how did he fee him? By faith (faies the text) by faith be faw bim that is invifible. Faith opens the eyes for to fee that a man hath more with him, than against him: and the works of God, in Chrift, are not feen by the world: Gods pardoning mercy, not feen by the world: The Union with Jefus Chritt, and the priviledg thereof; not feen by the world: The fatisfaction of Jefus Chrift for a poor finner, not seen by the world: The great Power of God not feea, or if fo, yet ata diftance, it don't much affect. Faith is the fubftance of Heb 11.1 things not feen: it does not only fhew a man things that are otherwife unfeen, but brings them neer; Salvation neer; pardoning mercy neer,the Priviledges of Union with Chrift neer; Chrifts fatisfaction neer: and fo when difficulties and difcouragements do arife, laies the foul through Faith, Why fhould not I be fatisfied with any condition, feing Chrift hath fatisfied for me? I am one with Chrift, Chrift is a common perfon: When Chrift died, I died: when Chrift rofe, rofe: when Chrift afcended, bafcended: Christ fitting in Heaven, I fit there. Thus Faith, it elevates, and raifes up the foul into Heaven, it carries it over all difficulties and difcouragements that it can meet withal.

Again, true, faving faith; it tels the foul that all things are its own. All things are yours (faies the Apoftle) things prefent, and things to come, life and death; all things are yours. Faith fpeaks the fame language: All things are yours (Soul) all things are yours: Difficulties are yours, and natural impoffibilities are yours; things prefent are yours, and things to come are yours. Will you be afraid of that which is your own? Will the owner be afraid of his own dog? a Mastiff, he falls upon a stranger, and worries him, and a ftranger is afraid of him; but the owner is not afraid, he leaps and fawns upon him, but does not worry him. Saies Faith, all thefe Difficulties, and all these Temptations, they are your own, they won't worry you; they may leap upon you, they may fawn upou you, but they won't worry you; they are all your own; part of the purchafe that Jefus Chrift hath made for you,all thefe are your own. Faith holds this ftea

2.

I Cor.

3. 22.

4.

3.

dily upan the foul, and fo a man breaks through Difficul

ties.

Again thirdly, True faving, juftifying Faith, it fhews a man greater excellencies in Chrift than all difficulties, and natu ral difcouragements can amount unto on the other fide. You know how 'cis wich a dog, the Grey-hound, if he fees the game a great way off, he gives it over: but when he comes neer, he wil rush through the very bushes for to take the Hare,throw himself upon his back that he may take it, a natural hope makes him do it: Faith, it raises a mighty hope in the foul, prefents the foul with many Excellencies,and raifes a mighty hope in the foul for the obtainment of them: it does fpread more excellencies before the foul, than can be loft by the hand of Difficulties: for example: If a man hath been a Prodigal, and now is returning to Chrift; the world faies, friends fay, if you take this courfe, you will lofe all; you will lofe all your acquaintance,lofe your liberty, lofe your eftate, may be lofe your life: Be it fo (faies faith) though thou lofeft thy friends, thou fhalt gain better: and though thou lofeft thy liberty, thou shalt gain better: and though thou lofeft thy life it felf, thou fhalt gain a better; 'tis but a while neither (faies faith) that thou shalt lofe thefe things and thou shalt have them better,in a better Edition. When a mans eyes are open to behold the Excellencies of Chrift, then they are fhut to outward Difcouragements. When a man hath beheld the Sun in its glory, his eyes dazle to the things that are below: Now Faith opens a mans eyes to fee the Excellencies of Jefus Chrift, and fo the foul is carried through Difficulties and Difcouragements, though they be never fo many.

Again fourthly, True, faving Faith, it inables the foul to leave the fuccef and the event of all unto God bimfeif. Nothing ftrengthens the hands of Difficulties and Difcouragements fo much, as folicitude about fuccefs and event of things: True faving faith helps a man to leave the fuccefs to Chrift; it does commit the foul unto God, unto Chrift; there is a mutual committing between Chrift and a Beleever:

24.

5.

Chrift commits himself unto a Belèver,and a Beleever commits himself again unto Chrift, Christ commits himself unto a Belcever: you know what is faid in the Gofpel, He John, 2 did not commit himself unto them, because they did not beleeve bim, arguing, that he did commit himself unto others that did beleeve him. And Beleevers commit themselves unto Jefus Pfal. 37. Christ. Commit thy way unto the Lord; There is a mutual way of committing: Chrift, he does commit his Grace; he does commit his Spirit; he does commit his Truth unto a Beleever a Beleever commits his Eftate, and his Name, and Himself again unto Chrift: Chrift commits his Work unto a Beleever; and a beleever commits the fucceß of the work again unto Jefus Chrift. Faith now leaves the event, and the fuccefs unto Jefus Chrift; and therefore when Difficul ties and natural Difcouragements arife, and fay, What wilt thou do now? What wilt thou do now to be preferved? What wilt thou do to continue now? What wilt thou do to be delivered now? What will become of you now? Oh! Satan ((aies a beleever) thou haft mistaken the question; My question is not, What fhal become of me? I have left the fucceffe of things to God: but my queftion is, What fhal I do for God? My question is, How fhal I love Jefus Chrift? My queftion is, How fhall I be like unto Jefus Chrift? My que ftion is,How fhal I ferve my generation,and own Jefus Chrift in thefe times? This is my question. Faith,true,faving faith, it leaves the fucceffe and the event of things unto Christ, and fo thereby the foul is carried through all Difficulties and natural Difcouragements unto Jefus Chrift.

