out, "Thanks be unto God which giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ:" and as the scripture alone shall be my guide, so let me illustrate this by pointing it out in the case and person of our Apostle before us; and we also may by faith in the work and word of Jesus be as bold as he was, and triumph as he did. As it respects sin in its guilt, pollution and demerit; when we consider the eternal worth of the person of Christ God-man, who gave himself for us; offered himself as the substitute, and bore in his own body and soul, in the garden and on the cross, all the sin, guilt and pollution contained in the iniquities of his people, and by the sacrifice of his whole person put away sin, purging away the guilt of it by his most precious blood-shedding: then we see the person, sacrifice, sufferings and obedience of Christ unto death contain such everlasting virtue and efficacy, as infinitely outvies the meanness of our persons, exceeds the utmost evil contained in the nature, guilt and pollution of our crimes, and by believing God's testimony, that the blood of Jesus Christ his son

cleanseth us from all sin, we experience its healing, cleansing virtue, and triumph, saying, "As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us." Hear ye the Apostle in his high and mighty triumph over sin, law, justice, Satan and every enemy; and in his challenge to all, and every opposer; over all and every thing which could be urged, or suggested from any, from every quarter. He cries out with a loud voice, "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? it is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? it is Christ that died, yea rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." Paul was strong in faith, giving glory to God; a very bold man was he, who read the scriptures with critical exactness, making use of whatsoever he found in them, to encourage his faith and hope in God. He takes these words, in which he expresseth this glorious triumph over sin in its pollution, guilt and demerit, out of the mouth of Christ, and speaks them after him as his own, and the voice

of the whole church. They are quoted from the 50th of Isaiah, where Christ is represented as standing at his Father's tribunal charged with all the iniquities of his people. In defiance of sin imputed and curse inflicted, as the Almighty conquerer of it cries out: "He is near that justifieth me, who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near unto me. Behold the Lord God will help me, who is he that shall condemn me?" Why, Paul, any believer in Jesus may be as bold as 'you are. And I ask you, sirs, who that belongs to Christ, and has clear views of his union with, and interest in him, but may be thus bold also? by beholding and believing that Christ hath abolished sin, curse and death, and is living in the presence of God as the lamb, who hath for ever put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. Does a body of sin and death hinder thee, O believer, from triumphing in Christ? it should not. It did not Paul. He knew himself in Christ perfectly freed from the whole of it, so that it was not imputed to him. He tells us in the sixth

He would have

chapter of the Romans, it was put to death when Christ died, and nailed to the cross with him. "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin." believers upon consideration of their union with Christ in his death and resurrection, and their fellowship with him therein, reckon themselves to be in God's sight what Christ is; as truly dead to sin, and alive to God in Christ their head and substitute. "Likewise reckon yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." Does the in-being of sin, that mystery of iniquity within us, in its workings, influences and cursed motions in our mortal bodies, hinder us from triumphing in Christ? Paul felt, and had more bitter experience of it than any of us can pretend to. Yet after a sore conflict with it, though he cried out in the bitterness of his soul: "O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" immediately he triumphs in

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faith, viewing his perfect deliverance in Christ from it: "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord." Does the world assault? is it in the arms of the wicked one? Be of good cheer saith Jesus, I have overcome the world. "God forbid (saith Paul) that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world:" thus he triumphs in Christ's cross. Is Satan a sworn, constant, subtle enemy? Christ hath trod on his head, hath him under his feet, and he shall soon be under thine. "The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly." Doth death assault? Paul triumphs. "O death where is thy sting? O grave where is thy victory?" Christ hath destroyed death, and him that had the power of it, that is the Devil. The believer in Jesus may defy death, and when it actually seizes him, may sing and shout: "O death, where is thy sting?" And why, O believers should you not live by faith on Christ, and do as valiantly in in the exercise of it on him as ever Paul did? seeing ye have the same Jesus to