question of fact, not of right. Carnal men are still under God's government by right. The worst of our race are under an obligation to obedience, even constant, perfect obedience. Paul did not mean to excuse sinners, but to expose their true character; not to allow them to infer, (as some would gladly do,) that because their minds are carnal, God must be content with mere bodily service.

And when he adds, neither can it be, this also is not intended as an excuse. It is indeed morally impossible, that a man should serve two masters, whose interests clash in that very case in which his service is demanded; e. g. two candidates at a contested election; or two rival kings, con tending for the same crown.

Though inability is a negative term, yet we must remember that the sinner's inability arises from a positive cause. He cannot love God supremely, because he loves self supremely. He cannot be subject to God's law, because he is willingly subject to the law of sin. This leads me,

THIRDLY, TO Consider the grounds of this enmity. Why is the carnal mind enmity against God? Why can it not bear subjection to God's law?

Certainly, not because there is any thing unlovely in the character of God, or any thing unreasonable in his law. They who are his enemies, hate him without cause. The throne is his by right; he requires no more than his due; he is infinitely worthy of supreme regard. Universal conformity to his law would insure universal happiness; and real conformity to it, would insure individual happiness. As I suggested before, no one thinks the second great command too strict, as the rule of his neighbour's conduct to him. And as to the first and greatest command, no rational being can be happy without conformity to it; nor could the second be enforced without the first; any more than the planets could enjoy light and heat, and be kept in their orbits, without the sun.

God is glorious in holiness; infinitely venerable; infinitely lovely. God is LOVE! But he loves that best, which is best. He loves himself best, because he is infinitely great and good. And he loves the happiness of his extensive

empire, better than the happiness of any individual. But can this be a blemish in his moral character? Yet this is

the ground of the sinner's enmity.

It is an aggravation of the sin of man, that he is an enemy. to his Maker, Preserver, and Benefactor; but it is not this that can be supposed to excite his enmity. Men would readily own that they did not give themselves existence, and that they cannot regulate the higher order of creatures. They are willing to have one that can give them rain and fruitful seasons; to have an almighty friend and protector, and even to pay him some sort of homage and praise. They would be willing to worship the thunderer, the god of battles, the god of seasons, the sun, moon, or planets, or any imaginary beings whose moral character did not essentially differ from their own. Even the terrible attributes of imaginary deities would not drive men away from their altars, if they could suppose that mere external rites would appease their anger, or insure their favor; and to this end they would do violence to the natural feelings of humanity, sooner than submit to the extensive requisitions of the God of righteousness. "Cause the Holy One of Israel to ceasefrom before us," was the language of the carnal Jews in Isaiah's time, who yet could cause their children to pass through the fire unto Moloch. A life of sin will reconcile idolaters in India, to the cruelties of Juggernaut and Doorga.

The carnal mind is enmity against God, who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity; who requires truth in the inner parts; who is the constant inspector of every heart; the righteous avenger of all wrongs; whose moral government extends to all created intelligences; whose commandment is exceeding broad; whose law is spiritual, and admits of no abatement; but threatens every transgression with a just recompense of reward. Him they dislike; and to his law, though holy, just, and good, they cannot bear to be subject. I proceed to show,

FOURTHLY, How the carnal mind manifests this evil disposition. Some discover this aversion, opposition, and hostility to God, in one way, and some in another.

Many, even in a Christian land, by blasphemy, profanity, and avowed contempt of the very forms of religion, show their enmity to God's word and worship, and to all those who appear to reverence him, or to pay any regard to his revealed will. In this class, I trust, none of my hearers can be found; but the contemplation of such characters should deeply affect us, and impress our minds with a sense of the malignity of sin, and the truth of the testimony of scripture, concerning the desperate wickedness of the human heart; and make us sensible of our obligations to God, for restraining us from like excesses.

But others show it by habitual and voluntary forgetfulness of God; especially by an evident unwillingness to contemplate his real character, as revealed and illustrated in his word; and an evident backwardness to notice his hand in all the occurrences of life; not duly thanking him for favors, nor properly noticing his providential rebukes.

