Precious faith considered in its nature, working, and growth

As to things future and distant, the believer hath a notable sagacity; the men of this world are wrapped up in the veil of time, and see not so far as futurity and eternity; but as soon as faith comes, it rents off the veil, and gives a fair prospect into another world: if all the intermediate moments between this and the last day were cut off, dooms-day were actually upon us, faith can in a spiritual way put back all the middle time, and makes us see things as they will be, the heavens on fire, the elements melting with fervent heat, the last trumpet sounding, the dead rising out of the dust and gathering to the grand Tribunal, faith is the presentiality of all these. Job looks through the worms ⟨p. 187⟩and dust upon a resurrection, my Redeemer liveth, saith he, Job 19.25. though I dye, my Redeemer liveth, and will fetch me up again; if there were an Engine made which could pull away all the intermediate bodies between us and the heaven of heavens, we might look into Paradise; faith doth the same thing spiritually, it puts by the world and time, and lies at the door of heaven and eternity. Thus the Apostle, we look not at the things temporal, but at the eternal, 2 Cor. 4.18. he puts by all temporal things, which as the lower heavens hold back the face of Gods throne, and so he looks into eternity. There is a story of an Oxford Monk, who by his skill in Magic conveyed himself into the Northern Regions, and there took a view of the Pole: the believer by the art of faith doth much more, in conveying himself out of this world, and taking a view of eternity; in the promises he sees heaven opening, and letting down some sparkles of glory; in the threatenings he sees hell flaming, and some of the fire unquenchable breaking out, heaven and hell are no longer notions but sensations; in the raptures and joys of faith he hath been caught up into Paradise, and there drunk of the wine of Angels, in convictions and deep humiliations he hath been as it were at Gods bar, and hanging over the bottomless pit.

As to things future and distant, the believer hath a notable sagacity; the men of this world are wrapt up in the vail of time, and see not so far as futurity and eternity; but as soon as faith comes, it rents off the vail, and gives a fair prospect into another world: if all the intermediate moments between this and the last day were cut off, dooms-day were actually upon us, faith can in a spiritual way put back all the middle time, and makes us see things as they will be, the heavens on fire, the elements melting with fervent heat, the last trumpet sounding, the dead rising out of the dust and gathering to the grand Tribunal, faith is the presentiality of all these. Job looks through the worms