circumstanced!

At first sight, it might seem impossible that any such persons could be
found in church. At first sight, one might be tempted to say, "All who
come to church, at least, are in earnest, and have given up sin; they
are imperfect indeed, as all Christians are at best, but they do not
fall into wilful sin." I should be very glad, my Brethren, to believe
this were the case, but I cannot indulge so pleasant a hope. No; I
think it quite certain that some persons at least, I do not say how
many, to whom I am speaking, have not made up their minds fully to lead
a religious life. They come to church because they think it right, or
from other cause. It is very right that they should come; I am glad
they do. This is good, as far as it goes; but it is not all. They are
not so far advanced in the kingdom of God, as to resist the devil, or
to flee from him. They cannot command themselves. They act rightly
one day, and wrongly the next. They are afraid of being laughed at.
They are attracted by bad company. They put off religion to a future
day. They think a religious life dull and unpleasant. Yet they have a
certain sense of religion; and they come to church in order to satisfy
this sense. Now, I say it is right to come to church; but, O that they
could be persuaded of the simple truth of St. Paul's words, "He is not
a Jew which is one outwardly, but he is a Jew which is one inwardly;
and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit, and not in the
letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God[1];" which may be taken
to mean:--He is not a Christian who is one outwardly, who merely comes
to church, and professes to desire to be saved by Christ. It is very
right that he should do so, but it is not enough. He is not a
Christian who merely has not cast off religion, but he is the true
Christian, who, while he is a Christian outwardly, is one inwardly
also; who lives to God; whose secret life is hid with Christ in God;
whose heart is religious; who not only knows and feels that a religious
life is true happiness, but loves religion, wishes, tries, prays to be
religious, begs God Almighty to give him the will and the power to be
religious; and, as time goes on, grows more and more religious, more
fit for heaven.

We can do nothing right, unless God gives us the will and the power; we
cannot please Him without the aid of His Holy Spirit. If any one does
not deeply feel this as a first truth in religion,