390 LIFE OF FAITH. derstand no more than he sees, you would almost equalize a wise man and a fool, and make a man too like a beast. Even in world- ly matters, you Will venture upon the greatest cost and pains for the things that you see not, nor ever saw. He that bath a jour- ney to go to a place that he never saw, will not think that a suffi- cient reason to stay at home. The merchant will sail a thou- sand miles to a land, and for a commodity that he never saw. Must the husbandman see the harvest before he plough his land, and sow his seed ? Must the sick man feel that he bath health before he use the means to get it? Must the soldier see that he hath the victory before he fight ? You would take such conceits in worldly matters to be the symptoms of distraction. And will you cherish them where they are most pernicious ? Hath God made man for any end, or for none ? If none, he is made in vain : if for any, no reason can expect that he should see his end before he use the means, and see his home before he begin to travel tow- ards it When children first go to school, they do not see or enjoy the learning andwisdom;which, by time and labor they must attain. You will provide for the 'children which you are like to have .be- fore you see them. To look that sight, which is our fruition itself should go before a holy life, is,to expect the. end before we will use the necessary means. You,see here in the government of the world, that it is things unseen -that are the instruments of mle, and motives of obedience. Shall no man berestrained-from felony or murders, but he that seeth the assizes or the gallows? It is enough that he foreseeth them, as being made known by the laws. It would be no discrimination of the good and ,bad, the wise and foolish, if the reward and punishment must be seen. What thief so mad as to steal at the gallows, or before the judge? The basest habits would be restrained from acting, if the reward and punishment were in sight. The most beastly drunkard would not be drunk ; the filthy fornicator would forbear his lust ; the mali- cious enemy of godliness would forbear their calumnies and persecu- tions, if heaven and hell were open to their sight. No man will play the adulterer in the face of the assembly: the chaste and un- chaste seem there alike ; and so they would do if they saw the face of the most dreadful God. No thanks to any of you all to be godly if ,heaven were to be presently seen ; or to forbear yoàr sin if you saw hell-fire. God will have a meeter way of trial. You shall believe his promises, if ever you will have the benefit; and believe his threatenings, if ever you will escape the threat- ened evil,
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