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<DATE>2014-04-23</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>Colm MacCrossan</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
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<ITEM>Proofed and reviewed.</ITEM>
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<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>THE CITIZENS SACRED ENTERTAINMENT: BEING An E&s;&s;ay to Ingratiate the Practice of Vertue, to Con&s;ummate the Happine&s;s of Humane Nature and to gratifie Ingenuous and Religious Spirits. By <HI>Tho^s. Fydge.</HI></P>
<Q><GAP LANG="grc" DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF">. <BIBL>Pythag.</BIBL></Q>
<P><HI>LONDON,</HI> Printed by <HI>E. C.</HI> and are to be &s;old by <HI>H. Ever&s;den</HI> at the <HI>Greyhound</HI> in St. <HI>Pauls</HI> Church-yard, <HI>W. Flin|del</HI> at the <HI>White-Hart</HI> in <HI>We&s;tmin&s;ter-Hall,</HI> and <HI>W. Fairfax</HI> under St. <HI>Edmonds</HI> Church in <HI>Lombard&s;treet.</HI> M. DC. L. X. VI.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="dedication">
<PB REF="2">
<PB REF="2">
<HEAD>To the truly VERTUOUS and happily Succe&s;sful <HI>LIONEL LOCKIER</HI> Phy&s;ician and Chymi&s;t.</HEAD>
<OPENER><SALUTE>Worthy Sir,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P><HI>_I</HI> Pre&s;ume the Dedi|cation of this Treati&s;e to your Patronage, will be no le&s;s a &s;urprize to you, then to many others, who&s;e cen&s;ure of di&s;gu&s;t I am not only aware of, but arm'd again&s;t. I ought in
<PB REF="3"> cu&s;tom fir&s;t to beg your par|don, before I can expect your acceptance. But that certain Information &s;ugge&s;ts to me it were a vain attempt to en|deavour by Rhetorical In&s;i|nuations and Pedantique Ar|tifices, to per&s;wade you to the exerci&s;e of a candid and ge|nerous di&s;po&s;ition, who&s;e re|&s;pect to the Church, charity to the nece&s;&s;itous, curte&s;ies to Strangers, civilities to your Acquaintance, favours to your Friends, (and particular kindne&s;&s;es unto me) have given ample te&s;timonies of a mind
<PB REF="3"> not &s;lightly tinctured, but deeply impregnate (that I may &s;peak to you in your Chymical language) with tho&s;e endowments which in|dicate a vertuous and inge|nuous &s;pirit, which <HI>Eulo|gium,</HI> though it may &s;eem an Hyperbolical flouri&s;h to &s;uch which are &s;trangers to your Per&s;on and Actions; yet to tho&s;e which conver&s;e more intimately with you it will rather appear a diminution of your worth, 'tis &s;o far from &s;avouring of the Para|&s;ite. I am &s;o aver&s;e from the
<PB REF="4"> common de&s;ign of Addre&s;&s;es of this nature, (where Authors like Rooks, choo&s;e the highe&s;t Trees they can to build in) that if an e&s;pecial Providence had not intervened, which gives you a proper right unto its pre&s;entment, it had been de&s;titute of a Patron; but <HI>jacta e&s;t alea,</HI> the <HI>Rubicon</HI> is pa&s;&s;ed, and I have here ten|dered to you an acknowledg|ment of tho&s;e endearing Civi|lities whereby you have obli|ged me. That this Di&s;cour&s;e of Religion which is as <GAP LANG="grc" DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF">, the Medicine of the Soul,
<PB REF="4"> may be as effectual for the purifying and healing of the minds of men, as your Univer|&s;al Pill hath been &s;ucce&s;sful in the cure of their Bodies, is the hearty de&s;ire of him who is</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Yours in all faithful and grateful ob&s;ervance Thomas Fydge.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="preface">
<PB REF="5">
<PB REF="5">
<HEAD>The PREFACE TO THE READERS.</HEAD>
<P>_THough the Important Matter of this Treati&s;e might be a &s;ufficient apology for the omi&s;sion of a Prefatory Epi&s;tle, con&s;idering that the entire Di&s;cour&s;e is dedicated, if not to the Readers honor, yet to their u&s;e and advantage: Notwith&s;tanding in complyance with common cu&s;tom, I &s;hall give you a ta&s;t of your entertainment in the Porch. The de&s;ign of this Treati&s;e is the advance|ment of true Goodne&s;s and Vertue, and to engage men to the practice of Religion by endeavouring to reconcile it to their
<PB REF="6"> true Intere&s;t; I &s;hould offer an affront to your Rea&s;on, if I &s;hould que&s;tion your ac|ceptation of the &s;ub&s;tance of what is here propounded; <HI>Quis ni&s;i mentis inops&mdash;</HI> as having a tendency to make you really rich, truly honorable, divinely <HI>Epicurean,</HI> and rationally religious. I cannot augure with what re&s;entment the &s;tyle and manner of expre&s;&s;ion will be received; nor am I &s;ollicitous concerning it; yet I &s;uppo&s;e, that it is not &s;o anomalous, but it will meet with &s;ome corre&s;ponding genius, who&s;e agreeable temper may incline them to a favourable a&s;pect even upon the exteriour part; yet if the <HI>Apples of Gold</HI> be but ma&s;&s;ie and ponderous, it is not much ma|terial though the Pictures of Silver be tarni&s;hed and defaced. But although it be deficient in that elegance and concinnity which &s;o worthy a Subject de&s;erves to be embelli&s;hed and fortified with, to make the more prevalent impre&s;&s;ions upon the minds and affections of men, I &s;hall not fail to make abundant compen&s;ation for this defect, by a &s;upplement of Addre&s;&s;es to that God who&s;e &s;trength is made perfect in weak|ne&s;s,
<PB REF="6"> that by the peru&s;al of this Di&s;cour&s;e, (the fruit of my Juvenile Studies in a va|cancy from a throng of &s;ecular imployments) you may be awakened to &s;erious endeavours after greater degrees of the Spirit of Life and Righteou&s;ne&s;s, and an inward acquain|tance with the energy and power of true Religion, to the joy, peace, and &s;erenity of your &s;ouls here, and to the con&s;ummation of your felicity hereafter. Here is no grate|ful entertainment for &s;uch who &s;port them|&s;elves with Polemical Divinity (fal&s;ely &s;o call'd, as if the Deity was at odds with it &s;elf, and there was a Monomachy in the ble&s;|&s;ed Trinity) an care&s;s them&s;elves only with &s;uch treatments of Religion where <HI>Eris</HI> gives the Invitation, <GAP LANG="grc" DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF">, as <HI>Philo</HI> &s;peaks; <HI>Procul oh procul ite profani.</HI> This E&s;&s;ay only aims at the promotion of peace in the Church, by uniform, devout, and reve|rent addre&s;&s;es to God; quietne&s;s in the State by ready &s;ubmi&s;sion to Publique Authority, at the happine&s;s of civil Commerce by Ju&s;tice and Truth; the honour of Religion by a &s;uita|ble demeanour; the Salvation of the Soul in an entire re&s;ignation to the Divine Will and
<PB REF="7"> the Glory of God in all the&s;e. I &s;hall only ad|verti&s;e you, the late &s;evere Di&s;pen&s;ation of Providence towards this City occa&s;ioned the pre&s;ent Publication, in expectance that the minds of men may by &s;o dreadful a Vi&s;itati|on be the better prepared for the receiving of &s;uch impre&s;&s;ions which may better their Conver&s;ations, and inform their Under&s;tand|ings, which is a de&s;ign worthy the utmo&s;t en|deavours of your friend</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>T. F.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 N="1" TYPE="chapter">
<PB N="1" REF="7">
<HEAD>CHAP. I.</HEAD>
<ARGUMENT>
<P><HI>1. That the Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t, and Chri&s;tian Religion have been traduced. 2. Different Cen&s;ures concerning it. 3. Too ju&s;t Occa|&s;ions thereof given by the enormous Acti|ons of Zealous Pretenders to it. 4. Some remi&s;s in the Practice of real Holine&s;s, in|ten&s;ely hot again&s;t all that is Relative, and the Contrary. 5. Some Orthodox in their Judgements take leave to Live Ill, becau&s;e they Believe Well. 6. The De&s;ign of the Di&s;cour&s;e, a Vindication of Religion from many Prejudices, with an account of the Rea&s;on for it. 7. A Repre&s;entation of it as mo&s;t acceptable to any man. 8. An An&s;wer to an Objection, again&s;t the Au|thors invading anothers Office in the Pub|lication of the pre&s;ent Treati&s;e.</HI></P>
