secured an interest in that blood of sprinkling which cleanseth from all sin.

Need I enter on a detail of those lusts and affections which flow from a corrupt and depraved principle with in? "The works of the flesh," saith the Apostle, (at the 19th verse of this chapter) are "manifest; which are these, adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunken. ness, revellings, and such like; of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."

I am sensible, that, after the recital of so black a catalogue of crimes, the most of you will already have acquitted yourselves of such enormous degrees of guilt. And I am afraid, that this general acquittal from the charge of heinous transgressions, lulls the consciences of many into a fatal security. I will not go so far as to say, that it were better for the unconverted sinner, that his conscience could charge him with some of these glaring iniquities, although our Saviour's saying seems to imply as much, viz. That the publicans and harlots go into the kingdom of heaven before the scribes and pharisees. All that I assert is, that you ought not too hastily to conclude that the flesh is crucified with its affections and lusts, merely because your lives have not been spotted with any of those gross and scandalous sins. In these days of light and knowledge, Satan doth not find it for his interest to push men to the extremities of vice. He rather endeavours to keep the garrison in peace, by blunting the edge of conviction with the fair shows of outward decency and formality.

Be persuaded then to go deeper into your inquiry. Search

the very inmost corners of your hearts. Put the authority of God in one scale, and the interests of the flesh in another, and see which of the two weighs heavier in your affections. You frequent the church, you attend on ordinances, and perform the external parts of religion with an apparent relish and alacrity. All this is good; but beware of building too much on it. Consider that these observances do not in any great degree thwart the interests of the flesh. The laws and customs of the land favour you; your estates are not thereby impaired, nor your lives endangered; nor is your reputation hurt, but rather advanced. But suppose the case to be otherwise, and let your hearts give the answer.-Would you persist in the same course at all risks, though your estates were exposed to confiscation, though your names were to be branded with every term of reproach that malice could devise; yea, though all the engines of torture lay in the road of duty? Would no prospect of gain, however secure from human discovery, tempt you to encroach on the divine rules of justice and equity? Can you bless them that curse you, and render good for evil, and forgive the most galling injuries, even when Providence puts your enemies in your power? Did the objects of criminal desire not only tempt but solicit you; were you favoured with every circumstance of time and place, could you check the career of passion, with Joseph's reflection, "How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" These, indeed, are sure signs that the flesh is crucified with the affections and lusts. But if, on the contrary, the fear of man's censure or punishment would turn you aside from the practice of your duty, if the prospect of secret gain could tempt you to lie or cheat or dissemble; if any injury appears too great to be forgiven, or any sensual appetite too importunate to be denied ;

in a word, if any temptation, be its circumstances what they will, would prevail on you to indulge yourselves in the deliberate omission of any known duty, or in the practice of any known sin; then, whatever your pretences are, the flesh, with its affections and lusts, is not yet crucified in you. But do not mistake me, as if I meant to assert, that none have crucified the flesh but those who are perfect in holiness. No; the righteous man falleth seven times a day, and riseth again. Nay, there is not a just man upon earth that doth good, and sinneth not. And therefore I speak not of those false steps to which the best are liable through the remainders of corruption; but of known and habitual sins, committed with the full bent and inclination of the will. These plainly betray the predominancy of the flesh, with its affections and lusts; and show, that the person who is under the dominion of them, has no just or Scriptural claim to an interest in Christ. For a worldly Christian, or a carnal Christian, or a dishonest Christian, are as gross contradictions in terms as an infidel Christian. And this naturally leads me to the

Second thing proposed; which was to show that it is the distinguishing character and the real attainment of all who are Christ's, to crucify the flesh, with the affections and lusts. This is so much the uniform language of the New Testament, that one should hardly think it required a proof. The great lesson which our Lord taught his disciples was expressed in these words: "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." This he repeated on various occasions, as a subject that ought to employ their constant attention. "He that taketh not up his cross and followeth after me, is not worthy of me."-" If any man come after me, and hate not his father and mother, and

wife and children, and brethren and sisters," those nearest and dearest relations according to the flesh," yea, and his own life also," when the preservation of it becomes inconsistent with the duty he owes to God," he cannot be my disciple." And again, "Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath," namely, habitually in affection, and actually too, when God calls him to it," he cannot be my disciple." These are the permanent, the invariable laws of Christ's spiritual kingdom, and are equally binding on us, as on those to whom they were originally addressed. For had our Lord ever intended to relax or mitigate them in any degree, he would certainly have done it in favour of his first disciples, when his church was yet in its infant state, and therefore stood in need of greater indulgence. But these seemingly hard sayings express the true spirit of Christianity, and afford the most convincing proof of its divine original. Man fell by seeking himself, and must herefore be raised in the way of self-denial. He forfeited his innocence and happiness by hearkening to the solicitation of a fleshly appetite; and, before he can regain happiness, the flesh must be crucified, with the af fections and lusts.

Accordingly, we find that our Saviour's meaning was well understood by his immediate followers; and their practice is the best commentary on his injunctions. What he recommended, they laboured to attain. Thus Paul writes to the Corinthians, "I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection, lest when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast-away." The remainders of corruption within him, made him cry out with all the emphasis of distress, "O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Nay, so sensible was he of the importance and necessity

of this deliverance, that, as he expresseth it himself, "He counted all things but loss and dung;" first, "That he might win Christ, and be found in him not having his own righteousness, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." And next, "That he might know Christ" experimentally," and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death." Nor was this only his wish; we find also that it was his real attainment. "I am crucified," says he, "with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh, 1 live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." "And God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." Neither was Paul singular in this. It appears to have been the common attainment of all true Christians in his time. For it is spoken of in my text as the badge of Christianity, the very thing which distinguished Christians from all other men. “They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts." I have given a recital of these passa. ges of Scripture, as they serve to explain one another: and I hope that when they are compared together, and duly considered, they will appear to be a sufficient demonstration, that none whose flesh is not crucified, with its affections and lusts, can, with a Scriptural warrant, lay claim to an interest in Christ.

Thus have I endeavoured to explain what is meant by "crucifying the flesh, with the affections and lusts;" and have shewn you, that this is the actual attainment of every true Christian. Allow me now to conclude this dis course with a practical improvement of the subject. From what hath been said, then, we learn in the