The New York herald., 1874-07-27
FIRST EPISCOPAL REFORMED cHURCE
Living in Christ.


The Rev. Dr.. Sabine, rector OF the First Epis-
copal Reformed church, corner of Forty-seyenth
street and Madison avenue being out OF the city
the pulpit was occupied by the Rev. 7. 2. Leacock
OF the Evangelical Society. The congregation
was exceedingly limited in regard TO numbers, q
majority Of The members havin. gone to the
country. TEe text OF the DISCOURSE vas taken
rom the sixteenth chapter OF Romans, seventh
ycrsc--.'in christ" The reverend gentleman
said This, indeed, is great NY stery-that man,
creature OF pollution, should DC ia Christ the son
OF God But, brcthrcn, il is "A mystery or love,
and the al-mportant question for US to consider
is Baye we this hope Can we say that we are
in Christ? Let Us study snd analyze our POSITIONS
ana, with Gods hep, endeavor to realize the i'm
portancc OF the question. In Christ and IN
Adam wo Ind two direct oppos,es. II we
are III Adam we cannot be IN CHRIST; II In ChTist
we assuredly cannot be In Adam II We are in
Christ W haJ Is ms we share-Hls su1erngs as well
as His q ory-and as We are the children OF God
40 are joint heirs with Jesus Christ. II YOU
are In Christ, as Crrist stands before God so do
You stand Is lie pure ana holy, void OF sin so are
you. Is lie on the throne, triumphiag In MAJESTY,
So are YOU IL you ask where are the SINS with
wnicn your souls once were burdened answer
they are nailed 10 the cross; they are 3lotted
not Ia consonanco With the lie ard character or Il
CHRISTIAN? answer, brethren, they are not sins !;
they emanate rom u diseased nature. The acts
are not yours: they are not done with prenlella
non and with o desire TO violate the laws OF Goa !;
consequently they are not SINS In the eyes OF the
divine law they are dead. They died when Christ
died. Ii not you, the chlld of God, who performs
them. You hate them. You mourn over them.
Ii is not your ault but the ault Ot the Old nature,
Tor which you are not accountable. As q Worthy
tell you that ye that are in Christ cannot sin
ana in o9sn dc ;ance OF Goa's law. ana child OF
God cannot exist thus. IL may, and does, some.
times, happen that child or God may be swept
away by n sudden burst OF passion, but it
is only monientary, and contrtion and sorrow Will
soon follow. Inc commission OF these acts does
not affect the CHRISTIANS status. II does not DIS
franchise him. It does not cat him on rom his
God for for all this there Is forgiveness, IL the re-
peaIanes be eng sincere. there cannot be etei'
This, OF course Is a question OF condition. Man
passes from state OF SIN ana death INTO relation
ship with Christ. Tie scriptures call this CONVEX
sion, regeneratlon-the new birlh Hy this we
may know whether we are in christ. Does IL show
ilself IN change OF me- DO our acfs eaca
II II SO, then tGen are re- We in ghrfst. We may i've
with Sin, but not IN sin. We carry about the old
W are continually crying out against 1t. But can
Christian slnf st. John says child OF God can.
lie cannot i've IN state OF sin. What is sin? 4
transgress:on OF the lay. Divine law consists OF
love and aitn The iah rs4ured IS to believe s IN
damnahe OF all sins is rejection Of Christ. 1t
is state or sin-a perpetual, prolonged act OF
passed. Ne beIieves IN Jesna The law Of love IS
ruc OF li.c, ou6 not = ground OK lnStihcation or
salvation lie Is already justified and saveo. 1t is
in this law OF love that tnc CHRISTIANS shcrtcon-
iugs are most frequent These shortcomings arise
rom lack CT watchlulness, q lack OF frequent
nrayer and self-oxan,n nation. They are s,ps, bp.
not unto de ath. The Christian may become a fallen
chtd, but he IL not Il lost child. The fascina-
tions OF the world may allure nm the lists OF the
nesh entcc him, but he VIII he rescued. Neglect
and folly cannot exiinguist the love OF Goa. The
divine adoption cannot be disturbed. AS the
apostle says, am persuaded that nothing that IL
created able 10 separate Us from the love OF God
In Jesus CHRIST Brethren, consider your high call
Walk ia love anu day by day strive TO become
more Ike Him who by His precious blood has re-
Gecaled us from sin and desih.
Ire reverend gentleman was listened TO with
marked attention throughoui. Rev. rr. Sabine
VII! occupy the pulpit, as usual, on next sunday
morning.