May 25

who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" But he is freed from the rule of it. It reigns in others, in their mortal bodies; and they obey it in the lusts thereof: but from this Christians are delivered, and against the return of it they are secured: "Sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under the law, but under grace."

They are also freed from the love of it. Persons may avoid that which is evil, and not abhor it. While inclination urges, authority may restrain, or the fear of consequences may deter. Many wish they could indulge themselves freely and safely in their criminal passions and pursuits; and therefore hate the law that forbids and threatens them. But Christians are not held back from sin against their wills; they are mortified to it. They are dead to sin. They have seen the evil of it in the cross. Is it possible that a mother could ever love the murderer of her child? But there is no love like that which the saved sinner bears to the Saviour. Can I ever be reconciled to that which made him bleed and die? Can I ever cherish that which grieves and dishonours him who loved me and gave himself for me?

"Furnish me, Lord, with heavenly arms, From grace's magazine; And I'll proclaim eternal war With every darling sin."

MAY 25.—"Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."—2 Corinthians 3:17.

A FREEDOM IN DUTY. There are some who dislike the word duty, though it is a word by no means unevangelical; for it entirely excludes the idea of merit; as that which is due cannot be meritorious. And are persons, in proportion as they are favoured, without obligations? Do not benefits gender claims to service? "Know ye not," says the Apostle, "that ye are not your own? for ye are bought with a price; wherefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." David acknowledges this; "O Lord, truly I am thy servant: thou hast loosed my bonds:" this is, thou hast loosened me to bind me—loosened me from disease and destruction, to bind me to love and serve my deliverer and benefactor. Those who dislike the word duty, it is to be feared, dislike the thing itself; and resemble Ephraim, who loved to tread out the corn, yet not to break the clods. But "the spiritual" can say, "his commandments are not grievous." They consider religious duties as privileges, and feel them such when the Lord is with them; for "where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." To this David refers when he says, "Then shall I run in the way of thy commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart." The heart is enlarged for obedience when it is exempted from the influence of carnal considerations. When Paul received his trying commission, immediately, says he, I conferred not with flesh and blood. Flesh and blood are sad counsellors in the work of God; and it is easy to imagine what advice they would have given him. Some persons are not at liberty to pursue the way that they should choose. They feel restraints arising from their reputation, or connexions, or worldly advantage. They could easily decide whether the thing was true or

VOL. I.

right in itself; and this should be the only question; but before they act, they must know what people will think and say of them. Whether they shall not be charged with hypocrisy? or enthusiasm? or provoke an enemy? or lose a friend? or suffer in trade? Thus they are checked by the fear of man, which bringeth a snare. What snare? The danger of drawing back, or turning aside, instead of going forward and abounding in the work of the Lord; the danger of concealing or denying their principles, and conforming to the place and company they are in, instead of confessing the Saviour before men, and declaring themselves on the Lord's side. Now the grace of God delivers us from these preventions: it sets us free to follow the calls of duty; it induces us only to ask, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" And what a blessed liberty does a man then feel! Thus the bird that rises high and flies along is free from obstruction; and can move straight and quick: while the bird that keeps near the ground must make many a zigzag in his course, to avoid trees, and houses, and towers, and hills. A timid animal starts or creeps aside continually; but "the lion" keeps on in his march, "and turneth not away for any." And "the path of life is above to the wise." And "the righteous is bold as a lion." Conviction is a great source of courage, but affection is a greater. There is no fear in love. Perfect love casteth out fear. Love is strong as death: many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it. What then will be the effect of the love of God shed abroad in the heart? "We cannot," said Peter and John, "but speak the things which we have seen and heard." Bunyan very wisely makes Mr. Greathcart the conductor of the pilgrims. How would they have been let and injured without him! But where he was, there was liberty.

The Christian is also enlarged for obedience by deliverance from formality. We may well talk of the dulness and deadness of formality. The effect of it in duty is to make our souls like Pharaoh's chariots with the wheels off: we drag on heavily. But holy fervour makes us "like the chariots of Amminadab." Sails are useful, but what are they if there be no breeze? Nothing contracts and obstructs like the want of spirituality in religion. We sometimes complain of darkness; and darkness confines; but the rising sun releases the prisoners of night, and they go forth to their work and to their labour till the evening. We feel coldness; and coldness confines. The frost binds up the stream; but the melting causes it to flow. The winter holds back the powers of nature, and keeps barren the fields and the garden; but the warmth of spring sets free the principles of vegetation, and all is life and fertility. Such a difference is there in our devotional exercises, whether retired or public; between our frames, when we are left to ourselves, and when the Spirit helps our infirmities: and the preparation of the heart, and the answer of the tongue are from the Lord.

We may add, that nothing more prepares for and aids us in the work of obedience, than a discharge from the dread of condemnation. "The blood of Christ purges the conscience from dead works to serve the living God." By dead works the Apostle means sins, which produce spiritual and deserve eternal death. The purging of the conscience from these does not here refer to sanctification, but to