power. Besides, much of the time allotted for the performing of it, is spent already; and that which remains must be short, and may be terminated in an hour. Is it not " high time then that we should awake out of sleepc?" Should we not begin without an hour's delay, and " work with all our might ? " Yes ; let us all " gird on our armour, and fight the good fight of faith."]
Application —
[Have we neglected our spiritual concerns ? What have we gained that can compensate for the loss of our precious time? And who is there amongst us that, if his day were now come, would not wish that he had watched and laboured for the good of his soul ? Ah ! remember that present things, however pleasing, will soon have passed away " as a dream when one awaketh," and nothing remain to you but the painful recollection, that you have lost the time which you should have improved for eternity.
Are we, on the contrary, attending to our spiritual concerns? Let us expect the present state to be a " night" of trial and affliction : but let us remember that the longest night has an end; and that " if sorrow endureth for a night, joy cometh in the morning."]
c ver. 11.
Horn. xiii. 14. Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ ; and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
IF too many reduce the whole of Christianity to a mere system of morals, it must be confessed, on the other hand, that there are not wanting many who almost exclude morals from the Christian code. That faith, provided it be pure and genuine, will have a sanctifying effect, is true : but it is not therefore true, that we should be satisfied with merely inculcat- ing the necessity of faith, or encouraging its exercise. Its operations need to be strengthened by direct and vigorous calls to duty : and, if we imagine that there is any duty which we need not to enforce, or any iniquity against which we need not to guard the most exalted Christian, we greatly err. Our blessed Lord,