LIFE OF FAITH. their faith as to the whole. They are really possessedof that heav- enly disposition, called The Divine Nature, and have felt the power of the,word upon their hearts, renewing them to the image of God, mortifying their most dear and strong corruptions, showing them a greater beauty and desirableness in the objects of Faith, than is to be found in sensible things : they have . found many' of the promises made good upon themselves, in the answersof pray- ers, and in great deliverances, which strongly persuadeth them to believe the rest that are yet to be actiomplished. And experience is a very powerful and satisfying way of conviction. He that feeleth, as it were, the first-fruits, the earnest, and the beginnings of heaven already in his soul, will more easily and assuredly be- lieve that there is a heaven hereafter. "We know that the Son of God is come, and bath givenus an understanding, that we may know him that iS true, and we are in him that is true, even in the Son Jesus Christ: this is the true God and eternal life; " 1 John v. 20. " He that believeth on the Son hath the witness in him- self; " ver. 10. There is so great a likeness of the holy and heavenly nature, in the saints, to the heavenly hfe that God bath promised, that makes it the more easily believed. 4. And it exceedingly*helpeth our belief of the life that is yet unseen, to find that nature affordeth us undeniable arguments to prove -a future happiness andmisery, reward and punishment, in the general; yea, and in special, that the love and fruition of God is this reward ; and that the 'effects of his displeasure are this pun- ishment : nothing more clear and certain than that there is a God, (he must be a fool indeed that dare deny it ;) Psal. xiv. 1. As also that this God is the Creator of the rational nature, and hath the absolute rightof sovereign government; and therefore a ra- tional creature oweth him the most full and absolute obedience, and deserveth punishment if he disobey. And it is most clear that Infinite Goodness should be loved above all finite and imperfect created good : and it is'cleàr that the rational nature is so formed, that, without the hopes and fears of another life, the world neither is nor ever was, nor (by ordin¡ry visible means) can be well governed ; (supposing God to work on man according to his nature.) And it is most certain that it consisteth not with in- finite wisdom, power, and'goódness, tobe put to rule the world, in all ages, by fraud and falsehood. And it is certain that heathens do, for the most part, through the world, by the light of nature, acknowledge a life of joy or misery to come ; and the most hard- ened atheists or infidels must confess, that ' for aught they know there may be such a life;' it being impossible they should know or prove the contrary. And it is most certain, that-the mere prob- ability or possibility of a heaven and hell (being matters of such VOL. u. 50
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