4-8 SERMONS upon the Serm. VIII. World, even our Faith. And Taming the Flefh, Ails 15. 9. purifying their hearts by Faith, and mattering our carnal delires andtffe &ions. Refilling the Devil, r Tet.S. 9, It fheweth us better things with which our minds are wholly taken up. Every mans heart cleaveth moo ftrongly to thofe things which he judgeth belt. Now Faith (hew- ing us the things of the other World, prefent things are leffened in our eyes, and our de- fires to them abated. A flight and fuperficial Confidence foon vanifhethaway ; they are not able by it to vanquifh Temptations, john t z. 41, 43. Neverthelefs among the Chiefrulers alfo many believed on him, but becaufe ofthe Pharifees, they did not confefs him, left they thou!" be put out of the Synagogue. For they lovedthe toile of men,more then the praife of God. 'Tis fuch a dependance upon the mercy of God, in Jefus Chrift, as to count it better than life, Pfal. 63. 3. Such a value of the bleffing promifed as will Counterballance the Temporal good orevil,which the Devil, the World, and the Flefh oppofeth to their good or Evil. Men may have fome beginnings or difpofttions to true Faith, but they are weak and feeble, and fo are foon over mattered by worldly and carnal refpe&s, and cannot pre- fer the Service of Chrift before the glory of the World, gob: 5.44. How can ye believe which receive honour one ofanother, andfeek not the honour that cometh from God only ? 4. 'Tis growing. As our affent to the Word of Truth is more full and ftrong, foour Adherence, Confidence and Dependance increafeth alto, and we cleave faller to the Pro- miles of Chrift, and are better eftablilhed in the practice of godlinefs, and have a more fetled boldnefs againft fears, and doubts, and temptations ; fo that they can bear better repulfes from God, Matth. r 5. 2.8. Great is thy Faith; Grow more couragious in dangers and difficulties, Rom. S. t8. For I reckon that thefafferings of this prefent time are not wor- th to be compared with the glory that _hall be revealed in us. ver. 37. Nay, in all thefe things we are more than Conquerours; And are the lefs flìaken and troubled with cares and fears, Mat; 6. zo. Shall he not much more death you, O ye of little Faith ! And believe in hope againfl hope, Rom. 4. zo. The higheft degree of Confidence is not gotten at once, nor at firft ordinarily, but by degrees, after force continuance ofwaiting upon God,after many Tryals and Confli&s, and Experiences of his Love and Favour ; therefore _hll we are to labour after this, that we may with greater quiernefs wait on God in the midit of preffures, overcome theWorld, contemn the pleafures of Sin, curb our unruly Paliions, come to the Throne of Grace with more boldnefs and confidence. z. What is the Earnefl of the Spirit ? See the Sermon on the former verfe. 3. How this Confidence arifeth from having the Earnefl of the Spirit in our hearts? Three ways. r. As an Argument. z. By way of Effeílual Aflame. 3. By way of gracious Improvement. a. As a conftrmingArgument, againft all our doubts and fears, which are apt to affault and hurt us, till we be in full poleffion,efpecially in great Tryals. The Spirit,'ris an argu- ment llrong and full, to confirm us in the truth and worth of the promifed Glory. The truth is plain, fo the worth,as before. 'Tis an Argument in our own bofoms; other things are without us, but this is within: That which before was written in books or fpoken by men is now tranfcribed upon our hearts, and fo nearer at band for our ufe, r yobs 5. ro. He that believeth on the Son of God bath the witnefs in himfelf. When I go to my Bible there I find promifes of eternal life which are the ground ofmy Confidence. I go ro my heart, and there I find the beginnings of eternal life, and fo my Confidence is much in- creafed ; a believerhaththatwithin which affureth him of better a Piste to come; he hatha taft of it in his Soul, a fpiritual fenfe. That which is within us and lyeth as near as our own hearts is more fenfibleand affe&ing; and more likely to work upon us effefkually than that which is without us. Tina very ingaging Argument to bind us not todepart fromthefeHopes ; fhallweturn the back upon God after experience? 'Tis their great aggravation, Heb. 6.4, 5. 'lis im- pojiblefor thofe that have been once inlightned,andhave tailedof theHeavenly gift, and were made partakers of theHoÿGhofl,&i have tafledof thegoodword,& thePowers of theWorldto come, if they_hould fall away, to renew them again unto Repentance. There may be fome kind of taft and preparation towards thisEarnefl,fromwhencemen may fall away,z Pet.z. zo, at, zz. For if after they have efcaped the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Yefus Chrift, they are againintangled therein ,and overcome, the latter endis worfe with them than the beginning; for it had been better for themnot to have known the way of Righteoufnefs,than after they have known it to turn from theHoly Commandment, delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, the dog is' turned
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