thout
ceasing? Afterwards, in the same Epistle, he tells us first that
nothing avails but faith working by love; but soon after, he calls this
same availing principle a new creature: so that the new birth and a
living faith are inseparable. Never, indeed, must it be supposed, as
we are indolently apt to suppose, that the gift of grace which we
receive at baptism is a mere outward privilege, a mere outward pardon,
in which the heart is not concerned; or as if it were some mere mark
put on the soul, distinguishing it indeed from souls unregenerate, as
if by a colour or seal, but not connected with the thoughts, mind, and
heart of a Christian. This would be a gross and false view of the
nature of God's mercy given us in Christ. For the new birth of the
Holy Spirit sets the soul in motion in a heavenly way: it gives us good
thoughts and desires, enlightens and purifies us, and prompts us to
seek God. In a word (as I have said), it gives a spiritual _life_; it
opens the eyes of our mind, so that we begin to see God in all things
by faith, and hold continual intercourse with Him by prayer, and if we
cherish these gracious influences, we shall become holier and wiser and
more heavenly, year by year, our hearts being ever in a course of
change from darkness to light, from the ways and works of Satan to the
perfection of Divine obedience.

These considerations may serve to impress upon our minds the meaning of
the precept in the text, and others like it which are found in St.
Paul's Epistles. For instance, he enjoins the Ephesians to "pray
always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit." To the
Philippians he says, "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by
prayer and supplication let your requests be made known unto God[5]."
To the Colossians, "Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with
thanksgiving." To the Romans, "Continue instant in prayer[6]."

Thus the true Christian pierces through the veil of this world and sees
the next. He holds intercourse with it; he addresses God, as a child
might address his parent, with as clear a view of Him, and with as
unmixed a confidence in Him; with deep reverence indeed, and godly fear
and awe, but still with certainty and exactness: as St. Paul says, "I
know whom I have believed[7]," with the prospect of judgment to come to
sober him, and the assurance of present grace to cheer him.

If what I have said is true, surely it is well worth thinking about.
Most men i