with them, because, though at a great distance from, they are, or may be making towards that perfection, or new creature, which he absolutely requires, which is the fulness of the stature of Christ, and is that which Paul says, is the ONE that obtains the prize.

The same which Paul says, is said by Christ in other words, " Strive," says he, "to enter in at the strait gate." Here our best endeavours are - called for, and therefore accepted by God; and yet at the same time he adds, " that many shall strive to enter in, but shall not be able:" Why so, whence comes this? It is because Christ himself is the one door into life. Here the strivers mentioned by Christ, and those which St. Paul calls runners in a race, are the very same persons; and Christ calling himself the one door of entrance, is the same thing as when Paul says, that one only receives the prize, and that one, which alone obtains the prize, or that enters through the right door, is that new creature in whom Christ is truly born. For whether you consider things natural or supernatural, nothing but Christ in us can be our hope of glory.

The pleader for imperfection further supports himself, by saying, "No man in the world, Christ excepted, was ever without sin." And so say I too; and with the apostle I also add, "That if we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar."

But then it is as true to say, that we make him a liar, if we deny the possibility of our ever being freed from a necessity of sinning. For the same word of God says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and (N. B.) to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

But surely he that is left under a necessity of sinning as long as he lives, can no more be said to be cleansed from all unrighteousness, than a man who must be a cripple to his dying day can be said to be cured of all his lameness. What weaker conclusion can well be made, than to infer, that because Christ was the only man that was born and lived free from sin, therefore no man on earth can be raised to a freedom from sinning; no better than concluding, that because the old man is every one's birth from Adam, therefore there can be no such thing as a new man, created unto righteousness through Christ Jesus, living and being all in all in him; no better sense or logic, than to say, that because our Redeemer could not find us any thing else but sinners; therefore, he must of all necessity leave us to be sinners.

Of Christ it can only be said, that he is in himself the true vine; but of every branch that is his, and grows in him, it must be as truly said, that the life and Spirit of the true Vine is the life and Spirit of its branches, and that as is the Vine, so are its branches. And here let it be well noted, that

if the branch has not the life and goodness of the Viue in it, it can only be, because it is broken off from the Vine, and therefore a withered branch, fit for the fire. But if the branches abide in the Vine, then Christ says this glorious thing of them, "Ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." John xv. 7. The very same glorious thing which he had before said of himself, "Father, I thank thee, that thou hast heard me," and (N. B.) I knew that thou hearest me always." John xi. 41. Now say that this new creature, who is in such union, communion, and power with God, because Christ is in him, and he in Christ, as really as the Vine is in the branches, and the branches in the Vine, say that he must be a servant of sin, as long as he lives in this world, and then your absurdity will be as great, as if you had said, that Christ in us must partake of our corruption.

The sober divine, who abhors the pride of enthusiasts, for the sake of humility, says of himself and all men, we are poor, blind, imperfect, creatures; all our natural faculties are perverted, corrupted, and out of their right state; and therefore, nothing that is perfect can come from us, or be done by us. Truth enough! and the very same truth, as when the apostle says, "The natural man knoweth not the things that be of God, he cannot know them, they are foolishness to him." This is the man that we all are by nature. But

what Scripture ever spoke of, or required any perfect works from this man, any more than it requires the Ethiopian to change his skin? Or what an instructed divine must he be, who considers this old natural man as the Christian, and therefore rejects. Christian perfection, because this old man cannot attain to it? What greater blindness, than to appeal to our fallen state, as a proof of a weakness and corruption which we must have when we are redeemed from it? Is this any wiser than saying, that sin and corruption must be where Christ is, because it is where he is not?

Our Lord has said this absolute truth, that un less we be born again from above, there is no possible entrance into the kingdom of God, What this new birth is in us, and what we get by it, is as expressly told us by his beloved apostle, saying, "That which is born of God sinneth not." This is as true and unalterable, as to say, That which is born of the devil can do nothing else but add sin to sin. To what end do we pray, that this day we may fall into no sin, if no such day can be had? But if sinning can be made to cease in us for one day. What can do this for us, but that which can do the same to-morrow? What benefit in praying, that "God's will may be done on. earth, as it is in heaven," if the earth, as long as it lasts, must have as many sinners, as it has men upon it? How vainly does, the Church pray for the

baptised person, that he may have power and strength to have victory, and to triumph against the devil, the world, and the flesh, if this victorious triumph can never be obtained; if notwithstanding this baptism and prayer, he must continue committing sin, and so be a servant of sin as long as he lives? What sense can there be in making a communion of saints to be an article of our creed, if at the same time we are to believe that Christians, as long as they live, must in some degree or other follow, and be led by the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life?

Whence now comes all this folly of doctrines? It is because the church is no longer that spiritual house of God, in which nothing is intended and sought after but spiritual power and spiritual life, but is become a mere human building, made up of wordly power, worldly learning, and wordly prosperity in gospel matters. And therefore all the frailties, follies, and imperfections iu human nature, must have as much life in the church, as in any other human society. And the best sons of such a church must be forced to plead such imperfections in the members of it, as must be where the old fallen human nature is still alive. And alive it there must be, and its life defended, where the being continually moved, and led by the Spirit of God, is rejected as gross. enthusiasm. For nothing but a full birth and continual breathing and inspiration of the Holy

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