The Lift of Faith. 59 r live upon through all your life: And when you have truly learned to live more upon the comforts of believed glory, than upon any pleafures or topes below, then you will be able to die in and for thofc comforts, Mattb.6. 20, 21. Col. 3. 1, 4. Phil. 3.20,21. r 7bef 4. IS. Pbil.1.21,23. Dire. 12. The Knowledge and Love of God in Chriff is the beginning or foretafle of Heaven, (John 17. 3. 1 Cor. 13. &c.) and the forctat}es arc excellent preparations : There- fore 1h1í remember that all that you do in the world, for the getting and exerciling the truc Knowledge and Love of God in Chrift ; fo much you do for the foretaf}es (and bet} pre- parations) for Heaven, 1 Cor. 8. 3. If any man love God, the fame is known of bim (with approbation and love.) II. In the time of ficknefs, and near todeath. DireQ. o. Let your ftrt} work, when God feemeth to call you away, be, to renew a diligent fcarcfk of your hearts and lives, and to fee left in either ofthem there (hould be any fin which is not truly hated and repented of. Though this muti be done through all your lives, yet with an extraordinary care and diligence when you are like to come fo fpeedily to your tryst. For it is only to Repenting Believers, that the Covenant of Grace doth pardon fin : And the impenitent have no right to pardon. Though for or- dinary failings which arc forgotten, and for fins which you are willing to know and remember, but cannot ; a general Repentance will be accepted; (as when you pray God to thew you the fins which you fee not, and to forgive thole which you cannot remember or find out Yet thofe which you know muff be particularly repented of:. And Repentance is a rememlring duty, and will hardly forget any great and heinous fins, which arc known to be fins indeed. If your Repentance be then to begin, alas it ishigh time to begin it And though ifit be found, it will be Paving (that is, If it be Pitch as wouldfettleyou in a truly godly life, if you Aussie! re- fever ;) yet you will hardly have any a,Jurance offalvation, or fuch comfort in it as is deferable to 'a dying man : Eecaufe you will very hardly know whether k cotne.from true corm 9erfaor:;
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