loliolly consumed on the altar'. It enjoins us '* neither to live unto ourselves, nor die unto ourselves ;" but both in life and death to be altogether at the Lord's disposal, for the accom- plishment of his will, and for the promotion of his glory "\
Now to this measure of holiness we have by nature a deep and rooted aversion. We have many earthly and sensual ap- petites, which plead for indulgence : and when we are required to " cut off the right hand, and pluck out the right eye," and to " be holy as God himself is holy," we reply, " This is an hard saying; who can hear it?" To " mortity our members upon earth," and to " crucify the flesh with its affections and lusts," is a work, which, as the very terms in which it is ex- pressed intimate, is painful to flesh and blood : and to be told that without this we never can be Christ's disciples, is most grating to our ears". But nothing less than this will suffice for the approving of ourselves upright in the sight of God.
I beseech you then, brethren, to " look diligently" to this matter, and not to come short of what the Gospel requires of you ; for if you comply not both with its doctrines and its pre- cepts, you can never partake of its privileges and its blessings,]
But respecting this Gospel, we are further cau- tioned, II. Not to dishoiiour it after we have embraced it —
We are m danger of dishonouring it,
I. By heretical opinions — [It is to these chiefly, though not exclusively, that I sup- pose " the root of bitterness" to refer. The expression is adopted from the Old Testament, where Moses cautions the Israelites against any " root among them bearing gall and wormwood," and operating to the production of idolatry". Such sprang up very early in the Christian Church ; even as St. Paul forewarned the elders of Ephesus to expect : " I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away dis- ciples after themi'." Some there were who blended the Mosaic rites with the Gospel ; others, who " denied the resurrection, saying that it was past already ;" others " denied the Lord who bought them :" and great was " the trouble," and extensive the defilement, which these heretics occasioned in the Church of Chrisfi.
Such teachers there have been ever since in the Church, even to the present hour: and there is need of the utmost
1 Rom. xii. 1. "" Rom. xiv. 7, 8. " Gal. v. 24.
0 Deut. xxix. 19. p Acts xx. 29, 30.
1 Gal. V. 7—10. 2 Tim. ii. 10—18. 2 Pet. ii. 1, 2.
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cai'e that we be not drawn aside by any of them " from the simplicity that is in Christ^" Nothing can be more simple than the Gospel, when it is received in a humble child-like spirit. It requires nothing but a life of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and a life of love both towards God and man for his sake. The whole is comprehended in those words, " faith working by love." But men are fond of making the Gospel a theatre for disputation ; and they care not how far they divert the minds of their followers from " the truth as it is in Jesus," if only the}' may but prevail upon them to receive their dogmas. This is the true root of all the heresies which have distracted and defiled the Church of God in all ages.
But be ye on your guard, brethren, lest any such " root of bitterness" spring up among you. It is well called " a root of bitterness," for nothing that ever yet divided the human race has caused more " bitterness" than that which calls itself religion, but which, in fact, is only some partial or erroneous view of religion, which conceit has propagated, and bigotry enforced.]