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O Sirs, the confolations of God, which are not small, they in finitely counterbalance all the gall that is in the cup of fuffer ing for Chrift.

5. Faith infpires the foul with courage, by laying the "glory that is to be revealed" in balance against all the "fuff-rings of this prefent life," and then it cries, They " are not worthy to be compared" together. Heb. x. 34. the faints there, they "took joyfully the fpoiling of their goods, knowing in themselves that they had in heaven a better and a more enduring fubftance." 2 Cor. iv. 16. 17. Faith views the certainty of the reward of glory; "for it is the evidence of things not feen;" and thereupon it cries, "Verily there is a reward for the righ teous." Faith views the greatness of the reward, faying, “Our light afflictions, they work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." Faith views heaven and glory to be near at hand, that there is nothing but a partition-wall of clay, nothing but the breath of the noftrils between the foul and the immediate enjoyment of God; and thereupon it cries, with Paul, "I defire to be diffolved, and to be with Chrift, which is beft of all."

6. Faith infpires the foul with Chriftian courage, by clearing the heart and foul of the guilt and filth of fin. A man can never be a true fufferer for Chrift, while confcience is roaring, and telling him that he has an angry God to meet with on the back of death; hence we find that the fpirit of a found mind, and a fpirit of flavish fear, are oppofite, 2 Tim. i. 7. A " fpirit of a found mind;" fome understand it a mind purified from the guilt of fin. Now, faith is a grace that has a mighty influence this way, Acts xv. 9. "Purifying their heart's by faith." It brings the foul to the Jordan of a Redeemer's blood, and washes it from fin, and from uncleannefs; it wraps up the foul in the white robe and mantle of the everlasting righteoufnefs of Chrift, and then it can, with a holy boldnefs, cry, And "who is he that will contend with me? he is near that juftifieth." Hence is that, Rom. v. 1-3. "Being juftified by faith, we have peace with God," &c.

7. Faith infpires the foul with courage and conftancy in an evil day, by keeping the eye fixed upon Jefus, according to that advice of the apostle, Heb. xii. 2. "Let us run our race with patience, looking unto Jefus" And here I will tell you of a few things in JESUS that ferve to infpire the foul with holy courage and magnanimity.

ft, Faith fees Chrift upon its head, as the great Captain of falvation, giving out the word of command, "Fight the good fight of faith, ftand faft in the faith, quite yourfelves like men, be ftrong. And having him as a leader and commander, the

man waxes valiant in fight, knowing that nothing but weakness is in the way. 2dly, Faith views the example of Chrift, how he encountered the wrath of God, the curfe of the law, the fury of devils, and rage of men, with undaunted refolution, in order to our redemption: and the valour of the General infpires the foldier with courage to follow him through all imaginable danger.

3dly, Faith fees all fulnefs of grace treasured up in Chrift, the head of the myftical body, for the fupply of every particular member according to need; and then the man cries out with courage, as Paul did, "I can do all things through Christ ftrengthening me." He becomes "ftrong in the grace that is in Jefus Chrift."

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4thly, Faith fees a reconciled God in Chrift smiling on the foul, and ftanding on its fide; and this gives courage. Lord of hofts is with us, and the God of Jacob is our refuge." O Sirs, a God in Chrift is not a God against us, but "Immanuel, God with us;" and this makes the foul to cry, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.

5thly, Faith, keeping its eye on Chrift, fees victory secured in the end of the day; yea, it fees the victory already obtained in him, it fees the fpoils of the enemy in his hand, and him triumphing over, and treading upon his enemies as his footftool: and this, O this, fills the foul with holy courage, faying, "We are more than conquerors, through him that loved us: Thanks be to God which giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jefus Chritt." Thus you see whence it is that faith infpires the foul with courage and boldnefs. Many other things to this purpose might be infifted upon, but I pats them, and go on to,

V. The fifth thing, which was the Application.

Ufe first may be of Information, only in two words.

1. See hence the excellency of the grace of faith. Why, it is a bold, a daring, and courageous grace; hence commonly oppofed unto fear: "Why art thou fearful, O thou of little faith?" Faith pulls up the heart and spirit in a time of danger, and cries, Courage, for the day i mine own; 1 fee the Captain of falvation, who was made perfect through fuffering, with the fpoils of hell and earth in his hand.

2. See hence the evil and danger of the fin of unbelief. Why, it intimidates the foul, and gives birth and being unto a daftardly and cowardly fpirit, and either makes a man to itagger, or elfe turn back and cry, The way is impaffable. Hence the fearful and unbelieving are linked together, Rev. xxi. 8.

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O Sirs, except we believe, we shall never be established in an evil day. Mofes, you heard, "endured, as seeing him that is invifible."

Ufe fecond fhall be of Trial. Whether have you a faith that will carry you through, and infpire you with courage in an evil day? I will give the few following marks whereby you may try it.

1. It is a faith that fprings out of the ruin of felf. Whenever faith springs up, felf goes down; felf-wisdom, felf-righte oufnefs, felf-fufficiency. You have feen your own wisdom to be but folly: "I am more brutish than any man," &c. Self-righ teoufnel, you have feen it to be nothing but filthy rags, faying, with the apostle, "Yea, doubtlefs, and I count all things but lofs, for the excellency of the knowledge of Chrift." Self-fufficiency and strength, you have feen it to be emptinefs, faying, "In me dwelleth no good thing."

2. It is a Chrift exalting faith, it fets him on high: "To you that believe, he is precious. Whom have I in heaven but thee."

