394 LIFE OF FAITH. unspeakable concernment) should in reason command our utmost diligence to the hazard or loss of the transitory vanities below ; and consequently that a holy, diligent preparation for another life, is naturally the duty of the reasonable creature. And it is as sure that God bath not made our nature in vain, nor set us on a life of vain employments, nor made it our business in the world to seek after that'which can never be attained. These things, and much more, do show that nature affordeth us so full a testimony of the life to come that is yet invisible, that it exceedingly helpeth. us in believing the supernatural revelation of it, which is more full. 5. And though we have not seen the objects of our faith, yet those that have given us their infallible testimony by infallible means, have seen what they testified. Though " no man bath seen God at any time, yet the only-begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, bath declared him;" John i. 18. f0 Verily, verily, (saith our Lord,) we 'speak that we know and testify that we have seen ; " John iii. 11. " He that cornett; from heaven is above all, and what he bath seen and heard, that he testifieth;" ver. 31, 32. Christ, that bath told us, saw the things that we have not seen, and you will believe honest men that speak to you of what they were eye-witnesses of. And the disciples saw the person, the transfiguration, and themiracles of Christ. Insomuch that John thus beginneth his Epistle : " That which was from the beginning,. which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, whichwe have looked upon and our hands have handled, of the word of life, (for life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show it to you, that eternal life which was with theFather, and was manifested unto us :) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you ; " 1 John i. 1-3. So Paul, 1 Cor. ix. 1. " Am I nót an apostle ? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord ? " " He was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve : after that he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater. part remain unto this present : " Cor. xv. 5-7. "This great salvation at first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by them that heard him ; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will;" Heb. ii. 3, 4. "For we have not followed cunningly-devised' fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of oUr Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye- witnesses of his majesty; for he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him, from the excellent glory ; This is my beloved Son, m whom I amwell pleased. And this voice, which came from
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