SERMON IX. Romans ix. 3. I COULD WISH THAT MYSELF WERE ACCURSED FROM CHRIST, FOR MY BRETHREN MY KINSMEN ACCORDING TO THE FLESH. Ir is difficult, perhaps, to determine precisely what the Apostle here means by the terms, ACCURSED FROM CHRIST; we may, however, be assured that they do not necessarily imply absolute and final reprobation; neither the circumstances of the case, nor the character of the writer require us so to interpret the expression. It is probable that he meant, by thus speaking, to declare he was willing to give up the peculiar and extraordinary privilege conferred upon him, of having been miraculously converted to the Christian faith, and rely on the uncovenanted mercy of the Almighty for a season, if, by such a temporary resignation, all his countrymen might become converts, and be put instantly into possession of those inestimable blessings which, by that conversion, they would be enabled to procure. St. Paul, we know, had been a zealous persecutor of the church of Christ ; Secondly, Limited servitude admits of mutual advantages; for here the inferior is supposed to be hired, not bought, and consequently to earn the wages of his labour; in this case, therefore, each party receives mutual benefit, in a degree indeed that cannot be distinctly ascertained, yet, clearly from the nature of the contract, a benefit which is intended to be mutual. These are evidently the facts in the two only supposeable cases we can put respecting individuals, and what is true in these cases, is also true in the two modes of civil government similar to them. The despotic form is solely calculated for the benefit of the tyrant; the milder and mixed monarchical one produces mutual advantages, as well to the subject as the sovereign; and even the aristocratic or republican modes of government, in which there is no distinct head, but where power and subjec tion frequently fluctuate, are yet intended in their origin, and are calculated in some degree (if not very ill executed) to promote the common welfare of the whole political body. In this advantage either to one or both of the parties it is that the specific difference between the service of man to man, and of man to God seems to consist; for we have seen that there is no kind of human government where the benefit accrues solely to the subordinate part, or where those who are governed receive an advantage exclusive of those who govern: Whereas, in that subordinate relation in which man stands towards his Maker, the benefit accrues entirely to himself, because it is certain that God cannot be benefited of any, even the best of his services; for though mere morality may inculcate the duty of our serving God to the utmost of our power, yet it is manifest, that by thus serving him we only promote the true interest of ourselves. It is clear, that by acting as under the inspection of an all-good Being, we take the surest means of avoiding such vices as have an immediate tendency to injure our own temporal happiness; that the farther we estrange ourselves from the practice of such virtues as natural reason teaches us can only be approved by such a master and inspector, the more we divest ourselves of that internal satisfaction which arises from a well-spent life and a peaceful conscience; and that the more we give the reins to any of our passions, the more we abridge our true liberty, and fall under the worst species of tyranny; in a word, it is clear that to lead a life of innocence is the only means of living a life of happiness. But an objector, though he admits this to be true, will yet be ready to ask the following very obvious question: "If no service we can render the Deity can possibly "benefit him, how can any thing that we do glorify "him? Are we not as incapable of increasing his glory as his happiness?" I am, on my own part, ready to |