The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-01-29


thought he was the best man in the coun-
try. The Pharasee that went up into the
temple TO pray, WAS one OF the best men
In Jerusalem, IN his opinion. But when
the new nature comes In, then comes the
warfare. There are always two natures, the
higher and the lower nature--you may
call 1t by what name you will. A man has
got a newlife, new peace, new JOY, and
yet the old nature remains. Now here is
where want to help you II can. When
was converted thought God changed my
old nature intoa new nature and i couldn't
understand myself for O number, OF
months. found that all these miserable
things were coming up In the flesh just
40 they did before was converted, found
they were alive. After getting help from
Christian people, l found that God had
given me new nature. And
tell you, child OF God
Is the most remarkable being on the
face OF the earth. He has two natures n
spiritual nature and cartal nature. One
nature In fallen nature. Do you want to
have me prove it? Men say, "Look at
that man; he will get as drunk as beast"
My dear friends beast doesn't get drunk,
II you please. That man is worse than a
beast; men will sink lower than beasts.
But when he gets this higher nature, he
rises above principali.ies and powers and
everything. Now, you very often hear
mothers cay, "Why IL II that my boy
doesn't like to 60 to religious meetingsy
Why Is IL he doesn't like spiritual songs?"
My dear friends, he won't like these things
until he Ia born into the spirit. Why?
Because he has this old nature which Is
not su bject to the law OF God.
Now, he says here in the 3D. chapter Of
1st Cor .nthians, 14th verse, But the rat
ural man receiveth not the things OF the
Spirit Of God; for they are foolishness
unto him; neither can he know them,
because they. are spiritually discerned."
There il Is. He cannot receive them until
he is born ofpthe spirit, and you can
not make a. natural mgnS like spiritual
things. A carnal man likes carnal things
because he is carnal., All the sporting
men OF this country are interested in the
fight that has just taken place, but the
Christian man isn't interested In IL at
ell. He doesn't want to see his
fellow man knocked down sense
less and perhaps have his life
knocked out Of him. But 1t suits the
natural man, the carnal nature-the fallen
nature Is what mean. ] don't think you
will have to 60 far to prove that men have
fallen natures. You walk through the
streets Of Providence, and you will find
that II ID SO. Rhode island Is pretty
small state, but 1 don't think i should
have to travel over II to prove that man
has a fallen nature. Whyf Because they
haven't got this new nature
Now, there has always been a conflict
between Christian people about the 7th
and Sth chapters OF Romans, and think
you will find il s.l there. ] think these
two chapters are bringing out these two
natures. You will find thet in the 7th
chapter man has the carnai nature, and i'm
the sth chapter he has got into this
heavenly nature. He has put of the old
man with his deeds and put on the new
man.
Now, let me call your attention to
another thing that we have, and that IL,
II we have this new nature, we have daily
access to God to get food to keep this new
nature strong and healthy, and II we
feed that nature, it is going
to grow stronger and stronger.
IL says,--the house of David waxed
stronger and stronger, and Saul's grew
weaker and weaker" By Sauls house
being kept down, Saul's Kingdom was
kept down until 1t was all wiped out.
Now, II we keep the old nature down, the
new nature will get complete victory. We
must not get discouraged.
Now, want TO say that il is no sign
that man isn't a Christian because he
has given way TO some old temptation or
sin. But tell you W hat il he delights and
wallows In it, that is pretty good e.yn
that he hasn't got rid of il. IL is putsizg
off the old man and putting on the new.
II is true sign that man Is q Christian,
IL, when he does wrong, he will confess IL
and ask forgiveness. l have got good
deal more respect for a man that
has got good temper and got
IL under control tha n for one Of those men
without any temper. A piece OF steel isn't
good for anything II It has lost its temper.
You want temper to the steel Il
il il going TO be good steel. But when you
let temper be your master, then it is going
to siay you and be your ruin. You wan.
to bring IL into subjection and under con-
troll. When you have lost your temper,
and temper has got the victory over you,
lust confess it, and there is not n man or
woman on the earth but what will
respect your Christianity. Don't let
any one get discouraged.
met lady last night who was discouraged
because she had sinned since she had be-
come Christian. l want TO that this
woman quoted this passage, "Whosoever
is born of God doth not commit sin for
his seed remaineth In him, and he cannot
sin, because he is born OF God" That is
the new nature; but We have got that old
nature still, and the old nature does sin.
IL the Old nature gets tho victory, who is
TO blame? You, because you have two
natures, and God gives you grace to
overcome.
1t Is no excuse for a man to say thut
he has an evil nature, for God gives you
grace to overcone il. That is what grace
is for-to give victory.
Supposing adopt that little boy down
there. When the papers are made out and
signed, that boy IS mine by adoption. lie
is perfectly mire, rs much as he will be 10
years hence. lie Is perfectly mine, bat
tell yor what he isn't perfect boy by
good deal. And when we come into
Gods family, we are perfectly His
but tell you what We