The life of faith in three parts, the first is a sermon on Heb.…

Direct. 4. Let the Image of the Life of Christ, and his Martyrs, and holiest servants, be deeply printed on your minds. That you may know what the way is which you have to go, and what patterns they be which you have to imitate; think how much they were above things sensitive, and how light they set by all the pleasures, wealth and glory of this world. Therefore the Holy Ghost doth set before us that cloud of witnesses, and catalogue of Martyrs, in Heb. 11. that example may help us, and we may see with how good company we go, in the life of Faith, Paul had well studied the example of Christ, when he took pleasure in infirmities, and gloried only in the Cross, to be base and afflicted in this world, for the ⟨p. 150⟩hopes of endless glory, 2 Cor. 11.30. & 12.5 9, 10. And when he could say, I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung that I may win Christ — that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to his death, Phil. 3.8, 9, 10. No man will well militate in the life of Faith, but he that followeth the Captain of his salvation, Heb. 2.10. who for the bringing of many Sons to glory (even those whom he is not ashamed to call his Brethren) was made perfect, (as to perfection of action or performance) by suffering: thereby to show us, how little the best of these visible and sensible corporeal things, are to be valued in comparison of the things invisible: and therefore as the General and the soldiers make up one army, and militate in one militia; so he that sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified, are all of one, Heb. 2.10, 11, 12. Though that which is called the life of Faith in us, deserved a higher title in Christ, and his faith in his Father, and ours, do much differ, and he had not many of the objects, acts and uses of Faith, as we have who are sinners; yet in this we must follow him as our great example, in valuing things invisible, and vilifying things visible in comparison of them. And therefore Paul saith [I am crucified with Christ: Nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the Faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me,