This may at least be sufficient to illustrate the declaration in the text; perhaps we may add also, to vindicate it. Not that any declaration of God is to be judged of by the reasons
a Col. i. 12.
wliich fallible men may assign in vindication of it : his word is the same, whether we believe it or not ; nor shall one jot or tittle of it ever fail.]
This subject cannot but suggest to our minds the
following REFLECTIONS :
1. How few are there that will eventually be saved ! [Take the foregoing explanation of holiness, and compare it with the state of all around us ; how awful the contrast ! But God is true ; and his word respecting the un- holy shall surely stand Let us " seek then, yea, strive
to enter in at the strait gate, and to walk in the narrow path"
Let us " follow" holiness with all our might
Whatever we may think, it is in that way alone that we can behold the face of God in peace.]
2. How needful is it that we should seek holiness in a right way !
[The generality are extremely ignorant respecting the manner in which holiness is to be obtained : they have an idea that they must acquire it by some exertions of their own: whereas they should seek it from Christ, through the opera- tion of his Spirit in their hearts. They should first seek to be united to him by faith, as scions to the stock of a tree, or as a wife to her husband*^: then, by virtue derived from him, they will be made fruitful in good works, and be " changed into his image in righteousness, and true holiness."]
^ These are the very means prescribed by our Lord, John xv. 4,5. and by St. Paul, Rom. vii. 4.