strictly on his guard, proposing to himself the example of tlie (jodlii, and availing himself of their aid in his walk before God. lie knows, that " he cannot take fire in his bosom, and not be bunicd ;" and therefore he will use the utmost possible circum- spection in the whole of his deportment. The books, the company, the conversation that would defile his mind, he care- fully avoids ; and, like the Jews at the time of the Passover, he searches the most secret recesses of his soul, to sweep from it the leaven that would offend his God.]
4. It leads us continually to God for direction and support —
[Without divine aid all human efforts are vain. But the word of God clearly, fully, constantly directs vis to look to him ; and an experience of it in our own souls will convince us of the necessity of crying to him continually, " Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe." It is in this way chiefly that divine wisdom preserves us. The soundness of our principles may prescribe what is right ; and our love to those principles may incline us to the performance of it : but divine grace alone can ever prove effectual for us. No " power, but that which raised Jesus Christ himself from the dead," will be sufficient to carry on within us the work that has been begun. On the other hand, if we really trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall, " through his strength, be able to do all things," " nor shall any thing ever prevail to separate us from his love."]
Having illustrated the great truth in our text, we would further improve it, by suggesting, 1. In what spirit we should hear the word —
[We should not come to the house of God in a mere cus- tomary manner, for example sake, or to perform a duty, and still less to be amused with what we hear : but, as Cornelius and his friends, when Peter came to minister unto them, said, " Now are we all here before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God ;" so should w'e come up to the house of God to " hear what the Lord our God shall say concerning us." We should come to learn our duty, in order that w^e may practise it. We should bless our God that so sublime a privilege is accorded to us. We should come as a patient to receive the counsels of his physician, with a determination of heart to follow his prescriptions. A mariner, if amongst shoals and quicksands, does not consult his chart and compass for amusement, or with a disposition to dispute their testimony, but with a desire to have every mistake rectified, and to navi- gate his ship through the dangerous passage, agreeably to their direction. O ! when will Cliristian assemblies meet in this frame ? When will God's ordinances be thus improved for