When we read therefore that men become,
by the chriftian regeneration, " ' dead to
" fin ; " that they " " have crucified the world
" with the affediions and lufts : " it is to be
underftood, that by the ad: of repentance,
all that attachment to the world is renounced,
which would make it the principle of con-
dudt, and the ruling paffion to purfue the
gratification of the fenfes. Under the dis-
cipline of the gofjjel, another objedl dired:s
the ruling paffion : and of courfe as " " no

■ Art. 9. ' Rom. c. 6. v. 11. '' Gal. c. 5. v. 24.
^ Matt. c. 6. V. 24.
G 2 "man



loo SERMON IV.
" man can ferve two mafters, and be under
the dominion of two rival principles, at the
fame time ; the gratification of fenfual and
natural appetite, muft be poftponed to the
objedt of the gofpel, now become the ruling
'^ paffion.
Befides the pride of heart, the pride of
reafon alfo muft be renounced, as prejudicial
in a degree but little inferior. The opinions
that men have adopted, from their habits of
thinking, appear to them eftabliflied prin-
ciples of truth : not barely conformable to
right reafon ; but right reafon itfelf : the
ftandard and criterion of truth propofed to
the mind. That men fhall retain no opi-
nions, or that all fuch as they retain ihall be
accurate, is not in fadt to be expedted.
