Ver. 1i 3. xxvtb. Chapter of St. MATTHEW. ? S the work in hand : We often mingle Sulphur with our Incenfe, interline our Pray- ers with carnal diftra&ions, fuller our Hearts to be ftollen away from under Chrifts own arm ; therefore we had need to watch, Eccl. 5. a, 2, 3. There is a Watching after Prayer : Partly, that we may obfervp Gods deal- ing with us ; whether our Souls have been ftrenghtened, or whether he bath given liberty ; hidden his face, or {hewed himfelf gracious. Here we may gather fome matter of Comfort to our felves, and Thankfgiving to God, Col. 6. 2. We muff not throw away our Prayers, as Children {hoot away their Arrows, and never look after them, HA 2. I. I will pray and look up, to fpy the Bleffing a coming. We fhould have many an Argument againft Atheifm, great helps to Faith, and encouragements to love God, and many a fure ground of comfort in our felves, if we did look after the anfwer of our Prayers. And partly, that we lofe not that affection which we have profeffed and expreffed before God. We feemed to ex- prefs a great defire of glorifying his Name, and doing his Will, and being fan - étified, pardoned, and ftrengthened againff Temptations. Now 'es but the per - fonating and acting a part before God, if we be not fuch in Tome meafure, as we profeffed our felves to be in Prayer if we be not careful to glorifie his Name, zealous to promote his Kingdom, ready to do his Will, earneft for pardoning Grace, watchful againft Temptations. A Chriftians life is a Comment upon his Prayers ; and his Prayers do interpret his life ; We underftand the one by the other. Our endeavours, and diligent ufe of means do Thew what we really defire : For, what we pray to God for, we bind our felves to feek after. Secondly, There is a Watching with refpeft to our. future Eflate, that we may be ready to meet Chrift at his Coming. Now this confifteth, (i.) In a deep and lively fenfe of Chris Appearing, and the whole ftate of the World to come. We look for nothing but what we believe. Faith is a reali- zing fight of things not yet in being ; and maketh them in fóme meafure to work as if they were at hand, and ready to be enjoyed. Now the more lively fenfe we have of the concernments of the other World, the more diligent and ferious {hall we be in our preparation ; when we have a deep fenfe of thefe things, as if prefently to be Arraigned; and walk as before the Judge to whom we are to give an account of all our a&ions. Mott men live as if there were no day of reckon- ing, no God to fee and punifh, no Books to be opened ; the careers fpending their time fheweth they have no deep fenfe of thefe things, rio found belief of them : But Faith looketh upon there things as great, fure, and near; and fo keep, eth the Soul awake, and alive. It greateneth our Apprehenfions of thefe things : For 'tis no flight matter for the Creature to meet with his Creator, the Sinner with his Judge, from whom he muff now receive his final doom. Faith doch (peak aloud to a fluggifh Soul, Thou muff bezjudged, Rom. 14. 12, So then eve- ry one of us mull give an account of himfelf to God. And as 'cis fare, fo 'cis near, The Judge is at the door, Phil. 4. 5. You muff hear of what you now fpeak and do, another day, Mat. 52. 36. For, every idle word that a man (hall {peak, he fhaf give an account of at the day of judgment. It fuppreffeth fie, and quickeneth and awn - keneth to Duty, 2 Pet. 3. Is, r a. Without Faith we have no fenfible, awaken. ing, praaical knowledge of thefe things. The fight of Faith differeth from the fight of Senfe. Senfe can difcern little more than we fee, tafte, finell, hear, and feel. We are affeaed with thefe things ; fo are the Beaffs, who only fee things before their eyes by the eye of fenfe. We fee nothing but what Dogs may fee, and Beafts may fee that cis comfortable to eat well, and drink' well, and fleep well, and be well cloathed, and walk up and down at pleafure, and purfue the advantages of the Animal life. There is a miff upon Eternity : How acute foever men be in worldly things, they are blind here, 2 Pet. a. 9. He that lacketh thefe things is blind, and cannot fee afar off. Sharp- fighted in things that concern the back and belly, and this prefent World ; but know nothing of the hazard of pe- rifhing for ever, or the worth of Salvation, their need of Chriff, and making fe- rious preparation for their great account. Faith is a Perfpeáive, by which we look into the other_World. None have fuch a {harp fight as Believers have for they can fee beyond the limits of time, the corruption and changes of all things that are in the World, even to that bleffednefs which God hath referved for them that love him. And the light of Faith differeth from Reafon : That can only fee things by ghefs, or fee things in their Caufes, and shat as probable ; but Faith can look I. 2 chin
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