it seems, at this particular period, who professed to believe on our Lord, and expressed a desire to become His disci- ples. There is nothing to show that they had true faith. They appear to have acted under the influence of temporary excitement, without considering what they were doing. And to them our Lord addresses this instructive warning, — Ci If ye continue in My word, then are ye My disciples indeed."
This sentence contains a mine of wisdom. To make a beginning in religious life is comparatively easy. Not a few mixed motives assist us. The love of novelty, the praise of well-meaning but indiscreet professors, the secret self-satisfaction of feeling " how good I am/' the universal excitement attending a new position, — all these things com- bine to aid the young beginner. Aided by them he begins to run the race that leads to heaven, la}^s aside many bad habits, takes up many good ones, has many comfortable frames and feelings, and gets on swimmingly for a time. But. when the newness of his position is past and gone, when the freshness of his feelings is rubbed off and lost, when the world and the devil begin to pull hard at him, when the weakness of his own heart begins to appear, — ■ then it is that he finds out the real difficulties of vital Chris- tianity. Then it is that he discovers the deep wisdom of our Lord's saying now before us. It is not beginning, but " continuing " a religious profession, that is the test of true grace.
We should remember these things in forming our estimate of other people's religion. No doubt we ought to be thank- ful when we see any one ceasing to do evil and learning to do well. We must not " despise the day of small things." (Zech. iv. 10.) But we must not forget that to begin is one thing, and to go on is quite another. Patient continuance in well-doing is the only sure evidence of grace. Not he that runs fast and furiously at first, but he that keeps up