of his Highness, I could not endure. (4.) A thriving, growing faith, with all thankfulness, accepts the Promifes, and with all heartiness relyes upon God for the performance of mercy promised. Resting up. on the promise, when he hath nothing else to avouch it; when there is neither Senfe, nor Reason to second Faith. So Abraham, Rom. 4. 17, 18, &c. He believed God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth things that are not, as if they were: Who against hope, believed in hope. And being not weak in faith, he confidered not his own Body now dead, &c. He ftaggered not at the promife of God, through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; being fully perfwaded, that what he had promifed, he was able to perform, 2 Cor. 5. 7, We walk by faith, and not by fight. i. e. By the fenfible enjoyment of what God hath promised, but by faith, believing, and waiting for the accomplishment: Notwithstanding all the real improbability, and feeming impoffibilities that are in the way: When faith thus grows, the Soul profpers exceedingly. Now the heart will be kept more fweet, and clean then ordinary, At. 15.9, purifying their hearts by faith. The World will be Conquered. 1 Joh. 5.4, And this is the victory that overcometh the World, even your faith. And hereby Satan himself is trodden under foot.

2. When

2. When Repentance, grows (which is as the Radical moisture) then the Soul profpers. Now Repentance grows,

(1.) When there is a growth and increase in the neceffary adjunct of Repentance; in that which is as infeparable from it,as heat is from the fire; and that is in an hearty grief, and godly forrow for fin. This is neceffa ry, that the Soul may experimentally know the bitterness of fin, and tafte, as it were, the Gall, and Wormwood that is in it. Jer. 2. 19, Thine own wickedness fhall correct thee, and thy backflidings shall reprove thee: know therefore, and fee that it is an evil thing, and bitter,that thou haft forfaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, faith the Lord God of hosts. And it is infeparable, for it cannot be rationally imagined, that a Man whofe Eyes are opened, to fee what great provocation there is in the leaft fin, as it is against the most high, and most holy God; it is impoffible that it fhould be without fome pricking of the heart, as they felt Ach 2,37. Now, when this grows, and increafeth, fo as it reacheth not only Beams, but Motes, not only Camels, but Gnats melting the heart with godly forrow before God, for the leaft vain word proceeding out of the mouth; yea for finful filence, in not fpeaking, when and what we ought to fpeak: and for the leaft finful thought in the secret

of

of our Souls, when this brings us upon our knees before God, and that with the firft opportunity after the first discovery of it, as it did David, 1 Sam. 24. 5. And it came to pafs, that afterward David's heart smote pim. When it is thus, the Soul is in the high way of profpering. For, what tendernefs, what watchfulness, what humility, what high prizing of Chrift, are likely to thrive, and profper in fuch a Soul, when it fees how it forfeits all its hopes every day, and therefore hath fuch need of Chrift every day, that the forfeiture may not be ta ken?

(2.) The Soul profpereth when there is a growth, and increase in the Effential parts of Repentance, and they are thefe two: (r.) Turning from fin, and (2.) Turning to God. Herein the very Effence and Nature of this grace doth confift. To work this was the fcope of the Apoftles miniftry. Act. 26. 18. And this is that, which forrow for fi (if it be godly forrow indeed) doth work, 2 Cor. 7.10. For godly forrow worketh Re pentance to falvation,

(1.) For the former of thefe: When the heart is heated with holy indignation against the leaft fin; and against it felf, for being, through its own carelefnefs, furprized by it, and defiled with it, as Job was, chap. 42. 6. Wherefore I abhor my self, and repent in duft

and

and afhes. And when holy and humble resolutions, in the ftrength of Christ, are more hightened to keep himself that the wicked one touch him not, 1 Job.5.18. fo as to leave any of his polluting impreffions upon him. Pfal. 17.3,-thou haft tryed me, and fhalt find nothing. I am purpofed that I my mouth fhall not tranfgrefs. Pfal. 39. 1, I faid, I will take heed unto my ways, that I fin not with my tongue. Hof. 14.8, Ephraim fball fay, What have I any more to do with Idols. Ifa. 22, Te fhall defile alfo the covering of thy graven Images, of the ornament of thy molten Images of Gold: Thou shalt caft them away, as a menftruous cloth; thou shalt fay unto it, Get thee hence.

(2.) For the latter part: Turning unto God; it is evident, that this is an Effential part of Repentance. For every fin, fo far as It prevails, turns the heart from God. Jam. 1.14, Every Man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own luft, and enticed. Jer. 32.33, And they have turned to me the back, and not the face. Now the repenting finner, that prizeth the loving kindnefs of God as better then life, then life with all its fillings up with earthly comforts, cannot but fet himself to turn unto God; as they did, Hofea. 6. 1, Come and let us return unto the Lord, for he hath torn, and he will heal us. Turn unto God, and that,

(1.) As

(1.) As the chiefeft good, out of an unfeigned defire to have his good will, to live in his love, and to enjoy Communion with him. Pfal. 4. 6, 7,-Lord lift up the light of thy countenance upon us. Thou hast put glad nefs in my heart, more then in the time, that their Corn, and their Wine increased. Pfal 73.25,26, Whom have I in Heaven but thee, and there is none upon Earth that I defire befides thee. My heart, and my flesh faileth, but God is the ftrength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

(2.) As our utmost end; reckoning upon it, that therefore we live, that we may exalt him, and fanctifie his holy name in our hearts, and please him in all our ways, ftill endeavouring, that in all things our end may fall in with his. Rom. 6. 11, Likewife reckon ye alfo your felves to be dead in deed unto fin, but alive to God, through Jefus Christ our Lord, Rom. 14. 7, 8, For none of us liveth to himself, and no Man dyeth to himfelf: For whether we live, we live unto the Lord, and whether we dye, we dye unto the Lord, whether we live therefore or die we are the Lords.

Thus ye fee when Repentance may be faid to grow; and that in the growth there. of, the Soul exceedingly profpers. Ye have likewise, the firft evidence of univerfal growth, namely the growth of Faith, and

Repen