like a flood, the Spirit lifts up a standard against him." The standard of the cross especially is that by which it calls forth into activity all the powers of the soul, and unites them in the service of their God. The reflux of a tide may not unfitly illustrate its operation on the soul. The flesh, like a majestic river, runs with irresistible impetuosity towards the ocean, till the tide begins to flow ; and then, from an invisible but mighty influence, its waves are staid, till by degrees its current is turned back again towards the source from whence it ema- nated. This in the material world is but the process of a few hours ; but in the spiritual world it is the work of the whole life. The dominance of the flesh is exhibited in the progress of the river to the ocean ; the conflicts and triumphs of the spirit are depicted in the reversal of its course, and the pro- gress towards the fountain-head.]
In this however the illustration fails, that when the tide has once overcome the resistance of the river, the conflict ceases : but it is not so with the Christian's conflicts : they continue to the end ; and may perhaps be better compared with a conflagration which is opposed by engines, where the supply of water is scarcely equal to the demand : sometimes the fire yields to the well-directed stream ; and at other times it breaks forth with renewed fury, and seems to defy the efforts of those who would arrest its progress. This, I say, will place in the justest view the operations of the two principles within us, and enable us to comprehend,
III. Their combined effects —
Acting always in opposition the one to the other, they prevent us from following either to the extent that we should, if there were but one principle within us. Through the simultaneous actings of each,
1. We do not serve sin as we did —
[We did follow it with constancy and alacrity, and without remorse. But not so now. The better principle will not admit of it. Like the angel that was sent to Balaam, it presents itself in our way to obstruct our course ; and, if we overcome it on one occasion, it will meet us again, and renew its opposition till it has prevailed. Nor can we now so easily run into evil. Sin now appears to be sin, and consequently to be an object of aversion and dread : and, though its solici-