SECTION It. 007 will for ad against all the enticements and oppositions of the world ; the labours of the conscience fluctuating between hope and fear ; the rising and working of indwelling sin in the heart, the subtle excuses framed by the flesh for the indulgence of it ; thepeace of God derived from the gospel allaying the inward terrors of the soul under a sense of guilt ; the victories obtained over strong corruptions and powerful temptations, by the faith of unseen things, by repeated addresses to God in prayer, by trusting in Jesus the great Mediator, who is made of God to as wisdom and righteousness, sanctification and redemption. While you are treating on these subjects, give me leave to put you again in mind,' that it will sometimes have a veryhappy influenceon the minds of hearers, to speak what you have learnt from your own experience, though there is no need that you should tell them publicly it is your own : you may inform them what you borrowed fromyour own observation, and from the ex- perience of christians, ancient or modern, who have passed through the same trials, who have wrestled with the same cor- ruptions of nature, who havegrappled with the same difficulties, and at last have been made conquerors over the same tempta- tions. As face answers face in the glass, so the heart of one man answers to another ; and the workings of the different prin- ciples of flesh and spirit, corrupt nature and renewing grace, have a great deal of resemblance in the hearts of different per- sons who have passed through them. This sort of instruction drawn from just and solid experience, will animate and encou- . rage the youngChristian, that begins to shake off the slavery of sin, and to set his face toward heaven : this will make it appear that religion is no impracticable thing : it will establish and com- fort the professors of the gospel, and excite them with new vigour to proceed in the wayof faith and holiness ; it will raise a stedfast courage and hope, and will generally obtain a most happy effect upon the souls of the hearers;. beyond all that you can say to them from principles of mere reasoning and dry spe- culation ; and especially where youhave the concurrent experi- ence of any scriptural examples. VII. Whether you are discouring of doctrine or duty, take great care that you impose nothing on your hearers, either as a matter of faith or practice, but what your Lord and Master Christ Jesus has imposed. These are the limits of the commis- sion which Christ gave to the first ministers of the gospel ; Mat xxviii. 19, 20. Go disciple all nations, baptizing them who are willing to become-my disciples, and teach them to observe what- soever I have commanded you. He has not given leave to his ministers, whether separate in their single congregations, or- united in synods or councils, the least degree of power to appoint' one new article of faith, nor to enjoin any new sort of devotion
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