humble aiRance in him, " who alone is able to keep us from falling, and to present us faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy ^."]
Be admonished then, every one of you, my beloved brethren —
1. Ye who are resting in outward forms —
[See how earnest the Apostle Paul was in impressing these facts on the minds of his Corinthian converts : " I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of these things ^" So say I to you: " I would not have you ignorant of them." Indeed, indeed, they are too little considered. If you had asked all the six hundred thousand men after they had passed the Red Sea, and beheld all their enemies dead upon the sea- shore, Whither are you going ? They would all have confidently replied, " We are going to Canaan, and doubt not but that we shall in due time possess it." And this is what all say respect- ing heaven. But of them only two ever arrived in safety at that good land. And I tremble to think how many of you will in all probability fall short of the promised rest in heaven. You are all Christians in name: but are you all such in truth? Would to God ye were ! Would to God that ye were all living by faith on the Lord Jesus, and altogether devoted to
his service ! But I must tell you, that " the kingdom
of heaven sufFereth violence, and the violent must take it by force :" for neither can a race be won, nor a battle gained, without very different exertions from what we behold in the Christian world at large.]
2. Ye who make a profession of vital godliness — [This was the state of the Corinthian Church, on whose
minds St. Paul laboured so earnestly to impress these known and acknowledged facts. Think not then, my brethren, that it is superfluous for me to inculcate the consideration of them upon you, and such an improvement of them as your state demands. Think not that ye have attained such stability as to render these admonitions unnecessary: but know, that the more you possess of holy fear, the more certain will you be of God's effectual aid. It is only when you are weak in your- selves, that you are really strong; and, when in a simple dependence upon God you are " following the Lord fully," then only can you hope, with Caleb and Joshua, to possess that good land that floweth with milk and honey.]
1 Jude, ver. 24. ^ ver. 1.