trusted in before for life, he now found to be unto death. And Christ, faith in Christ, was the only means by which he saw he could live unto God, by his grace and to his glory. By this faith he then experienced the power of the crucified and risen Jesus: I am in Christ, says he, crucified with him, truly and spiritually dead to sin, to self, to the world, by the virtue of his cross: nevertheless by the same faith in the same Jesus, I live, the Spirit of life in him has quickened my spirit: he has given me a new birth into the spiritual world, and has brought me to live upon the fulness of Jesus, as really now by faith, as I hope to live upon him by sense in heaven; "Yet not I,” I neither had it of myself, nor do I continue it by any act of my own," but Christ liveth in me: and although "I seem to live outwardly like other men, yet the life "which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of "the Son of God," depending upon him every moment for fresh supplies of his Spirit, to keep me in union and communion with the Father, and the Son, and thereby he gives me to feel in my heart some of the blessings of that love of God in Christ, which surpasseth knowledge. It is this that purifies my soul, and sanctifies my life: blessed, for ever blessed be his name, who thus loved me, and gave himself for me. Such were the heroes of Christianity. They fought the Lord's battles, and in the power of his might they subdued sin they obtained dominion over it through faith in Jesus. And the same faith in the same Jesus is still mighty through him to obtain as great victories. The truth of his promise, the faithfulness of the promiser, the strength of his arm to fulfil his promise; these did not fail Moses, nor Paul-never did-never can fail any believer. Thus speaketh the Lord unto them-Sin shall not have dominion over you-having pardoned it by my blood. I will subdue it by my Spirit: trust me, you shall find strong faith an overmatch for strong sin: because it fights in the strength of Jesus, to whom all things are possible, and who 66 must reign till he hath put all his enemies under his feet. And sin and death shall be no more. Say, it is a besetting sin, this only gives more employment for faith, and for the power of Jesus. It may be a sin of constitution, breaking out into wrath and passion, that the man has no government of himself: but the Spirit of Christ can make him a new creature, and can enable him to put off the old man with his deeds, and to put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. It may be a long habit of sin but is any thing too hard for the Lord? Has he not promised-" A new heart will I give you, and "I will put my Spirit within you, and I will cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my "commandments and practise them." Wherever grace reigns, this scripture is fulfilled. The armies of the Lord of Hosts fight under his banner, and no weapon formed against them can prosper-Kept by his mighty power they are daily more than conquerors, marching on triumphant over all opposition: for he enables them to hold fast the confidence, and the rejoicing of hope firm unto the end. Thus they were commanded to pray-"Order my steps, O Lord, according to thy "word, and let not any iniquity have dominion over "me." They looked to his word, and to his arm, for the right ordering of their steps, believing that he would keep the steps of his saints, and sin should not have dominion over them, now they were no longer under the law, but under the kingdom of his grace. The victory which he had promised, they expected, and he did put forth his power, according to that good word wherein he had caused them to place their trust. They found his grace sufficient to subdue the tyranny of iniquity; yea, where sin had abounded grace did much more abound in daily victory over its wiles, and its assaults. And the power of Christ resting upon them, they were kept in this spirit of prayer. O thou God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen me mightily by thy Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in my heart by faith, and I may have his strength, to set against the power of my sins, and mine enemies. For orders, for courage, for perseverance, for victory, for eternal triumph, I look unto thee for all. Blessed be thy name, that thou hast chosen me to be a soldier, and to fight under the banner of Jesus. I will sing unto the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously. He made all mine enemies his own, and they are now under his feet; and I believe according to thy good word, that thou wilt put them under mine. Thou hast conquered them for me, and hast engaged to conquer them in me, and by me. is of thy mere grace, almighty Jesus, that I am enabled to deny myself, to take up my cross, and to follow thee in this holy war. All my sufficiency is from the fresh supplies of thy Spirit. O grant me then abundantly to the increase of my faith, and to the praise of thy promised help. Cause me to depend every moment upon it, let me experience, that when I am weakest in myself, I may be made strongest in the Lord. It And when I have nothing left me to glory in of mine own, then my soul may magnify the Lord, and my spirit may rejoice in God my Saviour. Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid, because the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song: He also is become my salvation. To his grace and power be all the glory for ever and ever. Amen, and Amen. CHAP. VII. The believer's triumph over his troubles. AFTER sin is pardoned, and the pardoned sinner is enabled to fight the good fight of faith against it, yet there is another enemy assaulting him to the last moment of his life. Fallen man is born to trouble. The man in Christ is so far from being exempt, that many are the troubles of the righteous. He is in common with others, liable to pain and poverty, and to afflictions of every kind: He is by his very profession exposed to some of the most trying nature-his owning Christ-his following Christ-his conformity to Christ -give offence, provoke the malice of wicked men, and the rage of wicked spirits. Wave does not follow wave more certainly, than every day brings its fresh troubles, and forces the believer to seek for aids, and comforts out of himself. This is a sore fight of afflictions. To bear up under them with any patience, and to reap profit from them, is a task above the power of mere man. Every little pain stirs up murmuring and impatience, and this rebellion against God's will is the parent of a thousand fretful tempers: And these, exercised by sharp suffering, render the man truly miserable. If his suffering continues long, increases much, it often drives the poor sinner to despair; and if he has no Saviour to flee unto, he is sometimes guilty of self-murder, and dies in the act of sin, rushing headlong into everlasting destruction.-The wisdom of man, of Cato himself, furnishing no better remedy against the numerous evils of human life. To man thus exposed to suffering and helpless under it, his suffering remaining as long as sin remains, how necessary must be the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ? He has vouchsafed to give us his promises of help, suited to every possible case of distress. When it is his will, that any of his people should be tried, he engages to make the trial of their faith much more precious than that of gold, which perisheth. He is with them, present with his divine supports and holy comforts. "Call upon me, says he, in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorify me: Many are the troubles of the righteous, but out of them all the Lord delivereth them. They acknowledge it with grati ude, "God was our refuge and strength, we have "found him a very present help in trouble," helping us to bear up under the heaviest pressures, keeping his everlasting arms underneath us, as long as we suffer, and if the sufferings increase, increasing our faith and patience, until they have done their perfect work. When through the aids of his Spirit these promises have their full credit, through his inward peace, which he alone can give, and which the world cannot take away: When he makes the heart to feel happy in God, enjoying the peculiar supports of the gospel, and living up to its privileges, then the believer finds the apostle's experience to be true" always sorrowful, yet al"ways rejoicing," and sometimes with a fulness of joy, according to what is written, " But now, thus saith the Lord, that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not, for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine: When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee, and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt, neither shall the flames kindle upon thee: For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel thy Saviour; Fear not, for I am with thee," to support, to deliver. This is spoken to the redeemed, who are God's property, and whom he bought with a great price. What could the Lord God engage to do for them more than is here promised, in order to still all their guilty fears, and to quiet all their natural fears? Trusting to the redemption that is in the blood of the Lamb, they are under his keeping, they go out in his strength to meet their trials and their enemies. Jesus is with them on their side; and therefore believing in him, they need not fear any suffering. Jehovah is their Alehim, their covenant God in Trinity, their sworn allies, engaged by his almighty arm to save them from all evil, and to give them all possible good. "I the Lord, says he, |