that confronts and opposes, and is bringing in the "childhood" that is docile, and recipient of the kingdom. These Sermons run the hazard of being pronounced monotonous, because of the pertinacity with which the attempt is made to force self-reflection. But this criticism can easily be endured, provided the attempt succeeds. Religious truth becomes almighty the instant it can get _within_ the soul; and it gets within the soul, the instant real thinking begins. "As you value your peace of mind, stop all scrutiny into your personal character," is the advice of what Milton denominates "the sty of Epicurus." The discouraging religious condition of the present age is due to the great lack, not merely in the lower but the higher classes, of calm, clear self-intelligence. Men do not know themselves. The Delphic oracle was never less obeyed than now, in this vortex of mechanical arts and luxury. For this reason, it is desirable that the religious teacher dwell consecutively upon topics that are connected with that which is _within_ man,--his settled motives of action, and all those spontaneous on-goings of his soul of which he takes no notice, unless he is persuaded or impelled to do so. Some of the old painters produced powerful effects by one solitary color. The subject of moral evil contemplated in the heart of the individual man,--not described to him from the outside, but wrought out of his own being into incandescent letters, by the fierce chemistry of anxious perhaps agonizing reflection,--sin, the one awful fact in the history of man, if caused to pervade discourse will always impart to it a hue which, though it be monochromatic, arrests and holds the eye like the lurid color of an approaching storm-cloud. With this statement respecting the aim and purport of these Sermons, and deeply conscious of their imperfections, especially for spiritual purposes, I send them out into the world, with the prayer that God the Spirit will deign to employ them as the means of awakening some souls from the lethargy of sin. Union Theological Seminary, New York, _February 17_, 1871. * * * * * CONTENTS. I. THE FUTURE STATE A SELF-CONSCIOUS STATE II. THE FUTURE STATE A SELF-CONSCIOUS STATE (continued) III. GOD'S EXHAUSTIVE KNOWLEDGE OF MAN IV. GOD'S EXHAUSTIVE KNOWLEDGE OF MAN (continued) V. ALL MANKIND GUILTY; OR, EVERY MAN KNOWS MORE THAN HE PRACTISES VI. SIN IN THE HEART THE SOURCE OF ERROR IN THE HEAD VII. THE NECESSITY OF DIVINE INFLUENCES VIII. THE NECESSITY OF DIVINE INFLUENCES (continued) IX. THE IMPOTENCE OF THE LAW X. SELF-SCRUTINY IN GOD'S PRESENCE XI. SIN IS SPIRITUAL SLAVERY XII. THE ORIGINAL AND THE ACTUAL RELATION OF MAN TO LAW XIII. THE SIN OF OMISSION XIV. THE SINFULNESS OF ORIGINAL SIN XV. THE APPROBATION OF GOODNESS IS NOT THE LOVE OF IT XVI. THE USE OF FEAR IN RELIGION XVII. THE PRESENT LIFE AS BELATED TO THE FUTURE XVIII. THE EXERCISE OF MERCY OPTIONAL WITH GOD