resist what the other abstains from without an effort. And men's opportunities differ-some are guarded and hedged in by social restraints of various kinds, so that whole classes of sins are made for them practically impossible. But what puts the real difference between characters is how the temptations are met which are strongly felt as temptations. Does the thought

arise, "How shall I do this wickedness and sin against God?" This it is which the Apostle James has expressed in the saying, "Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For He that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now, if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.”

The Stoics exposed themselves to easy ridicule by stating in a paradoxical way their doctrine of the parity of offences, yet there is a deep truth at the bottom of their doctrine. The great question for any man, as stated from a Stoic point of view, is, Does he recognise the supreme authority of law, and make it his one aim to rule his conduct thereby? A Christian would add, Does he love the Law-giver, and is it his heart's desire to please Him? But contempt for law may be shown in small things as well as in great. The posts assigned us in the battle.

against evil are different; but what worse can any man do than betray the post assigned to himself. "He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in much and he that is unjust in the least, is unjust also in much." Experience tells any who will observe that there is a much closer alliance between sins of different kinds than might at first have been imagined. Cherish wilfully one known sin, though you may flatter yourself it is a little one, and that sin is not likely to be your only one. When water has once found its way through an embankment it goes on enlarging the little aperture through which it began to flow, until what was once a little trickle swells to a great inundation. If in any case your faithless heart consent to the removal, in any part, of the barrier which the love of God and of His law ought to raise against sin, you will find your weakened will unable to withstand successfully other claimants for a like indulgence. I said a few minutes ago that there are some sins which to each of us do not count among practical possibilities. It is astonishing how any course of indulged sin enlarges the range of these practical possibilities; how this or that against which once conscience would have raised so loud a remonstrance that we should not have dreamed of disregarding

her voice, is gradually met with fainter and fainter outcry, until at last it seems to us a light matter whether or not we are guilty of it.

I return, then, to what I said in the first sermon as to the supposed self-contradictions of Scripture. The key to the difficulties they present is to remember that the Bible is a practical book. Nothing is easier than to perplex oneself with speculative difficulties, but it is our own fault if any such obscure the path of duty. If there are any passages which we fancy present mutual contradictions, we may be sure that each contains a lesson which it is needful for us to learn; and we shall be sure to go wrong if pushing one of them to what we imagine to be its logical consequences, we make these our rule of action, neglecting the truth conveyed by the other.

It may be true that some have fixed their thoughts too exclusively on the importance of the transition from a state of indifference or enmity to God, to one in which we are His pledged servants and soldiers. They may have led disciples to feel as if, this transition once made, all was over that was of importance; as if the great point was enlisting as a soldier and not fighting the battle. And many may thereby have been led into dangerous mistakes:

in former days, thinking that because they had been baptized into Christ's Church they must be safe; in later days, because they had, as they believe, experienced conversion.

And yet, however that truth may have been distorted, it is no less true that it is a choice each of you has to make in which of two great classes you will be found; whether in the conflict with sin you will be on the side of the Lord or on that of His enemies. It does not follow that you are not fighting on His side because you may suffer occasional defeats. It is one thing to be worsted in a battle, another to make a shameful surrender or desert to the enemy's side. If temptations have overcome you, do not acquiesce in your defeat, let not your will consent to subjection to any form of known sin. draw near for help to Him who is stronger than all your foes: seek strength from Him, and let. the thought of Christ, our Example, who loved us and gave Himself for us, be ever with you as your shield against temptation. This is the battle you are bound to fight. Are you willing to do so? "Choose you this day whom you will serve." God give each of you grace to answer, As for me I will serve the Lord."

But

XVII

WORKING TOGETHER WITH GOD

"We, then, as workers together with Him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain."—2 CORINTHIANS Vi. I.

used by St.

IN this text we have one of the links that bind together the two Epistles to the Corinthians, and evidence their common authorship. The thought expressed here that the Christian minister is a joint-worker with God had been Paul in his First Epistle (iii. 9) in order to still the rivalries of those who did not look above the human agents to whom their conversion had been due. "We are joint-labourers," he said, "with God; it is God's husbandry, God's building you are." And the thought seems to have been habitual with Paul, for his disciple, St. Luke, on three several occasions reports that the language Paul used in relating his missionary successes was, "What things God had done with them; "What wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them;" "What things God had wrought