; y. 1. 'Ihe Trial and S ER 2?. Love can hardlybe hired,Nature is fl:rongcr thanRewards or any Externals: Comforts are but the Hire of ferving of God, and the Refults of believing in a fad Condition. There be fo rrte Cau... tions 'here that are confiderable, 1. GC>d leadeth fomeftrong Ones to 'Heaven, whofc_: AffeEt:ions are foft as ~avid's were, P_(at. xxxv, 1 3· and cxix. 1. 5, 2 8, 53· (Pfat. vi. 6. and yet Faith is ftrong, Pfat. xxii . I. God poilibly immediately working 1.1pon the aJfenting,. or believing Faculty, leaving the Affeehons to their own native Diipofition. ~. God ufeth fome priviledged Diipenfatiom, fo Cl& a ftrongBeliever n1all doubt upon no goodGround, Pfat. ex vi. I r. God fo difpofing, that Grace may appear to be Grace, and the Man but FleJh. ·~· Softnefs of Affection, and Light of Comfort, may by Accident concur with ftrong Acts of BeJieving; for with theie, in many, there .!s little Light, much Faith, and they Ibould without th~fe Apples given to Children, ftrongl y believe, and God to confirm his own of mere Indulgence fweetneth Affetlions . . . But if God eive Comforts, ordinarily 'tis a Sort of Indulgence of Grace, or the Grace of Grace, ,Tis true, rejoicing falleth under·a Gofpel-Commandment, PhiJ. iv. 4· Yet fo, as God bath nor tied the Sweet of the Comfort of Believ.,. ing to believing, that you. may know 'ris St!ength of Faith that is the Principle of ftrong Faith, as intenfe and ftrong Habits maketh ftrong Atl:s. God ~e~peth fom"e in a fad Condition all their Lif", who are experienced Believers, and they never fl:.el the O.)mfort of Faith, while the Sple~ dor of Glory g1ance on their EyP.s; as one ~:xpm ~n.:edBelievt;r kept ~mde.J."Sadp~fs&H:ar for e1ghteen Years,
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