Does not every man feel, that there is corruption enough
within him to drive him to the commission of the greatest
enormities, and eternally to destroy his soul? He can have but
little knowledge of his own heart who will deny this. On the
other hand, who that is holding on in the ways of
righteousness, does not daily ascribe his steadfastness to the
influence of that grace which he receives from God; and look
daily to God for more grace, in order that he may be "kept by
his power through faith unto salvation (Zech. iv. 9)?" No man
can in any measure resemble the scripture saints, unless he be
of this disposition. Why then must these things be put in
opposition to each other, so that every advocate for one of
these points must of necessity controvert and explode the
other? Only let any pious person... examine the language of
his prayers after he has been devoutly pouring out his soul
before God, and he will find his own words almost in perfect
consonance with the foregoing statement.
... Charles Simeon,
preface to Horae Homileticae
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