[1.] By concession there is indeed a diversity or contrariety of prin- ciples : Gal. V. 17, ' For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh ; and these are contrary one to the other.' These two powers and j)rinciples are of contrary natures and tempers. By the one they delight in the law of God : Eom. vii. 22, ' I delight in the law of God after the inward man ; ' and avoid sin : 1 John iii. 9, ' Who- soever is born of God doth not commit sin ; for his seed remaineth in him : and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.' Yet there is corruption, which often opposeth and rebelleth against the new nature, so that its operations are much hindered and obscured.
[2.] Though there be an opposite principle, and though it impede, and hinder, and obscure the operations of the new nature, and the inclination of it be weakened by the back bias of corruption, yet there
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is a prevalency of tlie better principle, which doth most usually discover itself in our conversations. Frincipiata respondent suis principiis — The constant effects declare the prevailing principle. As the children of Israel brought under the Canaanites in the land of promise, and had the chief sway of affairs there, so doth giace abate the power of corrup- tion, and restrain its exorbitancies, that it doth not ordinarily break out. The man is not what he was before : Gal. v. 24, ' They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.' They have crucified, and do crucify it still in their desire and endeavours, and gain more success against it. The work is not quite done, but it is begun, and carried on with an intent to be finished. Already there is enough done to bridle the corrupt nature, and to constitute a })laini difference between them and others, who are wholly guided by the fletsh. They are differenced from others by change of heart, from themselves by a change of life.
2. As the internal principle of our operation is unlike, so the exter- nal rule of our conversations are quite different, viz., the will of God revealed in the word, which they study to know and obey : Eph. v. 10, ' Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord ; ' ver. 17, ' Be not unwise, but understanding what the Avill of the Lord is ; ' Eom. xii. 2, ' That ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.'
III. That it is good often to compare those two estates, and to con- sider what we are by nature and what we are by grace.
First, That we ought frequently to reflect on our former woful estate. The apostle often directeth christians to look back : Eph. ii. 2, 3, ' Wherein in times past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience : among whom also we all had our conversation in times past, in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others ;' Col. i. 21, 'And you that were sometimes alienated, and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled,' God appointed ordinances to this end among the Jews. The passover to remember their bondage in Egypt ; and the parents were obliged to interpret it to their children : Exod. xii. 26, 27, ' And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean you by this service ? that ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord's passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses.' So the first-fruits : Deut. xxvi. 5, ' A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and be- came there a nation great, mighty, and populous.'
Reasons there are for this —
1. To magnify the riches of God's mercy in our deliverance from that woful estate. We wonder at it more when we compare both together : 1 Peter ii. 9, ' But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people ; that ye should show forth the praises of him who halh called you out of darkness into his marvellous light ; ' 1 Tim. i. 13, ' Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious ; but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly, in unbelief.'
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2. That we may admire liis power in the change : 1 Cor. vi. 11, 'And such were some of you ; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God,' That ever our sins should be washed and cleansed : Isa. i. 18, * Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow ; and though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.'