Spiritual Perf.eFfori. tened and infliaed upon the godly here, to be contemptible. If we are fur- roundedwith an armyof Evils, let Faith draw forth the Powers of the World to come, we fhall be more than Colipterors. There are many Temptations we can- not avoid ; there are none but we may vanquifh by the' Power of Faith. The Fear iof God, like Aaron's Rod turned into a Serpent, that fwallowed up the Rods of the Magicians, will over-rule the Fear of -Men, and make rhofe Evils that to naked Nature are invincible eafïly endued. This is evident from the Courage andConflancy of the Martyrs, who defpifed the proudefl Tyrants upon their Thrones, and the molt cruel Exe- cutioners upon theScaffold : The efl'e&s of Faith in the time of its triumph. If the fame Objeas have not the fame effi- cacy in the Minds of Men, 'tis for want of Faith. If Faith declines, we {halt faint and dye away. Peter vvalk'd on the Sea while he relyed on the Word of Chrifi, but whQn a blafi of Wind (hook his Faith, he prefently funk. The Apo- files doubted of Chrift's Power, when a Storm fell upon the Ship : Our Saviour firff rebuk'd their Fear, before he laid the Storm, (Why are ye afraid, 0 ye of little Faith?) as a danger more near, and of worfe Confequence. N 2' I .et 179
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