or that burst of bad
temper in the household which we were last guilty of--could we have
helped it or not? Conscience must answer that question, which does not
depend at all on the law of averages. Guilt is not taken away by
asserting that sin cleaves to men, 'perfect men.'

But the feelings with which we should regard sin and contradictions of
men's truest selves in ourselves and others should be so far altered by
such thoughts that we should be very slow to pronounce that a man cannot
be a Christian because he has done so and so. Are there any sins which
are clearly _incompatible_ with a Christian character? All sins are
_inconsistent_ with it, but that is a very different matter. The uniform
direction of a man's life being godless, selfish, devoted to the objects
and pursuits of time and sense, is incompatible with his being a
Christian--but, thank God, no single act, however dark, is so, if it be
in contradiction to the main tendency impressed upon the character and
conduct. It is not for us to say that any single deed shows a man cannot
be Christ's, nor to fling ourselves down in despair saying, 'If I were a
Christian, I could not have done that.' Let us remember that 'all
unrighteousness is sin,' and the least sin is in flagrant opposition to
our Christian profession; but let us also remember, and that not to
blunt our consciences or weaken our efforts, that Paul thought it
possible for perfect men to be 'otherwise minded' from their deepest
selves and their highest pattern.

IV. The crowning hope that lies in these words is the certainty of a
gradual but complete attainment of all the Christian aspirations after
God and goodness.

The ground of that confidence lies in no natural tendencies in us, in no
effort of ours, but solely in that great name which is the anchor of all
our confidence, the name of God. Why is Paul certain that 'God will
reveal even this unto you'? Because He is God. The Apostle has learned
the infinite depth of meaning that lies in that name. He has learned
that God is not in the way of leaving off His work before He has done
His work, and that none can say of Him, that 'He began to build, and was
not able to finish.' The assurances of an unchangeable purpose in
redemption, and of inexhaustible resources to effect it; of a love that
can never fade, and of a grace that can never be exhausted--are all
treasured for us in that mighty name. And such confidence is confirmed
by the manifest ten