

I. The evidence that the work is begun and is in progress.

II. Inferences from the whole.

III. Motives to engage immediately in the duty.

I. By what may we know that the work is begun ? 1. If the work is begun in us, we shall possess tenderness of conscience in regard to all sin.

2. We shall ardently desire to be delivered from sin. Sin will be our greatest burden-that from which above all things we shall long to be free. We shall pant after conformity to God-we shall hunger and thirst after righteousness.

3. We shall watch against temptation, and carefully avoid it. When a person is disposed to tamper with temptation, and to inquire if he may not safely do this or that, it indicates a bad state of heart-it shows that

he loves sin, and would indulge in it freely, if he could do it with safety.

4. Death will appear desirable, because it delivers from sin. Paul said, "I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better."

To ascertain whether this work is in progress, let us ask ourselves some such questions as these.

1. Are we more and more submissive under afflictive dispensations of providence ?

2. Are we more and more able to bear the reproaches of enemies? Do they cause us less and less uneasiness? Do we find it more and more easy to forgive? When persons are disposed to make much of what they suffer, it indicates a low state of grace. The humble Christian thinks of his Master, and is ashamed.

3. Is it more and more easy to part with the comforts of life, at the call of God? Does the work of self-denial become easier-do we take more and more satisfaction in deeds of charity-have we evidence that the world is growing less in our esteem?

4. Do we find it easier to resist sin in its first motions?

5. Do we bear prosperity and adversity with greater equanimity? Are we less elated by the one, and less depressed by the other? ..

6. Are our hearts more steadily fixed on the duties of religion? Does our purpose to maintain a religious life become more and more steadfast?

Finally do we discover things to be sinful which

we formerly thought little of?

A person may feel that he is less sinful than he once was; and yet this may be no evidence of the fact. He may think he is growing better, when in fact, he is waxing worse and worse. This is often the case with impenitent sinners. Bunyan informs us that before his conversion, he was for some time very strict and punctual in his religious duties, and thought that no man in England served God better than himself.

Nor is it decisive evidence either way, that a person feels that he is waxing worse and worse. This feeling may be the result of a clear conviction of a person's true character and condition. And it may be the result of growth in grace. The Christian may feel that he is growing worse, because he discovers new sources of wickedness in himself, while at the same time, things which have always appeared sinful, appear more and more sinful. This is true of all who are making progress in the Christian life. This may appear a paradox to some. But it is a fact, that the most holy men have always made the most complaints of their sinfulness. Job, David, Isaiah, Daniel, and Paul, are examples.

II. Inferences.

1. The life of the Christian is not an idle life. We are exhorted to watch-to pray-to strive to wrestle— to run-to fight.

2. If mortification of sin is the great business of the Christian, then those who give occasion for our corruptions to rise, do us a real injury. This is particularly true of those who flatter our pride and vanity. Yet we are apt to regard them as our best friends. But his is a sad mistake. They do us a serious injury.

Those who in a serious, solemn and affectionate manner, warn us of our danger, and make us most uneasy with our sins, are our very best friends. They are the persons whose friendship it is our highest interest to cultivate.

3. If mortification of sin is the great business of the Christian, then we have reason to fear that the number of real Christians is small.

How few appear to possess the marks which the Bible gives us of the Christian. How few of whom it can be truly said, "they have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts." How many there are, who, instead of wishing to be told their sins, secretly hate those who are faithful to them. These do not bear the marks of a Christian. "Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you." "Reprove a scorner, and he will hate you."

4. This subject teaches us the use of afflictions. They help on the work of mortification. Our hearts. are such that we cannot bear prosperity. Hence the children of God are often found in the deepest affliction. God corrects them in mercy.

"We have had fathers of our flesh, who corrected us, and we gave them reverence. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of Spirits and live? They, for their pleasure, corrected us, but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness."

5. The most desirable situation in life, is that which is most free from temptation-that which affords the best advantages to gain the victory over our sins, and to grow in grace. And yet how prone we are to covet