of the Christian Church, which yet it was destined to over- come : so are there mountains in the way of every individual, which yet he must remove, before he can arrive at the Pro- mised Land. What almost insuperable difficulties does the world present to him ! its pleasures, its maxims, its habits, its company, its friendship, its hatred, its fiercest opposition, must
all be regarded as a thing of nought Thejlesh too, with
all its affections and lusts, must be mortified and subdued
Yea, Satan himself, with all the principalities and
powers of hell, must be encountered and overcome '
Alas ! who is sufficient for these things ? Who that is informed of Demas turning aside through love of this present evil world, and of the great Apostle himself crying " O wretched man that I am ! who shall deliver me?" must not tremble for himself? But such is the work assigned us ; and the weakest amongst us must undertake and execute it, ere he can receive from God the the promised recompence of reward.]
III. Their successes —
[Weak as they are, they all prevail at last. As the Jews, notwithstanding all the obstructions of the Red Sea, the wil- derness, and the warlike inhabitants of Canaan, obtained at last the full possession of the promised land, and as the Chris- tian Church triumphed at last over all the power of the Roman empire, so is every believer crowned with victory at lastk The hills and mountains are levelled through his un- wearied exertions1: and he is "made more than conqueror through Christ who loveth him." Through faith he overcomes the world m; by the aid of the Holy Spirit he mortifies the deeds of the body"; and by a steady and uniform resistance, he overcomes Satan, so that that wicked fiend is constrained to flee from him, and to yield him the palm of victory0. The full extent of the triumphs described in our text has never yet indeed been realized in the Church of Christ : we look to a period yet future, when " the mountains shall be as dust, and be scattered as by a whirlwind ;" and possibly at that period the triumphs of individuals will be more complete : but even now, by a firm reliance on the promises, we may be enabled to " cleanse ourselves from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit, and to perfect holiness in the fear of Godp." If we had but faith as a grain of mustard-seed, we might say to every moun- tain that is in our way, " Be thou removed ; and it should immediately be cast into the depths of the seaq."]
1 Eph. vi. 12. k Compare Dan. ii. 34, 35. with the text. 1 Isai. xl.3 — 5. m 1 John v. 4. » Rom. viii. 13. Gal. v. 24 0 Jam. iv. 7. 1 John ii. 14. and v. 18. P 2 Cor. vii. 1. <i Matt. xxi. 21.