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Because that your faith groweth exceedingly.—2 Thess. i. 3.

On one occasion the disciples said, "Lord, increase our faith." And who that knows any thing of the value of faith, will not constantly urge a similar prayer? We should pray and labor diligently to inflame the heart to seek for faith as for a precious jewel, or a hidden treasure. Men are never satisfied with earthly treasures, though oftentimes they heap them up for the last day: how much more careful should they be to lay up a good foundation for the time to come, that they may obtain eternal life? Great encouragement we may have hereunto upon these considerations:

First, The more faith a man hath, the more comfort he may take in all the good things which he doth enjoy. He may look upon them as the witnesses of God's truth and promises, as the tokens of his love, as the accessions and supernumerary accruements unto his kingdom, as the supplies and daily provisions of a Father which careth for us.

Secondly, The more faith a man hath, the more security against all evils; he may undergo them with patience, with hope, with joy, with triumph, with profit. He may look upon them as needful things, as precious things, as conformities unto Christ his head, as the seeds of peace, righteousness, and praises; as rain, though it makes the way foul, yet it makes the land fruitful.

Thirdly, The more faith a man hath, the more certain and victorious will his conquests be against his enemies; that which by faith we rely upon, and put on, will be impregnable munition, and impenetrable armor to secure us. The love, the blood, the compassions, the temptations of Christ; these, by faith apprehended, have pulled down walls, subdued kingdoms, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, and turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

Fourthly, The more faith a man hath, the more insight he hath into Christ, and those mysteries of salvation, which the angels desire to look into. Faith is the eye, and mouth, and ear of the soul, by which we peep through the curtains of mortality, and take a view and foretaste of heavenly things, whereby we

have a more secret and intimate communion with God in his covenants, promises, precepts,-in his will, guiding us by his counsel, and in his face, comforting us with his favor.

Fifthly, The more faith a man hath, the more tranquillity and establishment of heart shall he find in the midst of all spirittual desertions, distractions, and difficulties. When a man's wits are nonplussed, his reason posed, his contrivances and counsels disappointed, his heart clouded with sorrow and fear; when he walketh in darkness, and hath no light; oh, then to have a sanctuary, an altar to fly unto; to have a God to roll himself upon, to lean upon his wisdom, to lay hold of his covenant, to wait quietly upon the salvation of that God, who doth not cast off for ever, but though he cause grief, yet, will have compassion "according to the multitude of his mercies:" to commit his way to him who is able to bring it to pass, and to do abundantly above the thoughts, desires, expectations, or petitions of men; what peace and serenity must this be to the soul, which is otherwise without light and peace!

Sixthly, The more faith a man hath, the more joy and glory he hath in spiritual, the more contentment and quietness in earthly things. "Being justified by faith, we have peace with God: In whom believing we rejoice with joy unspeakable and 'full of glory. Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee."-Earthly-mindedness and worldly cares grow out of want of faith: In these and many the like respects should we be moved to seek for his grace; and that so much the more carefully, because the heart is of itself barren, and therefore very unfit to have a foreign plant grow in it; very apt to overtop it with lusts and vanities. We must therefore be diligent to make our assurance full and certain, diligent in the word of faith, and with the spirit of faith. "Be ye not slothful," saith the apostle, "but followers of them who, through faith and patience, inherit the promises."

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Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am.-Psalm xxxix. 4.

more.

In this request of David he does not desire a response from God about the day of his death, but instruction concerning the frailty and shortness of his life. But did not David know this? Yes, he knew it, and yet he desires to know it. It is very fit we should ask of God that he would make us to know the things that we do know; I mean, that what we know emptily and barely, we may know spiritually and fruitfully, and if there be any measure of this knowledge, that it may increase and grow We know that we are sinners, but that knowledge commonly produces nothing but cold, dry, and senseless confusion: but the right knowledge of sin would prick our hearts, and cause us to pour them out before the Lord. We know that Jesus is the Saviour of sinners; it were fit to pray that we might know more of him, so much of him as might make us shape and fashion our hearts to his likeness. We know we must die, and that it is no long course to the utmost period of life; yet our hearts are little instructed by this knowledge. How great need have we to pray with David here, or that with Moses, Teach us to number' our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Did we indeed know and consider how quickly we shall pass hence, it were not possible for us to cleave so fast to the things of this life, and, as foolish children, to wade in ditches, and fill our laps with mire and dirt; to prefer base earth and flesh to immortality and glory.

