The Life of Faith. I2I Hitherto what I have mentioned belonging to the Scripture it riff; it is to be taken aspart of our Religion objetiively con- fidercd : But that whichColloweth is the effe& of that, even our Religionjubjcttively confider:d : To obferve how God maketh men Believers, and by believing fanîf fteth their beams and lives, is a great motive to further our awnbelieving. Con. fider the work, i. As it is in it fell, z. As it is oppofed by all äts enemies, and you may fee that it is the work of God. a. As the Goodnefl, fo alto the Greatnefl ofit, is Gods own Image. It is the raving upof our [tupid faculties to be lively and alive to thofe holyufes, to which they were become as dead by fin. To caufe in an unlearned person, a firmer and morediftint%beliefof the unfeen world, than the molt learn- edPhilofophers can attain to by all their natural contempla- tions : Tobring up a foul to place its happincfs on things fo high, and far from fente ! To caufe himwhonaturally is im- prifoned in felfiJhnefs, to deny himfelf, and devote himfelf en- tirely to God ; to lovelhim, to troll him, and to live to him ! To raife an earthly mind to Heaven, that our bull- Refs and hope may be daily there ! To overcome our pride, and fenfuality , and bring our fenfes in fubjet$ion unto rcafon, and to keep a holy government in our thoughts, and over our pallions, words and deeds ; And to live in continual preparation for death, as the only time of our true felicity : And to fuffcr any lots or pain for the fate accom- plishment of this ! All this is the work of the POWER of God. 2. Which will the more appearwhen we confider, what is done againti it within us and without us ! what privative and pofitive averfencfs we have to it, till God do fenddown that Life, and Light, and Love into our fouls, which is indeed his Image ! How violently our fle[hly fenfe and appetite, (hive again(t the reffraints of God, and would hurry us contrary to the motions of grace ! How importunately Satan joyneth withhisfuggettions ! What baits the world doth (till fit be- fore us, to divert us, and pervert us ! And how many inffru- ments ofitsflattery, or its cruelty, are [till at work, to flop us, or to turn us back ! to invite or affcâions down to R Earth,
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