III. Such Men Cannot Continue Near.

The state is necessarily transitional. It must pass over into,

(a) Either going on and into the Kingdom, or

(b) going further away from it.

Christ warns here, and would stimulate to action, for,

(a) Convictions not acted on die;

(b) truths not followed out fade;

(c) impressions resisted are harder to be made again;

(d) obstacles increase with time;

(e) the habit of lingering becomes strengthened.