Ver.i8, the 8th Chapter to the ROMAN S. 185 everla[ting peace and refit which we (hall have when we (hall attain our end ; now if we be deprived of things without us, for filch things within us; if we be 'denyed to live in dependanceonthe creature , that we may immediately enjoy God, ( hould we grudgand murmur ? 7. Our fu icings difhonaur us in the fight of the world, but this giory maketh us amiable in the fight of God : For having fuch a near relation to God, and being made like him; we are qualified for a perfeû reception of his love to ut ; we love God more in the glo rifled elate, and God lovethus more, as appeareth by the areas ; for he communica, teth himfelf to us in a greater latitude than we are capable of here ; now is the ha- tred of the world worthy to be compared with the love of a Father ? Or fhould their frowns be a temptation to us, tó divert us from that eflate, wherein welhall be prefent= ed holy, and unblamable, and irreprovable in his fight? Col. I. 22. When perfeflly fanfti- lied, we ]love God more, and are more beloved by turn. 8. The order is to be confidered ; for lookas to the wicked, God will turn their glory into frame g fo as to the godly, he will turn theirframe into glory : 'Tis good to have the bell at lafl; for 'tis a miferable thing, to have been happy, and to have had experience of à better condition, and to become miferable, Luke 6.20. Wo to you rich, for you have re- ceivedyour confolatian; and Luke 16. 25. Son, in thy life time thou received(! thy good things, and Lazarus evil things ; but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. The beggar had firft temporal evils, and then eternal good things ; bút the rich man had firfi temporal good things, and then eternal evil things; as many that do well here in the world, fare ill in the world to come ; but now 'cis otherwife with the godly, John i6. 20. Tour farrow(hall be turned intojay. Our tall and final portion is moft to be regard- ed; the Chriflian by temporal trouble goeth to eternal joy ; the worldling by temporal glory to eternal fhame ; a Chri(itians end is better than his beginning, he is belt at (aft 9 a man would not have evil, after experience of good. 4. The comparifon, tho it be rightly Rated and weighed by us, yet it will have no efficacy , unlefs we have faith, or a deep fenfe of the world to come. For unlefs we believe thefe things, they feem too uncertain, and too far off to work upon us : 'Tis eafie to reafon . down our bodily and worldly choice, and to (hew how much eternal things exceed 'tem- poral; but this taketh.no hold of the heart, till there be a firm belief of the giry ore- ferved for Gods People, Heb, t i. t. Faith is the fnbflance of things hoped far, and the evi- dence of things not feen5 and 2 Pet. t. 9. He that lacketh thefe things, is blind and cannot fee afar off. To draw us from things that we fee and feel, we need a clear light about things we feenot 3 Men are (harp lighted enough in things that concern the prefent world, but beyond it we can fee nothing, but by the perlpeetive of faith; and there- fore reafon as long as we will, yet the confideration of the other world doth nothing prevail with us, without a lively faith. 5. This faith muff be often exercifid by ferious meditations, or deep and ponderous thoughts. For the greatefl truths work not, if we do not think of them ; Faith fheweth us a truth, but confideration is the means to improve ir, that we may make a good choice, and our hearts maybe fortified againft all temptations ; we mull often fit down, and count the charges with our felves, what it will colt us, what we (hall lofe, and what we [hall get; Luke 14. 28, 2g, 3o. The Spirit of God will not help us, without our thoughts; for he dealeth not with us, as birds do in feeding their young, bringing meat to them, and put - ting it into their mouths, while they lie [lilt in the nell, and only gape to receive it 5 but as God giveth Corn, while we; plow, Cow, weed, dreh, and With patience expeél his bleffing : No, here the Apo[lle was reafoning and weighing the cafe within him- fel£ 6. There srbefidesfound belief and ferions confideration,need of the influence and djjiflance of the ho) fpirit: For blades his giving faith, and exciting, and bleffing meditation, to difpofe and frame our hearts to bide by this conclufion, the influence of the Holy Ghofl is neceffary ; for God is the chief difpofer of hearts ; 'tis not enough notionally to know this, but we mutt be praûically refolved, and the heart inclined i 'tis a new inlight= ned mind, and a renewed heart, that is only capable of determining thus, that we may live by it; and that is by another fpirit thanthe fpirit of the world, which naturally pof- feffeth us, even the fpirit of God, t Cot. 2.12. Which is promifed to his children; and inclineth us to place our happinefs, not in worldly things, but iu Chri[i and his benefits: in fhort,fenfe is too firong for realms without faith ; and faith cannot doits office with- out the fpirit; the fle(hfeeketh not reafon, but eafe ;unlefs the heart be changed, and etherwife biaffed and bent; all is loft. S 9 A .tE
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