He will ftimulate the foul to write bitter things against itself. He will urge the dreadful aggravated guilt of having "trodden under foot the Son "of God, of having counted the blood of the "covenant, wherewith the believer was fanctified, "an unholy thing, and done despite unto the Spirit "of grace." And, many a foul, it is to be feared, he has thus plunged, and long held, in all the gloom of defpondency: and fome, alas," after "they have escaped the pollutions of the world, "through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour, Jefus Chrift, have again, by his devices, " been "entangled therein, and overcome; with whom the latter end has been worfe than the begin"ning t."

66

But, if the diftreffed foul do not thus quit his fteadfastness, his fure confidence in God; if he exclaim with holy Job, "Though he flay me, yet " will I truft in him;" or, apply to his fpiritual "barrennefs the glorious affurance of the prophet; "although the fig-tree fhall not bloffom, neither "fhall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the "olive fhall fail, and the fields fhall yield no "meat; the flock.fhall be cut off from the fold, " and there, shall be no herd in the ftalls; yet I "will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of 66 my falvation" If the dejected foul will but look to God for help, how fpeedily will his fpirit again vifit him with his choiceft confolations: how will he "heal all his backflidings;" and point out

the fountain ever open for fin and uncleannefs!" how will he encourage him to return to his "first love!" how will he enable him to "ftrengthen "the things which remain, which were ready to "die *!" How will he bring him out of this temptation, like gold, more purified by means of the furnace of affliction, through which he has paffed; more fenfible of the true ftate of his own heart; of his many weakneffes and infirmities; of his many fins, kept under indeed, but very far from being rooted out; and of the affured confidence which he has in Chrift Jefus, and him alone, for his conftant fupport!

Oh, happy foul! if thefe glorious effects should follow his fhort feafon of dejection, and fpiritual decay! but still more happy, if truly fenfible of his own weakness, with a fingle eye to Chrift, as the great finisher, as well as the author of faith, he strive continually to "grow in grace," and to abound in all the bleffed fruits of his Holy Spirit, in "all goodness, righteousness, and truth;" if with a facred hunger and thirst after righteoufness, he feek ever to be found in the way of duty, not doing his own will, but the will of his heavenly Father; from an holy principle of love, efteeming fuch unceasing obedience his meat and drink; "perfecting holinefs, in the fear," the facred awe and reverence," of the Lord;" becoming more and more "partaker of the divine nature, "perfected in Chrift, and filled with the Spirit, " even with all the fulness of God t."

1

PART

+ Pet. i. 4. Col. i. 28. Eph. iv. 13.

iii. 19.

YE

PART II:

ET, the great enemy of God and man will not permit these advances without many a ftruggle, many an attempt to withdraw the believer from his entire dependence on Christ, from whom cometh all his ftrength. He will excite many a fuggeftion of his high fpiritual ftate, and of his now being able to depend a little upon himself, without the fame continual watchfulness and prayer. How will he ftrive to caufe him to forget that it is the very fame fimple faith in Chrift, through which he obtained the pardon of his fins, that must also be his powerful inftrument, by divine grace, in overcoming the world, purifying his heart, and caufing him to abound in the love of God and man, with all holy obedience of heart and life! By how many artifices will he feek to withdraw the difciple of Chrift from searching the scriptures, and from earnest prayer! What an excellent memory will he give him for worldly concerns at fuch feafons of facred retirement! How will the de. ceitful tempter fometimes, "transform himself into "an angel of light," and, by various flattering profpects of higher attainments in divine light and grace, endeavour to feduce him from the E

humble

humble path of duty. If he cannot deftroy, yet at leaft, by fuggesting painful, difficult, and unrequired performances, he will ftrive harrafs, perplex, and trouble; to leffen the convert's influence and ufefulness with others; and were it not for the conftant fupport of the Holy Ghoft, would bring the whole fpiritual building, now nearly finifhed, into ruin and decay.

But HE who knoweth whereof we are made, that we are finful duft and afhes," who calls upon us to draw nigh to him, and he will draw "nigh to us," and while we truft in him, "will

never leave us nor forfake us;" he will carry his poor dependent creature through every temptation nay thefe, with every thing befides, fhall work together for his good while he loves God." Bleffed, thrice bleffed is the man who is thus enabled to endure temptationt; by every return of which his graces fhall be more exercised and fir ngthened; he fhall be more acquainted with his own weaknefs and unworthinels, with the power and infinite love of God; more informed refpecting all Satan's numerous and various devices; more and more watchful against them, lest he would even at laft, "get an advantage of him!" "He will conftantly bear in mind that ever, as long as we continue in the flefh, "we wrestle not merely againft flesh and blood, but against principali$6 tics, againft powers, againft the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickednels; or wicked fpirits, in high places." He

*Rom. viii. 28. James i. 127

will

will therefore be conftantly arrayed in fuitable fpiritual armour, remembering that he is not only carrying on a moft dangerous warfare, but alfo in the very heart of his enemy's country; in the very midst of the dominions of his great spiritual adverfary, the Prince and God of this world. He will, in oppofition to the great father of lies, have "his "loins" continually "girt about with truth: he "will have on the breaftplate of righteoufnefs; "and his feet fhod with the preparation of the "gofpel of peace." On this foundation he will ftand as on an immoveable rock. "Above all, "taking the field of faith, wherewith he fhall be "able to quench all the fiery darts," to overcome all the fubtle temptations, to fruftrate all the artful devices, of the wicked one. And, he will take "the helmet of falvation.' The grace of God, displayed in his redemption, will adorn his brows, will be his glory and protection. And he will ever bear in his hand, as ready for immediate ufe, "the fword of the fpirit, which is the word of "God *."

He will negle&t nothing which he may deem ferviceable to promote his falvation. Though entirely trufting in God, he will, nevertheless, not reject the aid of man. He will not only "pray "always, with all prayer and fupplication in the "Spirit," but will watch thereunto with all "perfeverance and fupplication for all faints +:" and will earnestly defire an intereft in their

peti

tions.