The Life of Faith. O give us leave to beferias for a Kingdom which "by Faint nre fee ! Blame ns for this, and blame us that we are not be- tide our relates. Pardon us that we are awake, when the thunder of Jehovah's voice doth call to us, denouncing ever_ lafliug wrath to all that are (caul and ungodly. Were we afleep, as you are, we would lie Bill and take no heed what God or man Paid to us. Pardon us that we are Chriflians, and believe there things, feting you profess the tame your (elves. ©ifclaim not the pra- Áice till you dare difclaim the prafeffion. if we were Infidels, we would do as the ungodly world : we would purfue our profnt pleafures andcommodity, and fay, that things above us are nothing to us; and would take Religion to be the Troubler of the world : But till we are Infidels or Athciflsat the heart, we cannot do fo. Forgive us that we arewen; ifyou take it to-bepardonable. Were we bruits, we would eat, and drink, and play, and never trouble our felves or others, with the care ofour falvation, or the fears of any death but one ; or with refilling tcnfual in- clinations, and meditating on the life to come ; but would take our cafe and pleafure while we may. At leaft forgive us that we are not blocks or flames; that we have life and fee,'ing. Were we infenfate clods, we would nbt fee the light of Heaven, nor hear the roaringofthe Lion, nor fear the threats of God himlclf: we would not complain, or figh, or groan, becaule we feel not. If therefore we may have leave to be awaJ.e .,and to be in our wits, to be Cbriffians ; to be men; to be creatures that have life and fenfe, forgive us that we believe the living God; that we cannot laugh at Heaven and Hell, nor jell. at the threatned wrath of the Almighty. if thefe things mull make us the object of the worlds reproach and malice, let me rather be a reproached man, than an honoured beati ; and a bated Chri- Jfian, than a beloved Infidel ; and rather let tre live in the midit ofmalice and contempt, than pals through honour un- to thame, through mirth to mifery, and a Toy?:fl, to a feeling death. Hate us when we are in Heaven, and fee who will be the fufferer by i-. Ifever we thould begin to nod and relaple towardsyour hypocritical formality, and fcntlefs indifGrency, our
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