the incense of his intercession1. Guard then against all conceit of meriting any thing at the hands of God : guard also against self-complacency, as though you had wrought some good work in which no flaw can be found. If God were to lay a line and plummet to your best deeds, there would be found inconceivable obliquities and defects in them". Be sensible of this, and then you will learn how to value the Pearl of great price, even the Lord Jesus Christ, for whom you will gladly part with all that you have, that you may obtain an interest in him and in his salvation.]
2. What reason we have to watch over our own
hearts —
[Carrying about with us such a corrupt nature, and know- ing, as we do, that even St. Paul himself could not altogether cast off its influence, how jealous should we be, lest we be led into the commission of iniquity, even whilst we imagine that we are doing God service ! Even the Apostles of our Lord, on more occasions than one, " knew not what spirit they were of:" and we, if we will look back on many transactions of our former lives, shall view them very differently from what we once did : and no doubt God at this moment forms a very different estimate of us from what we are disposed to form of ourselves. How blinded men are by pride, or prejudice, or interest, or passion, we all see in those around us. Let us be aware of it in ourselves : let us remember, that we too have a subtle adversary, and a deceitful heart: let us never forget, that Satan, who beguiled Eve in Paradise, can now " transform himself into an angel of light" to deceive us, and to " corrupt us from the simplicity that is in Christ." Let us pray earnestly to God to keep us from his wiles, to disappoint his devices, and to bruise him under our feet. If God keep us, we shall stand ; but, if he withdraw his gracious influences for one moment, we shall fall.]
3. What comfort is provided for us, if only we are upright before God —
[If we wish to make the Apostle's experience a cloak for our sins, we shall eternally ruin our own souls. His experience can be of no comfort to us, unless we have the testimony of our own consciences that we " hate evil," of whatsoever kind it be, and " delight in the law of God," even in its most refined and elevated requirements, " after our inward man." But, if we can appeal to God, that we do not regard or retain willingly any iniquity in our hearts, but that we unfeignedly endeavour to pluck out the right eye that offends our God, then may we
1 1 Pet. ii. 5. u Isai. xxviii. 17. Ps. cxxx. 3.
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take comfort in our severest conflicts. We may console our- selves with the thought that " no temptation has taken us hut what is common to man," and that " God will, with the tempta- tion, make for us also a way to escape." We may go on with confidence, assured of final victory ; and may look forward with delight to that blessed day, when sin and sorrow shall depart from us, and death itself be swallowed up in everlasting victory.]