And, _First_, Believers keep up and maintain their walk with GOD, by reading of his holy word. “Search the scriptures,” says our blessed LORD, “for these are they that testify of me.” And the royal psalmist tells us, “that GOD’s word was a light unto his feet, and a lanthorn unto his paths;” and he makes it one property of a good man, “that his delight is in the law of the LORD, and that he exercises himself therein day and night.” “Give thyself to reading,” (says _Paul_ to _Timothy_); “And this book of the law, (says GOD to _Joshua_) shall not go out of thy mouth.” For whatsoever was written in afore time, was written for our learning. And the word of GOD is profitable for reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness, and every way sufficient to make every true child of GOD thoroughly furnished to every good work. If we once get above our Bibles, and cease making the written word of GOD our sole rule, both as to faith and practice, we shall soon lie open to all manner of delusion, and be in great danger of making shipwreck of faith and a good conscience. Our blessed LORD, though he had the Spirit of GOD without measure, yet always was governed by, and fought the devil with, “It is written.” This the Apostle calls the “Sword of the Spirit.” We may say of it as _David_ said of _Goliah_’s sword, “None like this.” The scriptures are called the lively oracles of GOD: not only because they are generally made use of to beget in us a new life, but also to keep up and increase it in the soul. The Apostle _Peter_, in his 2d epistle, prefers it even to seeing CHRIST transfigured upon the mount. For after he had said, chapter i. 18. “That the voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with Him in the holy mount;” he adds, “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts:” i. e. Till we shake off these bodies, and see JESUS face to face. Till then, we must see and converse with him through the glass of his word. We must make his testimonies our counsellors, and daily, with _Mary_, sit at JESUS feet, by faith hearing his word. We shall then by happy experience find, that they are spirit and life, meat indeed, and drink indeed to our souls.
_Secondly_, Believers keep up and maintain their walk with GOD by secret prayer. The spirit of grace is always accompanied with the spirit of supplication. It is the very breath of the new-creature, the fan of the divine life, whereby the spark of holy fire kindled in the soul by GOD, is not only kept in, but raised into a flame. A neglect of secret prayer has been frequently an inlet to many spiritual diseases, and has been attended with fatal consequences. _Origen_ observed, “That the day he offered incense to an idol, he went out of his closet without making use of secret prayer.” It is one of the most noble parts of the believer’s spiritual armour. “Praying always, says the Apostle, with all manner of supplication.” “Watch and pray, says our LORD, that ye enter not into temptation.” And he spake a parable, that his disciples should pray, and not faint. Not that our LORD would have us always upon our knees, or in our closets, to the neglect of our other relative duties. But he means, that our souls should be kept in a praying-frame, so that we might be able to say, as a good man in _Scotland_ once said to his friends on his death-bed, “Could these curtains, or could these walls speak, they would tell you what sweet communion I have had with my GOD here.” O prayer, prayer! It brings and keeps GOD and man together. It raises man up to GOD, and brings GOD down to man. If you would therefore, O believers, keep up your walk with GOD; pray, pray without ceasing. Be much in secret, set prayer. And when you are about the common business of life, be much in ejaculatory prayer, and send, from time to time, short letters post to heaven upon the wings of faith. They will reach the very heart of GOD, and return to you again loaded with spiritual blessings.