loosened through our own heedlessness, and unimpaired by the evils and discouragements of life, is the highest point of Christian skill. It will many ways be endangered-by the misgiving of our own minds, by the obscurity of the ways of providence, by invisible adversaries, and by the artifices or examples of evil men. But the ease and success of our warfare, do essentially depend upon the preservation of this shield of faith. Confident in the truth of God, let nothing wrest it from you. For this is the victory which overcometh the world, even our faith. And again; who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

Further, when we are possessed with a zeal springing from a sense of the magnitude of the cause, and have put on the whole armour of God, it will much promote the facility of our warfare, to be disencumbered as much as may be with foreign concerns. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. We cannot make much progress in the Christian life with our eyes upon heaven and our hearts upon this present world. When the attention is distracted, it accomplishes nothing. There are indeed many temporal things upon which the condition of our nature obliges us to bestow our cares; there are duties of society and domestic affairs, which we cannot innocently neglect, and charity must allow that some relaxations are necessary for the feebleness of nature. But whatever is beyond these, all factitious pleasures, all vain pursuits, are incumbrances in the Christian warfare. They retard our progress, they weaken our force, they embolden the foe. When men are careful and troubled about many things, they seldom prosecute effectually the one thing needful. It is with a single eye to the service of God that our duty will be most easily and successfully performed. Hence, the apostle exhorts his Hebrew converts to lay aside every weight; not to encumber themselves with foreign concerns, but be intent upon the race that was set before them.

Again. It will greatly facilitate our Christian course to make

ourselves acquainted with our own weakness, and be vigilant of the motion of our foes. All men are subject to imperfections. Most men have their particular frailties. They are more liable to some passions and vices than to others. In these vulnerable parts, it will be found by observation, they are generally assailed. Temptation comes where we are weakest, and the inroads which it thus makes upon virtue have rendered the warfare of many a good man doubly arduous by making work for difficult and bitter repentence. Wherever we are weak, sentinels should be placed to repel the first approaches of temptation and give us the alarm. Had David done this, his glory might not have been tarnished with adultery. Had it been done by Judas, he might not have sold his Lord. The prophet and apostle alike fell by an attack where they were weakest, and had not properly fortified themselves. It is a great part of the Christian's wisdom to have his eye upon his foe, and wher ever he discovers himself most liable to be assaulted, there to place his most vigilant and powerful forces. We must not only lay aside every weight, but also the sin which doth so easily beset us, if we would strive successfully under the banner of the Redeemer.

And here it may be added, that to yield in any instance to vice increases the difficulties of our spiritual life. It is much easier to maintain the ground you hold than to recover it when it is lost. The man who yields to temptation, then rallies his powers, then tampers, and then yields again, determined to go only to a certain point and then return and rally his virtue anew, will make of the Christian warfare a laborious and hazardous work. He will, at least, make but a slow and dishonourable progress, and in an evil hour may be fatally undone. Would you have your Christian course easy and safe? Never listen, never yield to its enemies. Habit is ease; perseverance is safety. But when you have suffered yourselves to be diverted from your object, and the course of duty has been interrupted, to regain integrity and persevere will be found more difficult than had been imagined.

Once more, to the success of the Christian, as of every other warfare, the assistance and blessing of the Most High are indispensably necessary. Without the Almighty we can do nothing. His holy Spirit is a most powerful agent in rendering our yoke easy and our burthen light, and it is through his secret influences that we are made strong in the fight of faith, and may be invincible. Hence arises the necessity of prayer, which is a natural and appointed mean of obtaining this precious blessing. And, surely, they who will neglect this honourable duty, do not deserve and cannot expect that assistance which, when faithfully performed, it never fails to procure. Prayer is in itself peculiarly adapted to qualify us for every conflict. It purifies and exalts our affections. It strengthens our holy resolutions. We are emboldened by that indescribable complacency which is always diffused through the bosoms of those who have faithfully communed with the Father of their spirits. But it is chiefly and incalculably valuable in the Christian warfare, in that it brings down upon us that assistance and blessing of the Almighty, through which we cannot fail to overcome. Possessed of these, though an host should encamp against us, our hearts need not fear: yea, though our flesh and nature failed, in these we might be confident. Let it then be esteemed an important rule for rendering our warfare easy and successful, to present ourselves often before the throne of the Eternal, that by communion with God we may have our affections spiritualized, and obtain his aid and sovereign blessing.

It remains to be added, lastly, that we should avail ourselves of all the means which have been specially appointed for our furtherance in the Christian life. Among these, I reckon a constant and devout attendance in the sanctuary, where the service which is offered and the word which is preached, may beget or confirm in us a knowledge and love of divine things. Among these, may be reckoned communion with the head and members of the church, in which we may take courage from the character of our associates, and from the name and might of our glorious Leader. Among these, may be placed a faith

ful attention to the precepts and instructions concerning our warfare, which are contained in the holy Scriptures. But chief among these is the holy eucharist, the supper of the Lord. To this should every soldier of the Redeemer resort. Here should he seek for spiritual strength. In this sacrament he will find the pardon of his sins, the pledges of his Master's love, and the sure promise of immortality. His soul will be strengthened and refreshed for its spiritual conflicts, by the body and blood of Christ, as his body is by the bread and wine. It was, doubtless, with a view to our necessities that the blessed Redeemer, "in the same night in which he was betrayed,” instituted the holy sacrament, and to it should every one of his disciples come for that spiritual strength which no man knoweth save him who receiveth it. Indeed, the only way in which we can with any degree of joyful expectation hope to overcome, ist to avail ourselves of those channels of grace which God hath set open, and be found walking in his commandments and ordinances blameless.

THE END.