9. That He will judge all the World, 2 Cor.

V. 10.

10. That the wicked will then be condemned to Hell, and the righteous received up into Glory, S. Matth. XXV. 46.

II. Why stand faft in this Faith?

1. Qtherwife we can do no Acts of Piety, Hebr. xi. 6.

2. Nor have our Sins remitted, Gal. ii. 16. 3. Nor our Souls faved, Act. iv. 12.

USE.

Stand faft in the Faith.

Means.

1. Search the Scriptures, S. Joh. v. 39.
2. Converse much with GOD in Prayer.
3. Entertain no doubting Thoughts.

4. Indulge no Sin, left it debauch your Principles.

5. Oft frequent the publick Ordinances, Rom.

X..17.

III. Quit you like Men. Avdeε & §.
1. What is it to quit ourfelves like Men?
1. Carry yourselves like Men.

1. Like rational Creatures...

What more rational, than,

1. That we should ferve Him that made us, 1 Cor. vi. 20.

2. Choose the best Things before the worst, Ifa. lv. I, 2.

3. Mind our own Good and Welfare, S. Matth. xvi. 26.

4. Do to others, as we would have others do to us, S. Matth. vii. 12. 5. Submit to GOD's Will, Lam. iii. 39. 2. Like

2. Like those who have immortal Souls, Gen. ii. 7.

3. Like those who are capable of the Enjoyment of GOD Himself, 1 Cor.

xiii. 12.

2. Be valiant and courageous as Men, Eph. vi. 10, 11.

1. Be not daunted with Afflictions, 2 Cor. iv. 16, 17.

2. Nor drawn afide with Profperity, S. Mar. iv. 19.

3. Prefs thro' all Difficulties for Heaven, Act. xiv. 22.

2. Why quit ourselves thus like Men'? 1. We have many potent Enemies, Eph. vi. 11, 12.

2. Without fpiritual Courage, we can never conquer them.

3. The Reward will make amends for all, 1 Cor. XV. 58.

IV. Be Strong.

1. In Faith, S. Matth. xv. 28. Rom. iv. 20. 2. Love, S. Matth. xxii. 37.

3. Truft on GOD, Job xiii. 15. Hebr. xiii. 5,6.

US E,

Be strong and courageous.

1. The ftronger your Graces are, the weaker will your Temptations be.

2. The ftronger your Grace is, the greater will your Comfort be, S. Job. xiv. 1.

3. Be but ftrong, and you need not fear but to prefs through all Difficulties, and get to Heaven.

2 COR. i. 12.

For our Rejoicing is this, &c.

LIT is lawful to rejoice in our Graces, in a

right manner.

1. Unlawful.

1. We must not rejoice in the Graces of GOD, more than in the GOD of our

Graces.

2. We must not rejoice in our Graces, as if they were perfect, 1 Cor. iv. 3, 4. Rom.

iii. 27.

3. We must not fo rejoice in as to rest upon our Graces for Happiness and Salvation.

4. We must not rejoice in our Graces, as if they were our Graces, coming from ourselves, 1 Cor. iv. 7. Act. iii. 12.

2. Lawful.

1. To rejoice in them, as Expreffions of GOD's Grace and Favour to us.

2. As the Effects of Chrift's Suffering for us, Tit. ii. 14.

3. As they make for our Glorifying GOD, S. Matth. v. 16.

4. As Evidences of our Title to Heaven.. 3. How doth it appear it is lawful?

1. They are the Graces and Works of GOD and Chrift in us, Phil. ii. 13.

2. They are fubfervient to Chrift and GOD's Glory.

3. We may be thankful for them, and therefore rejoice in them.

4. We muft grieve if we want them, and then furely may well rejoice if we have them.

5.

GOD Himself is pleased with them, Hebr. xi. 5. and xiii. 16.

6. We may rejoice in outward Mercies, Ecclef. iii. 22.

7. Saints have rejoiced, Act. v. 41. Jer. ix. 24. S. Joh. vi. 4.

4. To get this Rejoicing.

1. Set the due Value upon Grace.
2. Labour continually after it.

3. Affure thyself upon good Grounds, that
thou hast attained it.

II. The Teftimony of a good Confcience, is the ground of all folid Comfort.

1. What is Confcience? Judicium hominis de femetipfo, quatenus fubjicitur judicio Dei; called, συνείδησις βροτοισιν ἅπασιν σωείδησίς όξιν ὁ Θεὸς. 1. It propounds what we are to do. 2. Witnesses what we have done.

3. Paffeth its Sentence accordingly, Rom. ii. 15. 1 S. Joh. iii. 20.

2. What is a good Confcience, 1 S. Pet. iii. 16. 1 Tim. iii. 9. Act. xxiv. 16.

1. It must be renewed, Jer. xvii. 9.

2. Guided by the Scripture, Ifa. viii. 20.
3. Enlightned by the Spirit, S. Joh. xvi.

13.

4. The Spirit muft bear Witnefs with it, Rom. viii. 16.

1. Negatively. Not vocally.

2. Pofitively.

1. By difcovering to us our Interest in GOD, I Cor. ii. 12.

2. Enabling

2. Enabling us to act thofe Graces, from whence we may conclude

our Estate.

5. It muft ftir us up to good Works, Hebr. xiii. 18.

3. What is the Teftimony of the good Confcience? The Judgment it paffeth upon us. 1. Of Sin, by accufing,

2. Of Grace, by excufing of us.

1. Particularly to fome Act, Pfal. vii. 8. 2. Generally to our whole Life, 1 S. Joh. iii. 20.

4. When is the Testimony of the Conscience a ground of Joy?

1. When it witnesses we avoid all known Sin. 2. Perform all known Duties.

3. Love GOD above all.

4. Receive Chrift for our Lord and Saviour,
Hebr. ix. 14.

5. How muft we keep a good Confcience?
1. Get it rightly informed out of the Word
of GOD.

2. Act according to it, Rom. xiv. 23.

1. Avoiding what that faith is a Sin, 1 Sam. xxiv. 5.

2. Performing what it faith is a Duty. 6. Motives.

1. Confcience always fees thee.

2. Will be a thousand Witnesses, Rom.ii. 15. 3. Without a good Confcience, thou wilt live in continual Frights, Fears, Tor

ments, Prov. xviii. 14.

i

4. With it, in continual Joy, the Heathens accounted it a great Happiness; Ni confcire fibi. Pindar faith, it is our. good Nurfe in old Age. Prov. xv. 15. 571, Good of Heart.