</ARGUMENT>
<P N="1">1. _OUR ble&s;&s;ed Lord and Saviour who did no &s;in, and in who&s;e mouth was no guile found, but fulfill'd all righteou&s;ne&s;s, was notwith|&s;tanding his <HI>innocence,</HI> numbred with <HI>tran&s;|gre&s;&s;ours,</HI>
<PB N="2" REF="8"> and &s;entenced as a malefactour; &s;o impo&s;&s;ible is it for the mo&s;t <HI>&s;potle&s;s per|&s;on</HI> to &s;ecure him&s;elf again&s;t the <HI>calumnies</HI> and <HI>detractions</HI> of an envious and malicious Enemy. That holy <HI>Religion,</HI> the <HI>propaga|tion</HI> of which, was the de&s;ign of all his publique <HI>tran&s;actions,</HI> may ju&s;tly <HI>complain</HI> that it is fallen under the &s;ame <HI>cen&s;ure</HI> with its <HI>promoter;</HI> the reproaches of them that reproached him are fallen upon it, and it labours under the <HI>&s;ame contradiction</HI> of &s;inners.</P>
<P N="2">2. 'Tis by &s;ome accounted an ingenious <HI>contrivance of policy,</HI> an <HI>artifice and &s;trata|gem</HI> devi&s;ed by wi&s;er heads to awe the <HI>vul|gar and common herd</HI> of mankind to &s;ub|jection: others allow it to be only a <HI>&s;tarch|ed piece of au&s;terity</HI> and &s;our <HI>Stoici&s;m;</HI> &s;ome again di&s;honour it as the <HI>product</HI> of <HI>pu&s;illa|nimity,</HI> and the <HI>index</HI> of a cowardly and <HI>degenerous</HI> mind; or <HI>traduce</HI> it as an here&s;ie pernicious to the welfare of the Nation where 'tis entertain'd; as if its genuine and natural effect were to <HI>foment &s;edition,</HI> and aggravate &amp; heighten <HI>petty</HI> differences into the mo&s;t <HI>violent</HI> and <HI>barbarous</HI> out|rages.</P>
<PB N="3" REF="8">
<P N="3">3. How far the <HI>exorbitancies</HI> of them who have been the mo&s;t <HI>zealous preten|ders</HI> to advance Religion, have been con|tributary to the production of tho&s;e noti|ons, concerning it, which are &s;o derogatory from its excellence, and prejudicial to its progre&s;s, a <HI>little reflection</HI> will be too preg|nant an evidence; If we con&s;ider, how &s;ome have <HI>u&s;urped</HI> its glorious Name to <HI>patronize Rebellion</HI> and <HI>Innovation,</HI> and Sainted them&s;elves in the perpetration of the mo&s;t flagitious acts both of Inju&s;tice and Impiety; as if the genius which at|tended Religion, in&s;tigated tho&s;e which en|tertain'd it to the mo&s;t helli&s;h enterprizes, when on the contrary, it po&s;&s;e&s;&s;eth the minds of tho&s;e which give up them&s;elves to the manuduction thereof, with the mo&s;t pure and peaceable Principles, and excites them to &s;uch &s;acred actions as are agree|able thereunto. And al&s;o, take notice, many have no better <HI>title</HI> to Religion then what they can challenge by vertue of an <HI>over eager oppo&s;ition</HI> again&s;t a di&s;|&s;enting Party, and have no arguments to evidence their Chri&s;tianity, except their
<PB N="4" REF="9"> being <HI>Magi&s;terial</HI> and <HI>Dogmatical</HI> in things controverted and <HI>adiaphorous,</HI> may pa&s;s for a demon&s;tration of it, intere&s;ting them|&s;elves no further in Religion then the <HI>&s;tig|matizing</HI> tho&s;e of a <HI>different per&s;wa&s;ion,</HI> if in matter of <HI>opinion,</HI> with the brand of <HI>Here&s;ie,</HI> if in <HI>practice,</HI> with the &s;tyle of <HI>Super&s;tition,</HI> accounting <HI>Satyrical invectives</HI> and pa&s;&s;ionate reflections to be in&s;tances of a <HI>religious zeal</HI> for God, which are but the demon&s;trations of their <HI>own folly</HI> and <HI>arrogance,</HI> vainly &s;uppo&s;ing their <HI>love to God</HI> can be no better way expre&s;t, then in their doating upon their <HI>own Images,</HI> and execrating all &s;uch notions which do not corre&s;pond with tho&s;e models and re|pre&s;entations of things their fancies have &s;ugge&s;ted to the.</P>
<P N="4">4. 'Tis an inten&s;e and violent heat wherewith many contend again&s;t all <HI>rela|tive holine&s;s,</HI> who may be ju&s;tly &s;u&s;pected to be in the mean time de&s;titute of all <HI>real</HI> inherent and per&s;onal. And others are too prone to fix the <HI>boundaries</HI> of <HI>Re|ligion,</HI> and circum&s;cribe it with time and place, as if it had <HI>taken &s;anctuary in holy
<PB N="5" REF="9"> ground,</HI> and might not without a kind of <HI>&s;acriledge</HI> be imployed in <HI>&s;ecular af|fairs,</HI> and civil entercour&s;e, and were on|ly to be the bu&s;ine&s;s of <HI>Canonical Hours,</HI> laid a&s;ide with their <HI>Sunday Suit, and adjourned</HI> until the <HI>Bells awaken'd them</HI> to a new <HI>fit</HI> of <HI>devotion.</HI></P>
<P N="5">5. Many who call them&s;elves <HI>Sons</HI> of the <HI>Church,</HI> and by a &s;ub&s;cription to her Articles honour them&s;elves with the &s;ir|name of <HI>Orthodox,</HI> are yet the <HI>pe&s;t</HI> and <HI>blemi&s;hes</HI> of it, and forfeit that worthy <HI>appellation,</HI> by holding the Truth in un|righteou&s;ne&s;s, living, as if the <HI>Commande|ments</HI> had no relation to the <HI>Creed,</HI> or by the belief of what is <HI>true</HI> they could &s;atis|fie for what is <HI>evil;</HI> or as if he would accept (by way of commutation) of their <HI>good opinion</HI> of him, in lieu of Tempe|rance, Ju&s;tice, and <HI>Obedience</HI> to him;</P>
<Q>&mdash;pudet haec opprobria nobis, &amp;c.</Q>
<P N="6">6. When true Religion <HI>labours</HI> under &s;o many <HI>prejudices,</HI> from open and inte&s;tine Enemies, and from profe&s;&s;ed Friends, when the Author and Original of it, the E&s;&s;ente and Nature, the Effects and De&s;ignes are
<PB N="6" REF="10"> &s;o generally mi&s;con&s;trued, abu&s;ed and per|verted; the rectifying of mens mi&s;takes concerning it, and the <HI>repre&s;enting</HI> of it to them in its <HI>native</HI> and <HI>affecting form,</HI> will be a very probably method to prevail effectually upon them to entertain it; for till men are convinced of the <HI>excellency</HI> and <HI>advantages</HI> of Religion, and their minds rightly informed of the nature and importance of it, it is impo&s;&s;ible to engage them to the exerci&s;e of tho&s;e duties which it requires from them.</P>
<P N="7">7. The Scope of the en&s;uing Di&s;cour&s;e is to beget &s;uch <HI>apprehen&s;ions</HI> and <HI>&s;enti|ments</HI> in the &s;pirits of men concerning true Religion as are <HI>agreeable</HI> thereunto; and recommend it unto them upon &s;uch <HI>mo|tives</HI> as are &s;ufficient in other ca&s;es to pro|cure <HI>acceptance.</HI> He that will give him|&s;elf the trouble of peru&s;ing the&s;e Papers, which have nothing in them worthy but what is reflected from their &s;ubject mat|ter and final de&s;ign, and add thereunto his own meditations, &s;hall not fail to find that Religion <HI>comprehendeth</HI> in it what&s;o|ever may make it <HI>eligible:</HI> The verities of
<PB N="7" REF="10"> it &s;erve to render it <HI>acceptable</HI> to the &s;tu|dies and contemplations of the <HI>&s;evere&s;t rea&s;on,</HI> and of the mo&s;t ingenious &s;pirits. The <HI>advantages</HI> which are <HI>twi&s;ted</HI> with it may in&s;inuate a liking of it in an <HI>avarici|ous</HI> nature; the peace and joy which ac|company it, are &s;ufficient to <HI>indear</HI> it to &s;uch whom plea&s;ures do &s;o <HI>ea&s;ily intangle.</HI> That <HI>real and &s;olid honour</HI> from which 'tis impo&s;&s;ible it &s;hould be <HI>ab&s;tracted,</HI> makes it a prize worthy the endeavours of the mo&s;t ambitious per&s;on.
