"that wait on the Lord, shall renew their strength;" "and JEHOVAH, in whom is everlasting strength, is "become our salvation." All power in heaven and earth is vested in the LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. He is Head over all things to his church; and his servants have always found, that in proportion as they simply trusted in him, "they could do all things," and that "when they were weak, then were they strong; for "the power of Christ rested upon them.' ."* He restrains and moderates, as he sees good, the assaults of our outward enemies, or confounds their devices, and defeats their deep laid machinations. All providential dispensations are directed by him, nor can any tribulation or temptation exceed the bounds he assigns, though all the powers of earth and hell should combine against one feeble saint. Whilst the Holy Spirit communicates strength to our faith, fear, love, hope, patience, aud every principle of the new man; imparts strong consolations and heavenly joys; effectually restrains the energy of corrupt passions, and disposes us to self-denial, to bear the cross, to persevere in well-doing; and to dread sin, and separation from Christ, or even dishonouring him, more than any other evil that can befal us. Supported, strengthened, and encouraged in this manner, believers have in every age been enabled "to "fight the good fight of faith," and to "overcome 66 every foe by the blood of the Lamb, and the word "of their testimony, and have not loved their lives "unto the death." Nay, they have generally acquitted themselves most honourably, when their adversaries were most formidable, and their temptations apparently (most invincible; because they were then most simply dependent, and most fervent in praying for the all-sufficient grace of the Lord Jesus, and most steadfast in contemplating his sufferings and the glory that followed. In order to maintain this conflict, with good hope of success, we must "take to ourselves," and "put on "the whole armour of God." Conscious sincerity in our profession of the gospel must be," as the girdle of 2 Cor. xii. 9-11. Phil. iv. 13. † Rev. xü. 11. "our loins," without which we shall be entangled, and embarrassed in all our conduct. An habitual, obedient regard to our Lord's commands, as the rule of righteousness must be our breast-plate in facing our foes; whilst a distinct knowledge, and cordial reception of the "gospel of peace, and the way of access, pardon, reconciliation, and acceptance in the divine Saviour, must be the shoes of our feet, our only effectual preparation for firmly standing our ground, or comfortably marching to meet our assailants. Above all, faith, or a firm belief of the truths, and reliance on the promises of God, must be our "shield," with which we may ward off and extinguish the "fiery darts of satan,' and prevent their fatal effects. Hope of present support and heavenly felicity must be, as a helmet, to cover our head in the day of battle; and with the plain testimonies, precepts, promises, and instructions of the word of God, as" with the sword of the Spirit," we must, after our Lord's example, repel the tempter, and so resist him, that he may flee from us.* In short," the weapons of our warfare are not carnal." Worldly wisdom, philosophical reasonings, and our own native strength and resolution, (like Saul's armour when put upon David,) can only encumber us. But when, conscious of our weakness and unworthiness, and distrusting our own hearts, we "strive against sin, looking "unto Jesus," relying on his power, truth, and grace, and observing his directions; when we aim to do his will, to seek his glory, and copy his example; then indeed we are armed for the battle; and however men may despise our weapons, (as Goliah did David the shepherd with his staff, his sling, and stones;) we shall not be put to shame in the event, but shall be made more than conquerors over every inward and outward foe. This armour is prepared in Christ, 66 our wisdom, "righteousness, sanctification, and redemption;" and in "his fulness of grace." We take it to ourselves by "the prayer of faith," by searching and meditating on the scriptures, and attendance on the means of grace. * Eph. vi. 10-18. 1 Thess. v. 5, 6. By watchfulness, sobriety, habitual circumspection, and caution, we put it on, and keep it bright; and thus we are continually prepared for the conflict, and not liable to be surprised unawares, or to fall into the ambushments of our vigilent enemies.