I. Scripture-light the most sure light ... delivered in three sermons on 2 Pet.…

Answ. 2 But suppose that your condition be, as never any bodies was; hath not the Lord said, Behold I work a new thing? Is not the Name of Christ wonderful? and are wonders wrought ordinarily? If your condition be as never any bodies condition was; then have you an opportunity of glorifying God more than ever any man or woman had; then you have an opportunity of glorifying God, either in doing, or in suffering, more than ever any man or woman had. And then, O! what Grace is here! what Mercy is here! what Love is here to overcome thy soul withal! that thou shouldest have such an opportunity, as never man or woman had before! And therefore, what I said unto you often, I must now conclude with: Gods People have no reason for their Discouragements, whatever their condition be.

Thus I have now done with this Last Instance, and with all the Instances. Give me leave to speak something by way of Application, in reference to the whole, and so I will shut up this Exercise.

Thus I have now done with this Last Instance, and with all the Instances. Give me leave to speak somthing by way of Application, in reference to the whol, and so I wil shut up this Exercise.

¹If all these things be so, if this be true, That the Children of God have no reason for their Discouragements, whatever their Condition be: Then, what a mighty necessity, is there upon us all, to look into our Conditions, and to consider whether we be in Christ, or no? whether we be Godly, yea, or nay? whether ⟨p. 325⟩we have made our Peace with God, I, or not? and whether we have Faith, I, or no? All men have not Faith (saith the Apostle) Indeed all men say they have Faith; and should I go from Seat to Seat, and from Bosom to Bosom, and knock at every Breast in the Congregation, asking, Whether doth Faith dwell here or no? Unless it were some few troubled ones, afflicted in Conscience, every one of you would say, I do believe, I praise God I do believe, I have Faith here within: But all men have not Faith, and few there be that do believe. Children, young men, and women, Faith is not a thing that is born with you; it is a harder thing to believe, than to keep the ten Commandments: when once you come to know what it is to believe, you will say, O! it is a harder thing to believe, than to do any thing; I do not know any thing in all the world, that is so hard as to believe: But if you do believe, be in Christ, are godly, and have made your Peace with God, blessed are you of the Lord, nothing shall offend you, nothing shall discourage you. But if not godly, if not in Christ, if not believing, every thing shall offend thee, and discourage thee, and thou hast no reason to be encouraged, whatever thy condition be. Shall we not then, my beloved, all of us, as in the presence of the Lord, seriously look into our condition, and consider, whether we be in Christ, I, or not?