<Q><L>&mdash;&s;ic itur ad a&s;tra,</L>
<L>Reptet humi quicunque velit&mdash;</L></Q></P>
<P N="8">8. If any &s;hall object, that by this Trea|ti&s;e, I put my Sithe into anothers Har|ve&s;t, and <HI>intrench</HI> upon their <HI>rights,</HI> who by their <HI>Sacerdotal Function</HI> are to admi|ni&s;ter this Province: I reply, tho&s;e Ha|rangues, Defences, and Celebrations of Religion which proceed from tho&s;e which are ordained to &s;uch a purpo&s;e, lo&s;e much of their efficacy only becau&s;e they are <HI>theirs,</HI> people generally &s;u&s;pecting they de&s;ign their own Intere&s;t, and put a glo&s;s upon their own Wares for the better put|ting
<PB N="8" REF="11"> them off, and wor&s;hip this great <HI>Di|ana</HI> with re&s;pect to the &s;ilver &s;hrines. But when &s;uch, the cour&s;e of who&s;e <HI>&s;tudies</HI> and <HI>imployments</HI> may be managed to a greater <HI>temporal advantage</HI> with the <HI>pro&s;cribing</HI> of Religion, &s;hall maugre their own &s;ecu|lar concernments, &s;eriou&s;ly <HI>endeavour</HI> the <HI>propagation</HI> of it, their <HI>attempts</HI> upon the Laity (which title we may u&s;e, I hope, without offence) proceeding from per&s;ons of like <HI>pa&s;sions</HI> and <HI>educations</HI> as them&s;elves, may in probability be more &s;ucce&s;sful, and their Arguments fall upon them in their <HI>full</HI> weight, as not being <HI>obnoxious</HI> to that &s;u&s;picion of impo&s;ture and &s;ophi&s;try which their di&s;cour&s;es are <HI>cen&s;ured</HI> to be attended with, though never &s;o <HI>nervous</HI> and <HI>apodi|ctical,</HI> who&s;e <HI>honour</HI> and <HI>advantage</HI> &s;eems to be clo&s;ely <HI>riveted</HI> into the <HI>intere&s;t</HI> of Religion, which hath given occa&s;ion to &s;ome athei&s;tical per&s;ons to name it the <HI>Holy Cheat;</HI> as if it were maintained in the world only to <HI>&s;ub&s;erve</HI> to the <HI>ends</HI> of <HI>great|ne&s;s;</HI> but the vanity of this imputation &s;hall be manife&s;ted in the &s;ucceeding Chapter.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="2" TYPE="chapter">
<PB N="9" REF="11">
<HEAD>CHAP. II.</HEAD>
<ARGUMENT>
<P><HI>1. True Religion derives it &s;elf from God. 2. Is allied to Heaven more neerly then other beings. 3. Could not have been attained by Humane Indu&s;try or Sagacity. 4. But was di&s;covered by God in pity to the frailty of Man. 5. By his Son Je&s;us Chri&s;t. 6. This laies &s;trong obligations upon Men to embrace it. 7. Chri&s;tians ought to improve it, from con&s;idering the unhappy &s;ucce&s;s of Impo&s;tors. 8. Its Original argues its Excellence, and ought to quicken our Obedience. 9. Queries whereby it may be further inforced. 10. 'Tis not in|troduced into the world from the Indi|gence, but fulne&s;s of the Divine Na|ture; not becau&s;e God &s;tands in need of us, but we &s;tand in need of him. 11. That we ought to proportion our Gra|titude and Obedience to God an&s;werable to
<PB N="10" REF="12"> the&s;e great Engagements which he laies upon us; with motives thereunto.</HI></P>
</ARGUMENT>
<P N="1">1. REligion is of an <HI>heavenly</HI> de&s;cent; its <HI>extraction</HI> is from the <HI>Father</HI> of Eternity; it is not the <HI>revelation</HI> of <HI>fle&s;h</HI> and <HI>blood,</HI> the <HI>&s;purious</HI> and adulterous <HI>i&s;&s;ue</HI> of humane Intellectuals, the forgerie and <HI>impo&s;ture</HI> of the <HI>Nimrods</HI> and <HI>Machi|avilians</HI> of the world, to <HI>acquire grandure</HI> and <HI>authority</HI> by impo&s;ing upon the le&s;s wary and <HI>over credulous</HI> natures of <HI>vulgar</HI> per&s;ons; But it is the product of <HI>unparallel'd leve,</HI> con&s;ulting infinite Wi&s;dom concern|ing the Re&s;titution of lap&s;ed and degene|rate Man to that Primitive e&s;tate of feli|city and perfection in which he was cre|ated. 'Tis a <HI>beam</HI> de&s;cending from the Fa|ther of <HI>Lights, to inlighten tho&s;e which &s;it in darkne&s;s and in the &s;hadow of death, and to guide their feet into the wayes of peace.</HI> 'Tis the true <HI>Elixir</HI> prepared by the <HI>fire of Divine Love</HI> to <HI>project</HI> upon gro&s;s and <HI>impure matter,</HI> to refine and <HI>tran&s;mute</HI> it into a more noble and excel|lent <HI>nature,</HI> and to <HI>impregnate earthy</HI> mor|tals
<PB N="11" REF="12"> with a <HI>tincture</HI> of Divinity; The rays of the Sun of Righteou&s;ne&s;s ripening the Soul into a maturity for glory.</P>
<P N="2">2. 'Tis an <HI>immediate Emanation</HI> from the Eternal Fountain of Truth and Good|ne&s;s, and &s;o neerly allied unto Heaven, that it can in a peculiar manner call God <HI>Abba, Father;</HI> notwith&s;tanding all cre|ated Beings owe their Exi&s;tence to a Di|vine <HI>Fiat,</HI> and by &s;ome more <HI>&s;hadowy and ob&s;cure Characters</HI> give te&s;timony of their &s;acred <HI>Original;</HI> yet Religion bears &s;o much of Gods Image and Super&s;cription upon it, that he that runs may read his Name ingraven there in <HI>capital letters.</HI> 'Tis the Star that guides man to <HI>Bethlehem;</HI> the Mercurial Statue that points the way to true happine&s;s; a Treati&s;e written by Gods own finger, teaching the method of re|cour&s;e to him&s;elf. 'Tis his communicati|on of his goodne&s;s to mankind in its <HI>ut|mo&s;t dimen&s;ions,</HI> aiming at the accom|pli&s;hment and perfection of humane na|ture in tran&s;cendent expre&s;sions of grace and bounty.</P>
<PB N="12" REF="13">
<P N="3">3. Though men by the improvement of their <HI>natural</HI> parts, might have inriched their minds with many <HI>excellent notions</HI> concerning the Divine Nature and their own; yet the mo&s;t <HI>&s;agacious</HI> and acute could never have &s;ufficiently <HI>informed</HI> them&s;elves of tho&s;e means which are pro|per and <HI>effectual</HI> to the attainment of the chiefe&s;t good: Nor could unlock the <HI>Ar|chines</HI> of Heaven, and &s;earch the Records of Eternity, and under&s;tand the <HI>coun&s;els</HI> of God concerning Mans Salvation. Here the <HI>light</HI> which is in <HI>Nature's darkne&s;s</HI> the <HI>Univer&s;e</HI> is &s;till a <HI>Chaos;</HI> the name of a <HI>Mediatour</HI> is not to be found in the whole <HI>Volume</HI> of the <HI>Creation;</HI> the Scene mu&s;t be changed before a Redeemer doth ap|pear.</P>
<P N="4">4. Had not God commi&s;erated the ru|ines of Mankind, and provided a Saviour for them, their mi&s;ery had been unavoid|able, as to any means their utmo&s;t skill could have contrived or found out to pre|vent it. He was therefore <HI>graciou&s;ly plea&s;ed</HI> to make &s;uch di&s;coveries of the way of his reconciling and recovering
<PB N="13" REF="13"> men unto him, as might be <HI>available</HI> to the attaining &s;o ble&s;&s;ed an end. And the whole method of re&s;toring Man depend|ing &s;olely upon the free grace and free will of God, only <HI>Divine Revelation</HI> could acquaint us with the <HI>manner</HI> of its <HI>di&s;pen|&s;ation.</HI></P>
<P N="5">5. The World by wi&s;dom knew not God, but <HI>fluctuated</HI> in <HI>uncertain</HI> opinions and conjectures concerning the Providence of God, the Immortality of the Soul, and the Rewards and Puni&s;hments of the Life to come; were altogether unacquainted with the <HI>expiation</HI> of Sin by the blood of a crucified Saviour, with the wa&s;hing of Regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Gho&s;t, with the way to Heaven by Faith, Repentance, and Charity. But he who from Eternity lay in the bo&s;om of his Father, hath manife&s;ted the way into the holie&s;t of all, and brought to <HI>light life</HI> and <HI>immortality</HI> by the Go&s;pel.</P>
<P N="6">6. What more can be &s;aid to encou|rage the children of men to entertain Religion, then may be deduced from this &s;ingle con&s;ideration; <HI>viz.</HI> That the &s;our&s;e
<PB N="14" REF="14"> and original of it is no other then that Eternal Being, all who&s;e Emanations are like him&s;elf, replete with abundance of love and goodne&s;s? From what <HI>Topicks</HI> &s;hall <HI>arguments</HI> be fetched to prevail upon men, if they are not induced to accept and embrace Religion upon this account of its coming from the hands of God? It needs no other Letters commendatory then what it carries in its Divine Origi|nal.</P>
