ters in the world. Temptation will come to our door, though we should never move a single unguarded footstep towards temptation-and then, What, we would ask, is the armour of resistance? What the best method of upholding the predominance of the good principle over the evil one? We would say, a fresh commitment of ourselves in faith and in prayer to Him who first put the good principle into our hearts-another act of recurrence to the fulness that is in Christ Jesus-a new application for strength from the Lord our sanctifier, to meet this new occasion for strength which he himself has permitted to come in our way, and to cross the path of our history in the world. The humility which leads us to flee whenever we can, and to pray when flight is impossible-this is the very habit of the soul, which removes it from the first set of temptations, and will most effectually strengthen it against the second. To the proud man who reckons upon his own capabilities, God refuses grace. To the humble man, who in himself has no other feeling than that of utter emptiness, God gives grace in abundant measure for all his necessities-and thus it is, that by proceeding, as he ought, on the consideration that there is a part of his nature belonging properly and originally to himself, which he must keep at an assiduous distance from every excitement to evil; and then proceeding as he ought, on the consideration, that there is a part of his nature derived by grace from heaven, and nourished by constant supplies from the same quarter-thus it is, we say, that his knowledge of his own constitution, such as we have endeavoured to unfold it, has a direct tendency both

to deepen the humility of the believer, and to exalt and perfect his holiness.

It is this state of composition, in every one who has been born of the Spirit between the old man and the new creature, which explains the mystery of a Christian being more humble, just as he becomes more holy-of his growing at one and the same time in dissatisfaction with himself, and in those deeds of righteousness which are by Jesus Christof his being both more feelingly alive to the corruption that is in him from one part of his nature, and more fruitfully abundant in all those virtues which have their soil and their nutriment from the other part of his nature, so as to hold out the palpable exhibition of one evidently rising in positive excellence, and yet as evidently sinking into a profounder self-abasement than before; as if it required a so much deeper foundation to uphold the ascending superstructure. The truth is, that wherever there is any real growth of morality, there must be a growth of moral sensibility along with it—and in proportion to this sensibility will there be the annoyance that is felt, and the touching grief and humility wherewith the heart is visited on every fresh evolution of that depraved nature, which is only subordinated, but not yet extinguished and done away. hence the want of sympathy, and the want of understanding between the children of this world, and the children of light-and the misinterpretation that is sometimes given to the pains, and perplexities, and mental disquietudes which the latter do experience, and the puzzling appearance of inconsistency which is held out by the emotions and the exercises of a

And

real Christian, who is troubled on every side, yet not distressed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyedbearing about in his body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus might be made manifest in his body, dying unto earthly honours and earthly gratifications, while the life of Jesus is becoming manifest in his mortal flesh.

And it is for the purpose of administering comfort, and inculcating watchfulness, and conducing to the believer's growth in holiness, that we would introduce to the notice of our readers the following admirable and instructive Treatise of DR. OWEN "ON THE NATURE, POWER, DECEIT, AND PREVALENCE OF INDWELLING SIN IN BELIEVERS." The writings of this venerable and much-admired Author form a rich spiritual treasury, suited to the varied needs and conditions of almost every class of men; but perhaps there is no Treatise of this learned and pious Author more fitted to be useful to the Christian disciple, than the one we have now ventured to recommend. And we regard it the more valuable, as the main topic on which he expatiates, though one of no light import to the Christian, is, we fear, by many not rightly understood, or, at least, not sufficiently adverted to. And thinking, as we do, that it possesses a most intimate and decided bearing on the peace and sanctification of the believer, we count it most important to be instructed in the nature and prevalency of Indwelling Sin, and in the means for keeping its operations in check, by one who had reached such lofty attainments in holiness, and whose profound and experimental ac

quaintance with the spiritual life so well fitted him for expounding its nature and operations. He is skilful in detecting and exposing the lurking places of Indwelling Sin, and in discovering those avenues by which it makes its inroads on the heart, and at which the believer should post himself in most vigilant guardianship. And he unceasingly reminds him, that amidst the urgencies of business, and the companies of this world, which form the insnaring and besetting enemies of the Christian from without, and aided as they are by the treacherous enemies within, the darkness and vanity of the mind, the proneness of the heart to take up with the perishable interests of time, and the natural deadness of the affections to spiritual things, which betray him into the power of these insidious enemies, it is his only wisdom and safety to keep his spirit unremittingly in a jealous and wakeful posture of defence.

Against enemies which work by treachery and deceit, incessant watchfulness is our only security; and we know not a more valuable portion of this excellent Treatise than that in which its spiritually minded Author guards the believer against carelessness and sloth, which relax his watchfulness, and insensibly betray him into an indifference to spiritual things, and a remissness in those exercises, which are necessary to sustain the renewed spirit against the earthly and downward tendencies of his nature. carelessness in the cultivation of prayer and private meditation, and all those expedients which divine wisdom has provided for the nourishment of the spiritual life, he is in hazard of declension in religion, of losing a relish for divine things, of neglecting to cultivate

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close communion with God, and of provoking his heavenly Father to withdraw the light of his reconciled countenance. And, amidst this desertion of light and of comfort, he is in danger of God, in whom he delighted, becoming a wilderness to him. This desertion, by desolating his own heart, and divesting spiritual exercises of the comfort and delight he wont to experience in them, will inevitably render God a weariness to him, and he will become indisposed to all those Christian exercises which are necessary to nourish and sustain the life of godliness in his soul. The Christian cannot be stationary. He must either be in an advancing career of holiness, or in a retrograde process of backsliding. To such as have either slackened their progress, or are falling from their steadfastness, this Treatise may prove a faithful monitor, to apprize them of their danger. It forcibly reminds them that they are in the enemies' country-that the Christian life is a state of incessant warfare-that, ever girt for the conflict, they must manfully and unremittingly fight their way to the heavenly rest. With the most assiduous diligence strengthening the things that remain, and are ready to die, and never resting satisfied with present attainments, they must press onwards to the triumphs of their final victory, ever keeping in remembrance, that he only that endureth to the end shall be saved. "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."

But while this Treatise is well fitted to administer both comfort and admonition to the believer, it is no less fitted to awaken the ungodly, in whom sin holds its prevailing and undisturbed ascendancy, to a sense