7. Do not suppose that religion is a principle of such _self-preserving_ energy, as that when once implanted in the soul it will continue to thrive and increase without effort. The plant of divine grace can no more thrive without care, and diligent and patient cultivation, than can those rare and valued plants, that demand the physical efforts and culture of man. God will not sustain and bring to maturity the work of grace, without your own voluntary concurrence in the diligent use of means. He will not do it any more than he would cause the harvest to whiten in the field of the sluggard. Indulge, therefore, no such ideas of _inability and dependence_ on God, as shall impair a full sense of perfect obligation to do whatever _can be done_ in working out your own salvation. God never promises to assist any but those who make efforts to aid and advance themselves. 8. Entertain no such ideas of the sovereignty of God in the bestowment of his grace, as would awaken any doubt of his affording needful aid, where he sees sincere endeavours to grow in grace. If some christians are more eminent than others, it is simply because they _make more efforts_ to be so, and God aids these efforts. So that all worldly minded and indifferent christians continue in this state, because they do not choose to make efforts to get out of it. Any person can be an eminent christian that chooses to be so. Christians are too apt to feel as if eminence in piety was a distinction made by the sovereignty of God, and to suppose that high attainments are not within the reach of all, and that languid and inefficient piety is the result of divine sovereignty rather than negligence and sloth. A more false or more pernicious opinion cannot easily be adopted by Christians. The truth is, that the road to eminence in gifts and graces, and the means of obtaining them, are open to all who seek them, and if any do not attain them; it is owing to their own sloth and inefficiency, and not to any deficiency on the part of God in blessing _diligent_ efforts. It always pleases him to crown with success the hand of the diligent instead of the hand of the slothful, not only in temporal but in spiritual things. This thought cannot be too strongly impressed upon the minds of those who are just commencing the christian life. To them _peculiarly_, are such promises as these directed; “Ask, and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you. _Every one_ that asketh receiveth,” &c. Do not be afraid of indulging in feelings which may seem to be right, from the fear of deception. On the contrary, cherish such feelings and try to recall them often. Go forward and _do your duty_, and God will save you from deception while thus employed. 10. There is one caution which is peculiarly needful to those who have been greatly interested in the subject of religion, and that is, to _take particular care of the health_.