be fufpected. Thus much for the first Thing, the Lateness of the Difciple's Faith, and the Practical Obfervations it affords.

2. The Second Thing to be confidered and reflected upon, is, the Eafinefs or Cheapness of it. Now we believe that thou cameft forth from God. And this must be measured from the inftant Convictions they were then under, and the Encouragements they had just now received from him. For now (this very Evening) our Saviour had been difcourfing to them of the moft acceptable and obliging Arguments of the Gofpel. He had been feeding their Faith, and raifing their Hopes with Heavenly Promises; they had juft received full Affurances of their Mafter's Care and Love of the Descent and Co-habitation of the Spirit with them; of the Succefs of their Prayers when he was gone; and of glorious Manlions which he would prepare for them. And what Wonder if the Power of fuch Encouragements made their Hearts to leap, and their Affections to glow, and their Faith to spring up apace. But yet it was little more than a paffionate Promife, it wanted depth of Earth, it withered upon the next Trial, Te fall be fcattered, every one to his own, and fhall leave John 16. me alone.

From hence I make this Obfervation, viz. that we ought to be very careful not to truft too much to that Faith, which grows only from the occafional Heat, Complacency, and Exaltation

32

Exaltation of our Spirits. Indeed a good Hu mour, or a Pious Frame of Mind, makes Converts to Religion very cheaply, but I fear, very deceitfully. Shall I explain my self in a few Inftances? Thus, when we have put our felves into a devout Temper, it may be, when we are preparing for the Sacraments, or at any other time when we contemplate the indulgent Love of Chrift, in his Condefcenfion, and coming down from Heaven, in his Innocence and Mortification, and Humility, and Patience, and Sufferings; how eafy is it then, to pass into a fudden Refolution of being Religious, of following his Example, and conforming to his Life and Death? Oh! Then we are all Life and Flame? then we are fix'd for Heaven, and thither we will go in all haft. Again, whilft we are under the afflicting Hand of God, or the Influence and Conviction of a serious and affecting Difcourfe ; when we have heard the Doctrines of Faith and Repentance; of Heaven and Hell; of Death and Judgment, well handled and preffed home upon us: How are our Paffions moved, and our Fears raised, and our Confciences touched and how do we tremble at the Thoughts of Sinning against fo Great and terrible a God? We go away, and perhaps we fay within our felves, we will Sin no more, left a worfe Thing befall us Once more; whilft the Providences of God are adminiftred favourably towards us, and Heaven feems to fmile upon us, how forward are we to be thankful? Whilft Men

fhew

fhew us Refpect, and court our Friendship, and flatter our Inclinations, how prone are we to be civil, and courteous, and affable? Whilst no Body does us any Injury, nor offer us any Affront, how glorioufly can we pronounce that we are at Peace, in Love, and Charity. with all the World? Thus, I fay, it may be many times with us; but in the mean while, there may be nothing of well-grounded Re ligion in all these. They may be no more than the natural Refult of the prefent State of our Mind; which being pleased with the Pofture of Things without, is not willing to ruffle its own Enjoyment by any difturbing Paffions within. And therefore he that would have reasonable Hopes of the Sincerity of his Religion, in more lafting Shews than thefe, muft find it in the Conftancy of his Faith, and the Satisfactions of his Virtue, in the Time of Trial, and in the Hour of Temptation; how far his Love to Chrift will engage him to follow him, in the Difficulties of Mortification, Humility, and Self-denial; what good Effect the Inftructions he hath at any time receiv'd, have had upon the general Courfe of his Life ; what he can forgive, when Injury provokes him; what he can fuffer, when Danger threatens him; what he can forego of his own Intereft, to promote the Intereft of Chrift and his Religion, For thefe Reasons, we ought not to make an Estimate of the Truth of our Faith, from fome fudden, extemporary, and occafional Expreffions of it, but from the Trials

of

of it, amidst the Snares and Temptations of the World. Without thefe Experiences, all our Profeffions are but like the vain Badges of Ephraim's Valour, who being harneffed, and carrying Bows, run away, and turned himfelf back in the Day of Battle. But further, in the 3d Place,

3. The Laft Thing to be reflected on in this Confeffion of the Difciples, was the Confidence of their Faith. It was their own Hearts, they pronounced upon; and yet (as appears by the Iffue) they were deceived: It was a little too foon to boaft, before they had proved the Grounds of their Confidence it was very unfeafonable, to cry, now we believe, juft at the time, when they were ready to confute their own Pretences. It had been more modeft, and would have better fecured their Faith, had they prayed (as once Luk. 1.75 they did) Lord! increase our Faith.

From hence likewife I fhall draw this Obfervation, viz. That Men are naturally prone to entertain too kind and indulgent an Opinion of themselves. Truly this, we all, even the Beft of us are apt to do. Pride is one great Part of that Corruption we drew from the Loins of our first Parents; a good Conceit of our felves is a very fweet Paffion; it pleases us wonderfully, it fets us mightily at eafe with our felves; and fo it has always a fure Friend of our Nature; it takes us off from our proper Business; it nourishes in us Idlenefs,

Idlenefs, Difdain, Detraction, and Contempt of others, and fo it has always a fure Friend of the Devil: And no wonder then it fteals fo infenfibly upon us, and prevails fo univerfally in the World. Our evil Thoughts, our hard Cenfures, our bitter Reproaches, fpend themselves all upon others; and fo our good ones fall of courfe to our felves. But there is little of Ingenuity, lefs of Honefty, leaft of all of Charity and Religion in these Practices.

I know that Men never calumniate more bitterly, nor wound more deeply; nor infult over one another's Infirmities more Magifterially, than upon the Differences and Quarrels of Religion. Herefie and Damnation are the beft Words and Compliments they can afford one another. Mean while true Religion mourns under, and remonftrates to the Slan der; fhe implores her Profeffors to be more meek and humble, more kind and merciful, both to her, and to one another. Ah! the Things of Chrift and of his Religion, are quite of another Nature, if we may truft St. Paul, who thus reckons them up. The Fruit of the Gal.s.zz. Spirit is Love, Foy, Peace, Long-fuffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness. My Beloved, did these Graces ever teach Men to be Proud and Haughty; to cenfure and undervalue their Brethren? The Charge given to Chriftians by the fame Apoftle is this; If Phil.z. 1.2. there be therefore any Confolation in Chrift; if there be any Comfort of Love If there be any Fellowship of the Spirits if there be

any