LIFE OF FAITH. 451 16.) and your victory itself be by faith ; 1 John v. 4. If Satan tell the flesh of the pre erment, riches, or the pleasures of lust, answer him with 'a believing foresight of God's judgment, and the life to come. Never look on the baits of sin alone, but still look at once on God and on eternity. As a just judge will hear both parties speak, or see their evidences before hewill determine, so tell the tempter, that as you have heard what fleshly allurements can say, you will see also whatthe word of God saith, and take a view of heaven and hell, and then you will answer him. 7. Rejoice as believers. Can faith set open the windows of the soul, and no light of heavenly pleasures enter? Can it peruse the map of the land of promise, or see and taste the bunch of grapes, without any sweetness to the soul? This is the truest belief of heaven, which maketh men most like those that are in heaven! And whatis their character, work and portion, but the joys of heav- enly light and love? Can we believe that we shall live in heaven forever? Can we believe that very shortly we, shall be there, and not rejoice in such believing? I know we commonly say, that the uncertainty of our proper title is the sause of all our want of joy; but if that were all, if that were the first and greatest cause, and our belief of the promise itself were lively, we should at least set our hearts on heaven as the most delightful and desirable state; and love would work by more eager desires and diligent seekings, till it had reached assurance, and cast out the hindrances of our joy. Howmuch would a mere philosopher rejoice, if he could find put natural evidence of so much as we know by faith ! You may perceive what their content in finding it would be, by their exceeding pains in seeking. The unwearied studies by day and night, which many'of them used; with the contempt of the riches and .greatness of the world, do . tell us how glad they would have been to have seen but half so far as we may. If they could but discover more clearly and certainly the principles, and elements, and forms of beings; the nature of spirits; the causes of motion; the nature and cause of light and heat; the order,.course and harmony of the universal system of the world'; what joyful accla- mations would this produce in the literate, studious sort of men! What joy, then, should it be to us, to know by faith the God that made us ; the creation of the world ; the laws and promises of our Creator; the mysteries of redemption and regeneration; the frame of the new creature ; the entertainment of the spirits of the just with Christ; the judgment which all the world must undergo; thework and company which we shall have hereafter; and the endless joys which all the sanctified shall possess in the sight and love of God.forever ! How blessed an invention would, it be, if all the world could be brought again to the use of one universallan-
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