DISC. X.1 .PAITH BUILT. ON. KNO_WJDGk: 261. sermon, which hath displayed the grace and salvation of Christ, they have made this inward sensation the ground, of their hope ; they have fed still upon this cordial, and lived upon this support. And whensoever these warm impressions return, they trust in Christ afresh, and re- joice 'sensibly in his salvation : But they canhardly give a rational account what their faith is, or why theybelieve; and when these extraordinary supplies fail them, they, sink, and tremble, and die. T confess, if this faith change their natures, purify their hearts from the love of sin, and make themwalk in holi- ness, far be it from me to suspect the truth of it. But this I must say, that such souls are in danger of perpe, tuai disquietu,des, ready to be shaken by every wind, and exposed to every gloomy temptation : When the flashes of light are gone, they are all darkness and terror, because they cannot render a reason of the hope that was in them, from a distinct acquaintance with the per- son in whom they had fixed their hope, or from his rich ability to save. It is not a piece of wisdom in natural things, to ,trust a man with affairs of importance before we know him .; or ifwe do, every little dark circumstance, every flying report, will be ready to shake our hearts, and fill us with fear; though perhaps our concerns may be safe in his hands. And it is not a piece of holy wisdom to trust Christ himself infinitely, and yet be contented to know him but a very little. Such souls may be safe at last, because the Lord, whom they trust, is honest and faith- ful ; but they expose themselves to many fears, andfe- quent torments of mind, all the time of their absence from him. Let Athenians build their .altars to the .un- known God.; but a christian should not trust in an, urt, known Saviour. Let us all be persuaded then to learn much of Christ, that with honour and wisdom we may trust him much ; that we may venture our.all for eternity into his hands, and rest securely upon well-known power and faithful,. ness. They that know -thy name, O God our Saviour., will -put their trust in thee.; Ps. ix. '1.0. There is a 'noble instance of holy prudence in a well-built and well- 'settled faith. Let us not fancy that we .know Christ :enough, when we have attained merely such a.degree of s3
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