Ver.i. FifthCbap.2d Ep.totieCORINTI-I. 59 other way to live fpiritually and in holy peace, joy and the love of God, but by fight or faith,either by injoymenc or expedtation;therefore fight being referved for the other world, if wewould live holily and comfortably, we mutt walk by tàith, for our life is not main- tained fo much by the things which we injoy as the things we look for from God. If a Chriftian had no more to look for from God than he injoyeth here, he were of all men, mo(t miferable,not onlyequal, but more miferable.GodsChildren have fewerComforts,more afHittions, and their affe&tions to heavenly things are ftronger than others. Therefore that which we look for muff be our Solace. What relief will Faith yield as t I. Faith bath its fights, though not full and raving, as tho£e which Prefence, and Im- mediate ViCon Will yield to us. By the light of Faith we fee the good things which God bath promifed, and provided for us. We fee them in the promife, though not in the per- formance : That there is a Spiritual fight which Faith feeth by, john 6. 4o. He that feeth the Son, andbelieveth on him. Faith is a fight of Chrift, fuch a fight as affeeteth and in- gageth the heart, fuch a fight as maketh us to count all things but dung and drofs. Thus Abrakam rej.yced to fee my day, and faw it, and was glad.The Lord fufpended the Exhibi- tion ofChrift in the Flefh till long after 'Abraham ; but he got that which was far better than a bodily fight, he got a Spiritual fight of him by faith. Faith bath an Eagles Eye, and can fee a very far oft; and can d rawComfort not only from what is vifible for the pre - fent, but yet to come for a long time;throughall that diflance of time, couldflbraham fee Chrifts day. This will in part fatisfy vs, Fph. r. 18. That the eyes of mind being in- lightned, ye may know what is the hope of his calling. TheEye of the Soul or the mind is Faith, without which we are blind, and cannot fee afar off,a. Pet. r. 9. It feeth things pall, prefect and to come. Pali Gal. 3. 1. Before whofe eyes Jefas ChriJt hath ken evidently let fortb,Crucifredamongyou.Chrift was not crucified in Galatia, but injerufalem.'Tis notmeant of a Pi &ure and Crucifix,for in thofe early days they did not paint what they worf}tipped, but fet forth to their Faith. So plain and powerful is the apprehenfion of faith, as if he had adted his Bloody pafi -ion before them, as if they had feen Chrift Crucifyed. So not only for prefent things but in the other world;God,Heb. s 1. 27.As feeinghim that is. invifrble.Chrift at the right hand of God.Stephen faw it in vifionand extafy, .417s y. 51. But every Belie- ver feeth it by faith. Things to come; as the day of Judgment Rev. zo. st. I faw the dead fmall andgreat (land before God. A believer is certainly perfwaded and fuitably affefted; fo Abraham faw Chrifts day. z. Faith gaeth not upon fallible, but certain and fore Grounds. Injoyment is more com- fortable, but faith is fure ; fight is better than faith, yet Faith is our prefent ftrength, comfort and fupport. 'Tis our unhappinefs that we walknot by fight, but tis fome.piece of happi- nefs that we walk by faith ; fo that a Believer is comforted, but not fatisfied. His Faith is Satisfy ed though his love and delire be not. For faith goeth upon good fecurity, the fecu. rity of Gods promife, who cannot lye; nay we have not only promifes, but pledges which faith worketh. 'Tis of Faith, that it may be fure to all the feed. But the World rhinketh nothing fure that is invifible. To carnal men what they fee not is as nothing; that the promifes are but like a night Dream of Mountains of Gold, that all the Comforts thence deduced are but fanatical illufions. Nothing fo ridicu- lou.sin the Worlds eye as truft and dependance upon unfeen comforts. PP. zz. 7, 8. All they that fee me laugh me to fcorn, Jaying, he truJted in the Lore) that he would deliver him. Ungodly wits make the life ofFaith a Sport, and a matter of laughter. They are all for the prefent World, prefent delights, and prefent Temptations have the greaten influence upon them ;one little thing in hand is morethanthe greateft.promife of better things to come, a. rim. 4 10. Demas bath forfaken us and imbraced the prefect World. But are all things future and invifible to be queftioned t Surely we do notdeal equally with God and man. Countrey people will obey a king whom they never faw; if a man promifethey reckon much ofthat; they caarry upon mans fecurity, butcount Gods no- thing worth. They can trade with a FaQOUC beyond Seas, and truft all their eftate in a mans hands whom they have never feen. And yet the word of the infallible God is of little regard and refpeft with them, even then when he is willing"to giveEarneft. 3. Faith bath Jome injoyment. All is not kept for the World to come. We are partakers of Cbrif7,'Heb. 3. 14. Partakers öfthe benefit, t Tim. 6. z. That is, of Salvation by Chrift. A Chriftian bath here by faith whatever hefhall havehereafter by fight or full injoymenc. They 'believe -it now,theyreceive it then; they have the beginnings now, the confummation then. 4th. Point. Theft that have Faith are not fatisfyed and contented till they have fight. Foe r r H z therefor'
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