thing is impossible. As the Apostle speaks, "I tell you that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." Wherefore, my Christian hearers, let me entreat you, for Christ's sake, out of regard to your own happiness, both in the life that now is, and in that which is to come, and out of regard to our unhappy country, now distracted and harassed with the evil counsels of reckless and godless men, that you receive into your own hearts, and show forth in your practice, and inculcate upon all over whom God or nature has given you influence, the practical adoption of that principle of God's governance of the affairs of this world, which is set forth in the Apostle's declaration, that "there is no power but of God, the powers which be are ordained of God."

Now to Him, our Creator and supreme Governor, and to Christ our Saviour, and to the Holy and Sanctifying Spirit, the Three Persons in the eternal and undivided Trinity, let us ascribe, from generation to generation, all praise, honour, majesty, might, and dominion, for ever and ever. Amen.

SERMON X.

MAN'S PERVERSION OF THE FORBEARANCE OF GOD.

ECCLES. viii. 11.

"Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil."

As Christians, we profess to walk by faith and not by sight; by what the Holy Scriptures tell us will please God, not by what our senses tell us will please ourselves; looking, as St. Paul says, "not at the things which are seen," i. e. the things of this world; "but at the things which are not seen '," i. e. those of the next: "setting our affection on things above, not on things on the earth 2.” For in Baptism and Confirmation we profess our willingness and determination, as concerns the world and the flesh, to lay aside and forsake every

1 2 Cor. iv. 18.

2 Col. iii. 2.

gratification of the body, and every worldly pursuit, which may be contrary to God's will, and lead us away from Him: that so, to use another expression of St. Paul's, "forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before," we may "press to the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus 1" So earnestly to strive after our inheritance, that, like those who run in a race, we may take little heed to those things which are behind and around us, and like runners too, may willingly lay aside every earthly consideration, and every sinful affection, which may impede our progress; the desire of future glory inducing us cheerfully to deny ourselves present pleasure and gratification, while we look "for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ 2."

Now all this which we have solemnly engaged to do, is very contrary to the natural affections and dispositions of our minds, which would lead us directly the other way; our natural inclinations would lead us to seek the pleasure of the moment rather than future happiness, however greater, beyond all comparison, the last is than the first; and unless that natural inclination be subdued, unless by the power of the Holy Spirit we are enabled to

1 Phil. iii. 13, 14.

2 Tit. ii. 13.

walk worthy of that Christian calling which we received in Baptism; unless we strive to live the life of faith, which we entered when we were made children of God, by the laver of regeneration; unless we watch and pray against temptation, we shall never perform what we have undertaken. "If any man be in Christ," saith St. Paul, be his to a saving purpose, "he is a new creature; old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new 1" Instead of the old disposition to sin, he has the new disposition to holiness; instead of the old love of the world, he has the new love of Heaven; instead of the old endeavour to please himself, he has the new endeavour to please God. "Because," as he says above, "we thus judge, that if one (even Christ) died for all, then were all dead (had incurred the sentence of death and punishment); and that he died for all, that they which live (which have received the gift of life in Baptism) should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him That died for them and rose again"."

The consequence of our natural inclinations leading us directly away from what we have undertaken, is that in all cases where men either do not know, or do not consider the contest, which is before them; where they either are not at pains to subdue the evil motions of their natures, or go the wrong way to work, and do not seek for the assist

1

2 Cor. v. 17.

2

Ibid. v. 14, 15.

ance of the Holy Spirit in struggling against them, in all these cases they live directly at variance with their profession, they live by sight and not by faith; they seek present pleasure or profit, more than future and eternal happiness and glory; they desire to please themselves, more than the God Who made them, and redeemed them, and desires to sanctify and save them.

The effect of this is seen in their conduct and conversation; and the truth of it is illustrated by the verse which I have chosen for my text; “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil." If men do not shun sin from hating it, in consequence of the change having taken place in their inclinations of which we have just been speaking, (which change the Holy Ghost, to Whose help we become entitled at Baptism, and Whose assistance we seek more fully at Confirmation, will effect in our hearts, if we pray to Him,) that gradual change of which St. Paul speaks when he says, "bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ ;" unless, I repeat, men are kept from sin through their changed disposition, which makes them hate, what naturally they love; the only other check upon them is the fear of punishment. In proportion as this fear presses upon them, in that proportion will they be

1 2 Cor. x. 5.