406 LIFE OF FAITH. 5. Till you have this sound beliefof things unseen, you will be carnal-minded, and have a carnal end to all your actions, which will make those to be evil, that, materially, are good, and those to be fleshly, that, materially, are holy. "Without faith, it is impos- sible to please God ;" Rom. viii. 5. 8, 9. Prov. xxviii. 9. Heb. xi., 6. 6. Lastly, till you have this living faith, you have po right to heaven, nor couldbe saved if you die this hour. "Whoever be- lieveth shall not perish, but have everlasting life. He that betiev- eth on him is not condemned,; but he that believeth not is con- demned already. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life ; but the with of God abideth on him;" John iii. 16. 18. 36. You see, if you love yourselves, it concerneth you to try wheth- er you are true believers : unless you take it for to indifferent thing, whether you live forever in heaven or hell, it is best for you to put the question olose to your consciences' betimes. Have you that faith that serves instead of sight? Do you carry within you "the evidence of things unseen, and the substanceof the things" which you sày you "hope for Did you know in what manner this question must be put and determined at judgment, and how all your comfort will then 'depend upon the answer, and how near that day is, when you must all be senténced to heaven or hell, as you are found to be believers or unbelievers, it would make you hear- ken to my counsel, and presently try whether yóu have a sav- ing faith. 2. But lest you be deceived in your trial, and lest you mistake me, as.if I tried the weak b l the measure of the strong, and laid all your comfort upon such ltrong affections. and high degrees as sight itself would work within you, I shall briefly tell you how you may know whether you have any faith that is true and saving; though in the least degree. Though none of us are affected to that height as we should be if we had the sight of all that we do believe, yet all that have any saving beliefof invisible things will have these four signs of faith within them. 1. A souni beheiof things unseen will cause a practical estima- tion of them, and that above all earthly things, A glimpse of the heavenly glory, as in a glass, will cause the soul deliberately to say, ' This is the chiefdesirable felicity; this is the crown, the pearl, the treasure ; nothing but this can serve my turn.' It will debase the greatest pleasures, or riches, or honors of the world in your esteem. How contemptible will they seem, while you see God stand by, and heaven, as it were, set open toyour view l You will see there is little cause to envy the prosperous servants of the world; you will pity them, as miserable in theirmirth, andbound
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