A26951:133
The life of faith in three parts, the first is a sermon on Heb.…
The life of faith in three parts, the first is a sermon on Heb. 11, 1, formerly preached before His Majesty, and published by his command, with another added for the fuller application : the second is instructions for confirming believers in the Christian faith : the third is directions how to live by faith, or how to exercise it upon all occasions / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by R.W. for Nevil Simmons, 1670
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
3. Faith is the wisdom of the soul: and unbelief and sensuality are its blindness, folly and brutishness. How short is the knowledge of the wisest unbelievers? They know not much of what is past; (and less they would know, if Historians were not of more credit with them, than the Word of God:) But alas, how little do they know of what is to come? sense tells them where they are, and what they are now doing: but it tells them not where they shall be to morrow. But Faith can tell a true ⟨p. 40⟩Believer, what will be when this world is ended, and where he shall live to all eternity, and what he shall be d•ing, what thoughts he shall be thinking, what affections shall be the temper and employment of his soul: what he shall see, and feel, and enjoy; and with what company he shall converse for ever. If the pretenders to Astrological prediction, could but foretell the changes of mens lives, and the time and manner of their deaths, what resort would be to them? and how wise would they be esteemed? but what is all this to the infallible predictions of the All-knowing God, that hath given us a prospect into another world, and showed us what will be for ever, more certainly than you know what a day may bring forth.
3. Faith is the wisdom of the soul: and unbelief and sensuality are its blindness, folly and brutishness. How short is the knowledge of the wisest unbelievers? They know not much of what is past; (and less they would know, if Historians were not of more credit with them, than the Word of God:) But alas, how little do they know of what is to come? sense tells them where they are, and what they are now doing: but it tells them not where they shall be to morrow. But Faith can tell a true ⟨p. 40⟩Believer, what will be when this world is ended, and where he shall live to all eternity, and what he shall be d•ing, what thoughts he shall be thinking, what affections shall be the temper and employment of his soul: what he shall see, and feel, and enjoy; and with what company he shall converse for ever. If the pretenders to Astrological prediction, could but foretel the changes of mens lives, and the time and manner of their deaths, what resort would be to them? and how wise would they be esteemed? but what is all this to the infallible predictions of the All-knowing God, that hath given us a prospect into another world, and shewed us what will be for ever, more certainly than you know what a day may bring forth.