3. It is a feeding and foul nourishing faith; it eats the flesh and drinks the blood of the Son of man. Chrift in the word of grace is like its neceflary food; hence it is that the Chriftian is a growing creature, he "increafes with the increase of God" like a "new-born babe," he drinks in the "fincere milk of the word," and fo "grows thereby."

4. It is a faith that works by love. It views the glory of Chrift, and the heart follows the eye, and caufes it to burn with love to him, and defire after him. And this love to Chrift makes the man to love every thing that pertains to him. He loves his word, and efteems it above gold, &c. He loves his ordinances, where he gets fellow fhip with him: "I love the habitation of thy houfe," &c. "How amiable are thy tabernacles, Lord God of hofts!" &c. He loves his ways: "Wifdom's ways are ways of pleafantnefs," &c. He loves his people, and all that have the Spirit of Jefus: "By this we know that we are paffed from death unto life, because we love the brethren." He loves the very cross of Christ above the pleasures of the world, like Mofes, who "efteemed the reproach of Chrift greater riches than all the treasures of Egypt."

It is a fertile or a fruitful faith, that is ay exciting the man to the ftudy of holinefs in all manner of converfation. It is an obedient and a working faith; for "faith without works is dead." As works without faith are but dead works, which cannot be accepted by a living God; fo faith without works is but a dead faith, which will foon wither, and come to nought,

particularly

particularly in a day of trial, like the faith of the ftony-ground

hearers.

Ufe third is of Exhortation. And my only exhortation is, that you would not only believe, but ftudy to have a faith that will infpire you with that courage which acted David in the text, when he faid, Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. And to excite your Chriftian fortitude and courage, confider, by way of motive,

1. That the day we live in requires it. The winds and tide of error and defection are blowing and running hard; the judicatories of the church are ftricken with fuch a fpiritual frenzy and madnefs, that inftead of acting in an agreeableness to the truft committed to them by the Lord, in oppofing error and corruption, they are patronizing and setting up the right-hands of the wicked, and oppofing and oppreffing all that have any fhew of ferious godlinefs, or that open a mouth against the courfes of defection they are engaged in. And who knows but a storm may be at the door, which will make us all to ftagger? And therefore I fay it is needful.

2. Confider, that Chrift was bold and courageous in our caufe; and fhall not we be bold and courageous in his cause? See with what courage he takes the field, If. 1. &c.

3. Chrift, the Captain of our falvation, commands and requires his followers to take courage, and to be bold in him. He would have us to be ftrong, and of good courage, as he said to Joshua: "Stand faft in the faith, quit yourfelves like men; and be ftrong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.' When their spirits are beginning to droop, he says, "Fear not them that kill the body," &c.

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4. The eye of our great Captain and General is upon us, and let that infpire us with courage. If a foldier know that his captain is looking on, it will make him to venture upon death and danger. Sirs, he that is invifible, our glorious Leader and Commander, is ftanding by, noticing how every one of us acquit ourselves in our warfare with fin, Satan, and the world: his eyes are as a flame of fire, fearching Jerufalem as with lighted candles; and fhould not this infpire us with courage? As it is a pleasure to him to see his foldiers brisk in the day of battle, fo it fenfibly touches and wounds him when they faint and go back, as though his caufe were not worth the contending for.

5. Take courage, believer, for the caufe is good. You fight for the honour of your God, for his precious truths, and for "the liberty wherewith Chrift hath made his people free;" yea, for the defence of every thing that is valuable to our felves

and

and our pofterity. The liberties and privileges of the church and kingdom of Chrift in this land have been handed down to us at the expence of the blood of Christ, and the blood of many of his martyrs; and shall we not take courage to main

tain and defend what has been transmitted to us at such a dear rate ?

6. The enemy is but weak, and a courageous ftand will make them to give way. "Refit the devil, and he will flee from you;" fo refift his emiffries, that are carrying on a courfe of defection, and they will give back; or put them to fuch a ftand, that they will be at their wits end, as we see it was with the Jewish court, Acts iv. &c. You know, when Goliath was flain by David, the heart of the Philistines failed them, and they fled. Sirs, Goliath is flain by Christ; he "through death hath destroyed him that had the power of death;" and therefore a noble stand against his armies will foon difpirit them.

7. Take courage, believer, for JEHOVAH, God, Father, Son, and Holy Gholt, is on your head, Mic. ii. at the clofe. And, if everlasting ftrength be on your fide, what have you to fear? Pfal. xlvi. &c.

8. The victory is fure. The fpoils are already in the hand of our glorious General, and he has promised to give the victory to all that are faithful unto the death in cleaving to him and his way; and therefore up the heart. You fee what a train of promifes are made to the overcomers, Rev. ii. & iii.

I conclude with a few advices, in order to your being fortified with Chriftian courage against the fhadows of death that may caft up in your way through the wilderness.

1. Take care that your covenant with hell, and your agreement with death, be broken; and that you be really fettled by faith upon the foundation that God has laid in Zion. O fee that you be not building upon any foundation of fand with refpect to your eternal concerns, but that you be really built upon the rock Jefus Chrift, for " another foundation can no man lay, than that is laid, which is Jefus Chrift." You may read to this purpose, Matth. vii. 24-27. where you fee, that there are but two foundations that all men are building their hope of falvation upon, either upon the rock, or upon the fand. Chrift himself is the rock; and all other things elfe, whether general mercy, felf righteoufoef, common graces or attainments, they are but foundations of fand. And you fee alfo, that when storms of trouble blow, the houfe built upon the rock ftands the fhock; but the houfe built upon the fand falls, and "great is the fall of it." And therefore my advice unto you, in order to your ftanding when storms blow that have the fhadows of death in

them,

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