268 The Life of Faith. will take another Ship andPilot along withme, left he lhould fail me, that I may not be deceived. Another faith, I am told that the Seas are calm, and there is no danger in the paf- fage, and therefore I will abfolutely truft him, and venture all; but when he meets with (forms and hideous waves, he. faith, This is not as I expected, and fo he turncth back again. But another (the truc Chriftian) faith, I will venture all, and wholly truff him : And fo, though he is oft afraid in dangers, when he feeth the devouring gulfs, yet not `o fearful as to turn back, but on he goeth, come on it what will; becaufe he knoweth that the place which he goeth to is molt defirable, and mortality will foonend his old profperity ; and he bath great reafon to believe his Pilot to be :tufty. By all this you may fee, how it cometh to pats that Chrift who promifeth life to Believers, doth yet makefelf -denyal, and forfaking all that we have, even life it fclf, tobe all() neceffary;. and what relation felfdenyal hath to faith, Luke 14. 26, 33, Nearer by far than molt confider. You may fee here the reafon why Chri(f trycd the rich man, Luke i8. 22, with felling all, and following him in hope of a reward in Heaven : And why he bid his Diciples, Luke 12. 33. Sell that yehave, and give alms ; provideyour felves bags which wax not old, a treafure in the Heavens which faileth not And why the fira Chri fiions were made a pattern of entire Chrifàianity, by felling all; and laying down at the Apo(fles feet ; And Ananias and Sa pbira were the inftances of Hypocrifie, who fecretly and lying - ly kept back part : You fee here how it comes to pa%, that all true Chrifians muff be heart- martyrs, or prepared to die for Chrift and Heaven, rather than forfake him. You may plainly perceive that Faith it fell is an Affiance or 7rufiing in God by Cbriff, even a Truffing in God in bleaven as our felicity, and inCbriff as the Mediator and the Way ; and that this Tra(f is aventuring all upon him, and a forfal4ng all for Gad, and his pronrífes in Chrel. And that it is one and the fame Motion which from the terminus à quo is called Repentance and for- faking all ; and from the terminus ad queer is calledTru(f and Love. They that are willing to fee, may profit much by this obfervation; and they that are not mayquarrel at it, and talk againft that which their prejudice will not allow them to un- derfland, And
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