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they will not take the Apostle's word for, that they are dead in trefpaffes and fins.

As the grace of God in Christ Jefus is the fund, and only fund, out of which the children of God are, or can be, provided in the proper fupply of all their wants, and relieved from their numerous weakneffes and infirmities, one may easily fee, how the Chriftian walks in the Spirit. In general it is no more than exerting the proper actings of life, which we commonly call living, or employing the vital Spirit to its proper purposes; as we may obferve in our prefent life, which is indeed no more but a fhadowy representation or image of that perfect and true life conveyed tained by the Spirit of Christ. want a more particular view of it, we need only confider the promises of the Spirit, and the purposes which that unfpeakable gift is defigned to answer; and then it will appear, that in our present fituation, where we cannot have access to walk by fight, to walk in the Spirit is the fame thing as to walk in the faith of these declarations and promifes; which faith the Apostle affures us, gives fubsistence to things not feen, and clear evidence to

and main

And if we

things hoped for, and thus presents them with the fame certainty as if we saw them with our eyes, Heb. xi. 1.

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In this light there is nothing left us to value ourselves upon, or to boast and glory in. By the grace of God we are what we are; and it is his Spirit that works all our works in us. Whatsoever therefore exceeds Paul's eftimation of all that he had done, expressed in these words, " yet not I, but the grace of God, or Christ in me,' must be vain-glory, that is, valuing or boasting ourselves in what we have no title to. Our Lord speaks of honour that comes from men, and that which comes from God only. The first, however it is courted, valued, and even boafted of, can ferve no other purposes but a prefent world; and in the opinion of one of the wifeft of mere and who had tried it most thoroughly, is no more but vanity and vexation of spirit; and all the pains that is taken about it, is but labouring for the wind. It must be fo in the fight of God, and all perfect fpirits, who are always of his mind; fomething rather more filly upon the main, than what we laugh at our children for nor can there be any honour worth minding but what comes from God

men,

only.

only. But there is fomething in this vain glory yet greatly worfe: it is plainly robbing God, by intercepting and appropri ating to ourselves the honour which belongs to him, and that grace which he hath treasured up in his bleffed Son for the provifion of his children, and that Spirit whofe peculiar bufinefs it is to convey it to them. I but just observe, that our tran lators recede fomewhat from the Apostle's injunction, as he has left it. They conftruct it as if it was directed only a gainst the defire of vain-glory; but he fays fimply, not vain-glorious, directing his caution against the thing itself, where ever any degree of it is found.

The propriety, and even the neceffity, of fuch a caution, appears further from what the Apostle joins with it; and which he connects fo closely with it, that whereever this fame vain-glory is found, provoking one another, and envying one another naturally follow. There is hardly any thing more provoking, than boasting of any advan tage we have, or feem to have, over our neighbours; and, if there is any tion for it, more ready to draw

These are works of the flesh,

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out envy.

which it

ftands

ftands always ready to produce on any the flighteft temptation. But of all others the heart of the vain-glorious man is ready to rife against every competitor, and especially fuch as may be deemed to deserve better than he; nor is there any cure but humility and lowlinefs of mind.

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1. Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are fpiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meek, nefs; confidering thy felf, left thou also be tempted. 2. Bear ye one another's burdens, and fo fulfil the law of Chrift. 3. For if a man think himself to be Something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. 4. But let every man prove his own work, and then fball he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5. For every man fhall bear his own burden. 6. Let him that is taught in the word, communicate unto him that teacheth, in all good things. 7. Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatfoever a man foweth, that shall he also reap. 8. For he that foweth to his flefb, fhall of the flesh reap corruption: but he that foweth to the Spirit, fhall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9. And let us not be weary in well-doing for in due feason we shall reap, if we faint not. 10. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unt● them who are of the household of faith.

TH

HE Apostle, in the clofe of the foregoing chapter, had given a general rule, which, could it be strictly adhered

to,

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to, would be abundantly fufficient to fecure all the particular duties of the Chriftian life it is, that Chriftians fhould walk in the Spirit, as they live in the Spirit. By that Spirit the law of God, as he has given it, is written on the heart, and thus they become a law to themselves: for the Apostle John affures us, that he "who is born of God, doth not commit "fin;" for this good reafon, "that the feed "of God abides in him." He is made for good works; and these are the only ones he finds his pleafure in. But the Apostle knew very well, that every man, even the best Christian, while abiding in these bodies of flesh, has a law in his members, warring against the law which is in the mind, and often carrying him captive. He knew likewise, that there was in every child of Adam a certain measure of vanity often founded in a notion of excellency, purely imaginary, which prompts them to claim a proportional share in the good opinion of thofe about them, the very thing he calls vain-glory; and which he knew was the occafion of all or most of the differences, especially of that envy which is the root of all evil. And could that be prevented, and men brought to a proper measure

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