wherein we do not bathe in that fountain, lest sin be found upon us in the day that we give up our account to God.]
4. Be much in prayer for the direction and assist- ance of the Holy Spirit —
[In vain will be all our fear and caution, if God do not both direct and uphold us : if he leave us for one moment, we fall ; " without him we can do nothing." Let us then be often praying, " Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe." Thus shall we escape the snares that are laid for our feet, and " be pre- served blameless unto his heavenly kingdom."]
1 Pet. i. 18, 19. Ye know that ye ivere not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conver- sation received by tradition from your fathers ; but ivith the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
THE Christian's duty is by no means easy to be performed. It requires the exercise of much firm- ness and self-denial. The inspired writers, aware of this, enforce it by every consideration that can in- fluence our minds. In the passage before us the Apostle is recommending an holy fear and jealousy lest we should be drawn back into the love of this present world. He first urges this duty from a regard to the impartial tribunal of Goda, and then from the very intent of Christ's death. This latter and most powerful argument calls for our attention at this time. To illustrate it we shall consider,
I. The extent of man's redemption —
The "conversation" of men in all ages and in all places has been the same —
[Different customs indeed have obtained in different countries : but all have walked after the imagination of their own hearts : they have prohibited such things as they thought injurious to the welfare of society, but left themselves at liberty to consult their own inclinations in every thing else. Their
a ver. 17.