Ungodly. They by Faith in the Glass of divine Revelation, have feen the Lord, whom they daily ferve; and the Glory which they daily feek; and the Place of Torments, from which they fly. But the careless World are not like Believers in holyDiligence, becaufe they have not this Eye of Faith, and never faw thofe powerful Objects, which Believers fee. Had you their Eyes, Sinners, you would have their Hearts and Lives. O that the Lord would illuminate you! What a happy Change would it make in you! Then, inftead of deriding and oppofing, we fhould have your Company in the Paths of Holinefs. When the heavenly Light appeared to Saul, he ceafed to perfecute, and enquires what Chrift would have him do,' in Order to his being like thofe, whom he had been perfecu ting. And when the Scales fell from his Eyes,' he joins himself to the Believers, and labours and fuffers more than they. But till this Light appears to your darkened Souls, you cannot fee the Reasonableness of a holy Life, and therefore you charge it with Hypocrify, Pride, or deluded Imagination. Were you to see a Man bowing to a Prince, without your feeing the Prince himself; or a Labourer thrething, reaping, or mowing, but no Corn or Grafs before him; or a Soldier fighting for his Life, and no Enemy in Sight; would you not take them for diftracted Perfons? This is the Cafe between you and true Believers. You fee them reverently worship God; but you fee not the divine Majefty, as they do. You fee them ftriving to fave their Souls; but you fee not the Hell they fly from, nor the Heaven they feek. Therefore you wonder why they make fo much ado about their Souls, and why

they

they cannot be as eafy as others are. But if the amazing Things of God were open to your Sight, you would fooner mock at any drowning Man's Diligence to fave his Life, or at the Endeavours of others to extinguish the Flames in their Houses, than at Believers praying and ftriving for eternal Life, and to fave themselves from everlasting Burning. How foon would you turn your Admiration against the Stupidity of thofe, that hear the Scriptures, and fee the Works of God, and still make light of Things of infinite Importance! It would a ftonish you, that fo many wife Men fhould wilfully run into Deftruction, as if it was as easy to be in Hell, as in an Ale-Houfe, or Tavern ; and as if Heaven was no better than any vile Luft. You would cry out at the Madness of the Ungodly, and fay, Is this the Fire that Sinners fo little fear? Is this the Glory which Sinners fo much neglect ?'

CHAP

Faith farther confidered as inftead of Sight and Poffeffion.

1. Self-Examination recommended, §.2. affifted, 3. and urged, in Order to know whether we have Faith or not. $ 4. A believing Regard to invifible Objects excited by various Suppofitions, § 5. Queries, § 6, 7. and other Confiderations. 8. The Chapter concludes with an Addrefs to the Court of King Charles II.

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Hope you have been judging yourfelves by the Light which has been fet before you. Have not fome of your Confciences been faying, "If this be the Nature and Tendency of Faith, to make Things unfeen, as if we faw them, how deflitute is íny Soul of Faith ? how full of Infidelity? how far from the Truth and Power of Chriftianity? I never knew the • Life of Faith, but took up with a dead Opinion, only arifing from my Education, and the Cuftom of my Country, instead of Faith! I little thought • myself an Infidel at the Heart while I fo confi

• dently

25 · dently laid claim to the Name of a Believer! Alas, how far have I been from living, a one that fees the Things which he profeffes to believe!' If Confcience is not thus convinced, I am afraid it is feared or afleep. And if it has not begun to plead this Caufe against you, let me begin to plead it with your Confcience. Are you Believers? Do you live the Life of Faith, or not? Do you live upon Things unfeen, or upon the vifible Baits of Senfuality? To anfwer this well, is your higheft Intereft. • For • all Men have not Faith (a).' O the Multitudes that deceive themfelves with Names and Appearances, with fpeculative and cuftomary Religion, and take these for the Life of Faith! Till you have this Faith, you have no real Intereft in Chrift, no Part or Portion in him. Believers only are united to him, as his living Members. By Faith Chrift • liveth in them.' You can have no Peace with,' nor Access to God,' but by Faith in Chrift.Without Faith, you cannot receive the Forgiveness of 'your Sins' but are under the Curfe and Condemnation of the divine Law. Without Faith it is im⚫ poffible to please God (b).' For in all your Actions you will be carnally minded, which is En

mity against God (c).' Nor can you without this Faith, have any Right to Heaven. He that believeth on the Son, hath everlafting Life; and he that believeth not the Son, fhall not fee Life, but the Wrath of God abideth on him (d).' Thus it concerns you to try whether you are true Believers; unless it is an indifferent Thing with you, to live in Heaven or Hell for ever.

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(a) 2 Theff. iii. 2. (b) Gal. ii. 20. Rom. v. 1, 2. Acs xxvi. 18. Heb. xi, 6. (d) John iii. 36.

(c) Rom. viii. 6. 7.

$2. Tho' none of us are affected with the Objects of Faith as we should be, yet wherever there IS any Faith that is true and faving, even in the leaft Degree, it will produce fuch. Effects as thefe, viz.

You will practically esteem Things, unfeen above al earthly Things. How contemptible will the greatest Pleasures, Riches, or Honours of this World appear, while you fee God prefent, and Heaven open! Inftead of envying the Profperity of Sinners, you wilk pity them in their Mirth, as miferably bound in Fetters of Luft, and. Strangers to real Honour and Joy. Your Thoughts will fuggeft, Alas, poor Men! Is this all your Glory? Have you no better Wealth, no higher Honour, no fweeter Plea→ fures than thefe Husks?' With fuch a practical Judgment as you value Gold above Dirt, and Jewels above common Stones, you will value Heaven above this World.-Your Wills will embrace Things unfeen with Complacence and Resolution, above all other.' You will determine, that tho' other Things may be your Helps, they fhall not be your Happiness. You will refolve to feek, and trust in God, Chrift, and Heaven, or in Nothing. Tho'you are fometimes fearful concerning your Part in Chrift and Glory, yet you are unchangeably fixed for your Mafter, your Hopes, and your holy Conversation, in Oppofition to any other Hopes or Course of Life. will feek firft the Kingdom of God, and his Righteouf nefs (e). For in your Practice, as well as Refolution, the Bent of your Lives will be for God, and an invisible Happiness. A fpeculative Faith may consist with a worldly Life, but a practical Faith

(e) Mat, vi. 33.