October 18

blessing without. He knew that every thing could be a blessing with it. He knew that it was profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. Let us seek it for our connexions. Let us seek it for ourselves—The reality of it if we have it not—and the abundance of it if we have. "Amen."

OCTOBER 18.—"He will subdue our iniquities."—Micah 7:19.

THE language is expressive of joyful confidence. But the allusion is military, and well accords with the experience of every partaker of Divine grace who finds the spiritual life a warfare. The adversaries to be subdued are their "iniquities." They have enemies without, but their worst enemies are within. Even the world and the devil could do them little hurt without the assistance of these treacherous inmates. In this sense a man's foes are they of his own house. But are not their iniquities enemies to others as well as to Christians? They are, and will be found so in the end; but at present others are deluded by them, and take pleasure in them. Whereas Christians have been awakened and enlightened to see their condition while led captive by them, and have been led to throw off their yoke, and to declare war against them, a war the most trying and awful, a war that admits of no accommodation, a war that must end in our victory or destruction.

But are they not already delivered from these enemies? Does not the Apostle thank God that they are "made free from sin, and become the servants of righteousness?" They are made free from its tyranny. It no longer reigns in their mortal body that they should obey it in the lusts thereof—Yet it lives, and resists, and often alarms them into a dread of being again overcome—"Mine iniquities prevail against me." But the apprehension is groundless. Sin shall not have dominion over them, for they are not under the law, but under grace. The Lord is on their side. Their friend, their helper, their conqueror is Divine—"He shall subdue our iniquities." Who is the agent? "Not by might, or by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord." Here is the only real Sanctifier: and therefore we read, that "through the Spirit we mortify the deeds of the body;" that "we have purified our souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit;" that "we live in the Spirit," and "walk in the Spirit." What are the means? The principal instrumentality is faith. Some imagine that faith is rather opposed to holiness; but there is no true holiness without it. Abraham, who believed God, is distinguished pre-eminently for obedience: and he who has the faith of Paul will never want the works of James. Faith in the blood of Jesus, faith in the promises of God, that faith which is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen; that faith alone enables us to stand in the evil day. This faith purifies the heart—The "sanctified," says the Saviour, "by faith that is in me." All the ordinances of religion are called means of grace, because in the use of them we receive "the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ." Under the blessing of God the dispensations of Providence conduce to the same end.

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