no oil in the vessel with his lamp; and then what would be his state should the cry be made, "Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him?" He may walk in the camp with the soldiers, but not put on the whole armour of God. He is not that active character in doing good which he ought to be. Let the apostle speak at verse 16: "This I say then, walk in the spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law." Does not the whole face of things then appear to be changed, when we consider that the Gospel of Jesus Christ requires an operative faith in Him, and in all that he has done and suffered for us, leading us to dutiful submission to the will of God, and to active usefulness in our christian calling? How widely different is this from any other system of religion! Here, there is no allowed indulgence in anger, hatred, malice, revenge-call these vices by what names you may. No drunk enness, or evil speaking, or sabbath-breaking, can be borne with under the Gospel. If it be a mild dispensation of mercy, it is a strict dispensation as to its moral precepts and practice. If it be a dispensation of free grace, still there can be no continuance in sin that grace may abound. In the servants of such a master, there must be a holy, a willing, a consistent practice. And if it be asked, what are the vices it condemns, the apostle adds, (v. 19,)" Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these, adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like. Of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." What an awful consideration, then, it is, that whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all; that any one of these sins, unless it be repented of and forsaken, and unless the sacrifice of Christ be looked to as an atonement for sin; that it will shut a man out Light and of the kingdom of heaven. 2ndly, To consider what it is to walk in the Spirit. To walk in the Spirit is, evidently, to be employed in spiritual pursuits, and to make progress in them. The Holy Spirit of God is the first moving cause to any good thing. The Spirit of God, which at the creation moved upon the face of the waters, must, in the work of regeneration, move upon the soul. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? None but God. When we have corrupted our own way, who can make that way holy but the Holy Spirit? When the vessel was marred in the hands of the potter, who could make it again but the same artificer?"O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter?" saith the Lord. Can the Ethiopian change 66 his skin, or the leopard his spots?" Who brings back the wandering sheep but the good Shepherd ? Who can give the desire to return, but the same gracious Father who rejoices to welcome the poor prodigal when he does return? And when the sinner has been thus acted upon by the grace of God, he needs the same grace to follow him, to keep him from falling, to uphold him, to succour him, to be with him in his daily employments, and at length to lead him to heaven; and therefore it is that our church prays, Prevent us, O Lord, in all our doings," &c. This view of our subject has been taken by patriots, and prophets, and evangelists, as well as by men of less distinction in the great army of christian soldiers, and in our own church. The one confession of the soul is, "By the grace of God I am what I am." Thus living and thus ور walking with God, graces and virtues will be exercised; they will be moulded into a practical form. They will be a part of the man created anew in Christ Jesus unto good works. 66 He who lives in the Spirit will also walk in the Spirit." He will not merely set out well, but will finish his course with joy, and the talents which he has received he will bring into daily use. Self will be more and more sacrificed, and vain glory will be quenched. There will be no provoking, no envying his fellow travellers on the same road. The Christian, having prayed for the mind which was in Christ Jesus his Lord, will show that the mind regulates his daily conduct. Calmly, but resolutely, he will pursue his course. Love will be without dissimulation; he will abhor that which is evil-he will cleave to that which is good. In conclusion, we would ask these plain questions:-1st. Have you seen anything of the excellence of the christian walk and conversation? If so, are you dead unto sin, and alive unto righteousness? Sin has not dominion over you. You are resolutely serving a better master. Are you deeply |