thou pretendeft to, make thee fecure and careless? Doth it not make thee fit down contented without the life of Religion? Doth it not perswade thee to believe, that thou art a Chriftian, though thou doft not imitate Chrift in his holy Life and converfation? Does it not make thee proud and felf-conceited, and think more highly of thy felf than thou oughtest to think,and like the Pharifees, look between anger and scorn on those that know not the Law? If fo, how is the knowledge of Chrift Jefus in thee?

The fame may be faid of Faith, it's Confideration must separate it from Prefumption, and satiffie me whether it be of the true Eagle-kind or no; it's impoffible to know, whether my Faith be of the right ftamp, without I make fuch inquifition as this. Faith is a gift or fruit of the Spirit, which I am apt to believe God hath bleffed and enriched my Soul withal, and I thank him that I am not born a Heathen or Infidel. But what power hath my Faith upon my Affections? Doth it purifie my Heart, and drive away thofe lufts that have taken. up their refidence there? Doth it make me cut off my right hand and pull out my right eye, when they do offend me? Doth it make me live like a person that believes the Omniprefence and Omniscience of God? Doth it make me with Abraham, ready to offer up mine only Son, Sins as dear to me, as the darling Fruit of my Body? Is it of that force in my Soul, that it makes me go contrary to mine inclinations, and obey God, though I am in danger of lofing my Place and Office? Doth it make me do the truth, as well as give afG

fent

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Tent to it? Doth it make me cautious and afraid of offending that God, whom I believe to be of purer eyes than to behold Iniquity? Doth it make me embrace Chrift, both as my Redeemer and Governour, both as my Saviour and my King? Doth it elevate my thoughts, and make me study how I fhall advance God's Glory and do much good in my generation? Doth it rouze my Soul from her flumber, and make me look and act like one concerned and touched with a fence of another life? Doth it work by love? And doth it drive me to give God my deareft and tenderest love? Doth it work by Charity too, by good works? And doth it make me cast my Bread the water, give away freely and chearfully, though I have no profpect, and fee no probabi lity of a recompence here on earth? Doth it make me defpife the World, and overcome it, and use it only as my fervant, while God alone is my Mafter? Doth it make me resist the Devil, and grapple with Powers and Principalities, with the Rulers of Darkness, and with Spiritual Wickedneffes in high places? Ephef. 6. 12. Doth it make me pray with fervency and importunity? Doth it tranfport my foul into ravishments, upon the fight of yonder glorious things God hath laid up, and prepared for those that love him? Doth it make me rejoyce in that Saviour I have not feen, with joy unfpeakable, and full of Glory? Doth it infufe boldness and courage into my Soul to ftand up for God, when I either hear his name prophaned, or fee his Creatures fearfully abused? Doth it make me, with Phineas run

in and stem the strong current of Iniquity, and, with Paul and Barnabas, angry at the improper honour Men are going to offer me? Does it make me truft God in adverfity, even then when the Fig-tree doth not Bloffom, when there is no fruit in the Vine, when the labour of the Olive fails, and the Field does yield no meat; when the Flock is cut off from the Fold, and when there are no herds in the Stalls? Hab. 13. 7. Dòth it make me take notice of God's gracious Dealings and Providences, and admire God's Wifdom and Greatnefs, and Power, and Goodness in all? Doth it make me prize the Promises of the Gospel above all Riches, and doth it make me willing to fuffer for Chrift? Rejoyce, O my Soul, if Faith hath thus warmed thy heart, and if thou findest these Footsteps of God within thee! These are Ornaments fit for thee to appear in before the great Tribunal. On the other fide, what cafe, what quiet canft thou' enjoy, if thy Faith be dead, and dull, and unactive; if it doth not touch thy Tongue with a Coal from the Altar, and doth not make thee break forth into Celebrations and Admiration of the height, and breadth, and length, and depth of the love of God; If thou feeleft no Holy Force to fhake off every weight, and every fin which doth fo eafily befet thee; If thy Faith does not make thee stand upon thy watch, and break through all discouragements and oppofitions, to obtain the end of thy Faith, even thy Salvation ; If it doth not make thy corruptions abate and thy extravagant Defires and Paffions fall, if it be fo faint that thy hands grow weak, and thy Knees G 2

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feeble, that thy Graces languifh, and thy Goodnefs dwindles away; If thy Sins grow ftrong under the fhadow of it, and the rod of iniquity bloffoms and Bears fruit: If it doth not chafe difcontent in a great measure from thy thoughts, and doth not give thee Bowels of compaffion to Minifters, to the Servants of God, to Chrift's diftreffed Members; if it doth drive thee into Heaven, into Contemplations of a Glorious Eternity which fhall make amends for all the loffes, troubles, perils, miseries and difficulties thou undergoest here, if it doth not make thee prefer Chrift's Honour and Will before the vain allurements of Flesh and Blood; and the Society of those who delight in God, before familiarity with the richeft and greatest, who caft God's Law behind them; if it works no patience in afflictions, no Humility, no Self-denial, no meekness under Crofles and Injuries, and Perfecutions, no courage to ftand up for God, and for his Glory, no delight in the World and Ways of God, no fincere endeavours to praEtice what thou heareft, no relish in fpiritual things, no holy revenge upon thy Corruptions, no Indignation against thy former Sins, no carefulnefs to please God, no vehement Defires after him who is fairer than the Children of Men.

Faith thus confidered, if it be but a painted Fire, will quickly betray it felf; and Confideration will foon give an Item to the Sinner, that this is no good foundation to build Eternal Salvation on, this will blow away the Chaff, and few how little good Corn there was in that rubbish. This will melt all the Drofs and Tin

away,

away, and discover how little of the purer mettle there was in the Lump. This will make all the droffie part evaporate, and let you fee whether there be any thing of fubftance at the bottom. In this manner we are obliged to proceed in our Prayers and Supplications. Confideration must acquaint us, whether it be the defires of our Hearts, or the defires of our Lips only, that we offer unto God; whether it be a deep sense of our Spiritual Wants and Neceffities, and of the Greatnefs, Majefty, Purity, Holiness, Mercy, and Goodness of God that makes us Pray; or Custom, and Education, and Civility to our unruly Confciences?

So in our Distributions to the Neceffities of others, Confideration must acquaint us, whether we give enough or no, whether we fulfil the Rules, Christ and his Apostles have delivered concerning it, and whether it be Vain-glory and the applause of Men, that makes us both liberal, and fpeak of our liberality, or an honest design to advance the Glory of God, and the good of our Neigbour? Whether that which puts us upon giving, be compaffion and tenderness, or a defire to be rid of the importunate Petitioner? Whether it is our yearning Bowels, or fear of being ill fpoken of by other Men, that engages us to fuch Offices of Humanity?

So in Fafting, Confideration must acquaint us, whether it be the outward performance we do regard more than the inward frame of the Soul? Whether it be a real, fincere Refolution to mortifie Sin, that engages us to this severity,