was carried away by none of its vanities, enslaved by none of its pleasures and customs, nor intimidated by its frowns; and those only can escape its pollutions who depend upon him and copy his example. Moses preferred the reproach of God's people to the short-lived enjoyments of the world's wealth and sinful pleasure; and St. Paul considered himself as crucified to the world, and the world to him. This death is indeed necessary; for should we begin to court the favour of the worldly-minded, to imitate their manners, engage in their amusements, unite in their friendships, and to act from their principles, we should soon lose our taste for true piety; throw off our allegiance to the Lord Jesus; grieve the Spirit of holiness, and destroy our souls. There is no medium; we must either renounce and overcome its wisdom, which is foolishness with God; its lusts, which with itself are passing away; and patiently bear its troubles, or give up all our pretences to real christianity. We may, it is true, retain its name and form; but these, destitute of its power, are of no avail.

3. The corruptions of our nature. It is the indispensible duty of the christian, not only to give up all the unfruitful works of darkness, and those persons, things, and places, which continue or promote them; he must also oppose every remaining trace of iniquity in himself; aim at its destruction; and guard against those temptations which would keep it alive, or call it into action. This may appear strange to those who are now rejoicing in their first love; the strange, ness of it, however, will soon disappear, and they will see, if they would preserve their peace and purity, the truth of such observation. St. Paul tells us in the Ephesians, that they who were far off were made nigh by the blood of Christ -were reconciled to God by the cross-and were become an habitation of God through the Spirit; yet he afterwards exhorts them to "put off the old man, which is corrupt, according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed (says he) in the spirit of your mind." Hence the christian must "mortify the deeds of the body," must by the grace of God subdue and regulate the passions, inclinations, and desires of animal

nature, without which spiritual life cannot be preserved, Rom. viii. 13. Thus crucifying the "flesh with its affections and lusts," Gal. v. 24; and hating even the garment spotted by it, Jude, ver. 23; and being led by the Spirit, we shall not be carried away from God by the remains of our unrenewed nature, Gal. v. 16, &c. This "putting off the body of the sins of the flesh" cannot be done without some struggles; but it must be done; we must aim, and succeed in our aims, at being cleansed from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit, or we cannot perfect holiness in the fear of God, 2 Cor. vii. 1.

As christian soldiers we must gain the victory over these enemies, or fall into their merciless hands and perish; but this need not be, seeing that he who is for us is greater than all who are against us, 1 John iv. 4; and, from the PROMISES held forth to us, we should be encouraged to press through all opposition. To confine ourselves to those mentioned in the Revelation:

"To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God,"” Rev. ii. 7. "He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death," ver. 11.

"To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it," ver. 17.

"He that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations," ver. 26, 27.

"He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment, and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life; but I will confess him before my Father, and before his angels," chap. iii. 5.

"Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out, and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from God, and my new name," ver. 12.

To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in

my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with Father on his throne," ver. 21.

my

"He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God and he shall be my son," chap. xxi. 7.

Whence it appears that the christian life is so far from being a state of indifference and inactivity, that it demands. all the requisites of a soldier, wisdom, discipline, courage, and perseverance to attain its end; but while we have such prospects in view, and God himself declares, "I will be an adversary to thy adversaries," Exod. xxiii. 23; we should never faint till we can exultingly say, "We are more than conquerors through him that hath loved us;" and take our place in the true legions of honour before his throne.

A RACE.

THE prize held up to those who are disposed to run, is no less a favour than eternal life; and as a crown seems the highest point of human ambition, it is set forth to us under that resemblance. It is called "an incorruptible crown-the crown of righteousness-the crown of life"-and "a crown of glory which fadeth not away," which is to be received, when he that runs can say with the great apostle, "I have finished my course, from the Lord Jesus, the righteous judge, who bestows it freely on all those who love his appearing, As St. Paul, "I follow after, if that I may ap prehend that for which I am apprehended of Christ Jesus."

The path in which we are to run is that of grace and universal obedience; as David expresses it, "I will run the way of thy commandments;" and he says, "I hate every false way." He who would obtain the glorious prize, must form the same resolutions. We are required to seek after every grace of the Spirit, or, in other words, we must be diligent, that we may be "found of him in peace, without spot and blameless ;" and from this grace ruling in the heart, a due attention must be paid every day to all those duties which the circumstances of every day require.

There are preparatory steps.-As we are to run so as to ob

tain, we must be temperate in all things, 1 Cor. ix. 25; the body must be brought under, and kept in subjection, ver. 27; we must lay aside every weight, and the easily besetting sin; we must endure the cross, despising the shame, and be unmoved in our purposes, whatever contradiction of sinners we may meet with; and resolve that none shall hinder us from running well. And it should be determined on in the spirit of prayer: "Draw me; we will run after thee," Can. i. 4; and it is graciously promised "that we shall run and not be weary," Isa. xl. 31; and that when we run "we shall not stumble," Prov. iv. 12.

There are many spectators.-We are compassed about with a great crowd, who are witnesses of our conduct. There is the great and holy God, by whom all actions are weighed ; the holy angels; and probably the spirits of just men made perfect; our spiritual enemies, who are ready to take every advantage of our weakness; our christian friends; and, in short, all with whom we may happen to have any intercourse, have more or less their eyes upon us. All which shews the necessity not only of our running; but, as the apostle expresses himself, of our running lawfully, 2 Tim. ii. 5; patiently, Heb. x. 1; determinately, Rev. iii. 11; zealously, "forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before, pressing towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus," Phil. iii, 13, 14; and perseveringly— Ver. 11.

To effect which we must be continually "looking unto Jesus," for wisdom to guide us, for grace to support us, and for power to defend us. We must look to him to copy his example, to imbibe his spirit, and to meet his approbation. We must follow his directions, imitate his holiest followers, and tread both in his footsteps, and, as far as they followed him, in their's; and from his faithful hand the prize

is sure.

A STATE OF SERVITUDE OR STEWARDSHIP. GOD is the great Lord and proprietor of all things. Whatever the earth supports on its surface, or contains in its bosom, belongs to him. He is justly entitled to, and requires the services of all his creatures, especially man; and, amongst men, the services of those who are redeemed with the price of the precious blood of Christ, and saved by his grace in a peculiar sense; that being made free from sin, and become servants to God, they might have their fruit unto holiness, Rom. vi. 22; if they would obtain the promised reward. Whatever, therefore, we are, or have, we are all his stewards or servants.

The servants of God are, in the order of his wise providence, variously situated, and appointed to fill different offices in the church, and in the world; and the talents committed to them, whether intellectual, spiritual, or temporal; or one, or all of these together, are to be improved, and applied according to the will of God, from whom they have received them, and to whom they must at last give up their

accounts.

This is particularly the case of ministers of the word, to whose care he has committed his church in the wilderness; they are called to be faithful and wise stewards for him who has appointed them to rule over his household; and to give them their portion of meat in due season, Luke xii. 42; and then they will be blessed, honoured, and enriched, indeed, at their Lord's appearing, ver. 33, 34; but on the contrary, should they prove cruel persecutors of his servants, and greedy sensualists, they will be called to a severe account, and their punishment will be proportioned to the neglect or abuse of their privileges, ver. 45-49. The greatest ruler in the church of God is but a servant, and is as accountable. to his Lord as the least; and he is therefore called to be blameless as the steward of God, not obstinate, irritable, intemperate, quarrelsome, or avaricious; but the reverse of all, opposing himself to all that opposeth itself to God, Titus i. 7-15. Then, when the chief Shepherd shall appear, he