Page images
PDF
EPUB

moft. They commit unto him against the Day' of Judgment, their immortal Souls, as their beft Treafure to their best Friend. They eat his Flesh, and drink his Blood,' for their daily Nourishment to fpiritual and eternal Life. They abide in him,' as the Branch in the Vine, that they may be fruitful in all Righteousness. Their Faith purifies their Hearts, works by Love' to God and Man, and overcomes the World's most delufive Smiles, or terrifying Frowns. They even rejoice in Christ with Joy unSpeakable and full of Glory; tho' now they Jee him not with the Eye of Senfe.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

St. Paul fays concerning himself, The Life which I now live in the Flesh, I live by the Faith of the Son of God.' At bis Converfion, he was fo perfuaded of Chrift's being the Saviour of Sinners, and had fuch Defire and Expectation of the Bieffings promifed in the Gospel, that he fixed his Dependance upon Chrift, and fubjected himJelf to him in all holy Obedience. By this Faith he afterward lived in a daily Dependance upon Chrift for Pardon and Acceptance; be derived daily Supplies of Grace

and

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

and Strength from Chrift, to maintain and perfect the Life of God in his Soul, and to enable him to do and fuffer whatever might bonour Chrift, and fave the Souls of others. By this Faith be alfo joyfully looked forward upon Death, tho' in its maft dreadful Forms, as thro' Chrift a conquered Enemy; and on Heaven itself, as the Inheri tance which Chrif had purchafed for him, and would certainly give him for an eternal Poffeffion. In the Depth of his Humility, and with overflowing Love and Gratitude to Chrif, who loved him and gave

bimfelf for him,' he fets before all bis Fellow Chriftians an Example of the Life of Faith, as in Reality the most excellent and happy Life on this fide Heaven.

The noble Lord, at whofe Defire this Work was undertaken, obferves; "how it "comes to pass, the Evidences of divine "Truth do not appear with the fame Force, "nor carry the fame Conviction to fome, "that they do to others, is a Queftion which

has occafioned much unprofitable Debate, "-and will perhaps never be refolved while * we know only in Part: Yet this is undeni

"able

[ocr errors]

"able, that they to whom it is given to be"lieve on the Name of the Son of God, fee « abundant Caufe to be thankful for their « inestimable Priviledge. They rejoice in having that Foundation for their Hopes and Views of everlasting Felicity, which "neither the Storms of Adverfity, nor the "Terrors of Death can ever shake. At the fame Time, they are perfuaded their pleafing Hopes can no longer endure, than while they difcover in themfelves a growing Conformity, at least a Defire of growing Conformity to the Holiness of their "divine Mafter. Tho' we must confefs our"felves liable to Delufion, both from the "Deceitfulness of the Heart, and the Pow"er of the Evil One; yet I cannot fee how

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

we have any other Ground for Confidence "that our Faith is not delufive, nor our "Hope that of the Hypocrite which shall "perish at the laft, than a Hatred of Sin, "a Love of Self-Denial, and as diligent a Care to bring forth Fruits of Righteoufnefs, as if we were to be rewarded for, "as we shall be according to, our Works."

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

What

[ocr errors]

What if your own Faith, Reader, is no more than a groundless Prefumption, or at beft fome rectified Speculation? Is not the Supposition painful? Be intreated therefore to examine yourfelf, whether you be in the Faith Not to try and prove your own • felf, is a wilful Neglect of your bigbeft Intereft. Not to know your own felf, is the moft foameful and dangerous Ignorance. You might foon perceive by ferious Self-Inquiry, that fefus Chrift is in you, except you be reprobate. And if it appears, that the holy Spirit has never formed you into the Image of Chrift; if you yet remain • dead in Trefpaffes and Sins,' and are only living a Life of Senfe, beg of God' to

[ocr errors]

quicken you' to a divine Life, and to make you Partaker of the divine Nature.' But if it is your Happiness to have believed thro' Grace,' give God all the Glory, and continually pray for the Increase of Faith, and to be filled with all Joy • and Peace in believing?-May a divine Bleffing render this Treatife, in its prefent Form, fubfervient to thefe defirable Purpofes! B. F.

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
« PreviousContinue »