e clearly.

The life is 'hid,' as being united with Jesus, and consequently
withdrawn from the world, which neither comprehends nor sustains it. A
Christian man is bound to manifest to the utmost of his power what is
the motive and aim of his life; but the devout life is, like the divine
life, a mystery, unrevealed after all revelation.

The practical conclusion from this blessed union with Jesus is that we
are, as Christians, bound to be true in our conduct to the facts of our
spiritual life, and to turn away from the world, which is now not our
home, and set our mind (not only our 'affections') on things above.
Surely the Christ, 'seated on the right hand of God,' will be as a
magnet to draw our conscious being upwards to Himself. Surely union with
Him in His death will lead us to die to the world which is alien to us,
and to live in aspiration, thought, desire, love, and obedience with Him
in His calm abode, whence He rules and blesses the souls whom, through
their faith, He has made to live the new life of heaven on earth.

II. The first consequence of the risen life is negative, the death or
'putting off' of the old nature, the life which belongs to and is ruled
by earth. Verses 5-9 solemnly lay on the Christian the obligation to put
this to death. The 'therefore' in verse 5 teaches a great lesson, for it
implies that the union with Jesus by faith must precede all self-denial
which is true to the spirit of the Gospel. Asceticism of any sort which
is not built on the evangelical foundation is thereby condemned,
whether it is practised by Buddhist, or monk, or Protestant. First be
partaker of the new life, and then put off the old man with his deeds.
The withered fronds of last year are pushed off the fern by the new ones
as they uncurl. That doctrine of life in Christ is set down as mystical;
but it is mysticism of the wholesome sort, which is intensely practical,
and comes down to the level of the lowest duties,--for observe what
homely virtues are enjoined, and how the things prohibited are no
fantastic classifications of vices, but the things which all the world
owns to be ugly and wrong.

We cannot here enlarge on Paul's grim catalogue, but only point out that
it is in two parts, the former (verses 5, 6) being principally sins of
impurity and unregulated passion, to which is added 'covetousness,' as
the other great vice to which the old nature is exposed. Lust and greed
between them are the occasions of most