144 The Life ofFaith. God, and fweeter fbretatls of life eternal. In a word, if we didbut note Gods dreadful Judgements on the fouls of the ungodly in this age, as well as we havenoted our plagues and flames; and if Gods fervants kept as exalt obfervations of their inward rewards and Funithments, and that in parti- cular:, as fuited to their particular fins and duties s you will fee that Christ is King indeed, and that there is à real Govern - ment according to his Gotpel, kept up in the confciences or fouls of men (though not fo obfervable as the rewards and punifhments at the lait day.) Direct. 8. Mani' not too onuch on fenfual objeíis, and let them not come toonear your hearts. Three things I here perfwade you carefully to avoida.That you keep your hearts at a meet dittance from all things in this world ; that they grow nottoo fweet to you, nor too great in your diem : 2. That you gratifie not fenfe it felf too much; and live not in the pleating of your toile or lull: 3. That you fuflir not your imaginations to run out greedily after things fenfitive, nor make them the too frequent objet`d's of your thoughts. You may ask perhaps, what is all this to our faith ? why, the life offaith is exercifed upon things that are not feen : And ifyou live upon the things that are frets, and imprifon your foul in the fetters of your concupifcence, and fill your fancies with things of another nature, how can you be ac- quainted with the life offaith ? Can a bird flye that hath a floue tyed to her foot ? Can you have a mind full of luti, and ofGod at once ? Or can that mind that is ufed to thefe inor- dinate fenfualíties, be fit toreIifhthe things that are fpiritual ? And can it be a lover of earth, and flefhly pleafures, and alto a Believer and lover ofHeaven? A Direa%. 9. Vie your [elves much to think, and fpeak.ef Hea- ven, and the invifible things ofFaith ? Speakatg of Heaven is needful both to exprefs your thcughts, and to aauate and preferve them. And the often thoughts of Heaven ,
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