Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BT770 .B39 1670

The Life of Faith. And why then doth the believing of it do no more, when the thing is certain? 8. Once more; fuppofe that in your temptations yen fa the tempter appearing -to you, and pleading with you as he doth by his inward luggellions, or by the mouths of his in- iiruments. Ifyou law him, and heard him filing you on to fin, perfwading you to gluttony, drunkenncfs, or urclean- tefs ? If the Devil appeared to you, and led you rò the place of lufi, and cffered you the harlot,or the cup ofexcefs,and urged' you to fwear, or curie, or rail, or (-corn at a holy lift; would not the fight ofthe Angler mar his game, and cool your cou- rage, and fpoil your (port, and turn your Itornachs ? would you be drunk, or filthy, if you faw him (lind by you ? Think on it.the next t me you are tempted. Stout men have been apaled by fuch a fight. And doyou not beticve that it's be in- deed that tempreth you ? As lure as if your eyes beheld h m,it's he that prompteth men to jeer at god ine(s; and puts yoer wanton ribbald fpeeches, and oaths, and curies into your mouths : He is the Tutor of the enemies ofgrace,that teach- eth them doï;ç delirare, ingenió(é infanire, ingenioufly to quar- rel with the way oflife,and learnedly ro confute the arguments that would have Caved them ; and fubrilly to dtlpure them - (elves out of the hands of mercy, and gallantly to fcorn to floop to Chrift, till there be no remedy; and with plaufible eloquence to commend the plague and ficknefs of their f}uls and irrefragably maintain it, that the way to Hell will lead to Heaven ; and to juftile the fins that will condemn them ; and honourably and triumphantly to overcome their friends, and toferve the Devil in mood and figure; and valiantly to ca(t themfelves into Hell, in defpite of alithe Iaws and reproofs of God or man that would have hindered them. It being moli certain that this is the avils work, and youdi.rtl not doit if he moved you to it with open face,` how dare you do it whenfaith would,afure you, that it's as verily be, as if you faw him ? Morediainetly, anfwtr there following Q;;etlíons, upon the foregoing fuppofitions. Qeff. t. Ifyou faro but what you fry you do believe,would younab; convinced that the moil pleafant gainfulfin, is werfe F tiara 33

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