Ver. I. Fifth Chap. Qd Ep. to the CO R I N T H. x5 All ordinances. The word, lja. f;. ;. Hear andyour Souls fhaÍllive. The Supper,Luke zz. zo. all Graces. Faith to fee it, r Pet. r. 9. Receiving the end ofyour Faith, even the :Salvation of your Souls. Love to defire it, hope to wait for it. The comforts of the Spirit to give us a taft of it. So that this is the great objeá of Faith, and to which all the rest tend. (zdly.) The believing of this conflituteth a main difference between the Animal and Spiritual life : by which the world of mankind are diflinguifhed. The Animal life, is that which is fupported by the comforts and delights of the prefent world,fuch as Lands, Honours, Pleafures, Riches, and when thefe are out of fight, they are at lofs, and utterly difmayed. But the Spiritual andDivine life is fupported by the comforts and delights of the world to come, by refleáing upon everlasting happinefs and the glory and blefled- nefs we shall injoy there, as in the verfes before the Text, its the dole of the former Chapter; when we believe thefe things, another kind of Spiritcometh upon a man, and hath fuch a life and flrength derived into his heart, that he can bear up with joy and cou- rage, when the outward and Animal life is expofed to the greareft difficulties and decays, becaufe he isaman of another world. And therefore we are faid to live by Faith, becaufe we apprehend thofe great and glorious things which are kept for us in Heaven, z Cor. q, s 3, 14. We having the fame Spirit of Faith, according as'tis written, I believed, and there- fore have Ifpoken: We alfa believe, and therefore fpeak, knowing that he which raifed tip the Lord yefus, fhall raife up w alfo by lefus, and(hall prefent w with you. Oh 'tis a mighty thingto have a Spirit of Faith ; in the loweft condition ; fuch an one can hold up his head, and avouch his hopes. He can own Chrift, how dear foever ittoft him None are of fuch a Noble and Divine Spirit as they. Without it a man that wholly loveth the Animal life, is but a wifer fort of Beaft. Not only the Senfualift, or the Covetous, but even the Ambitious, who afpire after Crowns and Kingdoms, and great Fame by their Gallantry and Noble Exploits, are but poor bafe Spirits in comparifon of thofe, in whofe Breath the fparks of this Heavenly fire, do ever burn and carry them out in the zealous purfuit of the world to come. (3dly.) We need prefs this found belief of the world to come ; Becaufe whatever men pretend eternal life zs little believed in the World. The molt part of thofe men who live in the common light of Chriftianity, are purblind, and cannot fee afar of, or look beyond the Grave. Gods own Children have too cold and doubtful thoughts of this eftate, not fuch a lively, clear, and firm perfuafion of things to come, but that it needeth to be increafed more and more. The Apoftle prayeth for the converted Ephefians, That the God of our Lord fefus Chrili, the Father of Glory, may give unto you the Spirit of Wifdom, and Revelation, in the knowledge of him ; the eyes ofyour underflanding king en lightned ; thatye may know what is the hope of his Calling, &c.--- Eph. t. z7, iS. That is, more clearly fee, and more firmly believe thofe good things which they fhould injoy in Heaven. Alas weare fo taken up with trifles and childifh toys, that our Faith is very weak about thefe excellent Bleffings. The evidences that 'tis little believed, are thefe. s. Becaufe we are far more fweyed with the promifes of fmall temporal advantages, than we are with the promife of eternal life. The Bleflìngs we expe& in the other world, are far more excellent, andmore glorious in their nature, and certain in their duration, yet they have lefs influence upon us, than poor, paltry, perifhing vanities. What fhould be the reafon ? IAnfw. When a thing of lefs weight weigheth down a greater, we judge then the ballantes are not equal. The Soul doukteth of things to come, but readily clofeth with things prefent. Who would prefer a Cottage before a Palace ? A Leafe for an year before an Inheritance. There is no comparifon between the things thentfelves, but we are not equally perfuaded of things to come, and things in hand, and of a prefent injoy - ment. Cyprian bringeth in the Devil vaunting againft Chrift, Oflende tuns tales munera. rios,0 Chrifle, &c: -- I had not Heaven to bellow upon them, nor eternal happinefs to "propound to them, only a little carnal fatisfaáion in the pleafures of fin, that are but " for a feafon : Yet among all thy Penfioners O Chrift, fheìv me one that is fo ready to "follow thee, as they are to follow me. If we had Faith as Wes had, we wouldchoofe rather to fuller afitlton with the People of God, than to enjoy the pleafures of fin for alea- fon,Heb. ar.zs. But alas, thofe that believe asChrif tians , live as Heathens, a little profit and a little pleafure in the world is enough to fway with them, to run the hazard and forfeiture of all their hopes in the world to come. z. Surely men do notbelieve Heaven, becatFe they are fowlittle affetled with it. Affeái- ons follow perfuafion, Heb. r r. 13. Being perfuaded of them, embraced them. We would
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