236- FAITH BUILT ON KNOWLEDGE. DISC. IX. them apart. Where this world ofsouls is I know not, nor can I tell how to secure my best interest there, or direct myself in the right way to the region of sanctified spirits in that world, where I am so much a stranger, ; all the land of death is in a great measure the region of darkness still ; it is a vast unknown country, and far the biggest part ofit is aburning climate, alandoftorment, sor- row, and despair ; and there are a thousand roads that lead down to this gulph of wretchedness ; and how shall my poor wandering soul, when dismissed from this flesh, find the way to the land of light, since 1 know not the paths, nor the dangers of the way, and there is no companion in death to guide me through the dark valley ? How shall I dare to plunge into eternity, except some mighty friend be there to take care of me, and conduct me to the seat of the blessed ? But my Lord Jesus lives in that unseen world; he has passed through the region of death, and knows it well : he has the keys of death, and the separate state, and is acquainted with all the avenues of it; he is governor of the lanci of blessedness, and the fittest guardian to whom I can commit my departing spirit. I leave also my poor remains of flesh to his care : These limbs I leave to moulder into dust, under the wakeful eye of his provi- dence ; for he is Lord of this lower world too, and he will raise my flesh to immortality, and rejoin it to my soul at the great day. 7. In the last place, I might add, the faithfulness of Christ to fulfil all that he undertakes, is another qualifi- cation that encourages our trust. His name is the Amen, " thefaithful and the true;" Rev. iii. 14. The Lord is faithful who shall establish you, and keepyou from evil; therefore, saith the apostle to the saints at Thessalonica, " We haveconfidence in theLord touching you ;" 2 Thess. iii, 3, 4. His sincerity is above all possibility of being corrupted, and what he once designs he will accomplish : " Whom he loves, he loves to the end;" John xiii. 1. He is unchangeable in his compassion from the very truth of his nature ; his zeal and watchfulness can never admit him to be forgetful one moment, of all the infinite concerns that a believer has intrusted with him. His faithfulness adds force and strength to all the encourage- ments that our faith receives from all the other qualifica- tions of Christ; and if I know all these excellencies are
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