<P N="7">7. The pretences of <HI>Mahomet, Lycur|gus,</HI> &amp;c. to familiarity and conver&s;e with &s;ome &s;piritual and holy beings, have been <HI>effectual</HI> to ingratiate tho&s;e Precepts they de&s;igned &s;hould be embraced by their Pro|&s;elytes. And &s;hall <HI>Truth</HI> and <HI>Goodne&s;s</HI> it &s;elf, di&s;covering the way to bli&s;s, be <HI>re|jected</HI> and di&s;dained as fabulous or im|pertinent in its Declarations, Commands, and Prohibitons, when the <HI>Narratives</HI> and Laws of Enthu&s;ia&s;ts and Deceivers have been entertained as certain and nece&s;&s;ary? Shall the <HI>Revelation</HI> of God have no influ|ence upon the Souls of men to improve their <HI>Intellectuals,</HI> to <HI>correct</HI> their <HI>Morals;</HI> when
<PB N="15" REF="14"> the pretended In&s;pirations of crafty Im|po&s;tors have been &s;o unhappily progre&s;|&s;ive in the <HI>deluding</HI> their <HI>under&s;tandings,</HI> and <HI>debauching</HI> their <HI>practices?</HI></P>
<P N="8">8. It &s;peaks the excellency and noble|ne&s;s of Religion, in that it proceeds from God; it cannot be <HI>pre&s;ented</HI> to us at any <HI>greater</HI> advantage; This demon&s;trates it to be <HI>a faithful &s;aying,</HI> and maks it <HI>worthy,</HI> as the Apo&s;tle phra&s;eth it, <HI>of all acceptation.</HI> Its neer alliance to the Deity challengeth our <HI>greate&s;t kindne&s;s</HI> and re&s;pect; and a &s;e|rious reflection upon this one inducement, may <HI>&s;uper&s;ede</HI> the con&s;ideration of all tho&s;e other arguments and motives our rea&s;on may &s;ugge&s;t unto us to per&s;wade us to wel|come and embrace it.</P>
<P N="9">9. Who would not &s;alute &s;o lovely a beauty with <GAP LANG="grc" DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF">, welcome thou Light of Life, thou Ray of Heaven, thou Beam of Glory, thou Panacaea of Humanity, thou Tran&s;cript of Divinity, thou ble&s;&s;ed Ema|nation of the Deity, thou Directre&s;s of our Way, thou Repairer of our decayed Na|ture, thou perfect Con&s;ummation of our Felicity, and &s;acred Magneti&s;m even of God
<PB N="16" REF="15"> him&s;elf? Let me invert that &s;aying of our Lord, <HI>Do men gather Thorns from Vines, or Thi&s;tles from Fig trees?</HI> Who can be|lieve that the <HI>Fountain</HI> of <HI>Sweetne&s;s</HI> will &s;end forth <HI>bitter</HI> &s;treams; that the <HI>Sun</HI> of <HI>Righteou&s;ne&s;s</HI> will drop down <HI>mi&s;chievous</HI> influences; that the Father of mercies, in|&s;tead of <HI>bread,</HI> will give a <HI>&s;tone,</HI> and in lieu of a <HI>Fi&s;h,</HI> a <HI>Serpent;</HI> that the Grapes of the true Vine will &s;et the teeth on edge; that the Ro&s;e of <HI>Sharon,</HI> and the Lilly of the Valleys will &s;end out an un&s;avoury &s;mell? Is it no delight to &s;it under the &s;ha|dow of the Tree of Life? Is not the fruit plea&s;ant to thy ta&s;te? Why then &s;hould&s;t thou refu&s;e to drink of Gods Wine, to eat of his Bread, to be happy in his embraces? and this thou do&s;t in rejecting Religion.</P>
<P N="10">10. Religion is no trade &s;et up by God in the world, to <HI>acquire</HI> any emo|lument and advantage to <HI>him&s;elf,</HI> as if he were <HI>greedy</HI> after a little of the crea|tures fading breath, and prided him&s;elf in their celebrations of his Name. God is infinitely happy in the <HI>reflection</HI> upon his <HI>own beauty,</HI> and in the enjoyment of his
<PB N="17" REF="15"> <HI>own perfections;</HI> and his e&s;&s;ential glory is as incapable of acce&s;&s;ion as 'tis of diminution: The wor&s;hip, &s;ervice, and homage of the <HI>creatures</HI> can contribute nothing unto him; 'tis at the highe&s;t, but the <HI>acknowledgment</HI> and adoration of that <HI>tran&s;cending glory</HI> which he hath po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed from Eternity, and wherein he is God ble&s;&s;ed for ever, <HI>Job 22. 2, 3. Can a man be profitable unto God?</HI> as he that is wi&s;e may be profitable unto him|&s;elf. <HI>Is it any plea&s;ure to the Almighty that thou art righteous? Or is it gain to him that thou make&s;t thy ways perfect?</HI> The Apo&s;tle in his Sermon to the <HI>Athenians,</HI> treating of the Wor&s;hip of God, declares that it is not in&s;tituted by God out of <HI>indigence</HI> and <HI>needine&s;s,</HI> Act. 17. 25. <GAP LANG="grc" DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF">, as if any thing were thereby <HI>&s;uperadded</HI> unto his felicity. We may warm our &s;elves by tho&s;e <HI>fires</HI> which we kindle for <HI>Sacrifice,</HI> and <HI>&s;mell</HI> the Perfume of our own <HI>Incen&s;e,</HI> with which though God may be well plea&s;ed, he cannot be profited: the benefit of our <HI>&s;ervice</HI> redounds not to our <HI>Ma&s;ter,</HI> but to <HI>our &s;elves;</HI> the righteou&s;ne&s;s of man doth not extend to God; the <HI>Honey</HI> he ga|thers
<PB N="18" REF="16"> is for his <HI>own hive;</HI> the Crown he contends for is to adorn his <HI>own head.</HI></P>
<P N="11">11. The precedent Con&s;iderations &s;hould excite us to thankfulne&s;s and obedi|ence unto him, who remembred us in our low e&s;tate, and <HI>loved our &s;ouls out of the pit of corruption;</HI> God without <HI>impairing</HI> his <HI>own happine&s;s,</HI> might have &s;uffer'd us to have continued in that &s;tate of &s;in and mi&s;ery into which we had <HI>plunged our &s;elves;</HI> but when we could by no means deliver our own &s;ouls, <HI>he found out a ran|&s;ome for us,</HI> and offers Salvation unto us, and that upon &s;uch conditions as we can|not di&s;allow. What <HI>kindne&s;s</HI> &s;hall we think too <HI>great</HI> for &s;o <HI>faithful a friend?</HI> What <HI>gratitude</HI> too much to &s;o liberal a <HI>Benefactor? What could God have done more for us</HI> then he hath done to engage us to him&s;elf? he laid all <HI>po&s;sible obligations</HI> on us to <HI>win our love</HI> and &s;ervice: yet <HI>of the God which formed us are we un|mindful, and lightly e&s;teem the Rock of our Salvation.</HI> Where &s;hall we find any &s;o &s;en&s;ibly affected with the favours of Heaven, as to inquire, <HI>What &s;hall we ren|der
<PB N="19" REF="16"> to the Lord for all his mercies,</HI> and awaken all within them to ble&s;s the Name of God? He hath been plea&s;ed to pro|pound unto us <HI>effectual means</HI> for the ob|taining <HI>Eternal life,</HI> which are &s;tyl'd by the name of <HI>Religion;</HI> but how few are there which pur&s;ue this ble&s;&s;ed end by a &s;erious performance of all tho&s;e <HI>interme|diate actions which conduce</HI> thereunto? <HI>He hath &s;howed thee O man what is good;</HI> he hath made known unto thee the <HI>path of life;</HI> Why then doth thy <HI>way lead thee to Hell,</HI> and thy goings <HI>to the chambers of death?</HI> Light is come into the world; Wherefore love&s;t thou darkne&s;s more then light? Thou art told thou art redeemed with the precious blood of the Son of God; wherefore then do&s;t thou &s;ell thy &s;elf to commit iniquity? The grace of God hath appeared to <HI>thee bringing Salvation with it;</HI> and wilt not thou be taught by it <HI>to deny ungodline&s;s and worldly lu&s;ts, and to live &s;oberly, righteou&s;ly and godlily in this pre&s;ent world?</HI> Ephe&s;. 4. 18. Ephe&s;. 5. 1. The Son of God hath manife&s;ted unto thee love beyond all <HI>example</HI> and <HI>expre&s;sion;</HI>
<PB N="20" REF="17"> and wilt thou not be con&s;trained <HI>by the love of Chri&s;t;</HI> No <HI>Rhetorique</HI> can per|&s;wade him to <HI>Religion,</HI> who is not pre|vail'd upon by con&s;idering, that the Son of God the Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t in Humane Nature, hath undergone and acted what|&s;oever is required of us; And in this &s;en&s;e is Religion aptly call'd by the Apo|&s;tle, <HI>the Life of God,</HI> and an imitation of him.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="3" TYPE="chapter">
<PB N="21" REF="17">
<HEAD>CHAP. III.</HEAD>
<ARGUMENT>
