146 The Life of Faith. they will make you unfit to fee the evidences of truth in the Gofpel, when you do think of them, or hear them : For he that would not know cannot learn. Obey therefore according to the knowledge which you have, if ever you would hare more, and would not be given up to the blïndncfs of Infi- delity. Dire&. r r. Trull not only to your underftændings, andthink not that fludy is all which is_necejfary to faith : But remember that faith is the gift of God, and therefore pray as well ac fiudy. Prov. 3. 5. Trull in the Lord with all thy la: art, and lean not to thy own únderflanding. It is a precept as neceffary in this point as in any. In all things God abhorreth the proud, and looketh at them afar cif, as with difowning and difdain But in no cafe more, than when a blind ungodly rimier (hall fo overvalue his own =underflanding, as to think that if there be evidence of truth in the my(ìery of faith, he is able pre- fently todifcern it, beforeor without any heavenly illumina- tion, to cure his dark diflcmpered mind. Remember that as the Sun is Peen only by his own light ; fo is God our Creatour and Redeemer. Faith is the gift of God, as well as Repen- tance, Epbef. 2.8. 2 Tim. 2.25, 26. Apply your felves there- fore to God by earnefi prayer for it. As he, Mark 9. 24. Lord, I believe, help thou nay unbelief. And as the Dif- ciples, Luke 17, 5. Increafe our faith. A humble foul that waiteth on God in fervent prayer, and yet neglið not to (Judy and featch for truth, is muchLiter to become a con- firmed Believer, than ungodly Students, who truht and leek no further than to their Books, and their perverted minds. For as God will be fought to for his grace; fo thofe that draw wear him, do draw near unto the Light ; and there- fore are like as children of Light to be delivered from the power of darknefs : For in his light we (hall fee the light that mull acquaint us withhim. Dire& E 2.
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