Dost thou not find something in thee always resisting and weakening the exercise of thy graces? and is nott his the great plague of thy life? Can there be a greater than to carry about with thee a sinful nature, daily trying to hinder thee in thy holy walk and happy communion with God? O how much does it concern thee, then, to be well skilled in bearing this cross, and in behaving under it as a good soldier of Christ Jesus! And to this end the principles before laid down are absolutely necessary. Without them thou canst not rightly understand the nature of indwelling sin, and canst not possibly gain victory over it. Only the doctrines of grace received into thy heart, can enable thee to walk with God under this cross. Call to mind, then, what was agreed upon in the covenant of the Trinity, and was fulfilled in the person and work of Immanuel, for thy peace with the Father, and for thy returning to him in love, and has been applied to thee by the holy Spirit, who has given thee faith in Jesus, and has manifested the love of the Father in him: thou art therefore now one with thy covenanthead-in him complete and perfect, although thou art in thyself still a sinner. Thou hast a body of sin, through the lusting of which thou art not able to keep the holy law, according to its full demands, in any one instance. But thou art before the Father, what thy surety is. He sees thee in him, without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing-accepted as he is-beloved with the same love-looked upon with the same joy ---and blessed with all spiritual blessings in him. Thy surety lived for thee: thou hast the righteousness of God for thy justification. Thy surety died for thee: in him thou art as truly dead unto sin, as Christ himself is. Thy surety rose again, and took possession of spiritual and eternal life for thee. He was delivered for thine offences, and raised again for thy justification. Thou shalt reign with him, as certainly as he has now the crown upon his own head. Such is the perfect salvation which is for thee, although thou art still the subject of sin for thy pardon is without exception or reverse. -All trespasses are freely forgiven. Thy justification to life is absolute: for it is God himself that justifieth. He chose thee in Jesus, that thou shouldest be holy and without blame before him-and so thou art. As a member in his body thou art without blemish. Here is thy relief under the inward cross. The Father chose thee in his Son, looks upon thee in him, and deals with thee according to covenant love: there is, therefore, now no condemnation to thee, who art in Christ Jesus. With the sweet sense of this upon thy conscience, persuaded that God is at peace with thee, take up the inward cross. In this delightful view see the curse removed. Thou hast no reason to fear wrath, or death, or hell. all sins and enemies is certain. Victory over Daily eternal victory is promised. In this faith follow the noble army who carried this cross to their graves. Fight as they did, looking unto Jesus. Sin is in thee: it was in them; but they looked upon it as a vanquished foe, slain and put to death, when Jesus died for sin once. Likewise reckon thou also thy self to be in him dead unto sin-freed from the condemning sentence of the law-freed from the dreadful stroke of justice by his death-freed as truly as he is—and therefore thou art no more liable than he is to be condemned and punished. And for the strengthening of this faith, seek for fellowship with him in his death. It is thy privilege, as thou art planted in the likeness of his death, to derive power and efficacy from it, daily to put sin to death, the more steadfastly thou believest that thou art one with him in his death, the more wilt thou find thy sinful nature crucified with him. Communion is always according to the faith of union with Christ. The strongest faith must have the strongest hold of him, and thereby draw the most virtue from him. It is true, as our faith increases we become more spiritual; and we see corruption more, as we 'see motes in the sun-beams. The senses of the new man, by exercise, gain a quicker perception of sin-we become all over tender as the eye-jealous of the motions-yea, of the appearance of evil. This is real growth. Sin is more felt, in order that the power of Jesus may be put forth to make us hate it, resist it, and overcome it more. As believers are more sensible of their sinfulness in the first Adam, so they grow up into the second Adam, the Lord from heaven; they bear the cross of the corruption of the first, which leads them to constant fellowship with the second-in his death, for the pardon of their corruption-in the power of his death, to mortify sin, that it may not have dominion over them. Corruption is in thee, and it will strive for dominion. Thy sins will sometimes fiercely assault. Their allies, the world and the devil, will join them with stratagems and force; when the battle is hot, and thou art weak, then it behooves thee to live by faith upon Jesus as thy surety, now acting for thee in heaven, as he acted for thee upon earth. He has gone up, as thy highpriest, to carry thy name within the veil. He bears it upon the ephod on his shoulders, and upon the breast-plate on his heart: his power and his love are engaged |