endued with this Faith, have not counted their Lives dear to them, fo that they might finish their Courfe with Joy.

I have not time now to fet before you the Trophies and Victories which this Faith hath atchieved; you may find many of them re corded in the famous 11th Chapter to the He brews, where the Apoftle, for the Encouragement of all true Believers, propounds to us the brave Examples of the holy Patriarchs and Prophets of old, who thro Faith fubdued Kingdoms, wrought Righteousness, out of Weakness were made frong; were tortured, not accepting Deliverance, that they might obtain a better Refurrection; had trial of cruel Mockings and Scourgings, yea moreover of Bonds and Imprisonments: they were stoned, they were fawn afunder, were flain with the Sword, wandered about in Sheep-Skins and Goat-Skins, afflicted, deftitute and tormented. Thefe, and many more like these, were the Exploits of the Saints under the Old Tef tament, who had not fo clear a Revelation of this eternal State, as we now have under the Gofpel. But far greater yet, and more stupendous are the Triumphs of Faith in the holy Lives and patient Deaths of the bleffed Apoftles, and primitive Martyrs and Confeffors; who with invincible Conftancy endured Pains and Torments to Flesh and Blood infupportable, only affifted and upheld by the Grace of God, and a lively Faith in this Promise of his Son Jefus. They clap'd their Hands, and

fang

;

fang Praises in the midst of scorching Flames they took joyfully the spoiling of their Goods, and gave God thanks that they were counted worthy to fuffer for his Name: and without doubt God's Grace and the fame lively Faith would produce in us the very fame Effects, and enable us to do and to fuffer the fame things with the fame Joy and Refolution.

But farther, this Faith by degrees moulds and transforms the Mind into a Likeness to these heavenly Objects; it advances and raises our Spirits, fo that they become truly great and noble, and makes us, as St. Peter tells us, Partakers of a Livine Nature.

It filleth the Soul with constant Peace and Satisfaction, to that in all Conditions of Life a good Man can feast himself with unfeen Joys and Delights, which the worldly Man neither knows, nor can relifh. This makes him content with any fmall Allowance of this World's Goods, and glad if by any hard Shifts he can rub thro this World, till he comes to his Kingdom.

He is but very little concerned about these feemingly grand Affairs of this Life, which so much take up and bufy other Mens Thoughts and Time. He converfeth most with invifible Objects, and with them finds that folid and lafting Comfort, which all outward things can neither give nor take away.

He hath fomething to uphold and chear his Spirit under all worldly Calamities and Distractions; and when he is wearied with the Impertinences

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pertinences of this Life, or is not pleased with things here below, he can retire himself into the other World, and there entertain his Mind: with thofe ravishing Joys that never cloy nor fatiate.

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Nay, this Faith arms a Man against the fear of Death; it strips that King of Terrors of all his grim Looks: for he confiders it only as God's Messenger to knock off his Fetters, to free him from this fleshly Prison, and to conduct him to that bleffed Place, where he shall be more happy than he can wish or defire to be, and that for ever.

All this and much more, that I can now fpeak, will this Faith do, where it is fincere and hearty. It will ferve us inftead of Sight; it will afford us a foretaste of this immortal Happiness; it will give us prefent entrance into part, and at last a full and comFruition of it.

pleaven in

O then let it be most plainly feen by our Words, by our Works, by all we do, whereever we are, what our Faith and Hope is. Let it appear to all Men that we walk by Faith, not by Sight or Senfe. Senfe is a mean, low, narrow Principle, confined to this present Time, and this lower Earth; it can reach no higher than these outward vifible things, nor can it look farther than things prefent. But the Juft fball live by Faith; they fteer their Course and govern their Lives, not by what they see, but by what they believe and hope for, looking beyond things temporal for those things that are eternal.

Let

Let us not be asham'd of this our Design and Aim before all Men, that whatever others think or fay of us for it, we are refolved to be happy, not only for a few Days or Years, but for ever; that we will fo use this World, as those that must shortly leave it; that we will fo improve and husband our time, as remembring that it will foon be no more, but be fwallow'd up in Eternity. And did the stupid World know and believe what you do, they would no longer wonder at your being fo much moved in a case of such unspeakable and everlafting Confequence.

Bleffed be God who hath fet fuch mighty Hopes before us, who hath given us fuch glorious Promises, who hath made fuch a plain and clear Revelation of this eternal Life by Jefus Chrift, and hath by him taught us the true way of obtaining it; who himself became to us an Example of that holy Life he prefcribed to us, and after he had fuffer'd for our Tranfgreffions in our Nature, enter'd into the highest Heavens to prepare Manfions of Glo

for all the faithful Followers of him. To ry whom therefore, with the Father and Holy Ghost, one eternal God, be afcribed by us and all Men, all Praise, Thanksgiving and Obedience for evermore. Amen.

THE E N D.