The Life of Faith. more call down by the fears of Gods difpleafurc, than by the feelings of thefe prefent fuffcrings. As Noah did for his pre, fervation from the threatneddeluge, fo doth the true Believer for his prefervation from everlafling wrath, Heb. r t. 7. [By faith Noah beingwarnedof God of things not fern as yet, moved with fear, prepared an Ark, to the laving of his houfe, by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteouf. nefs, which is by faith.] God firff giveth warning of the flood Noah believeth it : not with a lifelefi, but a working faith: that firfl moved in him a felfprefcrving fear: This fear monthN;ah toobey the Lord in the ufe of means, and to prepare the Ark; and all this was, to Cave himfelf and his houfe from a flood,that was as yet unfeen,and of which in na- ture there was no appearance. Thus doth God warn the fin - ful world, of the day of judgement, and the fire that is un- quenchable; and true believers takehis warning; and believing that which they cannot fee, by fear they are moved to flye to Chrifl, andufe his means to (cape the threatned calamity. By this they become the heirs of that Kighteoufnefd which is by faith, acrd condemn the unbelieving carelefs world, that take not the warning, and ufe not the remedy. By this time you may fee that the Life of Faith is quite another,thing, than the 11 fetefs opinion of multitudes that call themfclvesbelievers. To fay ['believe there is a God, a Chrift, a. Heaven, a He"1,] is as eafie as it is common. But thefaith ()If the ungodly is but an uneffcél'ual dream. To dream that you are fighting; wins no viftories : To dream that you are eat- ing, gets no flrength. Todream that you are running, rids no ground Todream that you are plowing, or towing, or reaping, procureth but a fruitlefs harvefl. And to dream . that you are Princes, may confift, with beggery. If you do any more than dream ofHeaven and Hell, how is it that you flit not, and make it no' appear by the diligence of your lives, and the fervour of your duties , and the ferioufnefs of your endeavours, that fuch wonderful unexpreffìble over- powering things, are indeed the matters of your belief ? As you love your fouls, take heed left you take an image of faith to be the thing it ('elf. Faith lets on work the powers of the foul, for the ebtaiining ofthat joy, and the efeaping of that mifery
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=