whom we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind ; and were by nature children of wrath, even as others1." And again, " We ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another"1."
But, together with the Scripture, let me appeal to personal experience. What have been our own habits even from our youth ? Have we delighted ourselves in God 1 Has it been the joy of our hearts to draw nigh to him in the exercise of prayer and praise ? And have we sought after the communica- tions of his grace and the testimonies of his love, as our supreme happiness ? When the question has occurred to our minds, " Who will shew us any good ?" has the reply of David instantly been made, " Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us11?" Must we not rather confess, that every vanity has been regarded by us with a deeper interest than our God, and every base lust been served in preference to him ? Yes, we have, as the Scripture asserts, " worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for evermore0." And if at any time we have been reproved for this, our heart has risen up against the will of God, in the very spirit of Pharaoh, when he said, " Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice ? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel gop." And now I make my appeal to you. Is this overstated ? If any think that it is, tell me who is there amongst us whose body has at all times been in perfect subjec- tion to his soul, so as to render a prompt and uniform obedience to its holy motions ? With whom has it not rather been in a constant state of rebellion against the soul; and in whom, unless he have been renewed by divine grace, does it not, with insatiable avidity, follow yet daily its own corrupt desires ? It is true
1 Eph. ii. 2, 3. m Tit. iii. 3. » Ps. iv. 6.
0 Rom. i. 25. p Exod. v. 2.