they will not take the Apostle's word for; that they are dead in trefpaffes and fins. its As the grace of God in Chrift 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 proper purposes; as we may obferve in our prefent life, which is indeed no more but a fhadowy reprefentation 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 accefs to walk by fight, to walk in the Spirit is the fame thing as to walk in the faith of these declarations and promises; which faith the Apostle affures us, gives fubfiftence to things not feen, and clear evidence to and main And if we things hoped for, and thus prefents them with the fame certainty as if we saw them with our eyes, Heb. xi. 1. 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 estimation of all that he had done, expreffed in these words, "yet not I, "but the grace of God, or Chrift in me," must be vain-glory, that is, valuing or boasting ourselves in what we have no title to. Our Lord fpeaks of honour that comes from men, and that which comes from God only. The firft, however it is courted, valued, and even boasted of, can ferve no other purposes but a prefent world; and in the opinion of one of the wifest of mere men, and who had tried it most thoroughly, is no more but vanity and vexation. of fpirit; 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 only. only. But there is fomething in this vainglory yet greatly worfe: it is plainly robbing God, by intercepting and appropriating to ourselves the honour which belongs to him, and that grace which he hath treasured up in his bleffed Son for the provision of his children, and that Spirit whofe peculiar business it is to convey it to them. I but juft obferve, that our tranflators recede fomewhat from the Apoftle's injunction, as he has left it. They construct it as if it was directed only against the defire of vain-glory; but he fays fimply, not vain-glorious, directing his caution against the thing itself, whereever 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 boafting of any advantage we have, or feem to have, over our neighbours; and, if there is any foundation for it, more ready to draw These are works of the flesh, 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 efpecially fuch as may be deemed to deferve better than he; nor is there any cure but humility and lowlinefs of mind. 1. Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are fpiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meeknefs; confidering thy felf, left thou also be tempted. 2. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Chrift. 3. For if a man think himself to be. fomething, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. 4. But let every man prove his own work, and then hall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5. For every man shall 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 whatsoever a man foweth, that shall he also reap. 8. For be that foweth to his flefb, fhall of the flesh reap corruption: but he that foweth to the Spirit, shall 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 untɑ them who are of the household of faith. T : HE Apostle, in the close of the foregoing chapter, had given a general rule, which, could it be strictly adhered to, 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 reason, "that the feed 86 of God abides in him." He is made for good works; and these are the only ones he finds his pleasure 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 likewife, 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 fhare 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 |