LIFE of FAITH: OR, A TREATISE Of the holy and happy Life of SINCERE BELIEVERS; Written by the Reverend, Learned and Holy ABRI D G E D By B E NJAMIN FAWCETT, A. M. Thou wilt keep bim in perfect Peace, whose Mind is payed on thee, because be trußeth in theo. Truff ye in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting Strength. Ifal. xxvi. 3, 4 Gal. ii, 20 $ AL OP: T.FIEL», at the Wbeat-Sbcaf, the Corner of Pater-nafter-Row, [Price bound 15. 6 d.) • Τ Η Ε PREFACE. By the Compiler of this Abridgnient. THE 'HE Treatise entitled The Life of Faith was at first a Sermon preached before King Charles II. and published by his Command, while the Author was one of his Chaplains in ordinary. It afterward bea came by large Additions a Volume of more than 609 Quarto. Pages, Tbe two first Chapters of this Abridgment contain the Sermon before the King. Faith is here recommended, as a divine Principle, uniting the Soul of Man to God, and Christ, and Heaven, producing universal Holiness, and fitting the Believer for. A 2 tbe the Duties of every Relation, and for all the Trials in Life or Death. The Dangers of a presumptuous Faith, and the In. fufficiency of that which is merely speculative, are here faithfully discovered, and earnestly cautioned against . They • that believe to the saving of the Sout, not only affent tordivine Tratbs, but defire and expeši divine Bleflings, depend on divine Perfections and Promises, and subject themselves to divine Authority and Precepts. Noah fo credited the Warning of • God' to the old World, that he alone prepared an Ark for the saving of ba's House? Abraham, when called, forfook bis Country and Friends, “not know ing whither be went ;' and afterward offered up his only begotten Son. Moses chose ratber to suffer Affli&tion with • the People of God, than to enjoy the Pleafures of Sin' in the Court of Egypt. And. • all’ the Patriarchs, confeffing that they were Strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth, fought and defired a better Country, that is, an heavenly,' being firmly persuaded of the Promises, and embracing thern them with the most ardent Affection, that tbe. Accomplisoment in tbe Meffiah was' a far off Where-ever Scripture describes saving Faith in Christ, we discern something infinitely more precious than the presumptuous Confidence of the Impenitent, or any mere Asent to the Truths of the Gospel. And bow happily do such Descriptions correspond to the various Circumstances of Sin and Misery, of Weakness, Want, and Danger, to which the Minds of Men are conscious, as well as to their different Attainments in the divine Life! Believers, for Instance, look to Jesus' for Salvation, as the perishing Ifraelites did to, the brazen Serpent. They flee for Refuge to lay bold ироп him, as the Man-Jayer fled to the City of Refuge from the Avenger of Blood. They come to Chrift;' to ease them of their Burthens of Guilt and Pollution. They receive bim,' as offered in the Gospel for a compleat Saviour. They strive, to win Christ, and be found in him,' that they may polJefs an inestimable Prize. They' trust in bim,' as able to save them to the utterA 3 mot. |