a season; yea, in Acts viii. 13, it is said of Simon Magus, (who was in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity,) he believed, and those in John ii. 23, when they did behold the miracles they believed on Jesus Christ, and yet we perceive that their faith was not sincere, and so this was not saving faith. And indeed ye may see a difference betwixt these two, in the very name temporary, for this is such a faith as doth not continue long with him that hath it, but doth evanish and pass away, for as this is certain, that an hypocrite will not always call upon God, Job. xxvii. 10, so that is also certain, that an hypocrite will not always believe in God. I tell you, that the longest time that an hypocrite doth keep his faith, Job hath set down in his xviii. chap. verse 14. Their hope (saith he) shall bring them to the king of terrors, and then it shall be rooted out of them, and their tabernacle, their faith will bring them no further than the gates of death, and then their faith will fly away as a dream, and evanish as a vision of the night.

II. There is this difference likewise betwixt them, that temporary faith closeth with Christ as a Saviour, and for righteousness, but it closeth not with Christ as a Prince, and for sanctification: but justifying faith taketh Christ as well for a Prince, as it taketh him for a Saviour: and if Solomon did discern who was the true mother of the child, by that, that she who would have the child divided, was not the mother of the child; so we may say, that they who would divide Christ in his offices, it is an evidence that they are not amongst those who are actually made partakers of the adoption of children: there is somewhat of this pointed at in John vi. 60, where that which made many who were his disciples (and did once believe) desert him, was because of the hardness of his commands, this is a hard saying, who can bear it? And it is certain, that it is a greater difficulty for a Christian to take Christ as a Prince, than as a Saviour: for by that he must make an absolute resignation of himself over to Christ never to be reduced, O! when saw you such a sight of Christ, that you were constrained to cry out (without a compliment) to him, "Truly I am thy servant, I am thy servant ?" Or were you never ravished with one of his eyes: nor overtaken with one chain of his neck: believe me, they who see him, do believe that his commands are not grievous.

III. There is this difference, that temporary faith is attained unto without the exercise of the law: but justifying faith is not attained to without some measure of the exercise of the law; this is clear, Mark iv. 5, where speaking of these temporary believers, it is said of them, the fruit immediately sprang up, &c. Are there not some (it may be here) who think they do believe, and yet were never in any measure trembling under the discovering and condemning power of the law? Is not that a mystery that one should bring forth without travailing? And is not this a mystery in Christianity that one should believe before he hath found the pangs of the new-birth? I am afraid of this, that many of us hath taken up our religion at our foot; for there are many that take up religion before religion take them up. But would ye know the properties of a Christian's faith? It is a begotten faith, 1st Pet. i. 2,

and not a faith that is taken up at our pleasure: and I would only say these two things to you; be persuaded of this, that hypocrisy may be spun with a very small thread: so that the most discerning Christian cannot take up that desperate enmity that is in them. How long did Judas lurk under the name of a saint, even with those that were most discerning. And there is that we would say, that among all these "that shall be eternally excommunicate from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power," hypocrites in Sion shall have the bitterest cup of divine indignation presented unto them. Hence it is, that Christ when he would tell the worst company that one should have in hell, it is always this, ye shall go to that place where hypocrites and sinners are: and so it would be of your concernment, that by the candle of the Lord you will search the inward parts of the belly, before you go down to the grave with a lie in your right hand: a deceiving heart having turned you aside. We confess it is sad to discover these anxious disappointments that many in those days shall once meet with.

IV. But there is this last difference betwixt justifying faith, and temporary faith. That there are three precious effects of justifying faith, which a temporary believer cannot win to.

1. To be denied to all his enjoyments and attainments, and walk humbly under them, for we may see that it is impossible for an hypocrite to be denied to his enjoyments, he maketh such a deity of them, and worships them, or rather he worshippeth himself in them. There are three great graces that a hypocrite doth pursue after, (though he rather seeketh them as gifts than as graces,) knowledge, prayer, and humility: and though it be but little that he can attain of any of the three, (or rather nothing in a saving way,) yet least of all can he attain to the last; yea, we may judge that there is always within his bosom a standing conviction, that he could never win to that grace of humility. O! could you never win to this, to count your own righteousness as filthy rags, and to rejoice alone in the righteousness of a crucified Saviour? I would press this upon you by the way, (O! Christians of this generation,) forget your perfections, and remember your imperfections; have a holy oblivion of your attainments, but have a divine remembrance of your short-comings; look more to what is before unperfected, than what is behind, and thus shall you evidence true justifying faith.

