ESSAY. 347 But after all, never imaginethat these, or anyother methods of mortification, will be .sffectual to suppress and cure one sin, without converting and renewing grace,. without the knowledge andfaith of Jesus Christ, who is the only Redeemer of mankind, appointed to save us from our sins ; the only physician able to cureour spiritual maladies. 'It is a deep sense of the universal corruption of nature, together with abetrusting our whole selves into the hands of Christ, to be sanctified and saved, is the only ef- fectual and sure way to holiness. It is faithmust purify the heart; Acts xv. 9., It is by the influences of the great andpre- cious promises of the gospel, that we must be made partakers of a divine nature, and escape the corruption that is in the world through lust; 2 Pet. i. 4. All ourlabours, short of regenera tion, and an entire change of the whole soul, by the mighty work of the Spirit of Christ, are but likenipping the blossoms of a poisonous tree, like cutting offthe twigs, or lopping the branches, yvhile the fatal stock stands firm still, and the root maintains its life and full vigour. Thus it will be ever springing with new shoots, and bring forth fruits of guilty and mortal savour. But converting grace is a blow at the root ; it kills the sinful princi- ple, or, at least, gives it a deadly wound. Seek earnestly there- fore the Spirit of Christ, to renew your whole natures ; Walk under the influences of this blessed Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh ; Gal. v. 16, 24. For it is only they that. are Christ's, who have crucified the ,flesh, with its affections and lusts ; and if, by the assistances of this Spirit, you mortify the deedsof the body ; you shall have a life here on earth, made up of thepeace and beauty of holiness, snd you shall die out of this world, into a diviner lité of glory. Amen.
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