Houston-Packer Collection BV4253 .B85 1649 .B85 1649

202 The Spirituall-aaings offaith hi 5,4 Cor.i.. 4, And then againe, The experience of Gods former deal- ings, providentiall dealings and prefervation ; that woi?t do it, You know how it was with thofe Spies that was fent into the Land of Canaan : there were two forts of Spies There L, ere good Spies, and there were bad fpies : The good Spies brought up a good report of the Land : and the evil! Spies, brought up an evil! report. How ? Why ? Confider but a little. The good Spies they met with many troubles when they were fent out to fpy out the Land : faine to he hidden in Rahabs house : and then they fled to the mountaines, and there they lay : They come home, and they fay, The Lord hath delivered this people into our hands, The other Spies now, that brought up the evill report ; they met with no filch hard fare that we reade of : and yet they come home, and they fay, The men of the Countrey are the childrenofe..-filak, and the Cities arewall'd up to Heaven : they had experience of Gods prefervation in a fixciall manner,and yet notwithrtanding, that would not do it. Bare experience of Gods preferving mercy, that will not do it, 'tis only faithwill do it, laving jullifying faith, i ill do it : This is the ViOorywhereby you overcome the world, y curfaith :Tyfaithyeafland. Lookeupon your dangers un- der a Sea-notion, and Faith it is called your Anchor. Looke upon your dangers under a land-notion, and faith it is call- ed your Shield : nothing but faith can doe it ? You will fay to me, in the Fourth p'ace, What is it ink this faving, jullifying faith, that is able thus to carry the foule through all Difficulties, and difcouragements, and naturall impoffibilities to Iefus Chrifl ? How does faith do it ? Give me leave to fhay here. Tirft , Faith .lbewes the fettle the glorious, invifible things of godandofhis grace ; and brings them neare unto the pule. It was a hard thing for Mofes to leave all the pleafures, and profits, and preferrements of Egypt : he did it though,, choofing rather the afflidions of Tharoah with Gods peo- ple; Why ? faies the. i r. of the Hebrews, He flaw him that is

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