<P><HI>1. 'Tis apparent that Religion is the Mother of Freedom. 2. The Obligation implyed in its Name no way oppo&s;ite to true Liberty. 3. The Freedom of holy per&s;ons exercis'd in amorous De|votions. 4. Sin re&s;trains the Souls E&s;&s;ays to at|tain Ble&s;&s;edne&s;s. 5. Religion wings the Soul, and awakens it to &s;eek for Glory. 6. Sen&s;ual men hurried too and fro by the impetuous motions of divers Lu&s;ts. 7. Their vitious Indulgences badges of Bondage. 8. Religion re&s;tores us to the Li|berty we forfeited by our Apo&s;ta&s;ie. 9. Wicked men confined to conver&s;e with their own Jaylours. 10. We ought readily to comply with the De|&s;ign of God in the Recovery of our Freedom, and accept of Divine A&s;&s;i&s;tance. 11. Men in the heat of their Pa&s;&s;ions, and hurry of Bu&s;ine&s;s, hardly to be per&s;waded that Licentiou&s;ne&s;s is not true Liberty.</HI></P>
</ARGUMENT>
<P N="1">1. THat Liberty and Freedom are uni|ver&s;ally acknowledged to be <HI>Pri|viledges,</HI> and on the contrary, Bondage and Captivity accounted of as matter of <HI>In|famy</HI> and <HI>Mi&s;ery,</HI> is a truth &s;hines &s;o clearly
<PB N="22" REF="18"> in its own light, that it needs no demon|&s;tration. That Religion re&s;cues the children of men out of a &s;tate of <HI>&s;lavery</HI> and <HI>va&s;&s;a|lage</HI> to the power of Darkne&s;s, and a&s;&s;erts them into the <HI>glorious liberty</HI> of the &s;ons of God, is as evident and per&s;picuous as the precedent conce&s;&s;ion; And that, in this regard it ought to be acceptable, will be the inference of any that have but the <HI>fir&s;t fruits</HI> of rea&s;on, or <HI>&s;en&s;e</HI> enough left to put a difference between what is plea|&s;ant and ungrateful to their own na|tures.</P>
<P N="2">2. There &s;eems indeed to be &s;omething of <HI>bondage</HI> in the name of <HI>Religion,</HI> accor|cording to their Criti&s;m; we derive it <HI>&agrave; Re|ligando,</HI> but it imports no more then &s;uch ties and engagements as result from mu|tual cognation, and can include nothing which is incon&s;i&s;tent with the greate&s;t li|berty, except we judge a <HI>child</HI> to be <HI>in&s;laved</HI> in its Parents <HI>arms,</HI> and a man <HI>im|pri&s;oned</HI> in his <HI>Friends embraces.</HI> 'Tis a Law of Love and Liberty; its &s;ilken Bonds are as Girdles and Garters, not to fetter and in|tangle, but to &s;trengthen and adorn.</P>
<PB N="23" REF="18">
<P N="3">3. The Liberty of Religious minds is &s;carcely <HI>out-vied</HI> by the <HI>ble&s;&s;ed Angels,</HI> devout and pious Souls being &s;ometime carried on the wings of ardent de&s;ire, as directly toward God as the con&s;training power of the <HI>&s;en&s;e of Divine Love</HI> can produce <HI>reflection,</HI> acting upon Infinite Goodne&s;s with the &s;weete&s;t complacency and delight, and the mo&s;t unbounded free|dom, being above tho&s;e carnal checks and controllments, which debarr all unhallowed and degenerate minds from free conver&s;e with the Divinity.</P>
<P N="4">4. There is a <HI>Sen&s;ual appetite</HI> &s;its as <HI>Queen Regent</HI> in the Souls of all wicked per&s;ons, which gives outs its Laws to the whole Man, prohibits its <HI>entercour&s;e</HI> with what&s;oever is not found in its <HI>own</HI> Domi|nions; though it afford no other then temporal and material objects. Sin lays a <HI>re&s;traint</HI> upon tho&s;e <HI>active</HI> and generous <HI>Principles</HI> wherewith the Soul of Man through the indulgence of Divine Bounty is po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed; <HI>&s;hackles</HI> its <HI>free</HI> and Heaven-born powers, rebates that gallantry and laudable ambition by which it is promped
<PB N="24" REF="19"> to recover its Primitive Felicity; congeals that <HI>innate warmth</HI> and vigour which &s;hould cheri&s;h and <HI>promote</HI> irs E&s;&s;ays to Happine&s;s; &s;u&s;pends the natural energy, and propen&s;ions of the Soul, and <HI>charms</HI> all its vital and <HI>vigorous</HI> faculties into a <HI>&s;en&s;ele&s;s Lethargy.</HI></P>
<P N="5">5. Religion loo&s;ens and unfetters the Soul from its <HI>confinement</HI> to <HI>material ob|jects;</HI> impregnates that vital Principle which is wrapt up in the Soul with activity; &s;pirits all the wheels of motion, and makes it &s;wift as the Chariots of <HI>Aminadab;</HI> Takes off that <HI>Embargo</HI> by which the <HI>Channel</HI> to Happi|ne&s;s is <HI>ob&s;tructed,</HI> and proclaims a <HI>free Trade</HI> between <HI>Heaven</HI> and <HI>Earth.</HI> It a|wakens the Soul to a &s;en&s;e of its own Im|mortality and Original, and &s;purs it on to a&s;pire by Purity, Love, and Humility, to the Crown of Eternal life and glory; but <HI>time</HI> and <HI>&s;en&s;e</HI> are the <HI>Tropicks</HI> beyond which the affections of degenerate minds do <HI>never</HI> move.</P>
<P N="6">6. No Character can more exactly ex|pre&s;s the &s;tate of a &s;en&s;ual man then that which the Apo&s;tle draws out, <HI>Tit.</HI> 3. 3.
<PB N="25" REF="19"> where he de&s;cribes him to be a &s;ervant to divers lu&s;ts and plea&s;ures. Every wicked man doth <HI>abjure</HI> and renounce the <HI>&s;ove|raignty</HI> of Rea&s;on, and <HI>transfer</HI> it upon Sen&s;e; depo&s;eth that <GAP LANG="grc" DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF">, who&s;e coercive power &s;hould re&s;train the impe|tuous Efferations of the inferior Appetite, and introduceth an <HI>anarchy</HI> of bruti&s;h and in&s;olent Pa&s;&s;ions, which rack the Mind by impo&s;ing commands <HI>irregular</HI> and <HI>contra|dictory,</HI> exacting things at an infinite di|&s;tance, and of an impo&s;&s;ible con&s;i&s;tence. Every vanity hath a power over him; one &s;ays, Go, and he goes; another, Come, and he comes; a third, Do this, and he doth it; be&s;ide that general <HI>conflict</HI> between Sen&s;e and Rea&s;on, Appetite, and Con&s;cience: there are many petty Principalities warring one again&s;t another; Pride, Covetou&s;ne&s;s, Malice, Intemperance, every of which pre&s;s him to their &s;ervice, upon the ap|proach of the various <HI>temptations;</HI> he is po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed with a &s;pirit ca&s;ts him &s;ometime into the <HI>fire,</HI> &s;ometime into the <HI>water;</HI> he lackies at the beck of every inordinate de&s;ire, and is not <HI>Ma&s;ter</HI> of his <HI>own</HI> motion;
<PB N="26" REF="20"> he is under the power of the Creature, as the holy Apo&s;tle expre&s;&s;eth it, and not at his own di&s;po&s;e, as having <HI>quitted</HI> the go|vernment of Rea&s;on, and <HI>re&s;igned</HI> up him&s;elf to have his Ears bored by his Lu&s;t.</P>
<P N="7">7. Sinners, their actions are not &s;quared by any other rules then tho&s;e their <HI>fancies,</HI> con&s;ulting with their <HI>Sen&s;es,</HI> do <HI>&s;ugge&s;t</HI> unto them; the <HI>liberty</HI> which they <HI>indulge</HI> them&s;elves, is an <HI>evidence</HI> of the greate&s;t <HI>&s;lavery</HI> and ba&s;e&s;t &s;ervility: they cannot cea&s;e from &s;in, 2. <HI>Pet.</HI> 2. 14. The &s;ervice of God, as is expre&s;&s;ed in our Liturgy, <HI>is perfect freedom:</HI> 'Tis no badge of an abject and &s;ordid &s;pirit to be imployed about the affairs of Heaven, but &s;peaks a man to be of a noble, free, ingenious and ample &s;oul.</P>
<P N="8">8. Chri&s;tianity is not de&s;igned to <HI>deba&s;e</HI> and <HI>effeminate</HI> the minds of men, to <HI>de&s;poil</HI> them of true <HI>liberty,</HI> and circumvent them into a &s;tate of bondage; but to <HI>knock</HI> off tho&s;e <HI>fetters,</HI> and <HI>file</HI> off tho&s;e <HI>chains</HI> by which they were detained in captivity to the power of the Prince of Darkne&s;s, and
<PB N="27" REF="20"> make them free unto Righteou&s;ne&s;s. All tho&s;e Priviledges which we forfeited by be|ing tainted with the Trea&s;on of the fir&s;t <HI>Adam,</HI> are re&s;tored us again by our in|tere&s;t in the &s;econd. Religion 'tis the Mo|ther of all real Liberty; the mo&s;t ab&s;olute <HI>Potentate</HI> may embrace it without any &s;u|&s;picion of its <HI>intrenchment</HI> upon his royal <HI>Prerogative.</HI> All the children of its <HI>King|dom</HI> are <HI>free;</HI> no burdens impo&s;ed, no taxes exacted of tho&s;e which live in its Domini|ons. 'Tis both a freedom of &s;tate and free|dom of will is the happine&s;s of all holy men. Their &s;pirits are too vigorous to be <HI>confined</HI> to this lower <HI>region,</HI> to be fetter'd by any <HI>&s;ublunary</HI> and <HI>&s;en&s;ual</HI> objects; but they mount upward, as with Eagles wings, and <HI>vi&s;it</HI> the world above, and take a <HI>pro&s;pect</HI> of the heaveny Jeru&s;alem and the glory of it.</P>