* And when we live at peace with our brethren, and pray for, warn, counsel, and encourage them also; we fight the good fight, as a part of the great army, which is enlisted under the Redeemer's standard, to wage war against sin, the world, and the powers of darkness. As far as we are enabled, in this manner, successfully to oppose our own corrupt passions and various temptations, we gain victories, which afford us present comforts, lively hopes, and discoveries of the Lord's love to our souls; and hereafter "glory, honour, and immortality." Qur Captain assures every one of his soldiers of this inestimable recompense; and if they be slain in the conflict, this will only put them more speedily in possession of the conqueror's crown. In respect of others, our warfare is directed to the encouragement and help of our fellow soldiers; the salvation (not the destruction) of our fellow sinners; the benefit of all around us; and above all the honour of our divine Saviour, by the spread of his gospel among men; while our bold profession of the truth, our exemplary conduct, expansive benevolence, fervent prayers, improvement of talents, and unremitted attention to the duties of our several stations, with quietness and prudence, as well as zeal, are peculiarly suitable to promote these important ends. The re ligion of Jesus is thus continued from age to age, by the conversion of sinners to the faith; and though the seed of the serpent still bruises the Redeemer's heel, in the sufferings of his people; yet satan is, as it were, put under the feet of every true Christian at death; and Christ will at length finally and completely crush his head; whilst all his faithful soldiers shall attend his triumphs and share his glory. * Matt. xxvi. 41. Luke, xxi. 34-36. Rom. xiii, 11—14, 1 Pet. v. 8, 9. It must appear from this compendious view of our conflicts, that all, who are really engaged in them, experience a variety of changing emotions in their minds, to which others remain entire strangers. They must often mourn their ill success, or that of the common cause, or rejoice in the advantages attained or hoped for. Sometimes they are ashamed and alarmed by being baffled, and at others they resume courage and return to the conflict. They always come far short of that entire victory over their appetites, passions, and temptations, to which they aspire; and they cannot there. fore be so calm as indifference would render them. Much self-denial must be required in such a case, and perpetual fears of being surprised by the enemy. Yet their alarms, tears, groans, and complaints, are evidences that they are Christ's disciples; their joys, with which a stranger intermeddleth not, far more than counterbalance their sorrows, and they can often triumph in the assured hope of final victory and felicity, even amidst the hardship and sufferings of the field of battle. :: ESSAY XVII. On the privileges enjoyed by the true believer. THE sacred oracles continually teach us, that the upright servant of God, (notwithstanding his mourning for sin, and all his conflicts, fears, chastenings, and tribulations,) is favoured and happy above all other men, even in this present world; for, when the apostle observed, that "if in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most miserable;" he only meant, that if a Christian could be deprived of the hope of heaven, and all those earnests, consolations, and lively af fections, which result from it, his peculiar trials, his tenderness of conscience, his antipathy to sin, and his thirstings after God and holiness, would be super-added to the ordinary burdens of life, without any proportionable counterpoise to them. But as this is not, and cannot be, the case; so the Christian, with the hope of glory, and his other peculiar privileges, may be, and actually is, in proportion to his diligence and fruitfulness, of all men the most happy. In order to evince this truth, it may be useful to appropriate this essay to the consideration of the most distinguished privileges of the real Christian, which no other man in the world can share with him; for they constitute "a joy, with which "a stranger intermeddleth not;" even "the secret of "the Lord, which is with them that fear him.”* And it may be premised, that a disposition supremely to desire and diligently to seek after all these blessings, as the felicity, in which our souls delight, and with which they would be satisfied, is one grand evidence, that we are actually interested in them. I. Every real Christian is actually pardoned and justi fied in the sight of God; and "blessed is he, whose "transgression is forgiven; whose sin is covered; bles"sed is the man, unto whom the Lord imputeth not "iniquity." Among a number of condemned criminals, that man would be deemed the happiest, who had obtained the king's pardon; though others were more accomplished, or better clothed; for he would expect, in cheerful hope, the opening of his prison door to set him at liberty from his confinement, and to restore him to the comforts of life; and this hope would render the temporary hardships of his situation more tolerable; whereas the rest would dread the hour, when they were to be brought out of their cells to an ignominious and agonizing execution; and this prospect would add to the gloom and horror of the dungeon. We all are criminals. Death terminates our confinement in this vile body, and this evil world. At that important moment |