rral. 35· 3· Pfa]. 16, 9· L11m.3. 24, 25, 26. J Per.,, '3· Reo. u. r. JL.rolltng unto jje!n.s. Chap.2. Sect 5. d~e firft-fruits. c:f the Spirit, the. fealing of thr Spirit, the earne{[ of the Spirit, 0 ~!VC me the Spli'·lt, and let !he Sptnr g1vc me rh1s hope. 0 the hop< of Ifraci, and Sa– vrour thtreof m rh< ttlne of tro~tble, why Jhou/dff thou be M" jlranger in my foul and M a WaJ·faring man that fltrncth afde to tarry for "night.' Come, 0 come, anl dweJJ in my foul, come andbiow on my gm·den, that the fPices thereof may j/oiV out: come and fiU me with a lively hCijile; yea, Lord excite, and quicken, and fiir up my foul 10 act this hope, yea, fo illighten, or.lhine upon my hofe, that I may know that I hope, and know that I joyfully expect, and wait fort he commg of Chrifi, 0 let me hear rhy voice s 'Y unto myfoul I am, and will be thyfalvation. --Pcr(on ---WelJ now, thou'haft prayed, 0 my :oul, Come,~Jl me, dofi thou feel.nothing'fiir.? ~s there nothing at aU m rhee rhar alfmes thee of rlus alfurance of hope? 1s there no ltfe m thy affections? no fpark that ukes hold on thy heart to fer it on flame ? no comfort of the Spirit, no joy in ~he holy Ghofi? --· Soul--_ Yes! merhinks I feel it now begin to work, the Spmt rhar hath breathed th1s prayer mto me comes m as Comforter · oh now rhar I realaize Chrift's coming and my refurrection, I cannot bur concludewirh JJavid, There– for~ my beart i~glad, and tnl glory rejoyceth~ and my jlrjl, al(o jl~a/1 rcH in hope. Oh what an eamefi ts thiS? what a ptece bath the Spmr put rnro my hand of the great fom promi– fed~ hot onely rhar he in great mercy.Promifed me Hea.en, but becaufe h~ dorh nor pur me mto a.rrefem polfeillon, he now giVes mean eamefi ofmy futuremhentance. Why, furely allts fure, unlefs the earneft deceive me; and what? llJall I difpure rhe truth of the earnefi? oh God forbid! the ftamp is 100 well known robe mifirufied ; this feal cannot ~e counterfeit, becaufe iris agreeable with the Word; 1find in my fdf an hope, a.t·rile hncere hope, though very weak: I find upon trial rhat I am regenerate, that I look and.long for the fecond coming of j efus, that I love his appearance even before hand: that my works, though imperfect, are fincere and true, that I believe on rhe Name of, the Son of God; and flelh and blood could never work rhefe duties or tbefe graces in me, it is onely that good Spirit of my God, which harh thus.fealed me up to the day of redcmprion. Away, away defpair, trouble me no longer wirh amu– fing thoughts ; I will henceforth ( if the Lord inable) walk confidently, and chear– flllly in 'the firength of rhis affurance, and joyfully expect the full accomplilhmenr of m.y happy contract from the hands of Chrifi. The Lord it my portion, thmfore wilt I btJre in him; the Lord it gcod to them that wait for him, to thefoul thdtfeek;th him; it u good rhat I bath hope andquietiJ waitfor the fal'oation of the Lord. --It it go•d tlrat [hope t• the end, for the<g•a.e that;,. to be brought Hnto me af the revelation of {of m Chriff.. SECT. V. Of btlicving in [efeu in tbllt rt(}tll. 5. LET us beUwe in 'fef.u as carrying on the great work of our falvarion in his fecond . coming. Now this believing in Chrifi is more than hoping in Chrill; faith eyes things as prefenr, bur hope eyes things as future; and hence the ApofHe defcribes faith to the fitbf/ance of things h•ped{or; it is the fubfiance, foundation, or prop which upholds rhe building; or it is the fubfiance, effence, exillenc~ of things hoped for, and confe– quemly abfent and a far off, to be by a firm apprehenhon of the beltever as already pre– fent and real. And this is as neceffary as the former; oh if we could bur fee rhmgs now, as rhey lhall appear anhat l~ft general day ofjudgment, ho~m!ghrily would they work· upon our fouls? I venly rlnnk the want of rh1s work o[ fattb 11 the caufe almoft of aU the evil in the world; and the admg of fatrh on rlus fubject wo~ld produce fruits ~ven ro admiration. Ifwe could bur fee rhar glory of God m Chnft, and rhofe glonous rreafures of mercies that lltall then be communicated; if we could but fee rhofe dreadful evil! that are now rhreatned, and l11all rbenbe fulfilled, would nor this draw rhe hardeft heart under Heaven? come, let us act faith this day, as if this day were the lafl day; _a rhoufand yeat:sare but as one day to faith; it rakes hold upon eternal life, whenfoevent acts; it 1akes prefenr poffeillon of tl:ie glorious things.of the Kingdom of God even now. Orhen !er us believe in Jefus as in reference 10 his fccond coming to judgment. Bur how lhould we believe? what directions ro act our faith on Jefus in this refpect? ] Anfwer--- - · - !· Faith
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