all the boafted Faith, but a fond Prefumption? Such then are only full of Themfelves; and puffed up, like Blifters or Bladders; that were never prick'd at Heart, to let out the Impofthume, and bring down the proud Tumor. And 'tis then, but a fettling on their Lees, Instead of Trusting in Chrift; yea, And rather a ftrengthening themselves in their Wickedness and Worldly holds; than growing strong in the Lord. Therefore they are fo Bold, Becaufe all Flefb: and nothing of Spirit in them, To Disturb them in their Sins; But Lurk in the Rubbish of the Old man; and Fortify themfelves in the Natural Faftness: And fo they have need to look in the Glafs of the Law, to fee their Sin and Curfe; Before they look unto Jesus for Relief and Comfort. The Repentance, that breaks their Hearts, and brings them to an unfeigned Purpofe of Turning from their Sins, muft difpofe them for the Pardon and the Saviour, which their Faith is to Receive.

And 'tis not to Fancy Forgiveness, and Fancy Happiness to our felves: But to build on the fure Promifes of the Gospel of our Lord. For true Faith is Bred and Fed by the Word of God. And haft thou then this Faith, when the holy Word, that should Revive, and Cheer, and Transport thee, doth nothing but Confound, and Gall, and strike thee Dead? Is that the Faith of Christ, and

nor

not rather a Fiction of thy own Head, that never Purges nor Raifes thy Soul; nor Quickens thee to thy work, nor engages thy Heart to the Lord?

A Faith that is the Back and Bolfter, to bear thee up, even in the Worft that thou doft; To give thee Hearts-Eafe in thy Sins; and make thee lye wallowing there, with a Beastly pleasure?

Is it poffible, Thou fhould't Believe in the Holy God, The Holy Jefus, The Holy Ghoft; And yet be ftill a Stranger, and an Enemy to Holiness? Is it poffible, Thou fhould't Believe Heaven to be the Seat of Holiness; into which nothing Unclean fhall enter; And yet Love and Chufe to continue Filthy ftill? Thou art a fad Believer then : That Believest nothing fo much, as the Father of Lyes; and the abfurdeft Dreams and Contradictions.

And, Lord, How art thou provoked to thy Face, by fuch as thou haft called to the knowledge of thy Truth! When the Chrifian World fo fwarms with thefe Locusts, buzzing every where, in our Ears, with the noife of their Faith: Knowing that they are gone, as to any Evidence for 'em from their Life; Yet they cry, They Believe in Chrift, and hope to be faved by their Faith. And thus we have, (If I may call over Names fo Repugnant,) Swearing Believers, and Drunken Believers, and Whoring Believers, and Muck

worm.

worm Believers, and Knavish Believers, and an endless gang of Ungodly Believers: Who will all have it, That they Believe; and ftill Believe on Till they have Believ'd. themfelves out of their Wits, and out of their Souls; and Believ'd themselves into the hands of the Devil, and the Damnation of Hell. The Lord deliver us from such a senseless Conceit,, and wicked Delufion; as the fine thing call'd their Faith; which Presumptuous Sinners are fo proud of.

But the right Faith is a moft Holy Faith. Jud. 20. And Faith and Holiness are fo infeparably conjoyn'd together, That whoever pretends to the one without the other, indeed has neither. And tho' Faith does not make us free from all Sin; Yet it will give us fuch a Tenderness, that we shall never be Easy under it. "Twill make us Impatient of the Sinful Uncleannefs; And not fuffer us to Live and lye in the Love and Maintenance of any known Wickedness. 'Tis the Shield, to quench the fiery Darts of the Wicked: So that we fhall not ufually fall by 'em: and when ever we do; We fhall not lye by it; But be the forest Burden to our felves, till we have got it off: And go with a mighty Concern, to keep and Cleanfe thofe very Hearts, where we know, the Eye of God pierces. For fo, the Heart is faid to be Purified by Faith. A&ts 15. 19. It Incorporates us with our Lord, as

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Submillion to the

very Parts of his Body; Endued with the fame Holy Spirit, that is in Himself: And fo obliges us to Conform to our Head; with whom we are thus vitally One: That the Members of Chrift may not act as the Limbs of Satan. And tho' our Holiness, (even at beft,) can never Justify: Yet the Faith that Juftifies, will ever make us Holy. Yea tho' Faith alone Juftifies us; yet not that Faith, which is fo Alone, as to be Severed from all other Vertues and Graces. No, But if this Root of the matter be in us, 'Twill fhew its Prolifick Efficacy and Fertility, in all agreeable Fruits produced by us. As the Sun in the Heavens, Enlightens, Warms, and Enlivens things on the Earth: Such Effects will the Faith of Chrift work in the Soul. "Tis the Refiners Fire and Fullers Soap; To purge out our Drofs and Corruptions. 'Tis the Spring and Weight, to fet all the Moveable parts a going: And will not let us Rest, from feeking the Lord; 'Till in him we find Reft to our Souls. 'Tis a principle of Life; For we Live by the Faith of the Son of God. Gal. 2. 20. But a Dead Faith cannot give us Life. And Faith without Works is Dead. Jam. 2. laft ver. i. e. 'Tis thus difcerned to be Dead: As the Carcass, when there is no Breath, Senfe, or Motion in it, to fhew any

Tife

So that I cannot give thee hopes to be Juftified by any Faith, but what is Juftified by a holy Life. And ftill Works must be the Certificate to thy Confcience, as well as to the World: That thy Heart may not Condemn thee, For pleading Faith in Chrift's Merits, against Obedience to Chrift's Commands. For there's a Believing the Lord's Commands; as well as his Promises. Pfal. 119. 66. Believing 'em to be not only Needful and Indifpenfible; But moft Equal and profitable: Nor only that thou must do 'em: But that it is abfo=lutely Beft, for thee, fo to do. And tho' thou haft nothing but Chrift to Truft to; yet thou haft a great deal more to do, befides Trufting in Chrift: A great deal more, which this Trufting will put thee upon doing. For it is that principle of Activity, which will make thee Bufy; And fhew the Need that thou haft, to be fo; and alfo the blessed Effects of it, that thy Labour shall not be in Vain in the Lord. Thus the Lively Faith will fhew it felf, in the Actions of Life; in the fenfe of fin; Hunger and thirst after Righteoufnefs, and after the Favour of God; and fuch a Zeel for his Religion and Service, as will make thee Brisk and bufie, warm, and affectionate, about the Offices of Piety; and make thee Groan under thy remaining Dulnefs, as thy Clog and Grief.

For