Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BX5200 .B352 1835 v2

410 LIFE OF FAITH. about the invisible objects of faith, and then I shall put some ap- placatory questions to you, concerning your own resolutions and practice thereupon. 1. Suppose you saw the Lord in glory continually before you, when you are hearing, praying, talking, besting, eating, drinking, and when you are tempted to any willful sin. Suppose you saw the Lord stand over you, as verily as you see a man; (as you might do if your eyes could see him; for it is most certain that he is still present with you ;) suppose you saw but such a glimpse of his back parts as Moses did, (Exod. xxxiv.) when God put him into a cleft of the rock, and covered him while he passed by, (Ex- od. xxxiii. 23.) when the face of Moses did shine with the sight, that he was fain to veil it from the people ; Exod. xxxiv. 33-35. Or if you had seen but what the prophet saw, when he "beheld the Lord upon a throne, high and lifted up," &c. and " heard the seraphim cry, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory." When he said, "Woe is me, for I. am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, and dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord ofhosts " Isa. vi. 1-6. Or if you had seen but what Job saw, when he said, "I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear ; but now mine eye seeth thee ; wherefore I ab- hor myself, and repent in dust and ashes ; " Job xlii. 5, 6. What course would you take, what manner of persons would you be, after such a sight as this? If you had seen but Christ appearing in his glory, as the disciples on the holy mount; Matt. xvn. Or as Paul saw him at his. conversion, when he was smitten 'to the earth ; Acts ix. Or as John saw him, (Rev. i. 13.) where he saith, " He was clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt with a golden girdle; his head and his hairs werewhite like wool or snow, and his eyes were as a flame of fire,- and his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace, and his voice as the sound of many waters; and he had in his right hand seven stars, andout ofhis mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and his coun- tenance was as the sun shining in his strength: And when I saw him, I fell at his feet, as dead; and he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not ; I am the first and the last ; I am he that liveth and was dead ; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen ; and have the keys of hell and of death." What do you think you should be and do, if you had seen but such a sight as this? Would you be godly or ungodly after it? As sure as you live, and see one another, God always seeth you. He seeth your secret filthiness, and deceit, and malice, which you think is hid: he seeth you in the dark; the locking of your doors, the drawing of your curtains, the setting of the sun, or the putting out of the

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