/ / Bodkll. Chap.~Se~.s SECT. V. of kleeving in :fe[t14 Jn thAt refpe[l, S· wE mull beleve in [efm, ascarrying on that great work offalvation for us in that eternity. It i.s not enough 'f:O know, and confider , and dfjire, ttnd hope , but we muft beleeve. Now this is the nature and property of faith to apply all thefe ancient and future doings and dealings of God to our felvs as ifthey were now prefent. Some difference there is betwixt hope and faith; as hope hath refped: to that which the Word promifetb, rem verbi; but faith refped:s the Word it felf, ver~ ' , bum rri; hope eyes chiefly the mercy and goodnetfe of the promife, ~ut faith eyes mainly the authority and truth of the _promifer; hope looks upon irs objed: as future,but faith onely looks upon the objed: as prefent; both make a particular application to themfelves, but hope in a waiting for it; and faith in a way ,ofnow enjoying it. Henc~ faith is called, the fubftance of thingt hoped for ; it is the fubftance, or confidence of things hoped for as ifwe·had them already in hand: faith gives the foul -a prefent intcreft in God, in Chrift, in all thofe glorious things in the Gofpel ofChrift ; even in the things of eternal life. Faith is an appropriating,an applying, an t,miting grace; it is a bleffed thing to have the fight ofGod, there is much power in it; but to fee God in his glory as my God, to fee all the majefty, greatnetfe,aAd goodneYfe ofGod,~s thofe things that my foul have an intereft in ; to fee how·the eternal·counfels of qod wrought for me to makemehappy,whythisisofthenature of faith: And herein lies the fweetnefle of faith, in that we beleeve not Chri'fl: onely to be a Saviour, and.righteoufnefl'e, but my,Saviour and my righ· teoufneffe; And therefore Luther affirmed that the fweetneffe of Chriftianitylay inpronounes; when a man can fay, my Lwd,aml my God,and7»J [efm. llive by the f aithof theSonne of God, who loved me, and gave himfelfforme. 0 my foul! beleeve for thy felf ; beleeve, and be confident of it that thofe eternal projeCts, counfels, love, purpofe, decree, and covenant betwixt God and Chrift were all for thee : haft thou ~ot apromife ? Nay, was th~re not apromife before tf~~orld , . · ~gan ~
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