450 LIFE OF FAITH. seems to take it from them againbÿcrossing the flesh, which would use it only .to fulfill its lusts. Like a dog that fawneth on you till he have his bone, and then snarleth at you, lest you take it from him, and will fly in your face if you offer to meddle with it. Men readily confess that they have their wealth from God, 'because it cannot be denied, and because they would use the name of God as a cover to hide them covetousness and unlawful ways of get- ting. Brit if you judge by their usage of it, and their returns to God, you would think that they believed that they had nothing at all from God but some injuries ; and that all their benefits and good were from themselves. The Turkish and Tartarian empe- ror will say, that all his grandeur and power is from God; that, by making it most divine, he may procure the more reverence and obedience to himself: but when he bath said so for his own inter- est, he useth the same power against God and his interest, to the banishing of his word and holy worship, and the forbidding the preaching of. the gospel of salvation, and to the cherishing of tyr- anny, pride and lust. As if God had armed them against himself, and made his officers to be his enemies, and gave them power that theymight powerfully hinder men's salvation, and made them great to be great oppressors. As a believing pastor is a priest that standeth between God and the people, to mediate under the great Mediator; to receive from God his word and ordinances, and deliver them to the flock, and to offer up supplications in their namesto God ; so believing gov- ernors ofcivil societies or families, receive from God a power to rule the subjects for their good ; and they use it to make the, sub- jects good, that God may be pleased and honored by all ; and'the obedience which they require, is such as may be given to God in them.. They take power from God, to use it for God, and are so much snore excellent than the greatest of ambitious, carnal princes, as the pleasing and honoring of God is a more excellent design and work than the gratifying of fleshly lust, and the advancement of a lump of clay. The kingdoms of the world would all be used as the kingdoms of the Lord, if the everlasting kingdom were well believed. The families of men would be sanctified as churches unto God, if the eternal house, not made with hands, were truly taken fur their borne, and their trade were to lay up a treasure in heaven. In cities and countries, brethren would dwell in holy peace, and all concur in honoring God, if once they were made fellow-citizens with the saints, and their burgeship and conversa- tion were in heaven ; Ephes. ii. 19. Phil. iii. 20, 21. 6. Resist temptations as believers. If you live by faith, then fight against the world arid flesh by faith. Faith must be your helmet, and the word of faith insist be your shield ; (Ephes. vi.
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