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"He will subdue our iniquities, and will cast all our sins into the depth of the sea. " That which is cast into the sea, as it appeareth not in sight, so we cannot get it again, though we would: so will God do by your sins, cast them out of his sight, so as we shall not return to them any more. Press him with his promise, and you shall find more than you think.

If thou be in bondage to some sin.

"You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. b

"Sin shali not have dominion over you."e When thou feelest thy bondage, that thou canst not do good, or keep thyself from evil, apply, "The truth shall make you free."

If thy sins often prevail against thee, apply, "Sin shall not have dominion over you.

"He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.d"

If thou fearest the breaking out of some strong sin, to God's dishonour and the blemishing of religion.

"That your whole spirit, soul, and body, may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. "

a Micah. vii, 19. b John viii. 32. e Rom. vi, 14. a Psalm cxxx, 8. 1 Thes. v, 23, 24.

That God which hath called thee, will keep thee blameless unto the coming of Christ: therefore use the means, and rest upon the Lord's faithfulness, which never faileth them who trust in him.

"But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you and keep you from evil. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnes.b" By cleansing from all unrighteousness, is meant not only a deliverance from the guilt and power of sin, but from its indwelling remains.

When sin pursues thee hard to make thee fall, do thou pursue the Lord with prayers for performance of this promise, and doubt not of the issue.

And

"He will subdue our iniquities.c" to those add the prayer of Christ,-"I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.d " Now, what greater evil than sin? Therefore, though thy prayers be but weak against it, yet He hath prayed that was always heard; therefore fight, and be sure of victory.

When thou art stayed from sin by admonition.

"If thou warn the righteous man, that

a2 Thes. iii, 3. by John i, 9. Micah. vii, 19. John xvi, 15.

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the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live because he is warned.a "

When any admonish thee, obey, and it shall be life to thy soul; therefore receive the admonition, and apply, "He shall live, because he is admonished."

If thou fearest God will destroy thee for thy

sins.

"Turn yourselves from all your transgressions, so iniqnity shall not be your ruin.b He shall save his people from their sins.c" When thou fearest the greatness or multitude of thy sins will be thy destruction, apply, "Iniquity shall not be your ruin.”

When thou seest no means of safety, apply, "He (that is, Christ) shall save his people from their sins."

If thou be tempted to uncleanness.

"He shall deliver thee from the strange woman. d

Thy body shall be kept blameless until the coming of Christ. e"

If thou canst not find out the sin for which

God corrects thee.

"If they be tied with the cords of affliction, then will I shew them their work, and their sins.f"

A wise father will not correct his child, but he will shew him wherefore: How else

aEzek. iii, 21. bEzek. xviii, 30. cMat. i. 21. d Prov. ii, 16. e1 Thes. v, 23. ↑ Job xxxvi, 8, 9.

should he amend his fault? Much more will the Lord. But we enjoy not many promises, because we sue not for them.

CHAP. VII.

OF GRACE.

If thou doubt of salvation. "GOD So loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life."

"He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that hath sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life. b

"If any man keep my saying, he shall never see death.c

"He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever believeth in me, shall never see death.d"

If thou doubt that thou shalt perish and not be saved, apply, "He that believeth in Christ shall not perish, but shall have everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation." Labour to believe these promises, for that is required of thee for the obtaining of what is promised.

aJohn iii, 16. bJohn v, 24. c John viii 15. dJohn xi, 25.

If thine heart be as a wilderness, barren of

good.

"The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them: and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose; it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing.a

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This promise is made to the church, and every member of it may apply it to themselves. Therefore, when thou feelest thine heart as a desert wilderness and waste ground, void of good, full of briers and thorns of sin, then know thou shalt not only bring forth sweet smelling graces, like roses, but also all abundance of them.

"The righteous shall flourish as a branch. The soul of the diligent shall be made fat.c

"I will be as the dew to Israel; he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots like Lebanon. His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive-tree, and his smell as Lebanon.d"

If we want means to make us fruitful, apply, "The Lord will be as the dew to Israel."

When we desire to flourish and grow in grace, apply, "He shall grow as the lily; his branches shall spread."

If thou wouldest shine forth in the beauty of holiness, apply, "His beauty shall be as

alsa. xxxv, i, 2. bProv. xi, 28. cProv. xiii, 4. d Hos. xiv, 5, 6.

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