on earth, than it is there; whereas God, in ordering the gradual progress of the work of sanctification, attended with the remainders of sin, gives occasion to many humbling reflections, tending to excite unfeigned repentance, not only for those sins committed after they had experienced the grace of God; but for those great lengths they ran in sin before they had tasted that the Lord was gracious; and therefore he does not bring the work of sanctification to perfection in this present world. 2. Another reason of this dispensation of providence, is, that believers, from their own experience of the breakings forth of corruption, together with the guilt they contract thereby, and the advantage they receive in gaining any victory over it, may be furnished to administer suitable advice, and give warning to those who are in a state of unregeneracy, that they may be persuaded to see the evil of sin, which, at present, they do not. 3. God farther orders this, that he may give occasion to his people to exercise a daily conflict with indwelling sin. He suffers it to give them great disturbance and uneasiness, that hereby they may be induced to endeavour to mortify it, and be found in the exercise of those graces which are adapted to an imperfect state, such as cannot be exercised in heaven; nor could they be exercised here on earth, were they to be brought into and remain while here in a sinless state; particularly there could not be any acts of faith, in managing that conflict, whereby they endeavour to stand their ground while exposed to those difficulties that arise from the perpetual lustings of the flesh against the spirit; which leads us to consider, II. In what the imperfection of sanctification more especially discovers itself. This it does, not only in the weakness of every grace, which we are at any time enabled to act; and the many failures we are chargeable with in the performance of every duty incumbent upon us; so that if an exact scrutiny were made into our best actions, and they weighed in the balance, they would be found very defective; as appears from what has been said under the foregoing head, concerning perfection, as not attainable in this life.