useful to suggest some other hints for the carrying into effect the caution in the text.
1. Get your souls deeply impressed with the prin- ciples of the Gospel —
[The Gospel is " the rod of God's strength," wherewith he has wrought the most stupendous miracles ; and it is that which he dehghts to make effectual to our sahation. Indeed there is something in its fundamental principles which is admirably calculated to counteract the influence of this leaven. It declares to us our lost estate ; and proposes to us a Saviour, who bought us with his blood. Now who that is duly sensible of his guilt and danger, will yield to indifference ? Who that discerns the fulness and excellency of Christ, will rest in any mere forms for his acceptance with God? Who, in short, that beholds the wonders of redeeming love, will harbour that accursed leaven that would rob him of all its benefits? Only let us come to God through Christ, and the love of Christ will constrain us to " purge out," as far as possible, every atom of " the old leaven."]
2. Be careful whom you choose as your associates —
[A man will, for the most part, drink into the spirit of his associates. Are they formal and worldly, or infidel and contemptuous? he can scarcely hope to escape the infection: "evil communications will corrupt good manners":" and "a little leaven will leaven the whole lump°:" If, on the other hand, his companions be living in the fear of God, he will be instructed by their conversation, and edified by their example. The inference fi'om this is clear. We need not to be often warned against exposing ourselves to the influence of a pes- tilential disorder. Why then should we not beware of the contagion of sin and sinners? Surely in proportion as the soul is of more value than the body, our circumspection in reference to spiritual things should exceed that which we use respecting the things that pertain to the present life. With the apostle then we say, " Come out from among the world, and be separate, and touch not the unclean thing P:" and let your associates be, like David's, " the excellent of the earth, in whom was all his delight i."]
3. Endeavour to realize the thoughts of the future judgment —
[In the last day every thing will appear in its proper colours. Vital godliness will theri no longer be seen through the medium of prejudice : its light will shine out of obscurity ;
n 1 Cor. XV. 33. ° Gal. v. 9. p 2 Cor. vi. 17. i Ps. xvi. 3.
1374."! Peter's confession of christ rewarded. 445
and its excellence will be universally acknowledged. Then too the Sadducean scoffers and the Pharisaic formalists will find how awfully they have been deluded. " Evil will no more be put for good, nor good for evil ;" but the quality of every man's actions will be infallibly determined, and a suitable recompence will be given to him, either in the joys of heaven or the miseries of hell. What can ever influence us, if such an awful considera- tion as this fail to put us on our guard ? Could we but keep alive in our hearts the expectation of that day, we should determine, through grace, to think and act for ourselves : we should " not follow a multitude to do evil ;" but should take a decided part in the cause of Christ : we should not participate " the leaven of error or hypocrisy "■," but eat " the unleavened bread of sincerity and truths]
r Luke xii. 1. * 1 Cor. v. 6 — 8.