In the fifth place. True, faving faith, is that grace whereby the foul takes up the yoke of Chrift, and the burden of Chrift upon bis foul. Chrifts burden, does unburden all other burdens, the very taking Chrifts burden upon a man, does eafe him of all other burdens. This may feem ftrange to you, that the taking of a new burden fhould eafe one of the former: if a man be carrying coals or wood,the taking of a new burden would not eafe him of the former; but the burden of Chrift (beloved) is of another nature. Axftin diftinguishes

them

5.

6.

John, 2.

4. 5.

them; there is a burden burdening, and a burden fupporting: he expreffes it thus; The feathers that a Bird or a Foul is cloathed with, they have a weight in them, the wings and feathers have a weight, a pound of feathers is as heavy as a pound of lead; there is a weight in thofe feathers, yet notwithstanding they bear up the burden of the body; though there be a weight in them one weight bears up ano ther: Or as 'tis with your Coaches, the wheels are heavy; yet notwithstanding, being faftned unto the Coach, unto the body of the Coach,makes the body to go away the ligh ter, though they be heavy in themselves. So now 'tis here, the burden of Jefus Chrift it makes all other burdens to go away the lighter. Faith, true, faving Faith, it is the grace that takes up the burden of Christ upon the foul, and fo thereby all other burdens are made the lighter, and diff culties and difcouragements overcome.

In the fixt place. True, faving Faith, it does teach a man for to pick out the love of God, from under the anger of God. God never makes his Pills fo bitter, but he mingles fome Sugar withal: and true Faith can find it out. When as our Lord and Savior Chrift said, Woman, what have I to do with the? mine bour is not yet come: The next words that she faies is, to the fervants, Whatsoever be bids you do, that do. They wanted wine, fhe came to him for wine, and be answered her fo: it may feem an hard answer, yet faies fhe to the fervants, what foever he bid you do, that do. For our Savior had faid,my hour is not yet come : implying therfore,that he would do it.Implycation is enough for Faith, for Mary's Faith. Faith, it acquaints a man with the waies of God, and acquaints a foul what Gods waies are: it tells the foul,that when Chrift feems to be the greatest enemy, he intends the greatest friendhip. He (faies faith) does then intend for to raifeus up, when he seems most for to caft us down: whereupon, when difficulties and difcouragements do arife, Is this his way in deed? (faies a beleeving foul) why then fhall I be born down with fo many difcouragements, though they be never fo many?

In the feventh and laft place: true faving juflifying faith, fils the foul with Gods infinity,or infinitneß. Gods way is not as your way (faies Faith) nor his thoughts as your thoughts; but as the Heavens are above the Earth, fo are his thoughts beyond yours, and his waies beyond yours. Faich lodges. this Principle into the foul, that God is infinit; and having laid that Principle there, when difficulties and difcouragements do arife, faying, you fee now into what diftrefs you are brought, now you fee there is no hope at all for your deliverance; true indeed, faies the Beleever through the ftrength of Faith, I fee there is no way in any one realon,but God is infinite; I fee many difficulties, but God is infinite: the foul by faith being fild with the apprehenfion of Gods infinitnefs, hereby is carried through all difficulties and dif couragements to Jesus Christ.

I have not time, I fee, to tell you how Faith works by love which much water cannot quench, ftronger than death. And now Faith is ftrengthened with the ftrength of the power of God that it laies hold upon. As the Ivy is ftrong by the ftrength of the Oak that it grafps upon: So Faith is ftrong by the ftrength of that God that it grafps upon.

But the thing is fufficiently proved, No difficulties can ftand before faving Faith; True, faving, juftifying Faith, carries the foul through all difficulties, discouragements,and natural impossibi. ties to Jefus Christ.

I come to the Application.

7.

If these things be fo, Then if difficulties and natural dif. | Applic. couragements do arife, (who is there among you, but meet with fome or other in your feveral places?) fee here the way how for to grapple with them; ftrengthen your Faith, exercife your Faith; Refolution (you are mistaken) refolu tion won't do it; (Chriftian) here is thy ftrength. ConviЯion won't do it, Moral Vertues won't do it, Evangelical Gifts, and Parts, and Inlargements won't do it; Experiences of Gods prefervation of you won't do it; (Chriflian) here's thy ftrength: But Oh! let not your frength be cut off in the lap of any Dalilah. True, juftifying Faith