3. The next degree of destruction to this Enemy, was by the gift of his Justifying and Sanctifying grace. Four special benefits were then bestowed on us, which are Antidotes against the Enmity of Death. 1. One is, the gift of Saving Faith, by which we look beyond the grave, as far as to eternity. And this doth most powerfully ⟨p. 40⟩disable Death to terrify and discourage us; and raiseth us above our Natural fears, and showeth us (though but in a glass) the exceeding eternal weight of glory which churlish Death shall help us to. So that when the eye of the unbeliever looketh no further then the grave, believing souls can enter into Heaven, and see their glorified Lord, and thence fetch Love, and Hope, and Joy, notwithstanding the terrors of interposing death. The eye of Faith foreseeth the salvation ready to be revealed in the last time, and causeth us therein greatly to rejoice, though now for a season (if need be) we are in heaviness through manifold temptations. And so victorious is this Faith against all the storms that do assault us, that the trial of it, though with fire, doth but discover that it is much more precious then Gold that perisheth, and it shall be found unto praise and hour, ⟨p. 41⟩and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ; whom having never seen in the flesh we Love, and though now we see him not, yet believing we rejoice with unspeakable glorious joy, 1 Pet. 1.5, 6, 7, 8, 9. and shall shortly receive the end of our Faith, the salvation of our souls. Thus Faith, though it destroy not. Death it self, destroyeth the malignity and enmity of death: while it seeth the things that are beyond it, and the time when death shall be destroyed, and the Life where death shall be no more. Faith is like Davids three mighty men, that brake through the host of the Philistines, to fetch him the waters of Bethlehem, for which he longed, 2 Sam. 23.15, 16. When the thirsty soul saith, 0 that one would give me drink of the waters of Salvation! Faith breaks through death which standeth in the way, and fetcheth these living waters to the soul. We may ⟨p. 42⟩say of death, as it is said of the world, 1. John 5.4, 5. Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our Faith: who is he that overcometh, but he that believeth? &c. For greater is he that is in us, then he that is in the world: 1 John 4.4.
3. The next degree of destruction to this Enemy, was by the gift of his Justifying and Sanctifying grace. Four special benefits were then bestowed on us, which are Antidotes against the Enmity of Death. 1. One is, the gift of Saving Faith, by which we look beyond the grave, as far as to eternity. And this doth most powerfully ⟨p. 40⟩disable Death to terrifie and discourage us; and raiseth us above our Natural fears, and sheweth us (though but in a glass) the exceeding eternal weight of glory which churlish Death shall help us to. So that when the eye of the unb•liever looketh no further then the grave, believing souls can enter into Heaven, and see their glorified Lord, and thence fetch Love, and Hope, and Joy, notwithstanding the terrors of interposing death. The eye of Faith foreseeth the salvation ready to be revealed in the last time, and causeth us therein greatly to rejoyce, though now for a season (if need be) we are in heaviness through manifold temptations. And so vic•orious is this Faith against all the storms that do assault us, that the tryal of it, though with fire, doth but discover that it is much more precious then Gold that perisheth, and it shall be found unto praise and hoour, ⟨p. 41⟩and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ; whom having never seen in the flesh we Love, and though now we see him not, yet believing we rejoyce with unspeakable glorious joy, 1 Pet. 1.5, 6, 7, 8, 9. and shall shortly receive the end of our Faith, the salvation of our souls. Thus Faith, though it destroy not. Death it self, destroyeth the malignity and enmity of death: while it seeth the things that are beyond it, and the time when death shall be destroyed, and the Life where death shall be no more. Faith is like Davids three mighty men, that brake through the host of the Philistines, to fetch him the waters of Bethlehem, for which he longed, 2 Sam. 23.15, 16. When the thirsty soul saith, 0 that one would give me drink of the waters of Salvation! Faith breaks through death which standeth in the way, and fetcheth these living waters to the soul. We may ⟨p. 42⟩say of death, as it is said of the world, 1. John 5.4, 5. Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our Faith: who is he that overcometh, but he that believeth? &c. For greater is he that is in us, then he that is in the world:
