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his deeds, and 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. It 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 them 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. 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.

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CHAP. VII.

The believer's triumph over his troubles.

AFTER sin is pardoned, and the par

doned 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 sight 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 thus exercised by sharp suffering, renders 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 selfmurder, and dies in an act of sin, rushing headlong into everlasting destruction. The wisdom of man, of Cato himself, furnished 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

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