Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1879-09-13

road that leads the young TO ruin ! II is
that your heart is not right tow ards
God-had it continued so, you would
turn away and shun the very appearance
of OWL.
Now dare say brothers some might be
disposed to say, "this is putting it rather
strong; We do not think it necessary for
such special occasion as to-lay,) we
are always in tho habit OF doing orr du-
ty; and we do not see that we are worse
than other people, or us bad perhaps"
That is just it my brother, perhaps Imay
thank God for you that you are not en-
men, or even as this publican, although
it might not do for you t, say so your
selves, lest the sin of the Pharisec reblll1e
you. But dear brother, if there be II man
in this congregation who cannot put his
hand on his heart and say, before GOD,
81 am clean in this NATTER that is the
man am speaking to. You may not,
indeed, be worse than ohcr people, but
are you sinners OH dear yes! But are
you shining lights that men may see
your god works, instead of your q,tcs-
tionable works, and glorify your Father
in heaven? Are you walking worthy of
your high vocation Are YOU basl,ing in
the favor of God! Are all the spots and
wrinkles being taken out Of you, that
You may be presented pure and without
blame before Gol9 The world may
not see any thing in your conduct to con-
denim, but God knows whether your
heart is wholly given to Him; and you
know that too brother. Are yOn becoming
sanctiliedo If not you have hitherto
given God only half your hearts. Now
my Bre that will not do; because, Tie
world the flesh and the devil have the
other half; and the devil is working in
it, and God has only the other halt to
work upon, and you cannot be sanctiiicd,
because, God has lost half your heart.
You may say how do You know that
Why Bro, it lis sclf-cvi,lent; but do you
want proof?-You shall have it dear Bro;
one at least ont OF naly that mig hb be
brought forward, although it, is evident
to ere,y one who atten Is this church
every time the Holy Communion is ad-
ministcred. The Son of Col is manifest
cd, every month in this church, evident
ly set forth before yonr very eyes, i'll t!ic
s;lcremcnt of his blood, for the remission
of sins, AMI all other benefits OF His pas
I,,I- at fn
have those benefits applied to You; or
you come but now and then, scarcely cv-
or. Alas! how many, many, of this con-
gregation get up ald 90 ont, because, for
sooth th-y cannot consent to give God,
ut best, but half their hearts! There
may be other reasons but in nine cases
out of ten this il the true reason. I do
not say that merely coming to the Holy
Communion. demonstrates that you have
given your Whole heart to Gol. Iou
may cone merely to comply; you may
conc with your DO ly and keep back your
soul: J ,ilS WIS there VIII N it WAS inSti-
tutcd. We know what Satan was doing
With his rraitor hearv all tn, tima. But
we do not say til 1t your coming does
show that You have not Z ivrn your whole
heart to God ana you C lnn,t b. sairti
fed, bc;auss, til, work of. the devil, and
the cStrangcm mt of your heart from Col
is only huff destroyed, not rooted out; it
springs up every day, it bears its evil
fruits, you pull til" Il down is Il bunch of
;lcorns from an oak but if you want no
more to grow, you must do better thu
that, better than pulling off the fruit ana
branches as they grow, thinking the tree
will thus follow AMI fall of itself. Iou
must do better than that The tree it.
self must come down. 1t is all very well
Bro, to try t, strike at Your sins as they
crop out, to find ont your sins amt en-
dcavol to master them, your bad habits,
sins OF the tongue, of passion or any par
ticular sin You are prone to, to try
whether YOU cannot overcome them and
make yo1lrsclfa little better; it is right
that you should do so ; for it is all you
can do yourself; all you have any power
to do, and this may show you what the
work of sanctifcation iS,-it means that
God does the work which man cannot do,
man cannot lay hold of the devil and
root him out tooth and Eail-but God
can, and sanctification is God having hold
On his part Of the tata! root of sin, which
burdens human conScicnces, and whose
growth casts its fatal shadows over hui
man life. 1t is God taking hold OF it,
and the complete eradication of it out OF
the nature in which it has been rooted.
Remember, the apostle tells Us, we war
not gainst flesh and blood only-not on
ly against the branches and fruits OF sin,