will not consider it sufficient once or
twice to direct, but will constantly be supervising and directing.

5. Nor have we as yet arrived at the point where our flesh and blood
will joyfully and gladly abound in good works and obedience to God as
the spirit is inclined and faith directs. Even with the utmost
efforts the Spirit scarce can compel our old man. What would be the
result if we were no more urged and admonished but could go our way
thinking, as many self-satisfied persons do: I am well acquainted
with my duties, having learned them many years ago and having heard
frequent explanations of them; yea, I have taught others? It might be
that one year's intermission of preaching and admonition would place
us below the level of the heathen.

6. Now, this exhortation in itself is simple and easy of
comprehension. The apostle is but repeating his exhortations of other
places--on the fruits of faith, or a godly walk--merely in different
terms. Here he speaks of putting away the old man and putting on the
new man, of being "renewed in the spirit of your mind."

"THE OLD MAN."

7. What he calls "the old man" is well known to us; namely, the whole
nature of man as descended from Adam after his fall in paradise,
being blinded by the devil, depraved in soul, not keeping God before
his eyes nor trusting him, yes, utterly regardless of God and the
judgment day. Though with his mouth he may honor God's Word and the
Gospel, yet in reality he is unchanged; if he does have a little
additional knowledge, he has just as little fear, love and trust in
God as heretofore.

8. Such a life and such conduct should not be found among you, says
the apostle; you are not to continue with "the old man." He must be
put off and laid aside. Your former manner of life, inherited of
Adam, consisted in disobeying God, in neither fearing, trusting nor
calling upon him. Again, in your body you obeyed not God's
commandments, being given to lust, pride, insatiable greed, envy,
hatred, etc. A life and walk of this nature is not becoming a
Christian who is regarded as, and truly is, a different order of
being from his former self, as we shall hear. Necessarily he should
walk differently.

9. In this respect a Christian must take heed that he does not
deceive himself; the true Christian differs from the hypocrite. True
Christians so live that it is apparent from their lives that they
keep God before their eyes and truly believe the Gospel, while