[The Apostle leaves no room for exceptions in favour of any man whatsoever ; " if any man be a Christian, he is, and must be, a new creature." Nor does this import a mere change from profligacy to morality, or from a neglect of out- ward duties to the performance of them : the change must be entire ; it must pervade every faculty of the soul; it must influence all our words and actions, our thoughts and desires, our motives and principles. Has then this great change been accomplished in us ? On this point eternity depends. O that we might not give sleep to our eyes or slumber to our eyelids, till we can return a favourable answer upon sure and scriptural grounds !]
2. Let those who have experienced a work of grace, seek to have it carried on and perfected in their souls —
[It must ever be remembered, that the renovation of the soul is a gradual and progressive work : we are to be con- tinually putting off" the old man, and putting on the new ". Let us then not rest in low attainments ; but rather, "for- getting the things that are behind, let us press forward unto that which is before." Let us beg of God to " perfect that which concerneth us," and to form us altogether " into his own image in righteousness and true holiness." It is by our progress that we must manifest the work to have been begun ; and then only can we be sure that our path is right, when, " like the light, it shineth more and more unto the perfect day."]
J» Eph. iv. 22—24.