418
SELECT SERMONS.
and acceptable, and perfect will of God." He who
is conformed to the things of this world cannot
please God.
" The carnal mind is enmity against God: because
it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed
can be." Hence he who would come after Christ
must be spiritually minded; which is done by re¬
straining himself from the things of the world and
placing his affection on things above. Everything
like sin must be denounced, and the cross taken up
with boldness, and Jesus followed whithersoever he
leadeth, through evil report as well as good. More¬
over, this resolution must be steadfast; the world
must be given up forever. You must be determined
for God to live and for God to die; " for he that puts
his hands to the plow and looks back, is not fit for
the kingdom." When this is done the soul is lifted
to the favor of God to see, witness and feel a glorious
change, and the man no longer lives after the flesh
but after the Spirit, and sings daily:
" Nearer my God to thee."
II. Crucifixion of self.—Self is a very dear thing;
man loves himself above all things. Why ? because
he doesn't know himself. Self is a good thing when
not known, but when known a very bad thing.
If man only knew himself this world would not
have so much crime to deal with. If men would
take more time studying themselves and less in
Permalink: http://pid.emory.edu/ark:/25593/p6zbc
