t]ohn 2. 4 l]oh . s. 1Cor, <f · Spiritual PerfeE1ion. as are correfpondent to the Nature of the things bel ieved . If the Head be inlightned, and the Heart in Darlmefs, 1f one profeffes never fo fully hiS Affent and Adherence to all the Articles of Faith , and the Beams of Faith are not vifible in his Converfation, he is an Infide l. He t hat fays, I know Chrifl, or wh1ch IS Eqmvalem, believe in him and. /cups not hiJ Commandmmt;, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. Every habituai Sinner is an Unbeliever. Unfeigned Faith receives the Word of God in all its pares Doarines, Commands, Promifes; not only as Infallibly true, but Superlatively good and precious, and intirely embraces them, witll a defpiong of all things that may come in Competition with them, and exprefTes the efteem and love of them in · the praCiife. The two infeparable properties of Saving Faith are, 'tis Humble and Submiffive to di. vine Revelation, 'cis Dutiful and Obedient to divine Precepts. , This being premis' d, I will confider the power of Faith, proceeding 1. From the Nature of the Objells upon which ' ris exercis' d. ~. From the degrees of its Affent and Adherence to them. l · From the ferious and frequent Application of the Objeas to our Hear t. L From the Natu re of the ObjeCis upon which 'tis exercis'd; now between them and the moll enticing good things, and the mort fearful evil in this prefent ftatc, ther; ts an mcomparable d1fference. The Apollle tells us, This ss th( viflor7 that overcomfJ the World, even our Faith. ViCiory fuppofes a Fight, and a Fight fuppofes an Enemy : ~~~.ET~; ~sn~~c~a;;din t~o~~f~~~~o:~~d~n~~hb!';i1na~~ :~~ ;[.'fbi.d, ~ed i:~i;.~i~~: Prinu of thi' World, that manages the Temptations of it for the ruine of Souls. He tries his poiions according to the difpofitions of M en, in hopes of working in them. He prefems to fame a charming Cup, to intoxicate them with the pleafures of Sin: he tempts others with things of Luftre, with Tides of Honour and Dignity, that dazle their Minds, that they cannot give a trtle and Cafe judgment of things : he allures others with Riches. And as heat is doubled by rcfleCiion, fo he enforces his temptations, from the prevalency of thefe motives upon Men in all places and times. If thefe Me· thods are unfuceefsful to turn Men from God, he tries to make terrible Imprellions upon the Minds of Men by affiiCl:ing Evils, by the rage of the perverfe World. Now Faith is the viCiorious Principle that defeats all his defigns, and overcomes all his firength. In Mechanical Operat ions, we judge by the force of the Mover, how ear.Jy a weight will be moved. Thus when Eternal Realities are by Faith put into the Scales aga inft Temporal Vanities , t hey infioitely outweigh them. The Apoftle makes a judicious cornparifon; Our light .A/fltflions t hat 11rt btJt for ,s momtnt, work o11t f or us.: far more exceeding and ettrnAl IVtight ofGlory. He extrearnly vilifies th ings prefenr, and magn ifies things future. All that is pleafimt or painful here is but for a moment, and }~itthut~~;~~oMe:n~z:t~~i~:;;;o;/~h;hP:,J,:d,;~;n;:; ~~~ t~h~r ~:~P~~e~0;:teh tfe '!;;;:; that {ball br rrvraled: And finee the impreffions of Pain arc incomparably ftronger, and more affeCiing Humane Nature than impreffions of Pleafure; one !harp Pain dcads the fenfitive Faculties to the moft vehement Pleafures. We are affured by irrefitlible evidence, that the Happinefs of this World is in .true value infinitely inferior to the Hap. pinefs of the next. The moft pleafant things here cannot fatisfie the narrow Faculties of Senfe: Thr Eye is not [atiJjied with fiemg, nor the Ear with hearing ; but the Favour of God, and the blcffed etfeCis of it, pafs all Underftanding, our moft comprehenfive Faculty. There is more Shadow than tight in our brighteR Condition; more Gall than Honey in our fweeteft Fruitions; But fuppofe the appearance of worldly Happinefs, gilded with fpccious tinCiu res, were truly great and goodly, joyful and fatisfying, according to the F ancies of Carnal Men, yet the Price would extreamly fall, by confidering they are of no longer continuance than the flight and expiring Breath of our prefent Life. The Glory of this World is like a fla!h of Lightning in its appearing and vani!hing. The longeft Line of Time, from its firft rife to its !aft period, is but a point to Eternity. Now that Happinefs which is fading, is not true Happinefs in its own Nature, nor correfpondent to our reafonable Defires: For the apprehenfion of its approaching end, will imbitter the reli!h of the prefent enjoyment. . But the Happinefs of the next Life is doubly infinite, in the degrees and durauon. The leaft part of that Happinefs is a perfeCl: freedom from any. touch or lhadow of Evil. Humane Language has not words worthy or fully fig~1fican t to d~fcnbe lt. God, who is an infinite Good and Goodnefs, communicates hm1felf to the 1mmorral Soul, according to its utmoft Capacity and Dcfires . It feems .'mpoffibl~ for Men to offer fuch violence to their U nderftandings, as calmly conodenng, and m cold blood, tO
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