Ch.i o. Perfeverance andPatience. 36. For it is not enough to begin well : It's like God will yet try you with !harper Perfe- cutions ; fo that you have need not only of Coaverfion, but ofPatience, to hold out and overcome Temptations, that having done the Will of God inallyour Trials, and fully mani- . Yelled your Sincerity by your Conftancy, you might receive the promifed Reward, 37. For yet a little while, and he that flail come, will come, and will Plot tarry. 37. For (tho'to unbelief and impatience it feem long) it is but a tery little rinse, till Chrift will come to end your fears andfuffe- rings, and fulfil your hopes : And he will not delay or tarryat all beyond the due approach- ing time. 38. Now the ju(i fhall live by faith: but if any mandraw back, my foul (hall have no pleafurein him. 38. It is by the firm belief of thePromife ofGlory (purchafed by Chrift) that thejuftdo overcome Temptations, hold on in Duty and comfortable hope, and are finally raved: but if anyman forfake this Faith, and its Profefiion, either through fraud, flattery, or fear of men, Godwill forfakehim, and have no pleafurein him. Nett; Dr. Hammond applieth it to (forfakin PublickWorfbip) as the Gnoftic&s did ; which indeed backlliders ufe to do when fuch allèm- ring is perfecuted : And his Note Should warn them ro take heed of fuch forfeiting Publick Worship, who live where Menare toleratedto be Atheifts, and not to woelhip God at all,but not to beChriftians, and to affemble for God's Worship, unlefs they will be ftigmatiz'd with the profefiion or prat}ice of fome impoféd wic- kednefs, tho' this Atheifmand Perfecution pre- tend/Chrifìian Order. 39. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition: but of them that believe, to the favingofthe foul. 39. But I hope you will approve your felves faithfulChriftians, and not of the loofe united- fail fort, who bySophiftry or Perfecution are drawn to revolt, and turn back to their own deftru&ion; but of them who believe with Sincerity, firmnen and conftancy, to the Caving pf their Souls. C H A P. XI. I. Ow faith is the fubllance of things hoped for, the evi- dence of things not feen. T. And Peeing it is byFaith that you mufle obtain all this vibtory, andPerfeverance, and Hebrews. Thenature ofFaith, Ch,i . Salvation, it greatly concerneth you to under- f)and rightly what that Faith is by which the Juft mutt live, and how it differeth from that living is the cafe and! life of the Childrenof Perdition. This Faith is the fubfìffence, or firm and confident expedation from God of the things which we believing hope for, and which maketh them by the fecurity ofhis faithful Promife, to be effet3ual Motives to us, as if they were even prefent: And it is the convincing evidence, or demonftration in the mind, of the unfeen things which God revea- leth, by which they prevail with as againft all the vifible Vanities of thisWorld. This reali- zing things future and unfeen as certain by God's Promife, and overcoming Temptations from things feen and prefent, is our Paving Faith. 2. For by it the elders obtained a good report. z. It was by this effeesual. Beliefand Trull in God's Promife forthings unfeen, preferred be- fore things feen and prefent, that the Ancients are faid to be approvedof God. 3. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the . word of God, fo that things which are feen were not made of things which do appear. 3. How can we know but by believing God's Revelation, that heaven and Earth were compaded and formed by the Word of God; fo that all this great and well-ordet'd Frame which is feen, was made not of things which appear. Note ; This latter part is diverfly expounded. t. Some, as Calvin, expound it thus EThe things that arefeen were made to beas aGlafi or Image of the things that areunfeen.) That they are fo, is true; but few receive this as the fenfeofthefe words. z. Others expound it as equal to (the feen Worlds weremade not ofthingsfeen, therefore of nothing, or no praexiftent matter.) This moß Proteftants receive. 3. Others take framing or compaíiing to pre- fuppofe exiftent matterto be compari, and fay, that was the Chaos in which the Formwas un- feen. 4. Others, following . the Vulgar Latin, Erafmus, &c, tranllate it, [the things which are feen were madeofthings unfeen.) And on this Text and Suppofition force build a Frame of Philofophy, viz. that all things are made or flow fromGod ; Co as that the neareft ef'eets . are the nioft pure and noble, and the remoteft molt grog, and made by tranfnutation and condenfation, and fo that Earth is but antrag fate Humor, end Humor (or Water). incraffle Pr?
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