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" 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. 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 vigilant enemies, (Matt. xxvi, 4 1. Luke xxi. 34-36. Rom. xiii. 11-14. 1 Pet. v. 8, 9.) 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." Our 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 the 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 religion 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.

It must appear from this compendious view of our con flicts, 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 therefore 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 hardships and sufferings of the field of battle.

ESSAY XVII.

On the Privileges enjoyed by the True Believer.

THE

HE 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 affections which result from it, his peculiar trials, his tenderness of conscience, his antipathy to sin, and his thirstings after God and holiness, would be superadded 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." (Ps. xxv. xiv. Prov. xiv. 10. Rev. ii. 17.) 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: blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity." (Ps. xxxii. 1, 2. Rom. iv. 6—8.) 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 the pardoned sinner goes to heaven, the unpardoned sinner drops into hell: and, except as the former has his views darkened by temptation, and by fatherly rebukes for his misconduct; or, as the latter has his fears obvi ated by infidelity, and dissipated by intoxicating pleasures and pursuits; the very thought of this closing scene, and its most interesting consequences, must have a vast effect in rendering them happy or miserable, even during the uncertain term of their remaining lives. Nothing can be more evident, than that the Scripture declares the sins of all believers to be actually pardoned, and their persons completely justified. "There is," says the Apostle, " no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died; yea, rather is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." (Rom. viii. 1. 33, 34.) And our Lord assures us, not only that "he who believeth is not condemned,” but also that " he hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation." (John iii. 14—21. v. 24.)

The same privilege was proposed to the old testament church; when the prophet, speaking of repentance and conversion, (the concomitants and evidences of true faith, says, in the name of Jehovah, "If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and do that, which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die; all his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him.” (Ezek. xviii. 21, 22. 27, 28.) In other places the Lord speaks of " blotting out the sins" of his people, and "remembering them no more," and of "casting them into the depths of the sea." (Is. xliii. 25.

xliv. 22. Jer. xxxi. 34. Mic. vii. 19.) The Apostle assures us, that "all who believe are justified from all things;" that "the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin ;" and that even little children in Christ "have their sins forgiven them, for his name sake:" (Acts iii. 19. xiii. 38, 39. Cor. v. 19. 1 John i. 7. ii. 12.) So that the forgiveness and justification of believers are stated to be already past; and their deliverance from condemnation is not represented as a future contingency, but secured to them by an irrevocable grant: "being justified by faith, they have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ."

But, though this be the privilege of all true believers without exception; yet the actual assurance that the blessing belongs to them is possessed only by some, and only at times even by many of these for true faith may be very weak; and it may connect with a confused judgment, a considerable degree of ignorance, many prejudices or mistakes, and sometimes a comparative prevalence of carnal affections. In such circumstances a man may believe with a trembling faith, and cry out with tears, Lord, help my unbelief: or he may firmly credit the testimony, and rely on the promises of God, with a full persuasion of his power and willingness to perform them; and yet doubt whether he do not presume and deceive himself, in supposing his faith to be of a saving nature: and in various ways a man may doubt whether he be a true believer, though he do not doubt but that Christ will certainly save all true believers. Nay, the frame even of a real Christian's mind, and the present tenor of his conduct, may render such doubts reasonable and the necessary consequence of faith: for if a man yield to those evils which the Scripture enumerates as marks of unconversion, the more entirely he credits the divine testimony, the greater reason will he have to call his own state in question; till such time as his convictions have produced a proper effect upon his conduct. I suppose when Paul told the Galati ans, that "he stood in doubt of them," he