A30570:806
The excellency of holy courage in evil times by Jeremiah Burroughs
The excellency of holy courage in evil times by Jeremiah Burroughs ; published by Thomas Goodwin ... [et al.]
London: printed by Peter Cole and Edward Cole, 1661
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.
5. Another work of faith is to discover the beauty and glory that is in the Ordinances of Christ barely administered: no man but by the eye of Faith can see the true lustre, and beauty, and glory, of a divine Ordinance, except there be some outward earthly excellency mingled with it: As I told you in the exposition of that place in Hosea, They made them Altars, God would have an Altar of Earth, and if they would have it of Stone, they must not lift up an instrument to hew it, and grave it, but it must be plain. Now a carnal eye cannot see the beauty of Gods Ordinances, unless it have some outward excellency. It must be the eye of Faith, to discover the beauty of Christs Ordinances, in the naked beauty of them: And till that they are not willing to come from under the power of Antichrist.
5. Another work of faith is to discover the beauty and glory that is in the Ordinances of Christ barely administred: no man but by the eye of Faith can see the true lustre, and beauty, and glory, of a divine Ordinance, except there be some outward earthly excellency mingled with it: As I told you in the exposition of that place in Hosea, They made them Altars, God would have an Altar of Earth, and if they would have it of Stone, they must not lift up an instrument to hew it, and grave it, but it must be plaine. Now a carnal eye cannot see the beauty of Gods Ordinances, unless it have some outward excellency. It must be the eye of Faith, to discover the beauty of Christs Ordinances, in the naked beauty of them: And till that they are not willing to come from under the power of Antichrist.
6. Faith discovers to the Soul the reality, and certainty of all the admirable and glorious promises that are in the Gospel, made unto the true Church of God: Promises of the glorious presence of God with his people; ⟨p. 210⟩and promises of abundance of spiritual good, as it might ask half an hour to show some excellent promises that are made to the Church, which a carnal Eye doth not see: But Faith discovers there is abundance of certainty and reality in them, and when by Faith they see them, this takes off, and enables them to go through any difficulties to be partakers of them.