power as well as the form of godliness s. On the contrary, as God disowned the people before referred to, so, however con- fident our claims to his favour may be, will He disown us in the day of judgment'^. Let us seek then to be Christians, " not in word, and in tongue, but in deed and in truth." Let us not only unite ourselves to the church of God, but also devote ourselves to God in body, soul, and spirit.]
2. Not to indulge any evil desires —
[This is particularly specified by the Apostle as a prin- cipal end for which these events were recorded^ Had the Israelites watched against the first risings of sensuality and lewdness, they had not fallen into those numerous sins which brought upon them God's heavy displeasure. And, if we would be preserved from spiritual idolatry, or even from the grossest acts of uncleanness, we must avoid all needless con- nexion with an idolatrous world, and labour to suppress the first motions of sin which work in our members. " God requires truth in our inward parts;" nor shall any but the pure in heart ever behold his face in peace '^. An " hypocrite in heart only treasures up wrath against the day of wrath."]
3. Not so to presume on any past mercies, as to forget that we have need of continual watchfulness and circumspection —
[The Israelites thought, that, after so many signal mani- festations of God's favour towards them, they could never be cast off*. But, like Lot's wife, they stand as a pillar of salt to us^ Let not us then forget, that we may have " escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust, and yet be entangled again with it and overcome"" ;" and that " we may have been enlightened by the word of God, and have tasted of the powers of the world to come, and yet so apostatize, as never to be renewed unto repentance"." The Apostle himself felt the necessity of " keeping his body imder, lest, after having preached to others, he himself should be a cast-away":" much more therefore should we, however confident we may be of our own steadfastness, " take heed lest we fall p." Let us then not be satisfied with having come out of Egypt, or having put ourselves under the Divine guidance, or having lived hitherto on Christ, the living bread and living water : but let us go on in dependence on his grace, and in obedience to his will. Let us combine a consciousness of our proneness to fall, with an
e Jer. vii. 4. ^ Compare Deut. ix. 12. with Matt. vii.21 — 23.
• ver. 6. ^ Matt. v. 8. • Luke xvii. .32.
"> 2 Pet. ii. 20. " Heb. vi. 4—6. " 1 Cor. ix. 27.
P ver. 12.