_ _ _ _ _:Spiritual PerJef1ion. t~-;efer the Falhion of thi, World that paff" """ before the perfctl and unchangeable Happincls 111 the next World. 599 2 • According to the degrees of our a!fem eo future eternal things, fuch is their viao. rious pow-er in our Souls. The obj:Cliv·e efficacy of things is nor from their exiftence, btlt from their evidence to our Minds. Now according as our Apprchenll.onsare more clear, ami our belief more (tedfa!l of things future, fttch impreilions are made either of rerroc o1· deore in our Brcalls. The Apoflledcfincs Faith to be, Theft~bjlonceofthin.~' H<b. "· hJped for, t!;e evidence of thing~ not fcen. le ~·eprefents r.hings (murc and diftant, ~s prelcot and tn our atlual. poiTel!ron. A luperficul Autluanng. belief of the good or evil cbiogs in the ncxtJlate, ts of no force to encounter prefen~ 1 emptattons, and v~nqm!h ch.t Carnal AffcC:b ons. The repon of the Senfcs concerrung thmgs. pre~nt, will pre· ponderate the Authority of God's \Vord, that declares things future Infinitely to exceed them. All Fire has Hear, but nor firong enough to rndt down Gold and Silver. There is an afft:nt in every degree of Fiith, but not able to overcome the \Vorld. A radicated firm belief of the infallible Truth, the tran[cendenr Goodnels, and our Cure right in Heavenly things, will cau[e all the fa!Ce colours of this World, the fhadows in ma[queradc, to di ra ppcar. The evidence and importaGce of things, fixes our Refolurions to adhere to them. The Son of a King, and He1r of a Kingdom, will im•incibly aiTcrt the truth of hi\ Rela tion and Tide. A fincere believer of the Heavenly Glory, and hi s Eternal Imercft in ir, will live in that Faith, and dye in it : and dye for it, if nep:ffit y require. Th (: belief of it has a vical tafle, a Joy fincere and fweet, that makes the pleafant temptations of the World naulcous. As Faith is the foundation and bafis of Hope, ( 'tiJ tlu f,.bflonce of thin_~J hoptd(or) (o Hope is reciprocally as a ftrong Pillar that c!lablilhes the bafi> upon which 'tts fiid: For one voluntarily and flcdfaO!y believes tll3t which is for his advantage and comfort. The ft:rious belief of the prepared Plagues for thore who are unfaithful to God, and their Soull hereafrer, will make all the Evils thrcarncd and in~ fliCted upon the godly here, to be comemptible. If we are furrounded with an army G.f Evils, let Faith draw forth the Powers of the \Vorld to come , we fha!l be more th:w Conquerors.. There are many Temptations we cannot avoid; there are none but we m;,y vanqudh by the Power of Faith. The Fear of God, like .Aaron"J Rod turned in· to a Serpent, that f wallowed up the Rods of the Magicians, vJill over-rule the Fear of Men, and make tho f~ E\rils that to naked Nature arc invincible, cafily endur'd. This is evident from the Courage and Confiancy of the Mart)rrs, who defpifcd the proudeft Tyrants upon their Thrones, and the moll: cruel Executioners upon the Scaffold: The effl!as of Faith in the rime of irs triumph. If the fame Object s have nor the fame efficacy in the Minds of Men, 'tis for want of Faith. If Faith declines, we !hall faint and dye aw1y. Petrr walkld on rhe Sea while he relied on the Word of Chrift, but when a blafl of Wind O;ook l;is Faith, he prefcmly lunk. The Apoflles doubted of Chrill:'s Power, when a Swrm feU upon the Ship: Our Saviour fir{l: rebuk'd their Fear, before he laid the Storm, ( Why ore ye afraid, U yt of littlt Faith?) as a danger more near, and of worfe Confequencc. Let us try the !ingular efficacy of Faith, by exercifing of it upon eternal Objetls: Let our Faith reprcfent to us in as lively a manner the eternal Judgment, as Enoch had a profpetl: of it.; Bebo!d the L.ord comes with un thouj,md of his Saints, to judge 4/l the t~ngodly: Let Faith direct its v1ew to him, rending the Heavens, and coming in his own GhJrJ, as the Son of God; and in his Father's GlorJ. as conflituted by him eo be Judge of the World; and in the Glo'y of the mighty AnKdJ, his Attendants: Let Faith contemplate the Judge upon a rvhttt Thront, the Emblem of his HolinefS, whom none can [urprize or refill: Let Faith make that day as pre[ent, when there will be no place for Repentance ; when the Fountain of Mercy to Sinners will be fealed for ever ; when the Books of Eternal Life and Death !hall be opened, and all Men fhall receive an irr c vocab l ~ Judgment; a Judgment fo fearful, that Sinners how great and terrible foever t hey were in thi s World to others, £hall eaU to the Mountains t o fall on them, and the Ht!h to cover thr:m, (rom the Wrath of the Lamb: l<Or hi1 day is corpe. A Judgment ~o lhiCl:, t hat the RtghuouJ /hall (carcely be favr:d. Now what impre.ffions of torment· JOg Fear, or rcvi~ing Hopes, wtll the lhong Belief of the Eternal Judgment, and the ~onfequeGc<.s of Lt , make in us, when Heaven and Hell fi1all divide all Men, accordmg a . we are prepared or unprepared for the Tryal of that deciding Day? How will tt make us ~1rcum~)e£t and cauti~m to avoid Evil, a£tive and ardent i.n doing Good? for every rhtng mull be brought m J udgrnent. How ambitious and dtligcnr to be ac- ~cpre~ of oUt: Jud&e? Let faich open a Window into Heaven, and reprefent the Saims 111 tbC\1' Sun· lt kz BnghtnefS, their Glory and Joy, and triumphant Felicity in the Eternal I i i i Kingdom,
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