<P N="9">9. Sen&s;ual men are &s;till &s;inking into <HI>them&s;elves,</HI> couching toward their <HI>center,</HI> till they are <HI>buryed</HI> like coals in their <HI>own a&s;hes.</HI> Self-love and worldly intere&s;t con|fine them to &s;o clo&s;e an impri&s;onment, that they live &s;eque&s;tred from all noble &s;ociety,
<PB N="28" REF="21"> and have but the liberty of conver&s;ing with their Jaylours, &s;uch impure and unhallowed delights as i&s;&s;ue from a dark Under&s;tanding and corrupted Will; and make inquiry after no other Happine&s;s then what the circumference of their own Being doth contain. They make them&s;elves the center of all their de&s;igns, and all their actions relli&s;h of that Principle of Self, by the attractive power of which they are forcibly detained in the Regions of Death and Darkne&s;s.</P>
<P N="10">10. Hath God de&s;igned to inlarge and <HI>ampliate</HI> the Soul of Man by the power of Religion, and to make it more <HI>capacious</HI> of Divine Enjoyments; is his aim to break the <HI>bonds of our &s;ins a&s;under,</HI> and take <HI>the yoke</HI> of <HI>bondage</HI> from our necks, and reco|ver us from the <HI>&s;nare</HI> of the <HI>Devil,</HI> and to loo&s;e us from that <HI>&s;pirit</HI> of <HI>infirmity</HI> wherewith we are bowed down; to deliver us from the <HI>power</HI> of the <HI>dark Kingdom,</HI> and tran&s;late us into that &s;tate where we &s;hall <HI>enjoy the priviledges</HI> of the <HI>&s;ons</HI> of God? What readine&s;s of mind &s;hould this beget in us, to embrace Religion, and
<PB N="29" REF="21"> together with it a freedom from the <HI>drudgery</HI> of all unruly Pa&s;&s;ions, inordinate Affections, &s;en&s;ual Inclinations, and incon|&s;i&s;tent commands of <HI>&s;elf</HI>-will and <HI>&s;elf</HI>-love, by &s;urrendering up our &s;elves to the con|duct of the Spirit of God, which will make us free from the law of &s;in and death! <HI>When liberty is proclaimed to the captive, and the opening of the Pri&s;on unto them that are bound, will not the captive exile ha&s;ten out of the pit wherein there is no wa|ter, and the pri&s;oners of hope turn to their &s;trong hold?</HI> God in the Go&s;pel offers us a &s;ufficient power, for the overcoming all that &s;trength which detains us in captivity, and tyrannizeth over us: Do not then O Chri&s;tian idly &s;uffer thy &s;elf to be in&s;laved to an helli&s;h or bruti&s;h &s;ervitude, by a <HI>fal&s;e</HI> belief that thou can&s;t <HI>not come out of darkne&s;s,</HI> as <HI>Job</HI> &s;peaks; but by faith in an Almighty power a&s;&s;ault the Enemies of thy liberty, that <HI>triad</HI> which St. <HI>John</HI> &s;peaks of, 1 <HI>Joh.</HI> 2. 16. and thy conflict &s;hall not fail of being crowned at the la&s;t with victori|ous &s;ucce&s;s; and thy Soul finding it &s;elf di&s;entangled in part from the bondage of
<PB N="30" REF="22"> corruption, will endeavour more and more a perfect recovery of that Paradi&s;iacal freedom, which upon the total &s;ubver&s;ion of the Kingdom of darkne&s;s will be the ble&s;&s;edne&s;s of the Saints in light.</P>
<P N="11">11. I know the propounding of <HI>Liberty</HI> to men, by <HI>&s;ubjection</HI> to the Commands of God, is a <HI>Paradox</HI> to the licentious liver, who for the pre&s;ent thinks no <HI>bondage</HI> &s;o &s;evere as walking according to the <HI>rule</HI> of Rea&s;on and Religion, and will not believe that to be a <HI>Paradi&s;e</HI> which is <HI>inclo&s;ed;</HI> and how I &s;hould explain this Riddle to him, during his <HI>eager cha&s;e</HI> of his beloved <HI>game,</HI> I am at a <HI>lo&s;s,</HI> becau&s;e then the u&s;e of <HI>Rea&s;on</HI> and voyce of <HI>Con&s;cience</HI> are neither of them attended to: Buf if God by any Providence &s;top him in his furious careere, and allay the violent ebullitions of his mind, when he con|&s;ults with his own Soul, he will need no other <HI>Tutor</HI> to in&s;truct him, that <HI>Liberty</HI> and <HI>Vertue</HI> are met together, that <HI>Freedom</HI> and <HI>Religion</HI> do ki&s;s one another.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="4" TYPE="chapter">
<PB N="31" REF="22">
<HEAD>CHAP. IV.</HEAD>
<ARGUMENT>
<P>1. Honour hath ever been prized at an high value. 2. Many need a Bridle to re&s;train their violent pur&s;uit of it. 3. The Stoicks accounted the practice of Vertue, the <HI>Hebrews</HI> the ob&s;ervance of the Law the foundation of Honour. 4. Reli|gious men honoured in their alliance unto God. 5. Their Glory evident in their Wi&s;dom and Knowledge. 6. And victorious Prowe&s;s. 7. Wi&s;e|dom and Power ab&s;tract from Goodne&s;s, degenerate into Craft and Cruelty. Goodne&s;s is the glory of the Divine Being, and accounted &s;o by men. 8. Wickedne&s;s not owned by its Pro&s;elytes, till they have given it a new Name or mild Epithet. 9. Sin and Sinners repre&s;ented in Scripture un|der odious and abhorrent forms. 10. Religion ad|vanceth Good Men, and begets a &s;ecret e&s;teem of them in tho&s;e which are vitious. 11. The faceti|ous or &s;currilous Imputations fa&s;tened upon vertu|ous men, no ways really derogatory from their honor. 12. Religion an attempt adequate to the highest Ambition. 13. He that detracts from Vertue, di&s;parageeh him&s;elf, and &s;lights his Excellency.</P>
</ARGUMENT>
<P N="1">1, HOnour hath the <HI>univer&s;al &s;uffrage</HI> of all ingenious per&s;ons for an in|e&s;timable <HI>Jewel,</HI> and worthy of the greate&s;t
<PB N="32" REF="23"> care and indeavours which can be imploy|ed in its acqui&s;ition; they are ju&s;tly cen|&s;ured as ba&s;e and &s;ordid, which have no re&s;pect to their Repuration, and ba&s;ely applaud them&s;elves like the Mi&s;er the Poet &s;peaks of, under the hi&s;&s;es and di&s;regard of the world, <HI>Populus me &s;ibilat, at mihi plaudo.</HI> The ancient Heathens have had great e&s;teem and <HI>veneration</HI> for all <HI>true</HI> and <HI>real</HI> Honour; and many have told us, that he makes no bad bargain that can <HI>pur|cha&s;e</HI> it, though with the lo&s;s of all other Intere&s;ts; yea, that <HI>life</HI> it &s;elf when it comes in competition with Honour, is to be undervalued and <HI>&s;acrificed</HI> thereto; and judged him unworthy the name of Man, which would not <HI>&s;ubordinate</HI> all <HI>de&s;igns</HI> and indearments, how <HI>precious</HI> &s;oever, to the procuring of it.</P>
<P N="2">2. The &s;pirits of men are exceeding prone to <HI>boil over</HI> in immoderate de&s;ires of Honour, and by <HI>indirect</HI> and &s;ordid means to attempt it, when they are <HI>de|fective</HI> in tho&s;e noble and <HI>generous at|chievements</HI> which may give them <HI>right</HI> to claim a propriety therein: &s;o eager
<PB N="33" REF="23"> and impetuous is this <HI>thir&s;t</HI> after fame and glory, that if it be not found in <HI>conjunction</HI> with Vertue, to <HI>direct</HI> it to &s;uch <HI>enterpri&s;es</HI> as truly <HI>ennoble</HI> the undertakers, and to cir|cum&s;cribe it within its ju&s;t bounds &amp; limits, it doth frequently <HI>provoke</HI> the minds of men to &s;uch <HI>wild</HI> and <HI>exorbitant</HI> actions in the chace and pur&s;uance thereof, which contract the mo&s;t real <HI>infamy</HI> and <HI>reproach,</HI> and &s;peak the <HI>narrowne&s;s</HI> and <HI>degeneracy,</HI> not the <HI>am|plitude</HI> and <HI>excellency</HI> of the Actors Souls. What el&s;e means the unbounded <HI>ambition,</HI> the &s;avage <HI>cruelty,</HI> the perfidious <HI>treachery,</HI> the unju&s;t <HI>u&s;urpations,</HI> the violent <HI>inva&s;ions,</HI> the barbarous <HI>depopulations,</HI> with many other acts of the &s;ame <HI>helli&s;h complexion,</HI> which by Hi&s;tory and Experience we are too &s;adly a&s;&s;ured of? What except an <HI>in&s;atiate thir&s;t</HI> of Glory, which could not be allayed with the <HI>draught</HI> of one World, could provoke the Youth of <HI>Macedon</HI> to weep becau&s;e there was not another? What but an itch of Fame could intice an <HI>Hero&s;tratus</HI> to <HI>&s;a|crifice</HI> the magnificent Structure of <HI>Diana</HI>'s <HI>Temple</HI> to the bare mention of an execrable Name?</P>
<PB N="34" REF="24">
