Io The Life of Faith. ptoms of dittraiion : And will you cherifh them where they are moil pernicious? Hath God made man for any end, or for none ? If note, he is made in vain : If for any, no reafon can expect} that he fhould fee his end, before he rife the means, and fee his home before he begin to travel towards it. When chil- dren fitti go to School, they do not fee or enj,,y the learning and wifdom which by time and labour they muff, attain. Yon will provide for the children which you are like to have be- fore you fee them, To look thatfight which is our fruiti:-n it Pelf, (hould go before a holy life, is to expel the endbefore we will ufe the osecefarymeans. You lee here in the govern- ment ofthe world, that it is things unfeen that are the inllru- ments of rule, and motives of obedience. Shall no man be refrained from felonyor murders, but he that feeth-the Af- fizes or the Gallows ? It is enough that he foref.eth them, as being made known by the Laws. It would be no difcrimination of the good and bad, the wife and fooltJÌl, if the reward and punifhment muff befeen i' what thief fo mad as to flea' at the Gallows, or before the Judge ? The bafe(i habits would be rc(trained from acing, if the re- ward and punifhment were in fight. Themoil beaflly drun- kard would not be drunk ; the filthy fornicator would forbear his tuft ; the malicious enemy of godlinefs would forbear their calumnies and perfecutions, if Heaven and Hell were open to their fight. No man will play the adulterer in the face ofthe Aifhmbly : The chaff and unchatl form therealike : And fo they would do if they faw the face of the moti dreadful God. No thanks to any of you all to be godly if Heaven were tobe prefently feen ? or toforbearyourfin, ifyou lawHell fire, God will have a meeter way oftryal : You (hall believe hisproinifes,' ifever you will have the benefit, and believe his tbreatnings, if ever you will efcape the tbreatned evil. CHAP.
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