consists of righteousness and holiness,
which have their root in truth; the other is under the dominion of
passions and desires, which, in themselves evil, are the instruments of
and are characterised by deceit.

The first of the characteristics, then, of this sinful self, to which I
wish to point for a moment is, that every Christless life, whatsoever
the superficial differences in it, is really a life shaped according to
and under the influence of _passionate desires_. You see I venture to
alter one word of my text, and that for this simple reason; the word
'lusts' has, in modern English, assumed a very much narrower
signification than either that of the original has, or than itself had
in English when this translation was made. It is a very remarkable
testimony, by the by, to the weak point in the bulk of men--to the side
of their nature which is most exposed to assaults--that this word,
which originally meant strong desire of any kind, should, by the
observation of the desires that are strongest in the mass of people,
have come to be restricted and confined to the one specific meaning of
strong animal, fleshly, sensuous desires. It may point a lesson to some
of my congregation, and especially to the younger portion of the men in
it. Remember, my brother, that the part of your nature which is closest
to the material is likewise closest to the animal, and is least under
dominion (without a strong and constant effort) of the power which will
save the flesh from corruption, and make the material the vehicle of the
spiritual and divine. Many a young man comes into Manchester with the
atmosphere of a mother's prayers and a father's teaching round about
him; with holy thoughts and good resolutions beginning to sway his heart
and spirit; and flaunting profligacy and seducing tongues beside him in
the counting-house, in the warehouse, and at the shop counter, lead him
away into excesses that banish all these, and, after a year or two of
riot and sowing to the flesh, he 'of the flesh reaps corruption,' and
that very literally--in sunken eye, and trembling hand, and hacking
cough, and a grave opened for him before his time. Ah, my dear young
friends! 'they promise them liberty.' It is a fine thing to get out of
your father's house, and away from the restrictions of the society where
you are known, and loving eyes--or unloving ones--are watching you. It
is a fine thing to get into the freedom and irresponsibility of a big
city