<P N="3">3. The Stoicks owned no other Honour for <HI>currant,</HI> then that which had the <HI>image</HI> and <HI>&s;uper&s;cription</HI> of <HI>Vertue</HI> &s;tampt upon it, accounting that <HI>&s;purious</HI> and <HI>illegitimate</HI> which was not the <HI>i&s;sue</HI> of a vertuous and <HI>heroique</HI> Soul, di&s;daining to lay the <HI>foun|dation</HI> of &s;o great an excellency upon the <HI>wheel</HI> of Fortune, or the <HI>uncertain bla&s;ts</HI> of Vulgar breath, but upon &s;o firm a <HI>ba&s;is</HI> as was &s;ufficient to &s;upport it without being beholden to <HI>external appendices,</HI> and could maintain its lu&s;ter and oriency in the want of tho&s;e <HI>&s;plendid additaments,</HI> which tho&s;e that are de&s;titute of all <HI>true</HI> and real <HI>glory pride</HI> them&s;elves in, as e&s;&s;entially requi|&s;ite to the con&s;tituting of Honour, affirming Vertue not only to be its own <HI>Reward,</HI> but al&s;o its <HI>Herald</HI> too, <HI>proclaiming</HI> him that is <HI>vertuous</HI> mo&s;t <HI>glorious</HI> and <HI>honourable:</HI> whereas the mo&s;t <HI>illu&s;trious</HI> Titles, when they are not accompanied with tho&s;e <HI>inno|bling imbelli&s;hments</HI> which are proportion|able unto them, are <HI>evidences</HI> of <HI>vain-glory</HI> and <HI>arrogance</HI> in tho&s;e which <HI>a&s;&s;ume</HI> them; of <HI>mi&s;pri&s;on</HI> and <HI>ignorance</HI> in tho&s;e which <HI>attribute</HI> them, and confer no real
<PB N="35" REF="24"> worth and value upon &s;uch which pa&s;s un|der tho&s;e illu&s;trious <HI>appellations.</HI> This Apo|thegm is regi&s;tred among the wi&s;e &s;ayings of the <HI>Jewi&s;h</HI> Fathers, <HI>in Pirke Avoth,</HI> <GAP LANG="heb" DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF"> That the &s;tudy of the Law doth magnifie a man and make him honourable.</P>
<P N="4">4. De&s;ert is the &s;oul of Honour; the true <HI>&s;tamp</HI> of Nobility is upon the <HI>Mind</HI> of Man. Religion puts a <HI>lu&s;ter</HI> and glory upon the <HI>&s;pirits</HI> of men, advanceth them unto the highe&s;t dignity that they are capable of: <HI>The Righteous is more excellent then his Neighbour,</HI> of a more <HI>worthy extraction</HI> and de&s;cent; he participates of a <HI>Divine</HI> Nature, may claim kindred with God him|&s;elf: what the Poet &s;aith of <HI>Aeneas,</HI> is verified of him, <HI>Contingit &s;anguine coelum:</HI> he is <HI>neerly allyed</HI> unto <HI>Heaven,</HI> an high-born Prince, being as St. <HI>John</HI> tells us, <HI>born <GAP LANG="grc" DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF">, from above:</HI> the <HI>Blood-royal</HI> of Heaven runs in every Chri&s;tians veins; as is Chri&s;t, &s;o are they, each one re&s;embling the Child of a King: with a little <HI>variation,</HI> but with the &s;ame <HI>amazement</HI> and affection may the words of the beloved Apo&s;tle be
<PB N="36" REF="25"> applyed unto his pre&s;ent Theme, 1 <HI>John 3. 1. Behold, what manner of</HI> honour <HI>is this the Father hath be&s;towed upon us, that we &s;hould be called the &s;ons of God:</HI> which pri|viledge is not <HI>meerly titular, &amp; magni no|minis umbra,</HI> but imports &s;ome real and <HI>e&s;&s;ential</HI> dignity communicated unto tho&s;e upon which this <GAP LANG="grc" DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF"> is conferred, as the &s;ame Apo&s;tle &s;tyles it, <HI>Joh.</HI> 1. 12.</P>
<P N="5">5. What&s;oever doth any way contri|bute to the rendring men famous and honourable, is in holy Writ eminently a&s;cribed unto good and religious per&s;ons: <HI>Doth Wi&s;dom make the face to &s;hine, and Under&s;tanding give preheminence? A Good Man is wi&s;e as an Angel of God; To fear the Lord, that is Wi&s;dom; and to depart from evil is Under&s;tanding:</HI> What greater wi&s;dom then to &s;ecure an Eternal &s;tate of Ble&s;&s;edne&s;s? What more excellent know|ledge then that of the be&s;t of Beings? with this noble Spirit is every holy man indued; he is conver&s;ant with the mo&s;t glo|rious and ravi&s;hing objects, <HI>knows the only true God and Je&s;us Chri&s;t whom he hath &s;ent, and lays up a good foundation again&s;t
<PB N="37" REF="25"> the time to come, that he may lay hold upon Eternal life.</HI></P>
<P N="6">6. Doth <HI>Power,</HI> and <HI>Victory,</HI> the <HI>Throne</HI> and triumphant Chariot, challenge the highe&s;t <HI>attributions</HI> of <HI>Honour</HI> among men? Of him that is religious it may be truly proclaimed, he is a <HI>greater</HI> then <HI>Alexander,</HI> a <HI>&s;tronger</HI> then <HI>Samp&s;on.</HI> If <HI>Saul hath &s;lain his thou&s;ands, David hath &s;lain his ten thou&s;ands:</HI> Where &s;hall we find &s;uch for|titude and magnanimity as predominates in a Chri&s;tian? A <HI>power</HI> over all <HI>violent tran&s;ports</HI> of the Mind, and <HI>impetuous de&s;ires</HI> of the <HI>Sen&s;itive Appetite,</HI> is a victory <HI>tran&s;cending</HI> the <HI>conque&s;ts</HI> of the mo&s;t pui&s;&s;ant Monarchs of the World. <HI>Fortior e&s;t qui &s;e quam qui forti&s;&s;ima vincit mae|nia.</HI> Tho&s;e who&s;e names have <HI>&s;well'd</HI> to the utmo&s;t, have been <HI>&s;treightned</HI> by <HI>Am|bition,</HI> and <HI>wanted elbow</HI>-room in the world; their <HI>Victories</HI> have been <HI>characters</HI> of their <HI>&s;ervitude,</HI> and their <HI>Trophies badges</HI> of <HI>capti|vity. A &s;tuat infoelix angu&s;to limite mundi,</HI> is true of the mightie&s;t them of all. The <HI>Hebrews</HI> have a Maxime, that he is a <HI>man indeed</HI> that ma&s;ters his own <HI>appetite,</HI>
<PB N="38" REF="26"> <GAP LANG="heb" DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF"> Who the Champion? <GAP LANG="heb" DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF"> he which &s;ubdues his concupi|&s;cence. None but a Chri&s;tian can write him&s;elf the <HI>Conquerour</HI> of the <HI>World, 1 Joh.</HI> 5. 4. His <GAP LANG="grc" DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF">, or <HI>triumphant</HI> Song is in no danger of a <HI>Palinodium,</HI> 'tis &s;et for Eternity; he is more then Conquerour: and who may triumph, if not he who doth <GAP LANG="grc" DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF">, over-overcome, <HI>Rom.</HI> 8. 37.</P>
<P N="7">7. Wi&s;dom and Power by which men are rendred &s;o con&s;picuous and glorious, when found in company with Goodne&s;s, make them truly Noble and Honourable; but when &s;eparate and ab&s;tracted from it, give them a name and nature re&s;embling that of the Prince of Darkne&s;s, who&s;e wit and power do concurr to make him mo&s;t infamou&s;ly famous. The light of Nature hath di&s;covered in the mo&s;t perfect and glorious Being, infinite Wi&s;dom and Power joyned with as <HI>unlimited Goodne&s;s.</HI> Hence in the Writings of the Ancients, we fre|quently find <HI>Deus optimus maximus.</HI> When <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> de&s;ired to have a view of the glory of the Deity, God tells him, he will cau&s;e his <HI>goodne&s;s</HI> to pa&s;s before him; as if that
<PB N="39" REF="26"> were the only <HI>beauty</HI> and lu&s;ter of his Na|ture. The renowned <HI>Stagirite</HI> acknow|ledgeth, that to be good, and do good, is the greate&s;t honour. Though the wild Gallants account the name of <HI>Good-man</HI> a <HI>diminutive</HI> Title, yet the greate&s;t Poten|tates have to the re&s;t of their Title &s;uper|added <GAP LANG="grc" DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF">, which is of the &s;ame &s;igni|fication and importance.</P>
<P N="8">8. There is in &s;in that <HI>turpitude</HI> which makes its <HI>Pro&s;elytes</HI> a&s;ham'd to <HI>patronize</HI> it; 'tis this that makes the <HI>countenance of man to fall:</HI> &s;uch that <HI>&s;hame</HI> and <HI>ignominy</HI> which is annexed to it, that no body will <HI>own</HI> it but by <HI>another name;</HI> the <HI>proud</HI> man <HI>&s;corns</HI> any other <HI>Epithet</HI> but that of <HI>magnanimous;</HI> and the <HI>prodigal</HI> then that of <HI>free</HI> and <HI>generous:</HI> The <HI>Mi&s;er</HI> will have his <HI>&s;ordidne&s;s interpreted frugality; con|tention</HI> and <HI>revenge &s;hroud</HI> them&s;elves un|der <HI>right</HI> and <HI>ju&s;tice;</HI> and any wor&s;e name then a good <HI>companion,</HI> is di&s;plea&s;ant to the <HI>rude&s;t debauch; fraudulent circum|vention</HI> u&s;urps the title of <HI>Wi&s;dom,</HI> and the mo&s;t flagitious &s;inners <HI>baptize</HI> their &s;ins with the <HI>name</HI> of <HI>Vertue,</HI> to make
