6oo Spiritual PerfeCiion. Ki~gdom, n•/;ere. God i1 Ali in IJ!l: How will the. believing view of this, reE\:ifie our Mtnds, and convltlce u tin t nothtng defervcs our htgh Ell:eem and Love, but the Favour and Fruition of the blelfed God ? Let Faith open the fatal Gates of Hell, that are ever fhut upon the Damned and difcovcr rl_1e Scenes of Woe, the Sights of Horror, the tormenting Paffions of Re pro~ ba~cs, then· defperare Soqow for rhe lofs _of He~ven, and ~e:ce indignation chat others enJOY it; both w.hich. are im~lied _in thetr wrrprng. ~nd waJ/mg, and gnafoing of Teeth, How power~~~ will thts reprefcntarwn be, to keep us 1n awe and order, to contrail the LuOs, and L1centioufoefs of Carnal Appetites? How would this double ViGon make u; ell eem all dv~ good things here as vt lc as Dro~, and all the evtl as light as Feathers, in comp,u ifon of eternal rhiogs? How would th1s infpire us wid1 rcfolutions eo take Heavw by violence 4nd to ft1 f rom the Wrath to come? 3· The Efficacy ofl:'aith proceeds from the ferious and frequent Application of Eternal Objects to our Mi nds and Hearts. AU that arc Chriflian; in Profeffion, prefer in the Idea and Speculation Eternal Things before Temporal ; but in Praaice and Choice the mofl prefer Temporal before Eternal. Prefent and fenGble things flrongly affect' the Carnal Faculties, and excite the Natural Inclinations that were dormant in the abfence of clluring ObjeB.s ; but when awaken'd, they diflrac:t and ~catter the Mind from a juft comparing of thing< prefent and things future; and the W11l applies the Thoughts to what 1s delightful to the Carnal parr, and the A pp!JcatiOO detcrmmes the choice. The imerpofition of Earthly things, eclipre the Light of Fdith, and weal<ens the reflections of that Light upon the Mind : A firong Temptation defaces the impreffion of things future, though infinitely great; and confequently the Paffions prevail, and.Faith is van. quifh'd. Wha t Man that has Heaven and Hell in his view, and confiders that the Day of Death and Judgment are equally uncertain as to the fix'd time, and equally certain as to the event; and that this fhort Life muf1: ilfue either into rivers of Pleafure for ever, or into an abyfs of endlefs Mifery, can be doubtful a moment, what eo chufe, and what eo avoid? Yet 'ris evident, that vaft Numbers of Men that are between two Eterni· ties, are indifferent and uncoccerned, into which their Lot fhall be determiced. The inchanting World darkens the remembrance, and damps the defire of Heaven, and ex· tingui01es the fear of Hel\. Tranfient Thoughts of fu cure things cannot excite and in· flu ence the Affections, nor regulate the \V ill and A8:ions, accordin~ as the moment of them requires. Mofes derpifed the Pomp and Plearuresof the El(,ptian Court, and chore AffliCtions with the People of God, hecau{e lu had &n intent and .fix'd Eye upon the future Rt~vard. Paul had a Heavenly Vifion, the Idea of which was always bright in his Me. morv, and a Heavenly Converration. Now fiaith rupplies the want of Vifion; and if its atls are not interrupted by Earthly Objects deadnefs, will continually infpire us with fuita ble affections to eternal things . Above all other means let us By to Prayer, that the Holy Spirit, by his illuminating guidance, would direct our Minds, and actuate our fiaith: 'cor.~. u. ~;e;~~rdr~~i:~; t;~:~~;a~~:~,w:n';thr~:~;~~~~:nfsstf;~~=t'~hi[g~~~~n;~:\~~~h 5t~~ tjoh111l AEls 5· 3r . his Influence our Confideration will be cold and ineffeaual 2. There is a Jufiifying-Faith. The Apoflle declares, Bring jfljlifed by Faith, we have Peace with God. This is verr clearly open'd in the Gofpel; yet there have been lardy pubhfb'd fame Contentious Writings about it, rnix'd with fuch Railleries and Conrumc· lies, that have opened a Scandalous Scene, and expofed Religion to the Derifion of Li· bertines, and profane Spirits, and affected the Godly with rorrowful impreffions, and with earoefi longings after the Kingdoms of Light and •Love, where Ignorance and Smfe are abolilli'd for ever. Injurious Language convinces none, but renders the Minds of Men mo re averle from Infiruction : We are not likely to difcover the Truth in a milt of Paffion ; but when Truth is calmly convey'd, the Mind is more attentive w rece1ve it, and its convincing and per[wafive Power inftnuates into us. Chriflian Lm•e would lelfcn the number, and allay the heat of our Controverfies. gla1n~~a ~~ f~~ce0~l~:~~s~1 ~~~~~;fncfr~N~~~~ {~~;t~~f;;i~~tt~rr"u~dc~1~~s~ow. very briefly Jufiification is an Act of God as fupreme Judge, invefied with the Relatton of a Fa· ther, wherein his Majefty and Mercy are equa11y illuflrious , in pardoning our Sins, ~nd conferring upon us a right to Eternal Life, for the Satisfa.B:ion and Merits of Clmll's Righteoufnels imputed to us~ and received by fiaitb. fiaith is the C~ndition that qua· lifies us to have Pardon applied to us; and its Nature confifls 10 recelv.IOg Chnf1: upon the terms of the Gofpel ; that is, our unfeigned accepting him as. our Prmce. an.d Sav~oar, and inrire reliance upon him. The general belief of the Gofpcl ts not Jufltfymg-fa~~~;
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=