defects : and we doubt not but that St. Paul's spirituality of mind led him to complain more bitterly of the defects, which, with all his exertions, he was not able to prevent, than he would have done in his unconverted state of more plain and palpable transgressions. It might be supposed that the more holy any man was, the more free he would be from such com- plaints : but the very reverse of this is true : the persons " who have received the first-fruits of the Spirit, are they who groan most within themselves for their complete redemption0;" yea Paul himself, as long as he was in the body, did " groan, being burthenedp:" to his dving hour he resumed at times that piteous moan, " O wretched man that I am ! who shall deliver meq?"
St. Paul indeed makes a wide distinction between these sins of infirmity, and wilful sins. Of these (these sins of infirmity) he twice says, " If I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me1;" that is, my new nature in no respects consents to these sins; nay, the full bent and purpose of my soul is against them ; but the remainder of my in-dwelling corruption, which I hate and oppose to the utter- most, keeps me from attaining that full perfection that I pant after : and therefore I hope that God will accept my services, notwithstanding the imperfection that attends them. In like manner, we, if we have the testimony of our consciences that we allow no sin, but fight against it universally, and with all our might, may rest assured, that " God will not be extreme to mark what is done amiss," but that our services, notwith- standing their imperfection, shall come up with acceptance before him.]
In considering this experience of the Apostle, we must especially attend to,
III. The improvement to be made of it — We may learn from it,
1. How constantly we need the atonement and intercession of Christ —
[It is not for the sins only of our unconverted state that we need a Saviour, but for those of daily incursion, even for those which attend our very best services. As Aaron of old was to bear the iniquity of the people of Israel, even of " their holy things s," so our great High- Priest must bear ours: nor can the best service we ever offered unto God be accepted of him, till it has been washed in the Redeemer's blood, and perfumed with
0 Rom. viii. 23. p 2 Cor. v. 2, 4. <J ver. 24.
r Compare ver. 17, 20. s Exod. xxviii. 38.
n2