Y ÈR. IOu. Epljlle,to the 11E11 a E Vy S, Battle; and makes them cryout for aidand help, Rom. 7.24. But this alto they receive flrengthagainft, foas tocarry away the day. I thankGod, faith the Apofije, through JejusChrift our Lord, v.1g. namely, for deliverance and victory. Sin hath a double defgn in its Enmity againft us. .( r. )To reign inus : (2.)To condemn us. .If it be . difappointed inthere defigns, it is abfolutely conquered, and that it is by the Grace of Chrift. Asto its Reign and Dominion it is perfeeîly defeated for the prefent, Komi 6. 14, The means of itsRule, is the Authority of the Law over us ; that being re- moved, and our fouls put under the Condud ofGrace, the Reignof fin comes to an end. Nor (hall it condemn us, Rom. 8. t. And what can it then do ? Where is the voiceof this OpFrefïor? It abides but a feafon ; and that but to endure and dye Death alto contends againft us, by its own (ling, and our fear ; but the frff by.. the Grace of Chrift is taken from it, and the latter we are delivered from, and fo have theVielory over it. And all this is the work of this Captain of our falvation for us, and inus. (-5.) He doth not only conquerall their Enemies, but he avenges their.fnfferingr upon them, and pùnifheth them for their Enmity. Thefe enemies though they pre- vail not abfolutely, nor finallyagain({ theSons ofGod, yet by their.Temptations, Per- fecutions, Oppreffions, theyput them oft times to unspeakable hard(hips, forrow and trouble. This the Captain of their falvation will not take at their hands ; but will avenge upon them all their ungodly endeavours from the loweft unto thegreateRand higheft of them. Some he will deal withal in this world; but he hath appointed a day wherein not one of them (hall efcape. See Rev. 20. ;0, 4. Devil, and Beaft, and falfè Prophet, and Death, andHell, íhail altogether into the lake offire. ( 6. )He provides a Reward, a Crown for them, and in the beflowingthereof, at- compli(heth this his bleffed Office of the Captain of our falvation. He is gone before the Sons into Heaven, to make ready their Glory, to prepare a place for them, and he will come andreceive them unto himfelf, that where be is, there they may be alto, John 14. 2, 3. When he hathgiven them the Vietory, he will take them unto himfelf, even unto hisThrone, Rev. 3.22. Andas a RighteousJudge giveunto them a crownof Righ-, teoufnflandGlory, 2 Tim. 4.8. And thus is the whole work of condueling the Sons of God untoGlory, from firft tolall, committedunto this great Captain of their falvation, and thus dothhe difchargehis Office and troll therein ; and bleffed are allthey who art under bis leading and guidance. And all this fhould teach us; Fitft, To betake our felves unto him, and to relye upon him in the whole coúr&e of ourObedience, and all thepaffages thereof. To this purpofe is he defigned by -the Father, this bath he undertaken ; and this doth he go through withal. No addreff that is made unto him in this matter,will he ever refufe to attend unto ; noCafe or Condition that is propofedunto him, is toohard for him, or beyond his Power to relieve : He is careful,watchful, tender, faithful, powerful , and all thefe Properties and blelfedEndowments will he exerctfe inthedifchargeof this Office. What lhould hinder us from betaking our felves untohimcontinually ? IS ourTrouble fo frstal!, are our Duties fo ordinary, that wecan wreftle with them, or perform them in our own ítrength ? Alas, wecan donothing, not tbink.a goad thought, not endure a reproachful 'word. And what ever we feem to do ór endure of our felves, it is all loft ; for in ur theredtvetietb no good thing: Or are our Difitef1s fo great, our Temptations fo many, our corruptions Co jirong, that webegin to faythere is no hope ? Is any thing too hard for the Captain of our falvation ? Hath he not already coaquerri,all our enemies ? Is he not able tofubdue all things byhisPower ? Shall we faint whit-eft fefus Chriff lives andreigns ? But it maybe, we have looked for HelpandAfli(lance, and it hath not an- Iwered our ExpeSlsrion, fo that nowwe begin tofaint and defpond. Sin is not fub= dued, the World is 11111 triumphant, and Satan rageth as much as ever ; his Tempta- Lions are ready to pafs over our fouls ; But havewe fought for his Help and Af- fillance ina due manner with faith and perfeverance, unto right Ends of his Glary, and Advantage of the Gbfpel ? Have we taken a right meafure of what wè have re- ceived? Or do we not complain without a caufe ? Let us not judge according to outwardappearance, but judge righteous judgement. What is it.tous, if the World tri- umph, if Satan rage, if Sin temptand vex, we are not promifed that it lhall be otherwife. Eut are we forfaken ? Are we not kept from ¡ping prevailed againft? Ifwe ark amifj or for improper Ends, or know not what we o receive, orthinkbècaufe the ftrengtis ofEnemies appears-to begreat, we mutt fail and be ruined; Let us not complain of our Captain; Sor all theft things arife from ourown Unbelief. Let óurApplicatintó ore u 3%
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