It is in this way that we should endeavour at least, as much as in us lies, to " render unto the Lord according to the bene- fits" he has conferred upon us.]
3. Walk humbly and carefully before him —
[We must not presume upon the kindness of our God, or imagine, that, because we have been upheld hitherto, we are in no danger of falling : if we had attained the stability of St. Paul himself^ " we must keep our body under, and bring it into sub- jection, lest we become cast-aways ourselves^'." To neglect this, were to tempt God. God has warned us plainly, that " he will be with us no longer than we continue with him ; but that if we forsake him, he will forsake us ^." We therefore must not be high-minded, but fear ^ ; and take heed lest we fall ^ ; and " watch and pray, that we enter not into temptation •=." If we would have our God to keep us, we must be careful to " keep our- selves*^." We must look at the fearful examples that are before
1 1 Cor. iv. 7. r 1 Cor. xv. 10. ^ Hos. xiv. 8. Isai. xxvi. 12.
t 2 Cor. v. 5. " Ps. Ixii. 8. and xxvi. 12.
^ Isai. xii. 4 — 6. or xlii. 10 — 12. See also the text.
y 1 Cor. ix. 27. ^ 2 Chron. xv. 2. "■ I Cor. x. 12.
'' Rom. xi. 20. « Matt. xxvi. 41.
d ver. 18. with Jude, ver. 20, 21.
our eyes% and tremble lest we ourselves become similar monu- ments of instability, and of God's deserved wrath.]
4. Commit om'selves continually to him —
[God has engaged to " keep the feet of his saints^;" and directed us to commit ourselves to him for that purpose s ; and assured us, that, if we do so, " he will establish our goings '\" We should commend ourselves therefore to his gracious care and protection. We should say with David, " Hold thou up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not ' : " " Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe ^." To this we are encouraged by our past experience of his mercy : we may from the kind- ness already shewn us, safely infer the continuance of it to our souls \ If we can say, " He hath delivered," we may properly add, " In whom we trust that he will yet deliver us"\"]
But here arise two important questions, which it is of the utmost importance to resolve —
1. Are our souls really alive to God?
[In vain shall we speak of having " our souls upheld in life," if they have never yet been quickened from the dead. Let us then seriously, and as in the presence of God, inquire, Whether we have been made partakers of a new and living principle, whereby we have been enabled to die unto sin, and to live unto God ? Let us not mistake a mere approbation of religion for real regeneration : we must have become new crea- tures, having new views, new desires, new pursuits, and new prospects, if we have been truly born again " : and if this change have not been wrought within us, we are yet in our natural and unconverted state ; we may have " a name to live, but are really dead " before God : notwithstanding we may have been preserved from any flagrant violation of our duty, we are yet " dead in trespasses and sins."]
2. Supposing that we are on the whole alive to God, have " our feet really been kept from falling?"
[We must ascertain this fact, before we can cordially thank God for it. And is it indeed true of all who profess religion amongst us, that they have been kept ? Have none of us acted unworthy of our high calling ? Has there been nothing in our tempers, nothing in our worldly transactions, inconsis- tent with our profession ? Or, supposing our outward conduct to have been imimpeachable, have there been no secret sins,