Hear God's description of it, as existing,
1. In our very nature —
["The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can bea." By " the carnal mind" we are to understand the disposition of every man by nature : and this is not merely inimical to God, but enmity itself against him : there is not any faculty in his soul that is in accordance with God ; nor any thing that is in God that is pleasing to him. There is the same contrariety between him and God, as between fire and water, or between light and darkness ; which cannot coalesce in any degree, but have a mutual tendency to destroy each other. "The carnal mind not only is not, but cannot be, subject to God's law." Were it only inimical to God, a reconciliation might be hoped for : but the whole soul being enmity itself against God, it can never be brought to submission to God, till the enmity itself is slain. What a picture does this give us of our fallen nature ! There is nothing in man which does not hate God ; nor any thing in God which man does not hate. What can be conceived more odious than this ?]
2. In the more moral of mankind —
[Of those who are grossly immoral, I forbear to speak. But look at those who, like the Pharisees of old, have a sem- blance of religion ; and who, from a conceit of their own superior sanctity, look with contempt on their less specious neighbours : of these our Lord says, that they are whited sepulchres, which have a fair outside indeed, but " within are full of dead men's bones and of all uncleanness." Now, let us endeavour to realize this image. Let us suppose a grave, in which a number of bodies have been buried, opened, whilst the putrefaction is in full process : we could not endure the sight or smell, even for a moment. Yet such an object is the heart of a decent Pharisee in the sight of God. His exterior before men may be fair enough ; but Gocl, to whom the inmost recesses of the soul are open, turns away from him with dis- gust, not able to endure the sight of such a nauseous object. Nor can we ever have a just view of our fallen nature, till we see it in this lothesome and offensive light.]
3. In those who make a faint profession of reli-
gion-
[Nothing but perfect sincerity can approve itself to God. If " the heart be not right with him," it is as odious in his eyes as if it were altogether insensible before him. Its professions
a Rom. viii. 7.