to others. We all are sensible of this weakness in others; and it would be well if we were more on our guard respectino- it in ourselves. Not to mention the innumerable instances which manifest themselves in our conduct towards each other, how universally are men blinded in their conduct towards God ! While Christianity m general, is allowed to be both good and necessary, there is scarcely any regard paid to its particular, and most distinguishing tenets. Its fundamental doctrines, such as original sin, justification by faith, regenera- tion by the Holy Spirit, are discarded as erroneous; and its most essential precepts of holiness and self-denial are ridiculed as preciseness and enthusiasm. Where the jaundiced eye re- ceives such an impression respecting the most important truths, its light must be considered as no better than darkness — ]
3. When under a professed regard to it, we do what is in itself evil —
[It is no uncommon thing to put " evil for good, and darkness for light," and to engage earnestly in some evil con- duct under the idea that we are doing what is right^. Our Lord has taught us to expect that men would persecute and even " kill his faithful followers, and imagine all the time that they were doing God service." And Paul, in the midst of all his boasted morality, persecuted the Christians even unto death, and persuaded himself that "he ought to do" so*^. A similar conduct yet obtains in the world. There are thousands who yet think it their duty to oppose the progress of the Gos- pel, and to repress by every means in their power its influence over their friends and relatives. The light of such persons surely is, not only dark, but darkness itself — ]
It appears then, that our Lord cautions 2is not to neglect or violate the dictates of our conscience. And to impress this lesson more deeply on our minds, I will mark,
II. The vast importance of it to every child of man — The Jews had manifested a most astonishing per- verseness in resisting all the evidences of our Lord's mission ; and he well knew how fatal it would prove to them, if they should persist in it any longer. Hence he gave them this solemn caution, which may, for similar reasons, be given also unto us,
1. The evil against which we are guarded, is a common evil —
^ Isai. V. 20. = John xvi. 2. Acts xxvi. 9.