engagement either of one or both of these sacramental vows. And therefore in exhorting thee to oblige thyself by solemn vows to the duties of religion, I do not advise thee to a new thing; but only to repeat what thou hast already done: and if thou intendest to stand to the vows thou hast made, what should deter thee from reiterating them, whilst thou hast need of them?

But always remember, when thou vowest to the Lord, to do it with a trust and faith in his power and all-sufficient grace; and with a distrust of thine own natural ability to perform thy vows. And when at any time thou hast failed in the performance of them, be deeply humbled before God; and renew thy engagements, with a greater sense of thy weakness and falseness of heart: and be more watchful over thyself; and let thy falls make thee more narrowly look to thy feet for the time to

come.

5. Fasting is another means to be used for the mortification of the body of sin. It is of great consequence, and necessary to the health of the inward man, "to keep under the body;" to humble, chastise, and "bring it into due subjection." This was the practice of St. Paul himself; who had not such unruly passions and appetites to tame, as we have.

Religious fasting is of great use to the subduing of the body to the Spirit, and to the starving of corruptions by cutting off their provision; as the ungovernable beast is made tame by taking away his provinder: and there is a sort of devils, that goeth not out" without " fasting" added to

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66 prayer, " and other means: but it is most especially of force for the casting out the unclean devil. According as we find we stand in more or less need of this remedy, we should oftener, or seldomer make use of it.

CHAP. V.

Of the great power and efficacy of faith in God; faith in his power and goodness.

FIFTHLY. The next direction I shall give in order to subduing thy will to the will of God, is that of our Saviour; "Have faith in God." Have faith in his power and goodness: this will add life to thy prayers; this will animate and strengthen all thy endeavours.

d

Take heed of doubting whether "the Lord's hand be not shortened, that it cannot save;" whether his ear be not "heavy, that it cannot hear;" or "his bowels of compassion shut up, " that he is not ready to help.

Take heed of questioning, whether thine own will and selfish desires be not stronger than can be subdued; of entertaining suspicious thoughts, that after all thy endeavours to win the spiritual Canaan, there will be no arriving at "the rest," lan in the LXX κατάπαυσις, as the land of Canaan is called: (or the place of rest, as in the Targum,) but that at last thou shalt die in the wilderness; that there is none or but little hope of

overcoming" “the giant-like mind,”2 yıyavrádŋ Dúμov, as the expression is in Ecclesiasticus, those "giants, the sons of Anak,” that thou findest vigorous and strong within thee. For by this thine unbelief, or weakness of faith, thou greatly dishonourest either the power or goodness of God; who is able, and as willing as able, to save the soul that trusteth in him and by this means will the chariot-wheels of thy soul be taken off; thou wilt extremely discourage and enfeeble thyself, and blunt the edge of those weapons wherewith thou art to encounter thy spiritual enemies.

If thy soul be upright in thee, if thou art sincere and hearty in imploring the aids of God's grace and the assistances of his Spirit, and hast faith to be healed, and delivered from the lusts that fight. against thee; thou shalt undoubtedly "see the salvation of the Lord." He will "teach thine hands to war, and thy fingers to fight:" he will gird thee with strength;" and thou shalt be "more than conqueror through Christ that loveth thee.' Though thou hast no might against that great company that cometh against thee;" "against flesh and blood, against principalities and powers;" yet if thou "waitest on the Lord," and "art of good courage, he shall strengthen thine heart" he will " strengthen thee with strength in thy soul;" and "through him" thou shalt " do valiantly," and "tread down thine enemies:"" he that is in" thee, will be "greater than he that is in the world:" greater than "all that is in the

a Ecclus. xxiii. 4.

d Psal. cxliv. 1.

2 Chron. xx. 12.
Ibid. cxxxviii. 3.

m

world," viz. "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.""

Take heed therefore of all such reasonings, suggestions and principles, as tend to beget a despondency and fainting of spirit: but "lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees." "If thou canst believe; all things are possible to him that believeth." Let faith say unto any mountain of difficulty, "Be thou removed; and it shall be done." "Who are thou, O great mountain? before" this blessed grace, and in the exercise of it, "thou shalt become a plain."*

Thy self-will and lusts are therefore strong, because thy faith is weak, and thou in that regard makest but a faint resistance: if thou wert "strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might;"" if thou didst "resist, steadfast in the faith;" thou wouldest see thine adversaries fly before thee. "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith."u We should "take unto us the whole armour of God;" but "above all, the shield of faith, wherewith we shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked."

Glorious things are spoken of thee, O faith. Who can recount the mighty acts and great achievements of those holy souls, who have strongly confided in the gracious power of God and Christ Jesus for the subduing of sin, as well as in God's mercy and Christ's merits for the pardon of it? These " through faith," that I may borrow those expressions of St. Paul, "have subdued king

doms;" even the kingdoms of divers lusts and pleasures, and the kingdoms of the prince of this world, to which they were once subject: through faith they have "wrought righteousness;" even the righteousness of God, far excelling that outward, slight and partial righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees: through faith they have "stopped the mouths of lions ;" the impetuous and ravening solicitations, and greedy desires of their selfish will: through faith they have "quenched the violence of fire;" or the lusts of passion, malice and uncleanness, which burned like fire within them: "out of weakness they were made strong, and turned to flight the armies of the aliens."

Now there are many μέγιστα καὶ τίμια ἐπαγγέλματα, "exceeding great and precious promises;" scattered through the Scriptures, which are of sovereign force and virtue for the encouragement of our faith and hope in God, for the strengthening of us against his and our enemies: but there is abundantly enough in that one passage, "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children; how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” What could our Saviour have spoken more plainly and fully for our encouragement to a dependance on God for grace and spiritual strength, and to a quiet unsolicitous expectation of assistance from him? For this promise concerned not only those disciples that heard Christ preach then from the mount; but all his disciples and followers, all that shall believe on his name to the end of the world. It is said to them that ask him," without any

a. Heb. xi. 33, 34.

b 2 Pet. i. 4.

Luke xi. 13.