528 Of HEAVE N. Chap. XLV. .In fl1ort; the Reward ~f. Obedience is a triumphal Crown; a~d~ Vu~lorr, there can be no 1 numph; and where no Combat, no Vt~ory; ~nd where 110 Enemy, no Combat. '!herefore we are commanded to ilght agamfi our mternal Enc. mies, our corrupt AffeEhons, to kill the Lufls of the Flel11, and to encounter and over~ come, by Humility and meek Subm~ffion, the Cruelty of malicious Enemies without us, mor.dcr to obtam the Crown of L1fe. And a Behevcr that has Heaven intafte and ~~~~~;::i'~:;s,w~~r~ll~lbl~ff~dul~~~v~;~ ~r"~i;'~~~~J:~,~e~d willingly endure the fharpelt L~flly, Fervent and conflant Prayer isrequifit for the Grace of God, that we may fix our Aims aright upon eterna l Happinefs, and ufe thofe fure Means that with divine Advan. tagc are l.xopos'd in the Scnptures, that can make us wife to Salvation. Such is the depra. varion ot Man fincc his !'all, the Mind is d~verred by vain Thoughts, and the Heart prc. ~~~~~n~v:~~:~~~~~~~~~~~o~hb~ :~~i~=d ~~d1t1e/(o,';J ~~i:in~e~~;j, ah~~~;~~~:~l~~; of ir, ann only appheshimfelf to what is pleafing to Scnfe. There may be fame tranfi. ent Glances, and volatile Wilhesof Heaven in Carnal Men, but they are miferably weak and inefi(:Clual. Therefore a moll neceffary Duty incumbent upon us, is by humble and fervent Prayer to addrefs. our [elves to God for his Spirit, to enlighten our Minds, that we may beheve the Reahty and Grearnefs of the Eternal Reward ; and to reform our Wills, that we may feel its atrtaaive Force. Both thefe Aas of the Spirit are requifite that the Love of God, as our chief Felicity, may be the regent Principle of our Hear~ and Lives. 1. For this end the Holy Spirit convinces Men thorowly of the Reality and Grearnef; of an invifible and fu ture Happinefs. In the Light of the Gofpel, how many of eminent intellcaua l Facul ties are flupid as to their _grcar Intercfr, and fpend themfelves about Trifles, and arc equally t raaable to Eternal Ruin, as the Ox to the Slaughter? He rhat is defl:itute of the ill uminating Grace of rh~ Spirit, u blind, and cannot fee afar off. _ Now by the Ana logy between the corporal and mtelleaual FacultJes, we may underfland in fame mcafure how the Mind is illuminated by the ~pirit of God. For as to the act of r~~;~~,F~;u~~:1~~~~~~~~~~e6b)~a~x:re;~~lt ~:r.~l:~ot~:~e ~~~p~;~~u:, b~:i~fe ~b~c;,~d under im~enetrable Darknefs. 2. Internal Light in the Eye, in which the vifive Power confifls: tf this be extinguilh'd, the clearefl Ltght of Heaven is of no ufe for the difco- ~;[ef~Z~'~1:J~e 6~;~a~eI~~~f;~af~~~1ij-:~~~1~~~o~~~,;,~i~i:~i~~~~g;; L~htBht~~~ ~:«.~ anr~~~~:to~rl,~~~i~f~~~ert;'!,mt~~oo,;;,~~~~~:~!~~~~~~~:~o~~n;;~: =~,0j},~~~ t:< propru miflri£ confitentia. 2_. By the inward inl1ghtning from the Spirit of d/qdom, that removes the Ignorance, PreJUdiCe, and Inadvertency ol the Mmd, whtch as Scales darlrned its Sight, and difpofes it to perceive tbe Verity and Excellency of fpiritual and future Things, rho not with comprehenlive Evidence, yet with that affurance, that 110 doubtfulnefs or fufpence remains concerning them. 'Tis obfcrvable that Faith is exprell in Scripture, by Prudence, Wifdom, And /(pOJvledg, whereby a Man lrnows the Grounds and Motives of his Judgment and Aaions. And Sm is called Folly. For as when the undcrflanding Faculty, either from the indifpofednefs of the Organs, as in Idiots, or from the d1forder of Fancy, by inflammation of the Humour_s, as in difiraEI:ed PeriOns, can~ not weigh and compare, and therefore makes a perverfe Judgment of things; fo the car· nal Mind, by not due meafuring and pondering, judges falny of Spiritual Things. If fomething no bigger than the Hand were put before the Eye, it would intercept the fight of the Heavens; and he that not confidering the Properties of things near and difiant, fhould conclude that Piece to be bigger than the Heavens, were juflly reputed a Fool And the folly of carnal Men is more grofs, who prefer things prefect to Senfc, before what is future and of everlafling confequence to the Soul. But there are fame AC\ions, ;!;~~~~~~a~lo:e~/rf,~~~;j~'a;~~~:,ea~~~fit:~~~~~r~ck~t,bb~Me0;~r~ih~1~~1t'~~~~~ rable Folly. Now asthe refl:oring the L4um principit~~n, tbe broken Mind to its found frate, whereby 'ris able to confider, difcern and conclude of things accordmg. to the1r Nature, fuch is the aEiion of God's Spirit upon the corrupt Mind, clarifying and en· lightning it, fo that it receives full conviaion by the clearelt Marks of Divine Authonry lllining in the Gofpcl, of the Truth of all the great and precwus Promrfes therem contam· cd, and caufing it, by a fleddy application of the Thoughts, to fee the valt d~~~::~~~
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