in the way to it which will lead to the Appli cation. I. The condition of faints in the present world, as to the trials they are fubject to. These are here fuppofed to be fuch, as that they are fometimes ready to faint, and would do fo, but for the fupports of faith. This is a truth of which experience is full evidence; and therefore I need not be long upon it. are the peculiar whom he will, deceive and deeven in the best, We are born finners into a world that lies in wickedness; and hence are brought forth to forrow, as the fparks fly upward. We are caft on a climate where Satan rules, as its God: And those who are new-born, objects of his hatred and rage: by policy or power, feek to ftroy; and he has too much, to work upon. It were hence easy to fhew, that the trials of faints in the prefent life, are neither light, nor few. Confidered as men, they share in the effects of God's displeasure together with the rest of mankind, for their original apoftacy: confidered as Christians, they are exposed to the malice of Satan and a degenerate world, and blinded and acted by him : confidered as imperfect Chriftians, they are groaning under the remains of corruption while on earth and how fad were their eftate, could they look no further? 1. Confidered as men, how grievous are the common calamities of the human nature! The world through fin is fubject to vanity, filled with vexation and faints in great measure find it fo, as well as others. They are indeed redeemed from eternal death, the wages of fin, in the next world; but infinite wifdom hath thought fit to leave them under many afflictive evils in this : which though fanctified, fo as afterwards to yield the peaceable Fruits of Righteousness, are not for the prefent joyous, but grievous, Heb. xii. II. It is no unusual thing for faints to chatter like cranes, and fwallows, though not to murmur, under their racking pains, Ifa. xxxviii. 14. Our fouls are lodg'd in crazy diftemper'd bodies, liable to a thousand diseases, which are ready to prey upon them, and reduce them to breathless clods. And how hard would it be to bear up under what we feel or fear, as men, were it not for faith and hope, that it fhall not be always with us as now? 2. There are new trials faints ufually experience upon account of their devotedness to God. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, as fuch, Pfal. xxxiv. 19. They have fet their faces heavenward, and are refolved to live godly in Chrift Jefus; and for this the world is incenfed against them. A fecret enmity boils in the heirs of hell against all the expectants of heaven, who seeing they will not take up with this world for their portion, will not allow them a quiet paffage through it, or any tolerable abode upon it. Jefus Chrift tells his difciples, In the world ye fhall have tribulation; and they have all along found his prediction true: fo that through many tribulations they have entered into the kingdom of God, Acts xiv. 22. In fcripture we have an account were account of their fufferings in the earlier days of the world, They were treated as the common refufe of the world, the off-fcouring of all things; endured cruel mockings and fcourgings; ftoned, tortured, and turned out to wander and perish. And the hiftory and experience of later times tell us, the devil and his angels have not yet changed their natures, or laid down their enmity against the faints. Chrift's fervants are often put to refift unto blood, ftriving against fin; and what should keep them from fainting under the sufferings that are their lot in this world, but the faith of feeing the goodness of God in the land of the living? 3. As imperfect faints, they have no small addition to this affliction, from the remains of fin in themselves, and the fad effects of it in others, both in the world and church. If they look on the world, they fee it lying in wickedness, their God dishonoured, the murderer served, the flesh pleafed, and fouls undone. They daily pray that the will of God may be done on earth, as it is in heaven; but alas, they fee it still continue too much like hell. And how are their righteous fouls vexed with the abominations of thofe among whom they dwell? If they look to the church, the faints, the excellent of the earth, in whom, if in any, they promise themselves delight: how often are their hearts wounded by beholding their fad divifions, their unchristian heats, and how often they give occafion for the question, Are ye not carnal, and walk as men? And who can look on, and not wish B 3 with his head a-fountain of tears, that he might continually mourn for what he cannot help? And yet further caufe of grief occurs, if we turn in upon ourselves, to obferve our weak graces, our ftrong corruptions, our danger from a deceitful heart within, and a fubtle and bufy adversary without, and how often we are furprized, and fall, to the grieving of the Holy Spirit, breaking our peace, difquieting confcience, and lofing the comfortable fenfe of God's favour and love? These are some of the trials, which faints are here subject to. II. Let us fee how the foul is to be engaged by faith, with reference to the goodness of God in the land of the living, the felicity of the better world, when it is kept from fainting under the trials of this. It is plain every kind, and manner of acting of faith is not fufficient for this. But ift. That which engages the mind in the most ferious contemplation of this goodness of God in the land of the living, into the light of which it is brought by the gofpel. Heaven is not set open to be neglected; though moft look downward, and virtually fay, that earth is better. What, my foul, deferves thy ferious thoughts, if not the goodness God hath prepared for those that love him, the felicity Chrift hath purchased and is now in poffeffion of? Look off from the world, where fin hath let in fo much forrow, to the fulness of joy in the presence of God, and the pleasures that are at his right-hand for evermore: and let not thy thoughts be trifling and tranfient tranfient about things with which thy eternal abode is expected. Though it doth not yet appear what we shall be, there is enough difcovered to call off our minds from all things here below, and fix them more steadily on things above. Believers are known under the character of ftrangers in the prefent world; as their principal concern is, or ought to be in another. And when any thing would unfeasonably tempt down their minds and hearts from things above, how readily may they fay, I am better employed? 2. It is a faith that carries up the foul by love and choice to the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living, as preferable to all that can be here enjoyed, and as enough to make amends for whatever we may endure. Its genuine language is this, O how great is the goodness that thou haft laid up for them that fear thee! How unworthy is any thing here to stand in competition with it! The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance. The lines are fallen to me in pleafant places; yea, and I have a goodly heritage. I will blefs the Lord; and have reason to do it, however it go with me now, Pfal. xvi. 5, 6, 7. Thus Mofes chose rather to fuffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleafures of fin for a season. And esteemed the reproach of Chrift greater riches than the treasures of Egypt: for he had refpect to the recompence of reward. The fashion of this world is paffing away. O how empty and infatisfactory are all things in it, in comparison of the habitation of the faints in light! How naked fhall I e're long B 4 |