Every carnal mind is unwilling to admit, much more to dwell upon, the ideas of his constant inspection of our conduct and hearts; our absolute responsibility, and our infinite obligations to constant, cordial, perfect obedience to his law, and conformity to his will,

The text evidently suggests, that this enmity to God is chiefly occasioned by his acting as a moral governor : if God would only employ his natural perfections to gratify them, they would be well pleased with him; for they must confess, that he can do that for them which they cannot do for themselves; and they would not object to have an Almighty Being subservient to their interest, especially if he would not claim too much gratitude in return. But an Almighty Governor is another thing, especially if he be also omnipresent and omniscient, and require constant submission and obedience.

The nearer God approaches to the sinner, and the more he makes himself known to him, without changing his heart, the more does he revolt from him, and discover a more positive enmity. As long as they are able, sinners show their dislike to God's true character, by persuading themselves that he is not what he really is; even a pure, righteous,

sin-hating, sin-avenging God; who cannot deny himself, but is jealous for his own honor; who, if he show mercy at all to sinners, will not do it at the expense of justice; who will have nothing to do with them in a way of mercy, but through a Mediator; and will accept of no Mediator, but one equal to himself, who must make reconciliation for transgressors by his own most precious blood; and who, if sinners after all are unwilling to return to him in the way he has appointed, will have mercy on whom he will, and induce them to embrace the Saviour, and own him for their Lord, as well as their Redeemer. Thus, the true gospel as little suits the carnal mind as the law of God; and no wonder; for both had the same author, and exhibit the same moral character as belonging to him.

But it often seems to the carnal mind, that all the sinner needs is, that God should make some reasonable allowance for human frailty, and then he hopes he shall counterbalance his bad deeds by his good ones; or perhaps, he may admit of Christ's making up deficiencies.

Nor will sinners willingly admit that they need to be created anew; at the utmost, they suppose a little assistance is all they need, to enable them to do their duty, and become truly virtuous.

When contrary views are set before the sinner, and the truth is closely pressed on the conscience, it often excites the enmity of the heart in an awful degree, which nothing can subdue but omnipotent grace.

There is, indeed, a false gospel, which would suit a carnal heart, which leaves the core of the controversy between God and man untouched; which seems to justify the sinner's enmity to the law and government of God, and misrepresent the Saviour, as if he had not intended to magnify the divine law; but (heaven forbid the blasphemy,) to save us from its undue severity. This may suit a carnal heart; if a man can believe without evidence that he is interested in gospel blessings, without being bound to lament his former disaffection, or disobedience, or anxious to devote himself to God in future. An election without wisdom or holiness; a sort of infinite caprice, resolving to exempt from punish

but from duty.
security.
work of the Spirit.

A

ment those who will not acknowledge their punishment would have been just, if Christ had never interposed; and to raise them to honor, without making them, at present, holy and conformable to Christ. A redemption, not from sin, A perseverance, not in grace, but in mere witness of the Spirit, without the No vivification, no mortification. When I speak of a false gospel, I do not intend to charge every one who may occasionally use an inaccurate or unscriptural expression, with intending to mislead souls; but that souls are too often thus deceived, I am most deeply and fully convinced. And let men use what evangelical phrases they may, if they so represent the gospel as to make it palatable to a carnal mind, whose enmity to God's moral government remains uncured, the consequences must be unspeakably awful: nor could I, with my views of the subject, be clear from the blood of souls, if I did not warn them against such a delusion.

FIFTHLY: What further improvement shall we make of the subject?

If this be a just representation of the disposition of the carnal mind, and if this mind is common to all mankind, then man must be a very depraved and very guilty creature, and justly exposed to condemnation. And it must be an amazing display of sovereign mercy, that God should think of restoring such wretched creatures to the enjoyment of his favor. All hope in their case must spring from unobliged, spontaneous goodness.

It must have been an exceedingly difficult case to render their salvation at all consistent with the honor of the divine government, and must require infinite wisdom to solve the difficulties attending their salvation. For it cannot be expected that God will surrender his just rights, abdicate his throne, degrade his majesty, sully his purity, or injure any of his perfections.

If salvation be effected by a Mediator, that Mediator must be one who cannot be suspected of taking sides with sinners, or making light of their offences; he must be a most decided friend of righteousness; and he need be a person of infinite