struggle within us, the younger shall prevail"1; " however sin may have abounded, grace shall much more abound ; and as sin has formerly reigned unto death, so shall grace ultimately reign, through righteousness, unto eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord"." Doubtless the conflicts will be painful to flesh and blood : but by them shall the soul be trained for heaven, and be made " meet for the inheritance of the saints in light." Go on then, stripling as thou art, believer, against the Goliath that menaces thy existence : and know that thou mayest enter into the combat, singing, " Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ ! "]
3. For direction —
[Whatever your attainments be, " walk humbly with God.'' Were you as perfect as Job, it would still become you, on account of your remaining corruptions, to acknowledge your- selves " vile," and to " repent and abhor yourselves in dust
and ashes." — ■ Be watchful too against your spiritual
enemies. With hearts so deceitful and corrupt as yours, and in the midst of an ensnaring world, surrounded too by myriads of evil spirits, whose devices none but God can understand, how can you hope to maintain your steadfastness, if you stand not upon your watch-tower, and guard against every motion
of your corrupt nature ? ■ And never for a moment turn
away your eyes from the Lord Jesus Christ. Where can you wash away your past iniquities, but in the fountain of his blood ? Or where can you obtain grace sufficient for your daily necessities, but out of the fulness which is treasured up
for you in him ? Lastly, continue instant in prayer.
Nothing can come to you but in answer to prayer; (for " if you ask not, neither will you have ;") nor shall any thing be wanting to you, if only you ask it of God for Christ's sake. Examine 3'our own hearts, or inquire of others what their experience has been, and you will find it invariably true, that your victories or defeats have been proportioned to your urgency in prayer, or your remissness in that holy duty. As in the days of old, whilst Moses held up his hands, Israel prevailed ; but when his hands hanged down, success was transferred to Amalek; so it is in every age, with every saint. Watch therefore unto prayer : continue instant in pi'ayer : " give unto your God no rest day or night :" plead with him : wrestle with him as Jacob did : and you shall find " your inward man renewed day by day," till the work of grace that has been begun in you is perfected, and consummated in glory.]
m Gen. xxv. 23. Rom. v. 12. " Rom. v. 20, 21.