truth; now he adds, that such an assumption is a flagrant attack upon the God of truth, whom we make a liar, when we thus presume to contradict his word. And as the apostle appeared before, to make a reference to the principle itself of sin, so now he seems to refer to the actual manifestation of that evil principle in the life and conversation; declaring that we are alike wrong, whether we say that in our case the flesh does not lust against the Spirit, or whether we pretend, even if it does so lust, that we have committed no actual sin by means of its suggestions. For, in his most holy state, the believer has sin in him, although there may be seasons in which its existence is not distinctly marked. By the grace of God, indeed, and by the power of the Spirit, the active power of sin may sometimes be so weakened as to give but little notice that it is still in being. The soul of the believer may be so much under the influence of faith, and he may be so absorbed in the contemplation of divine and eternal things, that for a time he may scarcely be reminded, that there is a treacherous enemy within his heart, who will yet cause him many a pang. The believer may be so occupied with the care of his soul, and so fully engaged in confirming his peace with God, that for a season no temptation from without may reach his abstracted spirit. He is in heaven, far away from the vanities and sins of this present evil world. He is not even tempted to transgress the commandments of the Lord. But even then, when the believer is most peculiarly walking in the Spirit, and holding converse with the Father and the Son, and delivered from external temptation, does he forget that he has a sinful nature? Oh no! The fact is graven on his heart. He has been convinced of sin by the mighty power of the Spirit. His sin is ever before him. He does not need

F

to be reminded that he is a sinner, by the plague of his own heart. The Law of God, which has been trans

He is

cribed by the finger of God in the inward parts of his mind, reveals to him his condition as a sinner. not committing acts of sin, which need a present repentance and confession, but he finds that he has abundant cause to repent and abhor himself in dust and ashes for the sin of his nature. And this sin, this defect, this flaw, he discovers so accurately by the light of the word and Spirit of God, that in vain would any one attempt to persuade him that he is without sin. And for what purpose does he carry on his many conferences with the Lord? What is the subject of his many prayers? What petition does he present most frequently in the name of Jesus? And what is nearest to his heart when with intense devotion he makes known his requests to God? These questions are answered very readily by the experience of the child of God. He would have deliverance from the burden of original and actual sin. He would know that the Lord will not impute to him His anxiety is to this end. His chief diligence tends to this point. To be assured that God can and will remit the guilt and punishment of his

the sin of his nature.

sin.

But the scene changes, and the believer discovers that although he is justified by faith, sin is not long quiescent. He comes down from the mount, and pursues his journey through the wilderness. And there he is led about through many a circuitous way, which he fears cannot be the "right way to the city of habitation." Unforeseen temptations arise, and he is overtaken with many faults. In his first conversion to God, the axe had appeared to strike at the very root of sin, and so it did. But fibres of that root remained behind undis

covered. Now it appears that they are so interwoven in the whole frame-work of the body and soul of 'man, that they cannot be perfectly eradicated, except by the dissolution of that soul and body. And the root of bitterness springing up anew, defiles the soul. What new sins appear! what vain imaginations! what corrupt affections! all followed by the mournful cry, "The crown is fallen from our head: Woe unto us that we have sinned."

Far, very far is the believer from arrogating to himself freedom from sin. At one time he deplores the original corruption of his nature; at another, the positive sins produced by that corruption. And after he is fully persuaded that his peace has been made with God, so that the sin of his nature is not imputed; and that the damage he sustained by being "conceived in sin and shapen in iniquity," has been completely repaired by the immaculate conception and birth of the Son of God, still he is humbled by the sense of his remaining imperfections, and every day he discovers more certainly, that salvation is of grace, and not of works.

It is not to be supposed that the apostle refers in this verse to those who opposed the doctrine of the fall of man, so as to deny that man is responsible to God for his sins; for he is not reasoning with infidels, but addressing the possessors of the Christian faith, who, as such, must have acceded to the Scripture doctrine that man is a sinner, for whom, redemption is provided. through a Mediator. John is not now proving, as a brother apostle had done, that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." He is not considering the state of man by nature; but rather the believer's condition under grace. His meaning therefore is this: Should we, who are professed believers, arrogate

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to ourselves such a degree of perfection, as to say that we have not sinned, since we received the grace of justification; in that case, we make God a liar, and his word is not in us. For that word testifies, that "the heavens are not clean in his sight, and that he chargeth his angels with folly." Moreover, that there is not a just man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not; and that " in many things we all offend." (Job xv. 15; and iv. 18. Eccles. vii. 20. and James iii. 2.)

CHAPTER II.

1. My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

2. And he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

THE beloved disciple was well aware, that the enemies of God and his saints would blaspheme greatly, by reason of the doctrine of continual remission of sin through the blood of a Mediator. For no truth can be more abhorrent to human pride, than this of being saved only, and at all times by grace. Self-righteousness may perhaps assent to the atonement provided for original sin, but it will plead hard for its own fulfilment of the law, at least after justification, and with some aid derived from the Spirit of God. To be no better in ourselves, at last, than at first; to be debtors every moment to the grace of Christ, but above all, to be debtors every moment to the blood of Christ; it is this that man's proud nature hates, and he repels the idea that he needs such a continual remission of his sin. But how sweet is this truth to the believer who is conscious of the plague of his own heart, and the infinite demerit of sin. He cannot be told too often that Jesus is a Saviour. To him it is no wearisome repetition to hear again and again, that in the midst of the throne of God, there