The Life of Faith. hand more loudly fay, that they are Hypocrites. And when they profcfs their Faith but now and then, in a lif.lefs outride piece ofworfhip, they profcfs their Hypccrifre all the day long: in their impious negled ofGod and their falvation ;- in their carnal fpeeches; in their worldly lives, and in their enmity to the pracokice of the fame Religion which they profcfs. Their Hypocrifie ie a web, fo thin, and fo tranfparent, that it leaves their nakednefs open to their (name. They have not Profefon erongb to make a confiderable cover for their un elief. They hide but their tongues : the reft even, heart and all, is bare. O the flupendious power offal: love! the wonderful blind- refs and ttupidity of the ungodly ! the dreedfulnefs of the judgement of God in thus defecting the wilful refielers of his grace ! Thet ever men (in other things of Teeming wi(dom ) (hould be fuch flrangers to themfelves, and fo deceived by themfelves, as to think they love the thing they bate! and to think that their hearts,are fet upon Heaven, when they neit ther love it nor theway that leadcthto it; but are principal- ly bent another way : that when they are !hangers or enemies toa holy life, they can yet make themfelves baievc, that they archoly; and that theyfeekthat firft, which they never Peek; --. and make that the drift and bufinefl of their lives, which was never thefrrious bufinef, of an hour !- O Hypocrites ! ask any 'impartial man of reafon, that fees your lives, and hears your prayers, whether you pray, and live, like men thatbelieve that Heaven or Hell mutt be their reward ? Ask your families, whether they perceive by your conftsnt prayer, and diligent endeavours, and holy convcrfations, that your hearts are fet ona life to come !, It was &cutting anCwer ofa late Apoflate, toone that told him: of the unrcafonablenefs of Infidels that .dcnyed the life to come ; faith-he, There's none in the world fo unreafonable as you Chriffi.rns, that believe that there is an ndlefs life of joy or mifery to .come, and do no more to obtain the one, andefcape the other. Did Ì believe fuch a life as this, I would tbinkalltoo little that I-could do or fuffer, remake it fore: Who fees the certainty, greatnefs, and eternity of the Crown of Life, in the refolvednefs, fervency, and con/tancy of your holy labour t Yoa take up with the phut=of-Sermons and Prayers, and
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