anything, save in the cross, let us flee to it, that the enemy may not gain any access or influence over us; but let us die daily to the evil which still exists in us. For "if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death; we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection." (p)

And though discouragements may at times arise through the subtlety of the enemy, yet if we are favoured to persevere in this true path of self-denial, taking up our daily cross, we shall partake of the divine presence shining in our hearts, invigorating and refreshing us, as the dew of Hermon, which descended upon the mountains of Zion; and as the showers upon the tender grass, strengthening and supporting the drooping spirits. It is good, says the Prophet Jeremiah, "that we should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord." (q)

(P) Rom. 6.5.

(q) Lam. 3. 26.

It is in this state of holy dependance that we shall know his will concerning us, that we may delight to do it, and bring all our own will to the subjection of this cross, for without him we can do nothing; refuse not him then that speaketh from heaven. But let us come to mount Sion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. To the general assembly of the church of the first born which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, which speaketh better things than that of Abel. Seeing we also are encompassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and run with patience the race that is set before us, looking up to him who is the author and finisher of our faith.

2

Let us proceed cheerfully in the strait way of resignation, striving against sin,

which must be wholly separated from the spirit, with all its members; that all the E objects of groveling desire, and complacency in them, may be crucified: anger, wrath, malice, filthy communication, having put off the old man with his deeds, and put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge, after the image of him that created us. Let us be clothed with kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another; and above all things, putting on charity, which is the bond of perfectness: that we may grow in the pure life and enjoyment of those spiritual gifts, which exceedingly refresh and quicken the heart amidst discouragements, or persecution, or whatever it be, that may arise to weaken our faith, that we may be purified as in the furnace of affliction, resigning ourselves, and all we call our own, to him alone, to whom our body, soul, and spirit must be dedicated; whose is the kingdom,

and the power and the glory. To such alone our Saviour says, "he that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, and followed me in the Regeneration, shall receive an hundred fold, and shall inherit everlasting life."

Chapter XV.

WHILE endeavouring to pursue that path which alone leads to life, we should avoid feeding the soul with unprofitable imaginations, which are as the shadow over the noon day sun, obscuring for a time his refulgent light from our view, though he shines with equal lustre behind the cloud. So is the mind when overshadowed by reasonings. The sweet meditation and divine presence of our Holy Redeemer is obscured from our souls by our not sufficiently guarding against that enemy who is continually laying his snares to entrap us, either in thought, word, or in deed, and through which we suffer loss; if we do not flee to the cross, and "cast down every imagination, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bring