2. It is an effect of justifying faith, to be under some constant and divine impressions of the preciousness of Jesus Christ, according to that word, 1st Pet. ii. 7, to you who believe, Christ is precious. It is not said, that Christ was precious, or shall be precious, but it is said, He is precious, which doth import, (as we use to speak,) a continued act. Did you never know what it was to dwell twentyfour hours under the impression of the matchless excellency and precious worth of a crucified Saviour? I will pose you with this; are there not some here (and elsewhere) that pass under the notion of saints, that never knew what it was to dwell half an hour under these high and elevating thoughts of the preciousness of Jesus Christ? So that we profess we cannot tell whether we shall call him precious or undervalued; but we may join these two names together, that he is precious, and yet an undervalued Christ.

3. By true justifying faith, a Christian winneth to mortification of his invisible and predominant lusts, which is impossible for a temporary believer to win to. And is there not a great difference betwixt an idol when it is cast out, and an idol when it goeth out? I will tell you the great mortification of hypocrites, the devil was living in them, as one that was a black one, and now he cometh again and transformeth himself into an angel of light; he was living in them before, by the spirit of profanity, and now he liveth in them by the spirit of hypocrisy, and counterfeiting of these things that were never clear attainments, while it is the dignity of faith, Acts xv. 9, to purify the heart. But are there not many here who never knew what it was to mortify one lust for Christ? Can such a delusion overtake you, O athiests! that ye shall reign with Christ, if ye die not with him? There is an opinion vented in these days, that there may be repentance in heaven, and I think it would seem that the Christians of this age have much of that opinion, we are so little in repentance while we are here below; but know that faith and sanctification are two inseparable companions: and let me tell you, if ye would know the compend of the precious exercise of faith, it is this, faith hath three great things that it perpetually contemplates and views. 1. Faith looketh to the promise, and there it doth rejoice and rest upon it. 2. Faith looketh to the duties that are commanded, and there it crieth out, here I am, I will obey and hearken to the voice of thy word. And, 3. Faith looketh to the crown, and there it doth exult and sweetly rejoice in divine expectations. And O! what a sight is that, to behold that everlasting Prince standing at the end of our race, having a crown in his right hand, with this motto engraven on it, he that persevereth to the end shall be saved. And what a faith suppose ye shall it be thought, when we shall get on that immortal crown of blessedness? What think ye is the exercise of those that are above? O! heaven, heaven. If we did know it, would we not be in an holy ecstasy of desire, till we were there? And blessed be he eternally, that hath purchased that precious felicity to us.

Now we shall at this time shut up our discourse, by speaking a little to these things in which a Christian doth ordinarily meet with assurance of his interest in God, and is put to the divine actings of the grace of faith, for there are some sealing times to a Christian.

I. The first time of the sealing is, after the mortification of some predominant lust and idol, when they are admitted to read their names in these precious and ancient records of heaven, and to see (in these books) their own unworthy names written by the hand of that everlasting Prince. This is clear, Rev. ii. 17, to him that overcometh, will I give a white stone, and in it a new name written, that no man knows, saving he that receiveth it and from that, 2 Tim. iv. 8. Believe me, more mortification would make more believing ; but would ye know the original of misbelief: it is the want of the exercise of spiritual mortification of our lusts. I know not where the most part of us intendeth to lodge at night, but this is certain, that we live with much contentment with our lusts, and these predominant idols, that do so much possess us.

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II. It is readily a sealing-time to a Christian, when he is admitted to the divine enjoyment of these satisfying delights that are to be found in Christ. Whence was it that the spouse cried out so often, my beloved is mine, and I am his? Was it not when she

was brought to the banqueting house, and his banner over her was love? Believe me, more communion with an absent Christ would make more intimation (in a divine manner) of our peace with him. We desire to bless those that are above the reach of all these disputings and questions that we are so much subject unto.

III. This is a sealing-time to a Christian, when he is much in the exercise of secret prayer, and of much conversing and corresponding with God in that duty, as is clear from that word in Daniel ix. 21. When Daniel was praying at the evening oblation, in verse 23, he meets with a divine intimation, that is, peace with God, O man, greatly beloved of God, as the original hath it, O man of great desires, for he was desirable indeed, and precious to him who holdeth the saints in his right hand.

