The Life of Faith. 77 h c11ad find out natural evidence, of fo muchas we know by Fa<th ? You may perceivewhat their content in finding it, would be, by their exceeding pains in Jerking. The unwea- ried ftudies by day andnight, which many of them ufed, with the contempt of the riches and greatnefs of the world, do tell us how glad they would have been, to have icen but half fo far as we may. If they could but difcover more clearly and certainly, the principles, and elements, and forms of Beings; the nature of fpirits; the caufcs of motion ; the nature and cau(e of light and heat ; the order, courfe and harmony of the univcrfal fyticme of the world ; what joyful acclamations would this produce, in the literal (tedious fort of men ! what joy then thould it be tous, to know by Faith the God that made us ; the Creation of the world, the Laws and Promifes of our Creatour, the Myfteries of Redemption. and Regenera- tion ; the frame of the new Creature, the entertainment of the fpirits of the juts with Christ, the Judgement which all the world muti undergo, the work and company. which we (hall have hereafter, and the endlefs ¡oyes which all the fan- t ificd (hall poffefs in the fight and Love of God for ever ? How bleffed an invention would it be, if all the world could be brought again to the ufe of one univerfal language.? Or if all the Churches could be perfectly reconciled, how joyful would the Author of fo great a work be ? thould we not then rejoyce who forefee by Faith, a far more perfe& union and confine, than ever mutt be expeacd here on earth. Alas, the ordinary lownefs of our Comforts Both tell us, that our Faith is very (mall ! I fay not fo much [The forrows. of a doubting bears] as the little joy which we have in the fore- thoughts of Heaven, when our title feemeth not muchdoubt- ful to us : For tbofe forrows thew, that tech etem it a joyful place, and would rejoyce iftheir title were but cleared.: But when we have neither the forrow or folicitoufnefs of the of, flied foul, nor yet the joy which is any whit fi:i able to the belief of fuch everlafling joycs, we may know what to judge offuch anuneffedual belief; at heft, it is very low and feeble. It is a joy un#eakable, and fall of glory, which unfeen things fhould caute in a Believer, t Pet. t. 6, 7, 8. Becaufe it is an ex. seedingeternal weighs of glory, which he believeth, 2 Cor. 4.. 17, 18. L 3 8. Finally,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=