andcare of, hir People under Temptation. 267 filIye with all Joy and Peace in beleeving. So much as a man does beleeve, fo much joy and Peace : if a man fail in the Exercife of his faith, he does Joie his Comfort. Yea, hereby alto, he does lofe his prefentprz ze. A Chrifti- an hath a prize in this life ; he bath a two-foldcrown : A crown of glory in the world to come ; and a prefent crown. And therefore faies the Lord unto the Church of Philadel- phia, Holdfail that which thou haft, lefi another take thy crown. Now ifa man do fail in the Exercife of his faith, he does lofe muchof his prefent prize. Ye know how it was with Mofesand Aaron, ye readeofit in the 2o. chapter of Num- bers, and the iz. verfe. And the Lord fake unto Mofes and Aaron, Becaufeye beleeve me not, to fanUifie me in the eyes ofthe children ofIfrael; therefbreye fhall not bringthis congregation into the landwhich Ihave promifedthem. They were {hut out ofthe landof Canaan for not beleeving.ButA4Ves &Aaron did not lofe the graceof faith, it was only failing in theExercife of faith ; their failing was not in the grace it felf, but only they failed, in the Exercife of their faith, and they were fhut out of Canaan for it. And Moles befought the Lord earneftly in prayer, that he would reverie this threatning, and it might not 1:e ; he was Phut out of Canaan, meerly for failing in the Exercife of his faith. Oh I what an evil thing is it then, for a Chriftian to fail in his faith, though it be no more than in the Exercife of his faith. Further, In this failing of ones faith, though but in the Exercife ofit 3 A Chriflian does lofe much of the benefit, and fweetnefl of the mercy promifid. Look as it is with a wicked man, in regardofthe judgment threatned ; So with a god- lyman in regard ofthemercy promifed. Now take .a wic- ked man, and let the threatning °fad be fulfilled before him upon others, upon himfelf; he profits not by Gods judgments'. Why? becaufe that he don't exercife faith concerning the threatning and fo when the judgment comes, he profits not by Gods dealing, byGods judgment, he lofes the benefit of Gods difpenfations that way. So I faywith a godly man: let the promifebe fulfilled, andpof- fibly
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