Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BT770 .B39 1670

r2 Ti.e Life of Faith. bet re God, as Gen. 5, 22, 24. & 6. 9. & 17 . z. in the cafe of Ifenoch, Noab, and Abraham. All the day dotb be wait on God, Peal. 25.5. Imagine your (elves what manner of person he mull be that fees the Lord; and conclude that such (in his measure) is the true believer. For by faith be Teeth him that io,inv f ble (wthe eye.of fent'e) and therefore can forfake the glory and pleafures of the world, and fcareth not the wrath of Princes, as it's Paid. ofMot s, Heb. I z. 27 .2. The Believer is one that loveth on a Cbrift wham be ne= verfaw, and trufeth in him, adbereth to him, acknowledgeth his benefits, loveth him, and njtycetb' in -him, as if he had Teen himwith his eyes. This is the faith which Peter calls more precious than perishing gold; that maketh us love bins whom we have not Peen, and in whom th;ugh now we fee him not, yet believing we rejoyce, with unfiiealable and glorious joy, act. z. S. Chriff dwelleth in h'r heart byfaith; not only by bill Spirit ; but objettively i as-our deareflabfent friend, doth`dwell' inour eflitnation and affet5tion, Ephej. 3. 17. 0 that the mi- ferable Infidels of the world, h_ ad the eyes, the hearts, the ex perienees ofthe true believer ! Then they that with Thomas tell thole that have teen him, [Except I may fee and feel, I will not believe] will be forced to cry out, [My Lordand my, Gad,] Joh. 20:25, &c. 3. ABeliever is one that judgetb of the man by bis invifible infide, and not by outwardappearances with a fleshly worldly judgement. He feetb by faith a greaterugliness in fin, than 'in any the mofi deformedmonfier. When the unbeliever faith, what harm is it to please myflesh, in cafe; or pride, or meat and drink, or lufl:ful wantonnefs ? the believer takes it as tilt q.ueflionofa fool, that should ask [what harm is it to take a dram ofM:rcury or Arfenick ?] He feeth the vicious evil, and forefeeth the confequentpenal evil, by the eye of faith. And therefore it is that he pittieth the ungodly, when they pitty not themfelves,. and fpeaks to them oft tw.ith a tender heart in compaflion of their mifery, and perhaps *ceps over them (as Paul, Phil. 3.18, 19.) when he cannot prevail ; when they weep not for themfelves, but hate his love, and (corn his pitty, and bid him keephis lamentations for himfelf, bccaufe they vot,whathe fees.

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=