that cometh from God' only ?”* It is plain then, that you cannot believe, so long as you look no higher than the approbation of men; or are seeking to please them even in the matter of your faith. It is indeed no better than rebellion against God, 'because contrary to a fundamental law of Christ's kingdom, which is to seek the honour that cometh from God only. Faith is of divine origin and tendency, and can neither be compelled, nor inposed, nor controlled by man. It rises far above all earthly and temporal regards, and is free from human' dependences. God our Saviour is the Author and Finisher of it, the Refuge and the Rest of every believing soul.

1

Secondly. The next point of enquiry is, whether Christ be in you? If you are in the faith,—if you have believed aright, then Jesus Christ is in you. This point draws the line of distinction very clearly between nature and grace,-between them that are reconciled to God, and them that are not. Know ye not your ownselves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates, or rejected? that is, such as the Lord will not own to be his children, and to bear his image; but are like base coin, which is discovered by the proper test, and will not pass. Is Christ in you as your righteousness and strength, and hope of glory, as has been particularly shown before? Does he "dwell in your hearts by faith," and reign in your affections, the source of peace and joy? For "to you, who believe he is precious." Have you the Spirit of Christ, sanctifying your souls, drawing, in some degree, his likeness on the inward man, and causing it to shine forth in the

John v. 43. + Eph. iii. 17. 1 Pet. ii. 7.

outward man? And which probably is the chief thing intended by the expression. For we know, that, “if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his!"*And certainly, the most glori ous sight ever seen on earth, is to behold Christ reigning, through grace, în the souls and bodies of the righteous, and subduing all opposition bel fore them. It is a cause of joy to the angels of God; and is viewed with delight, and adoring gratitude by the faithful minister. It is that which, after our own salvation, we most ardently long for, so that we do, as it were, "travail in birth until Christ be formed in you! For what commendation do we wish for, except that ye your selves may be manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart."Ş And what is our hope, or joy, joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even "'ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For (if Christ be in you) ye are our glory and joy." us „niejs

Thirdly. What are the ways in which you are now walking? Are they the ways of God, agreeable to his mind and will, or the ways of the world, where they walk, who know him not, who have their portion in this life, and are without hope of a better? If you think your ways are right, then consider, where have you learned them; from the Bible, and from those, who refer you to it for all they say, or from man only? Is Christ your Teacher? Are his divine doctrines and precepts your creed and your rule; and are you in the daily

Rom. viii. 9. + Luke xv. 10.

Gal. iv. 19. § 2 Cor. iii. 3.

1 Thes. ii. 19.

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habit of consulting them, that you may learn your Lord's will, and do it faithfully; or, do you indo, lently fall in with what you hear, and may see around you, without farther care, or inquiry? Do you learn how you must live, and speak, and act, as well as how you are to think, and believe, from the oracles of God? Most assuredly they have been committed to us for this gracious end; and, if we refuse our concurrence, it will prove our irre trievable undoing. Inquire also, whether you cordially approve, and, can take pleasure in the precepts and duties, as well as in the promises and e, privileges of the gospel? and whether you consider duty itself as a privilege, and obedience to God as liberty, the only true liberty that is ever known here, or will be known hereafter? For "Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin."* will walk at liberty," said the Psalmist, for I seek thy precepts."t "Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments," To see the beauty of that holiness they enjoin, and its excellence above all ritual observances, would shew, that you are "not far from the kingdom of God:" but to love and obey the commandments of God (though with many lamented imperfections), and to long for a more perfect conformity to them, would prove you to be a subject of the kingdom. Let us hear the experience of the Psalmist on this interesting point, when giving utterance to his feelings before God under the immediate influence of the Holy Spirit: "I will delight myself in thy commandments which I have loved. I opened my mouth and panted; for I longed for thy commandments. Remove from me

To

* John, viii. 34. + Ps.cxix. 45. cxii. 1. Mark, xii. 33.

r

the way of lying, and grant me thy law graciously! I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt » enlarge my heart.”* This is true spirituality, the result of a sanctified judgment and gracious experience. Such affection to the will of God, such ardent breathings after holiness aré found in none but the faithful, who are born of God. The unregenerate know them not, and, when they come in their way, often make them even an occasion of stumbling. For the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them; but the transgressors shall fall, therein. "We have already noticed the experience of the Apostle Paul; and the following quotations will shew what his principal object was in preaching and writing to the people. "You know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children that ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ. For how we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord. And this also we wish, even your perfection. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit, and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, Brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, Thou shalt love thy neigh

Ps. cxix. Hos. xiv. 9. ..

bour as thyself." Here also we have a clear proof, that the Apostle viewed the moral law as á rule of conduct to believers; and that he consi+ dered obedience to it as one great end for which sinners are called under the gospel. For the liberty of the gospel is a freedom to serve God, not to offend him by indulging the flesh, or old corrupt nature, which “is enmity against him, and is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.”+ For such free-livers as allow themselves in the transgression of any moral precepts, and persist in so doing, the gospel has no promise, the kingdom of God is shut against them, and there is nothing before them but that indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, which await every soul of man that doeth evil. But let us hear the Apostle again; "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 who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." He indeed observed such spots in professing Christians, and tells us in what way it affected him, and how he mingled his warnings and reproofs with tears.

For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the -enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things."§ Take particular notice, that habitual transgressors

1 Thes. ii. 11. iv. 1.

v. 23. Gal, v. 13.

Phil. i. 27. I Thes. iii. 8. 2 Cor. xiii. 9. 1 Thes. + Rom. viii. 7. Gal.. 19. § Phil. iii. 18.