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CHAP. XIIL

ct Of Faith or Affiance in God.

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Proceed to thofe other Affections whereby we are to give unto God (so far Creatures are capable) that Honour which is due to thofe communicable Perfections belonging to the Divine Understanding, Will, Faculties of Acting; namely, his Wifdom, Goodness,Power, Dominion, andSuperiority over us, and his diftributing of future Rewards and Punishments, which fhould refpectively excite in us, Affiance, Love, Reverence,and Obedience, both active and paffive. And though each of these Graces have fufficient foundation in every one of the Divine Excellencies promifcuoufly; yet there is fome more peculiar reference and correspondence amongst them, according to this Order.

I purpose to speak to each of them severally and briefly.

Firft, Concerning Affiance; by which I mean an acquiefcence of the Mind, whereby it is fupported against all unneceffary Doubts and Fears, upon Account of the Divine Allfufficiency in general, with more special refpect to his Knowledge, and Wisdom, and Providence; whereby he doth take notice

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of our Conditions, and is able to order all things for the beft, and doth not permit any thing to befal us without his knowledge of it, and being concerned for it. This Grace, according to its different Relations, is ufually diftinguished into thefe Three Branches: 1. As it refpects an Act of the Judgment in affenting to all Divine Truths, whether dif coverable by Reason, or by Revelation; fo 'tis ftiled Faith. 2. As it imports a Refting of the Will and Affections in the Divine Goodness, whether difcovered to us by the Light of Nature, or by Revelation; fo 'tis ftiled Trust; and according to the greater Measure or Degree of it, Confidence and Plerophory. So the Heathen, who have no Revelation, can fupport themselves in their Sufferings for that which is good, with the Confideration that God will take care of them. As it relates to the Expectation and Defire after fome future Good which we ftand in need of, or the Efcaping of fome Evil we are obnoxious unto; fo 'tis ftiled Hope. But I fhall treat of these promifcuoufly, because they agree in the general nature of Affiance. And how reasonable and proper this Affiance in God is, will appear from thefe Confiderations.

1. 'Tis neceffary to our prefent ftate in this World, that there fhould be something for us to lean upon, and have recourse unto, as our Support and Refuge.

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2. God

2. God alone is an all-fufficient Stay, upon which the Mind of Man can fecurely repofe it felf in every Condition.

1. "Tis neceffary to our present State in this World, that there fhould be something for us to lean upon, and have recourfe unto, as our Support and Refuge. This the anci ent Poets have fignified in their Fable of Pandora's Box, which when Epimetheus had opened, and faw all manner of Evils flying out of it, he fuddenly closed it again, and fo kept in Hope at the bottom of it, as being the only Remedy left to Mankind, against all thofe Evils to which they are obnoxious, Every Man at his best Estate, is but a feeble infirm Creature: What from the Impotence of his Mind, and the Disorder of his Paffions from within, together with the Troubles and Difficulties that he fhall meet withal from without; the great Obscurity which there is in the nature of things, that Uncertainty which attends the Iffues and Events of them; the mutability of all human Affairs, which cannot poffibly be fecured by all the imaginable Wisdom and Forefight which Men are capable of. From all which it fufficiently ap pears, that Faith and Hope and Truft are altogether neceffary to the ftate of Men in this World; and that they muft always be in an unfafe unquiet condition, unless they have fomewhat to fupport and relieve them in their Exigencies. 'Tis cbferved of the Hop,

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and other fuch climbing Plants, which are not of ftrength enough to bear up themselves, that they will by natural inftinct lean towards and clasp about any thing that is next, which may help to bear them up; and in want of a Tree or a Pole, which is their proper Support, they will wind about a Thistle or a Nettle, or any other Weed, though in the iffue it will help to choak and destroy the growth of them, instead of furthering it. The Application is eafy, All flesh is grafs, Ifa.xl.6. and the glory thereof, as the flower of the field, of a fading impotent condition, standing in need of fomething without its felf for its protection and fupport. And a mistake in the choice of fuch Helps, may sometimes prove fatal. Our conditions in this World are often in Scripture represented by a State of Warfare; wherein the Virtues of Faith and Hope are faid to be our Breaft plate, our 1 Theff. Shield and our Helmet, the chief defenfive v. 6. Eph.vj.17. Arms whereby we are to be guarded against all Affaults. And sometimes by aState of Travelling by Sea, wherein Hope is our Anchor, Heb.vj.19. that which muft fix and keep us fteddy in the midft of all Storms.

2. God alone is an all-fufficient ftay, upon which the Mind of Man can fecurely repofe it felf in every Condition. For which Reafon he is in the Scripture Phrafe ftiled the Hope of Ifrael, the confidence of all the ends of Ixv.5. of the earth, and of fuch as are afar off Prov.iij.

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Rom. xv. upon the Sea, the God of Hope. Which Ti1.3. tles he hath been pleased to affume unto him1 Pet. i. felf, to teach us this Leffon, that our Faith and Hope fhould be in God.

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The principal Conditions requifite in that Perfon, who is fit to be a proper Object of our Confidence, are thefe four:

1. Perfect Knowledge and Wisdom, to understand our Conditions, and what may be the most proper Helps and Remedies for them.

2. Unquestionable Goodness, Love, Faithfulness, to be concerned for us, and to take care of us.

3. Sufficient Power, to relieve us in every Condition.

4. Everlastingness, that may reach to us. and our Posterity to all Generations. All which are only to be found in God. From whence it will appear, that as he is the only proper Object of our Truft, fo by not trusting in him, we do deny to him the Honour which is due to thefe Divine Excellencies, and confequently are deficient in one of the chief Parts of Religion.

1. He alone hath perfect Knowledge and Wisdom to understand our Conditions, and what may be the most proper Remedy for Pf, cxlvij. them. His Understanding is infinite. Our moft fecret Thoughts and inward Groanings are not hid from him. He knows our Difcafes, and what Phyfick is fittest for us, the

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