I a SERMONS up" on thé Serin. I1, more than the doubtings. We fhould Sail to Heaven with full Sails, and ger as much fenfe of the love of God,and hope of eternal life as pofliibly we can; anabundant entrance. We fhould clear úp our Right and Title, an be able to fay, We know: And I am perfua- ded, Rom.. 8. 38. We fhould come and take poffeffion of the Bleflings of the Covenant, and fay, all this is mine by thepromife of the faithful God. We ufe to fay I know where I am, but I know not where I (hall be. A Believer who hath affured his elate before God, knoweth where he (hall be, as truly as he knoweth where he is. He knowethby Faith, that he hall live with God for ever, and what he will do for him to all Eternity in the performance of his Holy Covenant. idly. What reafons there are why we Mould attend upon this Work. 1. Becaufe 'tis for our greater comfort, not only to be fafe, but to know that we are fafe. Some have Salvation belonging to them,but they know it not : As the Child liveth before he knoweth that heliveth. As 3acob Paid of Bethel, Gen. a8. 16. God was in this place, and I knew it not : So it may be faid of many Chrilians, Chrift is in them, and they know it not,, are not aware of it. Oh how happy they, if they knew their own happinefs! What delight would the hope of glory raife in their hearts ! How full of téars and defpairs was Hagar, when yet there was a Well nigh her, Gen. z 1. 16. How pen- five were the twoDifciples going toEmaus,when yet Chrift walked with them,but they knew him not, Luke z4. 19,16, 17. How bitterly did Mary weep at the Sepulchre, when yet Jefus flood by her, Sohn zo. 14;55. So many poor difconfolate Chriftians ap- prehend that Chrift is at a dittance, when as yet they will not, or cannot fee him. There- fore though our condition fbould be fafe, 'tisnot fo comfortable till we get affurance. 'a. This certain confidence of our actual right and future pofefion cannot be had with- out diligence. Such a Jewel will never drop into the mouth of the lazy, negligent Soul, z Pet. 1. 10. z Pet. 3. 14. Heb. 6. 1 I. If wewould havenot a groundlefs, but a rational hope, not a rafh and probable, but a film and certain hope, not a certain only, but a full hope, and this to continue without interruption : We muff buckle to it, ferve God in good earneft. It will never be gotten and kept with loath ; it may be gotten and kept with diligence. As you neglect your duty, fo far the fenfe and comfortable affurance of your qualification may abate. Gods belt Children are fometimes remifs, whereupon fol- low clouds and defertions, to their great difcomfort. God in wifdom withdraweth corn_ fort, to quicken them to their Duty. Well then, 'twill not come with a cold with, or a light prayer, or anhafty figh, or afaintand lazy purfuit. Grace needeth to be much exercifed, that (hall bring peace. Exercifed in Duties, yobs 54. z 1,z 3. Exercifed in AffliEti- ons. Thofe lazy pretenders that never made a bufinefs of ir, and yet hope to go to Hea- ven as well as the ftrictel,they do but deceive themfelves with an hope, that will at length leave themafhamed. Foolifh prefumption cols a man nothing; like a Mailroom that groweth up in a night, or as ronabs Gourd; Behold thou didft not labour for it. The lefs men exercife themlelvesunto Godlinefs, the more confident; for exercife would difcover their unfoundncfs. Apeace that groweth upon us we know nothow, and is better kept by negligencethan diligence,is not right. 3. We fhould attend upon this work with all diligence,becaufe though we get it not, we (hall not labour in vain, the very endeavour will keep us awful and ferious, and it may be we hall get Heaven whilftwe are clearing up our Title to it. The famethings ferve to enter into Heaven, that ferve to affure us of our interel in it. Fulfil Gods conditions which he hath annexed to the new Covenant, and you may be fure, and the fame is ne- celary to have, as well as to be lure; all the difference is, force make a hard lhift to go to Heaven, others enter abundantly, z Pet. a. 15. They that make it their bufinefs to know they have Eternal life, have this above others, that they go more ferioutly to work, and 'dq more attend upon it. Secondly, The force and virtue of this fare confidence. a. 'Tis of great force to [apport us under the difficulties of Obedience. In the context Paul is difcourfing ofwhat fupported him, and kept him from fainting under the labours of his Apofolate. 'Twasa toilfome life to go up and down, venturing upon all hazards and uncertainties, and to travel far and near, and all to draw Souls to Chrift. A Bleled work in it felf! But toilfome to the flefh. But we know, &c. The fame holdeth in all other duties of our general and particular Calling. Nothing puts us upon fuch a willing Induftry, and ready,conflant Watchfulnefs, as this, confidence, that after we have gone through a Ihort life here in this 'world, this everlafting Bleffednefs will be our Portion,, s Cor. 9. z6. 1 run, not as one that is uncertain. An aflùrance of the end fweetneth the Race, and allayeth allthe difficulties of the way. A poor Beal will go home chearfully. How
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