Chap.9. SeCl:-9. SECT. 9· Ofthe manner of thiJ Life ofFaith in thing' Eternal, THings Eternal are either S Evil, as Damnation. "2 Good, as Salvation. . • Concerning both . we /hall firft give you the promifes, and fecondly, the exercife of faith in refpe.t of thefe Promifes. . . . . I. Concerning Damnattoil, or eternal confufion, we have thefc promifcs agamft 1t, Ifa·+5· I7. Rom. 8. I. . . . . 2 • Concern;ng :ialvatzon, we have thefc PromifcJ for It, Rom. 6. 2 3.. I 1hef. 4· I 7· God hath Promifd"'" Kingdom, Mat. 25. 34· .Anh<avcniJ.Kingdom, Mar .. 7. 2I. An nernal Kingdom, 2 Pet. I , I I. A Crown of life, James l.I 2, A Crown ofRtghteoufnejfe, 2 Tim 4· 8.. .An Jtr.accrjfib c Crown of glory, I Pet. 5. 4: . . . 2 • · For the exercife of Faith concerm11g thefe Promifes,that we may live by them,go S Meditation. . we to / Prayer. · r. For Meditation, and the matter of it, confider.thcfe things: I. 1hat faith in the precious Promifcs of eternal life, quiets and chears the heart iri the midft of difcouragcments: This we fee in the !Ives_and deaths of Gods faithful 1ervants, who tooi{_joyfully the jpoiling oftheirgo.ods, k_nowmg m themfclves, that they had H<b. io. al in ]-]raven a better and an induringfubjfance. 2. That Faith ftrives to enter into the poffcffion of this Kingdom by degrees: Men that pm·chafe an inheritance to come in herea!ter, they are glad. if any part fall into their hands for the prefent: Fulneffe of glory IS referved for the hfe to come, but the beginnings of glory (as peace of Confcience, joy in the fioly Ghoft, Sancrification o,f the Spirit) are vouchfafed here ; grace" the begmnmg ofglory, and glory" the per– fellion ofgrace ; now as grace grows,fo we enter upon the poffeffion ofour inhe~itance: Hence lively grace covets grace more and more, that we may get Heaven by degrees; and by parcels, 3. Faith earne!Hy defires and longs after the full accomplilhment ofglory: Ourfelvei R.ome.o~ alfowhich have theJirftfmits ofthe Spirit,even we our fcives groan within ourJelves,w<Aiting Ybil, 1. •t for the adoption , to wit 1 the Redemption ofthe body : I 11m in a full ftrait (faid Paut) betwixt rwo, having a defire to depart,and to be w!th Chrift, whi<·h is far better : Salvation is the end of Faith, Heaven is the home of Believers : Now all would be at home, all things defire perfection in their kinde; this makes the Believer to long after glory. 2. For Prayer, and the parts of it, obferve tl:is method: r. Confeffe we our forrrier carelefneffe to enter upon this inheritance: 0 Lord, I kavc jlighted thy promi(es, I have neglclled the motions ofthy Holy Spirit, I have not care– jit!ly tmproved thegifts rtceived, I have not l11bottred more 11ndmore to beJellied with the pro" mifed Spirit: Ab Lord, what a dwarfam I in J-loline[s and Sanllijication .< byreafon •f my f/oath, the powers ofgrace are fo enfeebled, that I ran fcarce breath or figh, or crawl in the WilY to Heaven: 0 that I have not fo earneftly [o~tgbt ("'Imight) to mak§ He<Avm Jure to myfolf, that I have not emeredpojfej[iofl thereof,Jofar a& in this life I havegivm 1110 o{ Grace. ' 2. Pray that the Lord would encreafe our Faith, feal us by his Spirit, lead us in the way of peace , caufe us to grow up in holineffe, make us wife to prize and value, to ta.ile and rei,/h the very joys of heaven; and above all, that he would affure our cou– fc!ences of our right and title thereto: 0 it is God that fealeth and makes us to read the.fea1ing; it is God that promifeth Heaven, and affe(ls the h;art with the goodneffe and Worth o~ the thing promifcd: it is God that (by the pledges of his favour, and earnefts ofh1s Spiri!) doth tefiifie our adoption, and caufeth us certainly to apprehend what he cloth teftifie : pray then, Who am I Lord, that thpu jhouldeftmak§ furh ample, hd fr~e promifes to thy poor fervant .< it is of thy free mercy, and according t~ thine own cart · And now, 0 God, eftablijh I befoerh thee, the word that thou haft ffoksn concerning thyferv"nt: 0 {ealumo me the promifed inheritance, and mak§ me affurediy !{_now what thofe hofes arc Whtch thou haft r<Jerved for me ;n Heaven: Ofthy Free grace thou caUedft mhe to thu hope~ therefore is thy fervam bold to entreat thefenfe of thy love, the fwowledge of t "hope, ~he mcreafe ofgrau, the affur~tnce of thy mercy. 3· Pra1fe God for his promifes of eternal life: 0 Lord, thoi• haft looksd on my bll[e tJfate,llndvijited mrwuh mercyfrom qn hi£h; ofaftra'!gertmdforreigner rho 11 h~eft madi G g ,; me
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