The Life of Faith. it would not make you more ferious than we. Marvel not if you fee Believers make another matter of their falvation, than thole that have hired their underiland- ings in fervicc to their fenfe; and think the world is no bigger or bcttcrthan their globe or map; and reacheth no farther than they can kenn. As long as we fee you ferious about Lands and Lordtbips, and titles and honours, the rattles and tarrying Irons of the cheatingworld, you mull give us leave (whether you will or no) to be ferious about the life eternal. They that fcramble fo eagerly for the bonds of worldly riches, and devour fogreedily the draffe offenfual delights, methinks (hould bluth (if fuch animals had the bluthing property) to blame or deride us for being a little (alas, too little) carnefl in the matters of God and our falvation. Can you not pardon us if we love God a little more than you loveyour lufs ; and if we run as faJt for the Crown of Life, as you run after a feather or a fly ? or if webreath as hard after Chritl in holy defres, as you,do inblowing thebubble of vain-glory ? If a thoufand pound a year in paffagc to a grave, and the chains ofdarknefs, be worthyour labour; give us leave to believe that mercy in order to everlatling mercy, grace in order to glory, and glory as the end of grace, is worth our labour, and infinitely, more. Your end is narrow, though your way be broad : and our end is broad, though our way benarrow. You build,asMiners in Cole-pies do, by digging downwards into the dark; and yet you are laborious : Though wr beginon earth, we build towards Heaven, where an attra&ive loadflone draws up the workmen and the work; and (halt we loiter under fo great encouragements ? Have you conídcred that Faith is the be- holdinggrace ? the evidence of things not feen? and yet have you the hearts toblame Beli vers, for doing all that they can do,in acafe of fuch unfpcakable everlatting confcquenec. Iff we are Believers, Heaven and 1-Iell arc as it were open to our fight ? And would you with us to trifle in the fight of Heaven ? or to leap intoHell, when we fee it as before us ?-. what name can exprefs the inhumane cruelty.offuch a with ox motion ? or the unchriftian folly of: chofe that will obey: you ? 1:A. 0 i;ß
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=