our Lord i." I again say, its motions may still continue : but its power is broken, and its reign destroyed ; so that he is no longer the bond-slave of Satan ; for " the truth has made him free : and he is free indeed ^"]
That I may enforce this subject on your hearts and consciences, I declare before God and this assembly,
1. That only in proportion as you keep yourselves from your besetting sin, have you any evidence that you are upright before God —
[David speaks of his victory over his besetting sin as his evidence of his uprightness before God : " I have been upright before God : for I have kept myself from my iniquity." Now, I beseech you. Brethren, to try yourselves by this test. " If you are Christ's indeed, you have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts * ; " and if you are " Israelites indeed, you are without any known and allowed guile *." But I must warn you, that, if you allow any one sin, you cannot be the servants of Jesus Christ : for if you were really his, you would " walk as he walked"," and "purify yourselves even as he is pure''."]
2. That only in proportion as you keep yourselves from your besetting sin, have you any hope of happi- ness in the eternal world —
[Our blessed Lord has told us plainly, that " a right eye or a right hand retained by us will be the means of casting us into hell fire^." What a terrific thought is this ! and how fear- ful should it make us of self-deception ! Truly, we should not be content with searching and trying ourselves, but should beg of God, also, to " search and try us, to see if there be any wicked way in us, and to lead us in the way everlasting^." For, if we should be saved at last, " we must be sincere, and with- out oflTence till the day of Christ^."]
q Rom. vii. 18, 19, 24, 25. ^ John viii. 32. ^ Gal. v. 24.
t Tolm i. 47. " 1 John ii. 6. ^ 1 John iii. 3.
y Mark ix. 43—48. z Ps.cxxxix.23,24. a phu, j. lo.