These words afford us. special remedy against the forementioned evil of apostasy, and that is mutual exhortation to constancy of religion: Exhort one another, ministers the people, and the people their ministers, and themselves mutually.

Learn hence, That sedulous and mutual exhortation is. special means to preserve Christians from the sin and danger of apostasy from Christ, and his holy religion; Exhort one another daily.

Observe next, How this duty is amplified by the properties of it, it must be frequent. Exhort one another daily; and seasonably, whilst it is called Today we know not; the day of life is uncertain, and so is the day of the gospel;. summer's day for clearness,. winter's day for shortness; our working day is. wasting day.

Observe, lastly, The great peril and danger which attend the neglecters and neglecting of this duty, Lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

Learn hence, That sin is very full of deceit, or exceedingly deceitful. That the deceit which is in sin, and inseparable from it, tends exceedingly to the hardening of the sinner. There are three eminent evils in sin' pollution, by which it defiles; baseness, by which it dishonours; deceitfulness, by which it deludes us with. false expectation of what it is never able to perform.

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Old Testament