do. Say not, This angry temper is a light evil: It is murder in the seed and embryo ; and may terminate in the very act of murder much sooner than you imagine. Say not, This impure thought or look is venial : it is constructive adultery ; to which it leads, and in which, ere you are aware of it, it may soon issue. The same I would say of envy, hatred, malice, covet- ousness, ambition, and the whole catalogue of spiritual lusts : the admission of them into the heart is as a leak in a ship, which will sink it ultimately, if it be not stopped in time. A mariner will not neglect that leak, though it be but small ; because he knows the consequences: he knows that if it be neglected, his efforts to preserve the ship will ere long be vain and ineffectual. It is not possible to look around us without seeing, in numberless instances, what dominion the evil tempers of men have gained, and what misery they diffuse throughout their respective families and spheres. Had they been checked in their commencement, how much sin and misery would have been prevented! If then we would not forge chains for our own souls, let us guard against the first risings of sin : for, whatever we may think, " we shall reap according to what we sow : he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap cor- ruption ; but he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting"."]
3. How constant should we be in waiting upon the Lord Jesus Christ, both in his pubhc ordinances, and in secret prayer !
[None but Christ can afford us an}^ effectual help : for " without him we can do nothing"." To him we must carry our every trial, and every temptation: and we must plead with him for help, as the Apostle did, till he answer lis, and say, *' My grace is sufficient for thee p." Let us never forget that it is in vain to resist sin in our own strength. None but God himself can subdue it in us. " Our sufficiency even to think a good thought must be of himi." If he help us, it is well : " We can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth us""." But if we address ourselves to the purifying of our hearts in our own strength, we shall fail, as the Apostles did, when in self-confidence they attempted to cast out a devil, which " could only be ejected through the influence of prayer and fasting ^" Let us look simply to Christ to purge us both from the guilt and power of our sins; and then we shall find, that " according to our faith it shall be done unto us*."]
" Gal. vi. 7, 8. o John xv. 5. p 2 Cor. xii. 9.
1 2 Cor. v. 5. r Phil. iv. 13. « Matt. xvii. 21.
t Matt. ix. 29.