IV. This also is a sealing-time to a Christian, when he is called to the exercise of some great work, and is to be put upon some eminent holy employment; this is clear from Jer. i. 5, where Jeremiah being called to preach the gospel unto such a rebellious people, then he hath his eternal election declared unto him; before thou wast formed in the womb I knew thee. Christ, as it were, giveth them that, to be meat to them for forty days, and that in the strength of it they may go many a day's journey.

V. There is also another sealing-time, when a Christian is first begotten to a precious and everlasting hope: for when at first Christians begin to be acquainted with Christ, even then sometimes he declareth to them his boundless and everlasting love. And this is the ground why some of these, who are but babes in Christ, are so much in the exercise of diligence, so much in the exercise of the grace of love, and so much in the exercise of the grace of tenderness, it is even because of the solemn impression of their interest in Christ; that as it were, they are daily taken in to read their own names in legible letters in the Lamb's book of life.

VI. And there is this last time, that is a sealing-time to a Christian, and that is when he is put under some sad afflicting dispensation: when the furnace is heated seven times more than ordinary, then doth God condescend to manifest himself to his own. When was

it that John met with most of the revelations of heaven? was it not when he was in the isle of Patmos, for the testimony of Jesus Christ's kingdom, and patience of our blessed Lord? Rev. i. 9. And in that place, 2 Cor. iv. 6, though our outward man decay, yet our inward man is renewed day by day.

Now we would press you to be more serious in the exercise of this precious grace. And I shall tell you the compend of Christianity in these words: 1. By faith, to solace yourselves in Christ's invisible virtues and excellencies. And, 2. By hope, to be viewing that precious crown, and these everlasting dignities that are to be given to the saints. And, 3. By mortification, to be crucifying your idols. And, 4. By patience, to be possessing your souls, until

once you shall pass through the dark land, to that valley of everlasting delight. And as for those that contemn and undervalue the blood of this everlasting covenant, (and I would have all those that delight not with closing with Christ, and those who have not misbelief as their cross, to consider this,) the wrath of the living and eternal God doth abide upon them who do not believe; according to the word, John iii. 36, he that believeth not, the wrath of God abideth on him; it is a remarkable phrase, because of this, the wrath of God will not be as a pilgrim to a misbeliever, and will not turn aside to tarry but for a night, but the wrath of God (to them that will not believe) shall be their household companion, and shall dwell with them; and woe, woe to them eternally, who have this sad and everlasting companion to abide with them, the wrath of a living God. There is one thing we would have these knowing, that amongst all these who are eternally debarred from Jesus Christ, misbelievers are put in the foremost rank: Rev. xxi. There he is to put away the fearful and unbelieving : and from 2 Thess. i. 18. When Christ shall come from heaven with ten thousand of his saints, (what to do?) it is even to execute vengeance on those that obey not the truth of the gospel: : that is who do not believe. And I pose your own hearts with this, whether or not your names be written there in that roll, amongst those that shall be cut off? and that word, 2 Thess. ii. 12, that they might be damned who believe not, but took pleasure in unrighteousness. O but the wrath of a dying Christ, and of a crucified Saviour, is dreadful; it is more sad and terrible than the wrath of God should have been, if Christ had not died. I will tell you (O hypocrites in Zion) the worst news that ever was published in your ears—and it is this, Christ died and rose again, and to those that are begotten to a lively hope, they are glad tidings of great joy, (and therein they may comfort themselves,) but ye may wear a rough garment to deceive, and go to heaven in your own apprehension: but O! the sad disappointment that is waiting on many such. And to close with this, we would obtest you, as ye would answer to your terrible and dreadful judge, that shall stand one day upon his throne, which he shall fix in the clouds, we obtest you by all the joys of heaven, and we obtest you by all the everlasting pains of hell, and we obtest you by all the curses that are written within the volume of this book, and by all the sweet and comfortable promises that are in this everlasting gospel, and by the love that you owe to your immortal souls, and as ye would not crucify Christ afresh, believe and embrace the offers that are presented now unto you. Know ye whether or not this shall be the last summons that ye shall get to believe? That So, if ye do reject it, Christ shall come from heaven and pronounce that sad and lamentable sentence unto you, Depart from me ye cursed, I know you not. Now to him that can bless these things to you, we desire to give praise.