What may truly and properly be called a "sobér, righteous, godly life?"

A sober life, many may, in some measure, be acquainted with, but a righteous, godly life, is too rarely considered.

Whosoever thinks to attain to a righteous, godly life, but by the teachings of grace in his own heart, deceiveth his own soul.

Men may lop or hinder the growth of many branches of iniquity that appear outwardly,' but cannot take away the cause which is within; and until the cause is removed, there can be no thorough cure.

"Walk in the Spirt," said Paul, "and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh." That is the only remedy, that is the soul-healing salve: and what is the walking in the Spirit, but following the leading of grace in our hearts? Grace, as it comes to have the rule over us, brings down all exalted thoughts, abaseth pride, shuts out covetousness, gives no place unto wrath, reduceth us to a cool, quiet frame of spirit, in which frame we can bear and suffer. Grace will not suffer us to do any unjust thing, nor allow us to speak an ill word, much less to be drunk, steal, or commit any other vices: for it is the promised Spirit of truth that leads into all truth, leads out of all error, and so brings salvation indeed.

No man can lead a righteous life, till a right spirit comes to have the whole possession of his heart; for from the good treasures of the heart proceed all good living; for that is the guide, and this guide being of a Divine nature, makes us to be heavenly-minded.

As God, in his unlimited love to mankind, "maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust;" so he that hath good will to all, which proceeds out of the heart, when the good Spirit of God comes to make its abode there, will not wrong any, oppress any, show

violence to any, or speak evil of any, but be ready to serve all men in love and faithfulness.

This reformation is only and alone by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ; as saith the prophet, "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters," and drink; every one that hath a desire in his soul after righteousness, turn in to the grace of God in his own heart. The water that the prophet invited all thirsty souls unto, is no other than that which Christ giveth; and whosoever drinketh thereof thirsteth no more, but hath, as many at this day can witness, a well in himself, not only issuing, but flowing up to eternal life.

But some may say, Our dependence for life and salvation is not on works of righteousness, but on faith: We believe, and thereof hope to be saved.

Faith we all think we have; but is it a faith that purifies the heart, and makes our bodies fit temples for the Holy Spirit?

Paul put the Corinthians on an examination of themselves, on a trial and proof of their faith, and it would not be amiss, if all that account themselves believers, did prove their faith by the same touchstone: "Know ye not," said Paul, "your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" This is life eternal, not only to hear of a God and a Saviour, but to know Him; to feel the power of God, and to be witnesses of Christ's salvation.

Faith and works of righteousness go together: he that hath the one hath both, and grace is the spring from whence both proceed.

THE

TEST OF OUR CHRISTIANITY.

If the Spirit of Christ hath the rule in us, these following fruits will be brought forth by us:

In all our communications, our yea will be yea, and our nay, nay: the word that goeth out of our lips will be sure.

He that is a Christian indeed hath no necessity in himself, nor need to be urged by others, to bind his soul with an oath to perform his word; for the law of the Spirit of life in his own heart constrains him so to do.

Christians in their communications weigh their words, before they utter them, with their capacities to perform them; knowing that a promise cannot be broken without violating the righteous law of God in their own. hearts. Whenever such violence is done, terror ensues; and this makes good men, who live under the government of Christ, dread much more to break their words, than others do to forfeit their bonds. This holy dread makes our yea to be yea, and our nay to be nay; this makes us cautious in our promises, and careful in our performances. The exhortation may be read in Scripture, but the binding tie must be known in our own hearts. All that have the Scripture have this rule; but unless we have a principle of life in our

selves, we cannot walk by this rule; and we must not only have such a principle, but we must also improve it by a continued practice, before it comes to be our life, our centre, and our nature; till then we may say, "These things we should do;" but cannot say, "These things we do:" and so witness against ourselves, that, though we have the Scriptures, we walk not according to the Scriptures; though we have the words of Christ, we are not in the life and nature of Christ; our yea is not yea, and our nay, nay, in our communications; our words and our promises are not steadfast and sure.

An exhortation or command of our Lord was this, "Resist not evil;" and this was not only his doctrine, but his life and nature, as we may plentifully read in Scripture. Though He met with revilings, reproaches, buffetings and cruel usage, we do not find that He was once moved thereby, much less that ever He resisted; but gave his face to the smiter, and his cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; and when He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, "He was as a sheep dumb before the shearer; He opened not his mouth."

Now the fruits of the Spirit, in the Head and members, are one in nature; for as Christ was humble, lowly, meek, patient, peaceable, under all his sufferings, so are Christians, if Christians indeed: they render not evil for evil, they desire not an eye for an eye, nor a tooth for a tooth; revenge of any kind is far from them; but as patience and forbearance was the life and nature of Christ, so it is the life and nature of all Christians, as they grow in grace, and come to the fulness of the stature of Christ.

Another command of Christ was this, "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you."

No man, having the Spirit of Jesus, and living under the government thereof, can hate his brother; for by creation we are all the workmanship of God's hands; and all true Christians know that enmity, hatred, cursing, spite and persecution, proceed not from men, as they are the Lord's creation, but as they have lost this image, and thereby become emptied of good, and filled with all evil: for as an evil spirit comes to have the rule over us, evil fruits will be brought forth by us.

Could we but see ourselves, did we but observe our own natures, with the fruits we bring forth in our lives, we might easily judge of ourselves whether we were converts or not; whether the Spirit of Christ, or the spirit of this world, had the rule in us, and over us; for the course of our lives, especially in times of trial, declares who are led by the meek Spirit of Jesus, and who are not; who are leavened with the leaven of righteousness, and who are not; who lead a sober, upright, godly life, and who do not; it is not our words, but our conversation, our lives, that manifest what spirit hath the rule in us and over us.

As many as have found the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and are come to live under the rule and government of a right Spirit, have the mind of Christ; though they live in the world, their thoughts run not out after the world. A true Christian is diligent in his calling, moderate in his expenses, content in his state; takes but little thought what he shall eat, or what he shall drink, or wherewithal he shall be clothed; he delights in justice, equity, truth and faithfulness, and his thoughts are exercised therein, and resting on God's providence, his honest endeavors are attended with a blessing.

There must be a death unto sin, before there can be a new birth unto righteousness; and a growth in right