error in judgment and opinion.-It is impossible to survey large numbers of those who must be admitted to be sincere and devout in the service of God, without perceiving that the heart may be sound without the head being strong or the judgment clear; that the affections may be alive and vigorous, while the powers of reasoning are weak and uncertain. Hence many of the errors and contests which weaken the authority or disturb the peace of the church of Christ. And it is plainly with reference to this species of infirmity in human nature, that the Apostle so tenderly exhorts his followers not to make a weak brother to offend, and not to become a "stumbling-block" to him; or, in other words, to be cautious in their general habits and intercourse, even with their fellow Christians, as having many instances to deal with men of limited powers, with strong prejudices and stronger passions.

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3. In like manner, the real Christian, as long as the connexion of "the flesh," or of the body and soul, continues, is subject to the assaults of temptation.His passions and appetites are indeed brought under what may be termed habitual subjection: nevertheless, they rather sleep than are dead, and a mere touch will sometimes awaken them into life, and even into the most mischievous activity. It is one thing to yield to temptation, and another to be subject to its assaults, and even to feel its power. Abraham was tempted; Job was tempted; Peter was tried by his natural impetuosity; Paul, by a thorn in the flesh, which he calls "the buffetings of Satan." The Christian, indeed, ultimately conquers; but it is not a victory without a conflict, or without the frequent re-appearance of those enemies whom he imagined to be destroyed. How modestly and suspiciously does St. Paul speak of his own case! "Lest," he says in one place, "Satan get the advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices:" and in another, "I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means,

when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast-away.' " Hence arises the value of that promise of Scripture, "The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations."

4. In like manner, the real servant of God is subject to infirmities of temper and conduct.-Look, for example, into the history of the Old Testament saints, and you cannot fail to be struck with the occasional deviations from the paths of holiness even in those to whose general state the highest testimony is borne. Observe, also, the temper and conduct of the disciples of Christ. Hear our Lord saying to them, on one occasion, "Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of;" on another, "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Observe, also, in the account of the disciples even after the death of their Master, the timid compromises of Peter with the Jews; his unjust separation from the Gentile converts; and the contest between Paul and Barnabas on the subject of Mark. How do all these facts proclaim that they were "men of like passions" with ourselves, and were not, while in the flesh, altogether released from its influence and oppression.

5. In the first place, the real Christian is subject to infirmities even as to those great principles and affections which are nevertheless the governing powers of his

soul.

What infirmity, for instance, is there in his faith!-Sometimes, indeed, it is clear and strong, like the full and deep tide of the mighty river: at others, perhaps it is shallow, irregular, and disturbed, like the scanty waters of the summer stream. Such, indeed, may be its variations, that the startled Christian, in some cases, scarcely knows what to conclude as to the real state of his own soul; and even in his best moments is disposed to pray, "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief!"

Look, again, at the love of the real servant of Christ.

At times, how ardent and active are his feelings; and at other times, how cold and sluggish! Such is frequently the rapid descent of the corrupt heart, that the man prepared to become a martyr at one moment, at another is apparently immoveable and heartless, indisposed to make the smallest sacrifice of self for God or for human nature.

Thus, also, the hope of the real Christian is often characterized by much infirmity.-To-day every promise is intelligible and bright in his eyes; the voice of God is, in a sense, audible; and a strong ray of expectation, and even of assurance, is shed over the prospect before him the next day, perhaps, the consciousness of his guilt seizes upon his mind; his sky is clouded; "he walketh in darkness, and hath no light;" in the expressive language of the Scriptures, he "goes mourning all the day long."

In short, my Christian brethren, it is not too much to affirm, that there is no faculty of the inner man, no power, or disposition, or temper, or taste of the renewed soul, which does not at times feel the burden of the body. "The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other." How powerfully does St. Paul describe this conflict of the soul! "To will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good I find not:" "I delight in the law of God after the inward man; but I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members."

Such, then, my Christian brethren, appears to be the meaning of the first clause of our text. And where is the real servant of God who is not ready, with the Apostle, to acknowledge the infirmities which cleave to his nature and practice? Who will not freely and fully adopt the language of the text, "We walk in the flesh ?" Who will not say, We are poor, weak, erring, imperfect, and guilty creatures? "God be merciful to us sinners!"

But having made these concessions as to the state and circumstances of the good, does it follow, as some would pretend, that there is no distinction between the good and bad; between the servants of God and the servants of the world; between religion and irreligion? By no means. Let persons, thus disposed to confound the eternal distinctions of right and wrong, good and evil, consider the last clause of the text-" though we walk in the flesh" yet "we do not war after the flesh" --and is it not obvious, that, whatever are the infirmities of the good, there is still between them and the men of this world a broad, visible, and determinate line of distinction? Such a declaration, however, involves matters of too much importance to be received upon mere assertion. Let us, then, proceed, as was proposed,

II. Secondly, to consider IN WHAT THE DISTINCTION between the good and the bad CONSISTS; or, in other words, what is the meaning of that expression in the text, "we do not war after the flesh."-And here let us, first, consider the difference between Christians and others as to the point especially referred to by the Apostle; and, afterwards, look at the subject in a more general point of view.

1. The Christian, then, says St. Paul, does not war after the flesh" in other words, he does not contend with his opposers in the spirit, or in the manner, in which they contend with him.-Look, for instance, at the great Head of the Christian church, when suffering under the tyranny and cruelty of his countrymen: He returns silence for insults,; blessings for curses; deeds of mercy for deeds of blood. Look, again, at the first martyr to the religion of the Cross, offering, amidst the agonies of death, petitions for the pardon of his murderers. Listen, also, to the author of our text, when speaking of some who had added the crowning offence of apostacy from the Gospel to their personal

transgressions against himself: "I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge." And such will be the distinction of temper and conduct in every case of conflict between the servant of Christ and of the world. He will return forgiveness for injury; mildness for violence: if his enemy hunger, he will feed him; if he thirst, he will give him drink: he will forbear and forgive, as he hopes to be forgiven of God.

2. But it is my wish, as has been already stated, to extend this inquiry to the more general points of distinction between the real Christian and the followers of the world.-And, here, it is not too much to affirm, that as to no one point will the real servant of God habitually walk, think, live "after the flesh," or according to the temper, principles, or habits of those who are governed by the "flesh" instead of being governed by the Spirit of the Lord.

In the first place, holiness in a servant of God is habitual; sin is occasional and rare.-The real Christian is ordinarily right, and only occasionally wrong; whereas others are habitually wrong, and only occasionally right. The faults of a Christian are exceptions to the general rule of his life; the faults of others are conformity to the rule itself. Hezekiah was betrayed into an act of vanity; Herod, we may conceive, was habitually vain.

In the second place, the real Christian, and the real Christian alone, mourns over his sins as so many acts of ingratitude and disobedience to God.-It is almost a folly to speak of the man of the world as mourning for sin at all; but if he does grieve, it is rather for property consumed, for character forfeited, for health destroyed, than for his resistance to the will of God. He stands in the midst of this garden of the Lord, feeds on his hand, walks in his presence, rests under the wings of his tenderness, and yet sins against Him without a single pang of heart. The real servant of God, on the contrary, when he offends, mourns, and mourns deeply;