content with what they have. A spark is sooner smothered than a flame ; a drop is easier drank up and dried than a river. The stronger thy faith is, the safer tliy faith is from the enemy's assaults. The intelligence which an enemy liath of a castle being weakly provided for a siege, is enough to bring him against it, which else would not have been troubled with his company. The devil is a coward, and he loves to fight on the greatest advantage, and greater he cannot have than the weakness of the Christian's faith. Didst thou but know, Chi'istian, the many privileges of a strong faith above a weak, thou wouldst never rest till thou hadst it. Sti-ong faith comes conqueror out of those temptations where weak faith is foiled and taken prisoner. Those Philistines could not stand before Samson in his strength who durst dance about him scornlully in his weakness. When David's faith was up, how iindauntedly did he look death in the face ! 1 Sam. xxx. 6 ; but when that was out of his heart, O how poor-spirited is he ! ready to run his head into every hole, though never so dishonourably, to save himself, 1 Sam. xxi. 13. Strong faith, it frees the Christian from those heart-rending thoughts which weak faith nmst needs he oppressed with. ' Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee,' Isa. xxvi. 3. So much faith, so much inward peace and quietness. If little faith, then little peace and serenity, through the storms that our unbelieving fears will necessarily gather. If strong faith, then strong jieace, for so the repeti- tion in the Hebrew, ' Peace, peace,' imports. It is confessed, weak faith hath as much peace with God through Christ, as the other hath by his strong faith, but not so much bosom peace. Weak faith will as surely land the Christian in heaven as strong faith ; for it is impossible the least dram of true grace should perish, being all incorruptible seed ; but the weak, doubting Christian is not like to have so pleasant a voyage thither as another with strong faith. Though all in the ship come safe to shore, yet he that is all the way sea-sick hath not so comfortable a voyage as he that is strong and healthful. There are many delightful prospects occur in a journey, which he that is sick and weak loseth the pleasure of; but the strong man views all with abundance of delight; and, though he wisheth with all his heart he was at home, yet the entertainment he hath from these do much shorten and sweeten his way to him. Thus, Christian, there are many previous delights, which saints travelling to heaven meet on their way thither, besides what God hath for them at their journey's end. But it is the Christian whose faith is strong and active on the promise that finds them. This is he who sees those spiritual glories in the promise, that ravish his soul with unspeakable delight, while the doubting Christian's eye of faith is so gummed up with unbelieving fears, that he can see little to affect him in it. This is he that goes singing all the way with the promise in his eye ; while the weak Christian (kept in continual pain with his own doubts and jealousies) goes sighing and mourning with a heavy heart, because his interest in the promise is yet under a dispute in his own thoughts. As you v.ould not there- fore live uncomfortably, and have a dull, melancholy walk of it to heaven, labour to strengthen your faith.
Quest. But, may be, you will ask. How may I know whether my faith be strong or weak ? — Ansiv. I answer, by these following characters.
First, The more entirely a Christian can rely on God, upon his naked word in the promise, the stronger his faith is. He surely putteth greater confidence in a man that will take his own word, or single bond for a smn of monej', than he who dares not, except some others will be bound for him. When we trust God for his bare promise, we trust him on his own credit, and this is faith indeed. He that walks without staff or crutch, is stronger than he that needs these to lean on. The promise is the ground faith goes on ; sense and reason, these are the crutches which weak faith leans on too much in its acting. Now, soul, inquire. First, Canst thou bear up thyself on the pi'omise, though the crutch of sense and present feeling be not at hand? May be, thou hast had some discoveries of God's love, and beamings forth of his favour upon thee, and so long as the sun sinned thus in at thy window, thy heart v.-as lightsome, and thou thoughtest thou shouldst never distrust God more, nor listen to thy unbelieving thoughts more ; but how findest thou thy heart now, since those sensible demonstrations are withdrawn, and may be some frowning providence sent in the room of them? dost thou presently dispute the jjromise in thy
ABOVE ALL, TAKING THE SHIELD OF FAITH. 4g'J'