Jesus Christ and him crucified9 ?" Do I look with a holy jealousy and indignation on every thing that would divide with him the honour of my salvation; and is this the most rooted and habitual sentiment of my heart, " God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ1?" Further, does " the love of Christ constrain me to live, not to my- self, but to Him who died for me and rose again8 ;" and does my whole walk, both in public and private, bear witness for me, that I live only for God and for eternity; and that all my other pursuits, of whatsoever kind they be, are subordinated to this, and made sub- servient to it ? Let it be remembered, I am not now asking whether we do these things perfectly; but whether we do them sincerely and habitually ; and whether every deviation from this heavenly course be a source of grief and shame to us ; yea, whether we are " labouring after perfection1," though we know we are not able to attain it ? Moreover, is all this manifest to those around us, and especially to those who are most conversant with us in our daily walk ? Do they see, and can they testify in our behalf, that this is indeed the constant habit of our minds, and the uniform tenour of our life? Do they see a marked difference between us and the world around us ; and that we are, in fact, " lights in a dark world, holding forth in our conversation the word of life u ;" and proving to every beholder the truth of our profession by the consistency of our conduct? Let us not put away from us these searching inquiries ; let us not turn away from them as though this change were unattain- able, or as though we could be saved without it. Let us remember what is at issue, and how deeply we are interested in it. / want to know whether I am Christ's; I want to know whether, if I were to die this day, Christ would acknowledge me as his ; or whether I have not reason rather to fear, that he would say to me, " Depart from me ; I never knew you\"
I am aware that some will endeavour to evade these
«J 1 Cor. ii. 2. > Gal. vi. 14. s 2 Cor. v. 14, 15.
* 2 Cor. xiii. 9. » Phil. ii. 10. * Matt. vii. 23.