The Life if Faith. 429 labour. And this is its highef aid moti proper work, Heb.1 1. It_conquereth Eartb by opening Heaven ; and (hewing it us as fure, and clear, and near. And no man will dote on this de- ceitful world, till hi have turned away his eyes from God and till Heaven be out ofhis fight and heart. Faith faith,I mull Shortly be with Chrift , and what then are theft dying things to me? 1 have better things, which God that cannot lye bath promifed me with ChriR, Titus 1. 2. Heb. 6. 18. I look every day when I a&n called in. The judge ftandetb before the door, James 5. 9. The Lord it at hand, Pail. 4, 5. And the end ofall thefe things is at band, s Pet. 4.7. And (hall I (et my heart on that which is not ? Therefore when the world loth (mile and flatter, faith fetteth Heaven againft all that it can fay or offer. And what is the world when Heaven Rands by ? Faith feeth what the blefi'ed fouls above potters, at the fame time while the world is alluring us to forfake it, Luke 16. Lieb. 1 1. & 12. 1, 2, &c. Faith fetteth the heart upon the things above, as our concern- ment, our only hope andhappinefs : It kindleth that Love of Sod in the foul, and that delight in higher things, which powerfully quencheth worldly love, and mortifieth all our carnal pleafures, Matth. 612o.a1.Col. 5.1,2,3,4. i om.8.5,6,7. Phil. 30.20, 21. 3. Faith (heweth the foul thofe wants and mifcries in it frlf, which nothing in the world is able to fupply andcure. Nay, fuch as the world is apter to increafc. It is not gold that will quench his thief, who longs for pardon, grace and glory. A, guil,y confcience, a linful and condemned foul will never be cured by riches, or high places, by pride, or fl.fhly (ports and pleafures, James 5; 1, 2, 3. This humbling work is not in vain. 4. Faith looketb to Cbri(t, who bath overcome the world,., and carefully treadeth in his (lops,Jobn 16.33.Heb.12,2,3 4 5 It looketh to his perfon, his birth, his life, his etos, his grave, . and hisrefurre ion : to all that Rrange example of contempt of worldly things which he gave us from his manger, to his fhameful kind ofdeath.And he that fludieth the Life of Cbriff, will either dcfpifc the world, or bite He will either vilific the world in imitationofhis Lord, or vilific Chrifi for the plea. H h h 3 . furs.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=