of his gracious purposes in keeping thee continually dependant upon his strength; and if he has made thee willing to fight and conquer to the praise of the glory of his grace, then thou wilt experience that blessed promise-" sin shall not have do"minion over you." And it will not be long before sin shall not have a being in

you.

Reader, if thou hast fallen into these or any other mistakes concerning the subduing of thy corruptions, mind what is written, and what is promised. Having first received through faith in the blood of Christ the pardon of thy sin, then as one of his good soldiers thou art to fight against it all thy life. He being on thy side, promises to subdue sin for thee. Without him thou canst do nothing in this warfare, and therefore thy faith, resting on his promise, is to wait the fulfilling of it. He has given thee his word that he will use his almighty power for this purpose. To that word must thou look, believing that Christ will bring thee victory, continual, if thy faith fail not,-greater, as thy faith increases, complete, when the good fight of faith shall be ended, and thou shall rest

from thy labours. All this he stands engaged to do, and his power is able to fulfill his engagements, and thy faith will bring thee happy experience of his power. When corruptions rise, temptations are strong, enemies numerous, dangers on every side, that is the time to glorify Christ, by making use of his promised strength. Then put thy trust in the captain of thy salvation, and fear not. Look unto Jesus, and look at nothing but him. The battle is his. He will fight for thee, and thou shalt hold thy peace. Leave him to direct all, to do all, and to finish all relating to it; and then, as he can get all the glory, thou shalt see what a salvation he will bring thee. O that thy faith did but reach to the extent of his promises! How successful would be thy spiritual warfare, such victories over thine enemies, corruptions so subdued, the world so crucified, Satan so defeated, as thou canst now scarce believe! The Lord increase thy faith. Look up to him for it: Because as thy faith increases, let the battle grow hotter and hotter, thou wilt find thyself safer, and more reason to give

thanks to Cod through Jesus Christ thy Lord.

For want of attending to the important truths already considered, and of bringing them into constant use and exercise, young believers fall into another great mistake, which keeps their faith weak, and stops its growth, namely, a hearkening to sense, and trusting to its reports, which is the fifth general head I purpose to consider.

They are seeking to be established, and they think, that they should have no doubt of their being true believers, if they had but the testimony of sense, and comfortable feelings to assure them of it. And being used to judge in this way in other matters, for it is our strongest evidence in natural things, they are disposed to expect the same in spiritual; and they are the rather disposed to it, because sensible comforts are promised in scripture: which being very desireable and pleasing to nature, they are apt to covet them too much, and from not regarding what the scripture says about them, they are apt to seek them in a wrong way, and for a wrong end. Sense judges from what it

sees, and draws its in it feels so that its science, either of a be his growth in it, is r able things, which w science in peace, bu things, which leave doubting. Sense also l faith more than at th if the believer has been to confound these two at great uncertainty state for instead of m God, he will make ground of his faith, and or less, so will his faith comfortable feelings, t himself a believer, and then he will think hims changing as his feelings and varying as his co weather. This is a com seen the sad effects of many of my acquainta ing taught thus to jud were tost about for sev down, now comforted

ment, till the word and Spirit of God convinced them, that sense was not to be the ground of their believing, nor the object to which they were to look. Sense judges by feeling, and reports what it sees. Sense says, now I am in the favour of God: for I feel it. Now he is my God: for I find him so, I am comforted. Now he demonstrates it to me: for I feel nearness to him in prayer and sweet answers. Now I am sure my duties and services are acceptable: for I am quite lively in them, and come from them with warm affections. Now I cannot doubt: for I feel the assurance of his love to me.

And when sense has lost those comfortable feelings, then it draws contrary inferencesNow I am not in the favour of God: for I don't feel it. Now he is not my God: for I don't find him so, I am not comforted, &c. What can be the issue of this, but continual wavering and changing? For our feelings are sometimes more, sometimes less, as every believer experiences. What a state then must he be in, who has no way to judge of himself, but by those changeable things? What room does he leave for continual doubting, and H