That I may know how frail I am. Most part of men are foolish, inconsiderate creatures, like unto the beasts that perish, only they are capable of greater vanity and misery; but, in as irrational a way, they toil on and hurry themselves in a multitude of business, by multitudes of desires, fears, and hopes, and know not whither all tends. But one well-advised thought of this one thing, would temper them in their hottest pursuits, if they would but think how frail they are, how vain a passing thing, not only these their particular desires and projects are, but they themselves, and their whole life. David prays that he may know his end, and his prayer is answered; Behold, thou

hast made my days as a hand-breadth. If we were more in requests of this kind, we should receive more speedy and certain answers. If this be our request, to know ourselves, our frailties and vanity, we shall know that our days are few and evil, know both the brevity and vanity of them.

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And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.-Matt. viii. 25.

FROM these words I shall take occasion to exhort you, that against the tempest and waves of this world, faith sleep not in your hearts. "For the Lord Christ had not indeed death nor sleep in his power, and peradventure sleep overcame the Almighty One as he was sailing, against his will?” If ye believe this, he is asleep in you; but if Christ be awake in you, your faith is awake. The Apostle saith, that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith. This sleep then of Christ is a sign of a high mystery. The sailors are the souls passing over the world in wood. That ship also was a figure of the church. And all, individually indeed are temples of God, and his own heart is the vessel in which each sails; nor can he suffer shipwreck, if his thoughts are only good.

Thou hast heard an insult, it is the wind; thou art angry, it is the wave. When therefore the wind blows, and the wave swells, the ship is endangered, the heart is in jeopardy, the heart is tossed to and fro. When thou hast heard an insult, thou longest to be avenged; and, lo, avenged thou hast been, and so rejoicing in another's harm thou hast suffered shipwreck. And why is this? Because Christ is asleep in thee. What does this mean, Christ is asleep in thee? Thou hast forgotten Christ. Rouse him up then, call Christ to mind, let Christ awake in thee, give heed to him. What didst thou wish? To be avenged. Hast thou forgotten, that when he was being crucified, he said, Father, forgive them, for they know not what thay do? He who was asleep in thy heart did not wish to be avenged. Awake him up then, call him to remembrance. The remembrance of

him is his word; the remembrance of him is his command. And then wilt thou say if Christ awake in thee, What manner of man am I, who wish to be avenged! Who am I, who deal out threatenings against another man? I may die perhaps before I am avenged. And when at my last breath, inflamed with rage, and thirsting for vengeance, I shall depart out of this body, he will not receive me, who did not wish to be avenged; he will not receive me, who said, Give, and it shall be given you; forgive, and it shall be forgiven you. Therefore will I refrain myself from my wrath, and return to the repose of my heart. Christ hath cominanded the sea, tranquillity is restored.

At Christ's

Now what I have said as to anger, hold fast as a rule in all your temptations. A temptation has sprung up; it is the wind; thou art disturbed; it is a wave. Awake up Christ then, let him speak with thee. Who is this, since the winds and the sea obey him? Who is this, whom the sea obeyeth? The sea is his, and he made it. All things were made by him. Imitate the winds then, and the sea rather; obey the Creator. command the sea giveth ear; and art thou deaf? The sea heareth, and the wind ceaseth: and dost thou still blow on? I say, I do, I advise; what is all this, but to be blowing on, and to be unwilling to stop in obedience to the word of Christ? Let not the wave master you in this troubled state of your heart. Yet since we are but men, if the wind should drive us on, and stir up the affections of our souls, let us not despair; let us awake Christ, that we may sail on a tranquil sea, and so come to our country.

What!

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One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messiah; which is being interpreted the Christ. And he brought him to Jesus.—John i. 40–42.

WHEN Andrew had found Jesus, he calls his brother Simon to be a partaker of his joys, which, as it happens in accidents of greatest pleasure, can not be contained within the limits of the possessor's thoughts. But this calling of Peter was not to a beholding, but to a participation of his felicities; for he is strangely covetous, who would enjoy the sun, or the air, or the sea, alone:

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