The Life of Faith. 73 Arc we derided, flandered, abufed by the ungodly ? If we repine that we have enemies and mutt fight; we repine that we are Chrifts fouldires, and that is, that we arc Chriftians. [ buomodo poteft Imperator militumfuorum virtutem probare, nii babuerit bo(fem] faith Laläantiue. Enemies of God do not ufe to fightprofofedly againft himPelf, but againfi his fouldiers [Non qui contra ipfum Deum pugnent, fed contra milites ejus inquit idem] If the remnants of goodnefs had not been a derifion among the Heathens themfelves, in the more fober fort, a Heathen would notlave faid, [Nondumf.elix es, fi non to turba deriferit : fi beams vis of e, cogita hoc primum contémnere, t9" ab aliis contetnr.i. Sen.] Thou art not yet happy, if the rabblede- ride thee not ; If thou wilt be bleffed, learn firft to contemn this, and to icontemnedof others.] No body will deride or perfe- cute us in Heaven. s. Improve your talents and opportunities in your callings ar Believers ; ejpeciallyyou that are Governours. God is the origi- nal and end of Government.Thehigheft arc but his minifiers, Rom. 13. 6. This world is but the way unto another. Things feen arcfor things unfeen: And Government is to order them to that end : Efpecially by terrifying evil doers, and by pro- moting holinefs in the earth. The Moral as well as the Na- tural motion of inferiour agents, mull proceed from the in- fluence of thefuperiour. The fpring and the endof every a6ion truly good, are out offight. Where thefc are not difccrned, or are ignorantly or malicioufly oppofed,the a&ion is vitiated, and tcndeth to confufion and ruine. God is the end of all holy actions ; and carnal(elf is the end of fin. If Godand feif are infinitely diflind; you may eafily fee that theadions ma. terialy the fame, that are intended to fuch defiant ends, mutt reeds be very difiant. Nothing but Caving Faith and Holinefs can conquerfelftfhnefd in the lowed ofthe people. But where the flefh hath more plentiful provifion, and felf is accommo- dated with the fullefl contents of honour and pleafure that the world affords, how difficult a work then is felf-denyal And the reign ofthe flefh is contrary to the reign of Chrift. Where the flefh and vifible things bear Tway, the enemy of Cbrift bears Tway. The carnal mindh enmity againft God; for it it not fubjell to his Law, nor can be, Rom. 8. 7. And how L Chrifts
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