on tiJ~ Glory ()f Chrijl. ~I 3 MANY. love ~o walk in q very carders Ynwife pro~ffion. So long as they can hold out in the per - formance of outward duties, they are very re · gardlefs of the greateft Evangelical Fr:viledgcs; ~f thofe things which are the marrow of divine 'Pr9mifes,. a11 real endeavours of a vital eo 11mnni- ~n; wirh Chrift. Such are fpiritnal peace, refl:efhing confolations, ineffable joys9 and rhe b!dfed. compofilre of affiuance. Without fome tatte and experience of thefe things, profeffion Is heart~ lds, litdefs, ufelefs; and Religion it felf a dead carcilfs witho.ut an animating fouL The peace ~vhich forne en~y, is a meer ttupidity. They JUdg not thefe things to be real, which are the {ubftance of Chrifts prefem reward ; and a reIiunciation whereof would deprive the Church of its principal fupportments and encouragements in ail its fufferings. 1t is a great evidence of ~he power of unbelief, when we can far is fie our ,feh~es without an experience in our own hearts of tt1'e great· things in this kind of ,1o)'-, Peace, Confolation, ~Jjurance·, that are promifed in tbe GofJ)el. For how c~n it be filppofed that we do indeed be- · lieve the promifes of things fumre, nainely, of Heaven, Immortality and Glory, the faith whereof is the fotmdation of all Religion, when we do not beli~v·e the promifes of the prefent re1Vard, in thefe fpiritual Priviledges. And how £hall we be thought to believe them, when we do not endeavour after an experience of the things tbemfdves in our own fouls, but are even contented without them ? But herein men deceive themfelves. They would very defiroufly have evangelical Joy, Peace anQ. Affurance to countenance them in rheir P 3 evil
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