and will lie constantly in gloom; year after year the world will become to us more entirely devoid of God.  If sorrow, or some softening joy ever turns our minds towards Christ, we shall be startled at perceiving there is something which keeps us from him, that we cannot earnestly believe in him; that if we speak of loving him, our hearts, which can still love earthly things, feel that the words are but mockery.  Alas, alas! the increased weakness of our flesh, has destroyed all the power of our spirit, and almost all its willingness:  it is bound with chains which it cannot break, and, indeed, scarcely desires to break.  Redemption, Salvation, Victory,—­what words are these when applied to that enslaved, that lost, that utterly overthrown and vanquished soul, which sin is leading in triumph now, and which will speedily be given over to walk for ever as a captive in the eternal triumph of death!

Not one word of what I have said is raised beyond the simplest expression of truth; this is our portion if we will not watch with Christ.  We know how often we have failed to do so, either sleeping in carelessness, or being busy and wakeful, but not with him or for him.  Still he calls us to watch and pray, lest we enter into temptation; to mark our lives and actions; to mark them often; to see whether we have done well or ill in the month past, or in the week past, or in the day past; to consider whether we are better than we were, or worse; whether we think Christ loves us better, or worse; whether we are more or less cold towards him.  I know not what else can be called watching with Christ than such a looking into ourselves as we are in his sight.  It is very hard to be done;—­yes, it is hard—­harder than anything probably which we ever attempted before; and, therefore, we must pray withal for his help, whose strength is perfected in our weakness.  And if it be so hard, and we have need so greatly to pray for God’s help, should we not all also be anxious to help one another?  And knowing, as we do from our own consciences, how difficult it is to watch with Christ, and how thankful we should be to any one who were to make it easier to us, should we not be sure that our neighbour is in like case with ourselves; that our help may be as useful to him as we feel that his would be to us?  This is our bounden duty of love towards one another; what then should be said of us if we not only neglect this duty, but do the very contrary to it; if we actually help the evil in our brother’s heart to destroy him more entirely; if we will not watch with Christ ourselves, and strive to prevent others from doing so?

LECTURE XXIV.

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GOOD FRIDAY.

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ROMANS v. 8.

God commendeth his love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.