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common to every soldier who is fighting under the banner of Christ. This cross is unavoidable: because it is in thy bosom. It is thine inmost self-thy whole nature which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts. Thou hast not an atom of thy body, nor the least motion or stirring of any faculty in thy soul, but sin is in it; and therefore it is capable of being a plague to the new man. The Holy Ghost speaks thus of the inward warfare" This I say then; walk in the spirit, and "shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh: for the flesh "lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other, so "that ye cannot do the things that ye would." These words are addressed to the Galatians, who were believers, and called into the liberty of the gospel, but by false teaching they were under a great temptation. They had begun in the spirit, but they thought of being perfected in the flesh. They set out with salvation by faith, but expected salvation at last by works. Among other arguments to convince them of their mistake here is one unanswerable, namely, No works of ours can save a sinner but such as are perfect, no works of ours are perfect, therefore they cannot save a sinner. And that none of them are perfect is certain, because in every one of them there is something of the flesh, of corrupt nature as well as something of the spirit and of spiritual nature. These two are contrary as life and death, and they are always in action, every moment the one lusting against the other: so that no believer can do the things which he would, so perfectly as the holy law requires.

How grievous must this inward cross be to a real believer? For it consists in the opposition, which he finds within him, to God and to the things of God. The flesh ever lusteth against the spirit, the old man against the new. There is a continual war between these contrary powers. The flesh is a complete body of sin armed with every member and instrument of rebellion, that can resist the motions and actions of the new man. There is darkness in the understanding

always clouding the light of the glorious gospel, and therefore we know but in part. The will of the flesh always opposes the holy will of God. There is enmity in the heart working against the love of God and of his will. There is pride to weaken humility-anger to oppose meekness-the carnal mind to fight against spiritual mindedness. When the spirit is willing the flesh is weak. When you draw near to God in prayer, the imagination will not be confined: it will wander after a thousand vain objects. When you are hearing the word, it will disturb your attention with its unaccountable excursions. It is so sportive and flighty, that you cannot keep it within any bounds. Is it not so, O my soul? Art thou not sensible of this heavy cross? Dost thou not find something in thee always resisting and weakening the exercise of thy graces? and is not this 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 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 covenant-head; 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

thou art before thy 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 shouldst 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 JeWith 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

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the curse removed. Thou hast no reason to fear wrath, or death, or hell. Victory over all sins and enemies is certain. 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 thyself to be in him dead unto sin-freed from the dreadful stroke of justice by his death-freed as truly as he is-and therefore thou art no more liable, thn 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 stedfastly 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 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.

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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 behoves thee to live by faith upon Jesus as thy surety, now acting for thee in heaven, as he acted for thee upon earth. He is gone up, as thy high priest, 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 for thee, now he is in glory. He stands in the presence of God, as thy representative. The Father sees thee in him:

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he stands there, so dost thou stand-righteous as he is righteous-holy as he is holy-beloved as he is beloved-and shalt be blessed as he is blessed. View by faith thy nature in him, exalted and glorified, and for the joy set before thee in him take up thy cross. is a heavy burden-it is a hard warfare. True. But consider, who shall lay any thing to thy charge for indwelling sin? It is God that justifieth thee from it, who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for thee. He appears in the presence of God for thee, as thine intercessor. He is always in court to represent thy person, and to carry thy cause, especially as to what concerns sin. "If any of us sin, "says the beloved disciple, we have an advocate with the Father Jesus "Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sins;" in this office he is skilful, and faithful, and compassionate. He has thine interest at heartthy safety, thy comfort under this cross, and thy victory over it. His very glory is so interwoven with thine that they are one; yea the advocate and his clients form but one spiritual body, of which every member is, what the head is. O my God and Saviour, I bless thee and worship thee for acting for me as mine advocate and intercessor in heaven. Increase, I beseech thee my faith, that I may see more of the glory of thine office, and may make more use of it, in the bearing of mine inward cross. O let thy faithful witness abide with me to enable me without doubt or wavering to trust in what thou hast done for me upon earth, and to draw comfort from what thou art now doing for me in heaven. Into thy hands I desire to commit my cause. Lord, undertake for me. Be surety for thy servant for good, and guide me with thy counsel, till thou bring me to thy glory. I ask this for thy mercies sake. Amen. Is this the true state of the case? Is it certain from the word of God? Is it confirmed from matter of fact? Did the highest

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