DISCOURSE VIII.

CHRISTIAN PEACE COMPATIBLE WITH AN INWARD CONFLICT.

WHEN I WOULD DO GOOD, EVIL IS PRESENT WITH ME.-Romans vii. 21.

THE Conflict in the Christian's bosom referred to at the conclusion of the last Discourse, forms no objection to the reality and the permanency of his peace with God. While it continues indeed, it will disturb the tranquillity of his mind: but it would show a weakness of faith, to allow it to shake the hope that is fixed on the tried stone, the sure foundation revealed in the Gospel. To yield to unbelief from such a cause, is to forget that the Christian is a militant character. He has enlisted in the army of the Lord of Hosts. He has entered into a solemn engagement to fight manfully under his Redeemer's "banner against sin, the world, and the Devil; and to continue Christ's faithful soldier and servant unto his life's end." The contest within him then, of

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which he complains, is characteristic of his profession, and instead of disproving, tends to confirm the conclusion, that his peace is made with God. The strength of his confidence founded on this reasoning, will be in exact proportion to the fidelity with which he maintains the conflict with "sin, the world, and the Devil."

This is the only fair inference to be drawn from such premises. But the premises here assumed may themselves be questioned. Some inexpeperienced Christian may feel disposed to doubt the existence of such a contest in all the children of God. To meet this objection, it can only be necessary to refer to that distinguished saint, Paul, who, at a very advanced stage of his course, deplored the resistance which the infirmity of his flesh continued to offer to the principle of grace within him. He confessed, When I would do good, evil is present with me. (Rom. vii. 21.) And to this confession every Christian most feelingly responds. Renewed in the spirit of his mind, and impressed with the image of his Redeemer, he is never so happy as when he can walk with God without interruption. His obedience to the will of his Heavenly Father is not rendered with reluctance, for he finds His service to be perfect freedom; and in running the way of the Divine commands, his soul expatiates at liberty in a boundless field, where he finds an object adapted to every thought and affection, an appropriate duty for every occasion.

But he meets with so much interruption in his career, that he often seems to himself to make no progress. The temptations of the world, the cares of life, the very duties that he owes to some who know not and serve not God, expose him to many severe conflicts. He has to watch incessantly, to pray fervently, and to fight hard indeed, to prevent his being overcome of evil." What peace can he hope to enjoy at such times as these? He knows, it is true, how to attribute his uneasiness to its proper cause. He is well aware, that nothing could ever induce him to think of transgressing the Divine will if all were right within his own bosom. There, there lurks the traitor to his his peace. He could retreat from the society of man, but he cannot retire from himself; and he finds his thoughts and feelings as busy and troublesome in the seclusion of his chamber as in the crowded street. Whether engaged in the sacred duties of religion, or in the active duties of life, when he would do good, evil is present with him, and threatens to thwart his best intentions.

This is indeed much to be deplored; and we cannot be too vigilant, nor pray too fervently. against those infirmities and sinful propensities. We may, however, be too severe against ourselves in the conclusions that we draw from the existence of such feelings in the heart. If the Christian go so far as, on this account, to charge himself with hypocrisy before God, and to despair

of the Divine mercy, he dishonours his Saviour, and robs himself of peace. Jesus Christ tells us that He came, not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. (Matt. ix. 13.) And although perfect holiness should ever be the mark to which we aspire, yet the Scriptural evidence of our sincerity is to be sought in our meekness and lowliness of heart. (Matt. xi. 29.) The existence of these graces within us is incompatible with our enmity against God.

These hard thoughts of himself often arise in the Christian's mind from his looking too exclusively at his own character. True, the heart knoweth its own bitterness: and we are sometimes tempted to think, and seem to take a morbid pleasure in thinking, that no other heart is so bad as our own, and, therefore, that none have such cause for self-reproach as ourselves. But go through the catalogue of believers: read the histories of the most eminent men that have adorned the Church of God, and you shall find no one who has not, almost to the end of life, bemoaned the constant presence, the unwearied activity, the all but resistless power, of this indwelling evil. Take the distinguished saint who makes the confession just noticed. Comparing himself with others, he could with truth declare : Are they ministers of Christ? I am more: in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.

Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren ; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. (2 Cor. xi. 23-31.) Such labours and endurance are unparalleled in the history of the church. Yet while the Apostle knew that his devotion to his Saviour's cause exceeded that of all his brethren; he at the same time freely confessed, that when he would do good, evil was present with him.

It ought not then to destroy our peace, indeed it should not surprise us, much less cause us to despair of acceptance with God, when we find within our bosoms the same cause of complaint as St. Paul and all other Christians have found.

But there are too many to whom all this is unintelligible. The will to do good must exist in the soul before the presence of evil can be de