74 The Ghriian Life, a Life of Faith. Now the God ofPeace, which brought again from the Dead the great Shepherd of the Sheep, through the Blood of the Everlafling Covenant, make you perfetl in every good Word and Work, working in you that which is pleafang in his Sight. And the Peace of God which paffeth all'nderflanding, keep your Hearts and Minds in the Knowledge and Love ofGod, andofhis Son 7efus Chrif1 our Lord. Vol. I. SERMON X. The Chriftian Life, a Life of Faith. 2 C O R. V. 7. For we walk by Faith, not by Sight. IN the latter part of the former Chapter, the Apoftle declares what it was that was the great Support of Chriftians under the Perfecutions and Sufferings which befell then, viz. the Aflùrance of a bleffed Refurre&ion to another Life, Verfe 14. Knowing that he which railed up the Lord 7efus, fhall raife up us alfo by 7efus ; for which caufe, faith he, Verfe i6. We faint not ; but though our outward Man perifh, our inwardMan is renewed day by day ; that is, though our Bodies, by reafon of the Hardfhips and Sufferings which we undergo, are continually decaying and declining ; yet our Minds grow every Day more healthful and vigorous, and gain new Strength and Refolution, by contemplating the Glory and Reward of another World, and, as it were, feeding upon them by Faith; for our light Afflitlion, which is but for a Moment, worketh for us a f or more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory, whiyi we look not at the things which arefeen, but at the things which are notfeen. And he refumes the faine Argument again at the beginning of this Chapter; For we know, that if our Earthly Houfe of this Tabernacle were diffolved, we have a Building of God, a Houfe not made with Hands, eternal in the Heavens ; that is, we are firmly perfwaded, that when we die, we (hall but exchange thefe earthly and perifhing Bodies, thefe Houfes of Clay, for a Heavenly Manfion, which will never decay nor come to ruin : From whence he concludes, Verfe 6. Therefore we are always confident, ,nly ins iii 7rdv1ozi, therefore whatever hap- pens- to us, we are always of good Courage, and fee no reafon to be afraid of Death ; knowing that whiß we are at home in the Body, we are abfent from the Lord; that is, fince our Continuance in the Body is to our Difadvantage, and while we live, we are abfent from our Happinefs ; and when we die, we fhall then enter upon the Pofl'effion of it. That which gives us this Confidence and good Courage, is our Faith ; for tho' we be not allually poffefs'd of this Happi- nefs which we fpeak of, yet we have a firm Perfwafion of the reality of it, which is enough to fupport our Spirits, and keep up our Courage under all Affli&ions and Adverfities whatfoever, Ver. 7. For we walk by Faith, not by Sight. Thefe Words come in by way of Parenthefis, in which the Apoftle declares in general, what is the fwaying and governing Principle of a Chriffian Life; not on- ly in cafe of Perfecution and Afi&ion, but under all Events, and in every Con- dition ofHumane Life ; and that is Faith, in Oppofition to Sight and prefent En- joyment : We walk by Faith, and not by Sight. We walk by Faith : Whatever Principle fways and governs a Man's Life and A&ions, lie is Paid to walk and live by it. And as here a Chriftian is Paid to walk by Faith, fo elfewhere the fiyl is faid to live by Faith. Faith is the Principle which animates all his Refolutions and Allions. And
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=