<PB N="40" REF="27"> them le&s;s <HI>odious</HI> to them&s;elves and others: the <HI>Prince</HI> of <HI>Darkne&s;s</HI> acts in <HI>di&s;gui&s;e,</HI> transforming him&s;elf into an <HI>Angel</HI> of <HI>Light,</HI> and inticeth &s;inners to the <HI>perpetra|tion</HI> of the mo&s;t horrid villanies under the <HI>appearance</HI> of the greate&s;t good.</P>
<P N="9">9. The holy Scripture repre&s;enteteth &s;in under &s;uch <HI>averting forms,</HI> as may beget in us the highe&s;t <HI>&s;hame</HI> of it and <HI>indignation</HI> again&s;t it. It hath <HI>&s;upplanted</HI> us and <HI>rob'd</HI> us of our <HI>birth-right, and laid our honour in the du&s;t.</HI> The &s;tate of Innocence was a &s;tate of dignity; by the fir&s;t <HI>tran&s;gre&s;&s;ion</HI> the <HI>right Adam</HI> had to honour was <HI>forfeit,</HI> and he became at once <HI>obnoxious</HI> to <HI>&s;hame</HI> and <HI>&s;orrow.</HI> Sin hath <HI>&s;tain'd</HI> the <HI>purity</HI> and <HI>brightne&s;s</HI> of our natures, deba&s;ed and <HI>me|tamorpho&s;ed</HI> rational creatures into <HI>another kind:</HI> to expre&s;s this great degeneracy, the Holy Gho&s;t &s;tyles wicked men <HI>Vipers, Dogs, Wolves, Swine,</HI> and <HI>Children</HI> of the <HI>Devil;</HI> chargeth them with the greate&s;t <HI>ignorance, folly, ingratitude,</HI> and <HI>di&s;-inge|nuity,</HI> and with what&s;oever is unbecoming a rea&s;onable and well-natur'd creature; as to <HI>hate</HI> God, to <HI>love death,</HI> to <HI>de&s;pi&s;e</HI> a <HI>mans
<PB N="41" REF="27"> own &s;oul;</HI> mentions them as being <HI>fa&s;cina|ted, di&s;tracted, infatuated.</HI></P>
<P N="10">10. Religion re&s;tores the Soul to the dignity of its fir&s;t Creation, by <HI>accom|pli&s;hing</HI> it with tho&s;e <HI>virtuous habits</HI> and excellent di&s;po&s;itions which were the <HI>glory</HI> of <HI>man</HI> before his <HI>lap&s;ed &s;tate;</HI> this hap|pine&s;s doth, mo&s;t what, attend virtuous men, that <HI>their actions</HI> have the <HI>approbation</HI> of their <HI>enemies,</HI> there not being many &s;o <HI>in&s;en&s;ible</HI> of the difference between <HI>good</HI> and <HI>evil,</HI> as not <HI>&s;ecretly</HI> at lea&s;t to <HI>acknow|ledge</HI> tho&s;e which are truly religious worthy of honour and e&s;teem, yea, and imitation too; and on the contrary, that tho&s;e which are <HI>vitious</HI> and <HI>debauched,</HI> have a <HI>real igno|miny</HI> and <HI>reproach</HI> in&s;eparably cleaving to them, from which only <HI>Repentance</HI> and <HI>Reformation</HI> can be their <HI>Vindicators.</HI></P>
<P N="11">11. Such indeed is that vain and <HI>de&s;ul|tory temper</HI> of &s;ome per&s;ons, that we may ju&s;tly take up the complaint of the Church, Lam. 4. 2. <HI>The precious &s;ons of Zion, com|parable to fine Gold, how are they e&s;teemed as earthen Pitchers, the work of the hands of the Potter!</HI> in lieu of honouring them
<PB N="42" REF="28"> that fear the Lord, they &s;light and under|value them, making them the &s;ubject of their <HI>&s;corn</HI> and <HI>in&s;olent</HI> humours, vilifying them with opprobrious and ignominious terms, accounting them the filth and off|&s;couring of the world, the <HI>poy&s;on,</HI> and a <HI>pe&s;t, <GAP LANG="grc" DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF">, Act.</HI> 24. 5. of <HI>humanity,</HI> unwor|thy of all civil &s;ociety and natural accom|modations: But all that contumely and re|proach by which &s;uch men endeavour to render &s;uch men <HI>ridiculous</HI> or <HI>odious, de|rogates</HI> nothing from their true worth and honour, which can be no more <HI>di&s;paraged</HI> by tho&s;e <HI>calumnies</HI> wherewith it is <HI>a&s;per&s;ed,</HI> then tho&s;e <HI>eminent Con&s;tellations</HI> in the Heavens which contain &s;o many glorious Stars, are <HI>ob&s;cured</HI> by the <HI>fictitious impo&s;i|tions</HI> of <HI>Bear,</HI> Scorpion, Dog, Serpent, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> Honour is alwayes &s;ecured in the company of Vertue. And although for a time good men do <HI>lie among the Pots,</HI> and may be &s;ullied with &s;candalous imputations, the time is at hand when they &s;hall <HI>come forth</HI> and appear <HI>glorious as a Dove, who&s;e wings are covered with &s;ilver, and her fea|thers with yellow gold,</HI> to borrow the lan|guage
<PB N="43" REF="28"> of the P&s;almi&s;t, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 68. 13.</P>
<P N="12">12. Sith <HI>true Religion</HI> is <HI>e&s;&s;ential Honour,</HI> the pro&s;ecution of it is not a <HI>de&s;ign unworthy</HI> the mo&s;t heroique and <HI>generous &s;pirits;</HI> The <HI>King</HI> of <HI>Heaven</HI> is the <HI>Fountain</HI> of <HI>Honour,</HI> and 'tis derived from him upon all his <HI>favourites</HI> in &s;uch a mea&s;ure as may <HI>gratifie</HI> the <HI>height</HI> of <HI>ambition,</HI> ('tis beyond our thoughts to tell you, what his dignity &s;hall be whom this King will honour) when you read in holy Writ of a <HI>Crown,</HI> a <HI>Throne,</HI> a <HI>Diadem,</HI> a <HI>Scepter,</HI> and all <HI>royal habiliments,</HI> and <HI>triumphant magnificence,</HI> &s;ecured by the Promi&s;e of God unto his Servants, it &s;hould quicken you to the per|formance of &s;uch religious and vertuous actions, as may render you worthy of that honourable entertainment with which the bounty of God will ble&s;s his people.</P>
<P N="13">13. I would have none <HI>honour him&s;elf</HI> with the <HI>name</HI> of <HI>Man,</HI> that <HI>&s;corns</HI> tho&s;e <HI>accompli&s;hments</HI> which are the <HI>glory</HI> of <HI>Hu|mane Nature,</HI> yea, and of the <HI>Divine</HI> al&s;o; God having emphatically &s;poken of Holi|ne&s;s as his greate&s;t glory, <HI>Exod.</HI> 15. 11. To &s;et <HI>goodne&s;s</HI> at <HI>naught</HI> is to &s;pit in our
<PB N="44" REF="29"> own our faces, and to <HI>lay</HI> our <HI>honour</HI> in the <HI>du&s;t.</HI> He that can <HI>&s;port</HI> and <HI>care&s;s</HI> him|&s;elf either in the Publique contempt, or &s;ly and &s;ecret deri&s;ion of what is indeed <HI>reli|gious Vertue,</HI> let him pa&s;s for as <HI>acute</HI> a <HI>Wit,</HI> or <HI>wor&s;hipful Gallant</HI> as he will in his own account, he doth but reproach his Being, &s;peaks evil of his Dignity, is a|&s;hamed of his Glory, and proclaims his folly: and thus did not tho&s;e which pa&s;s for Heroes and Worthies in the Annals of Ages, as well Humane as Divine. At <HI>Athens</HI> the Temple of Vertue was to be pa&s;&s;ed through to that of Honour.</P>
<Q><L>Virtue and Honour have &s;uch <HI>&s;ympathie,</HI></L>
<L>If Vertue <HI>wither,</HI> Honour too will <HI>die.</HI></L></Q>
<P>I &s;hall conclude this Chapter with a pa&s;|&s;age out of a per&s;on <HI>honourable</HI> upon all accounts, <HI>R. B.</HI> Fame is a ble&s;&s;ing only in relation to the qualities and per&s;ons that give it: Since otherwi&s;e the tormented Prince of Devils him&s;elf were as happy as he is mi&s;erable; and famou&s;ne&s;s unatten|ded with endearing cau&s;es, is a quality &s;o
<PB N="45" REF="29"> unde&s;irable, that even infamy and folly can confer it; As <HI>Momus</HI> is little le&s;s talk'd of then <HI>Homer;</HI> the unju&s;t <HI>Pilate</HI> more famous then <HI>Ari&s;tides</HI> the ju&s;t; and <HI>Barabbas</HI> his name &s;ignally recorded in Scripture, whereas the penitent Thief is left unmentioned.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="5" TYPE="chapter">
<PB N="46" REF="30">
<HEAD>CHAP. V.</HEAD>
<ARGUMENT>
<P><HI>1. The cen&s;ure of the Wi&s;e Man of the vanity of Worldly Plea&s;ures. 2. Religion the Mother of &s;olid and un&s;peakable Joy. 3. 'Tis reli&s;hed by tho&s;e who&s;e Palats are not di&s;tempered. 4. A Chri&s;tians Plea&s;ures cry&s;talline and defecate. 5. The degeneracy of Humane Nature apparent in their choice of delectable objects. 6. The&s;e lower plea&s;ures di&s;pirit the Mind. 7. The opi|nion of Religions begetting Melancholy cen&s;ured. 8. The Experience of Good Men to the contrary to be credited.</HI></P>
</ARGUMENT>
<P N="1">1. HE who&s;e <HI>experience</HI> qualified him with <HI>&s;ufficient judgement,</HI> to <HI>di&s;|criminate</HI> between the <HI>precious</HI> and the <HI>vile,</HI> when he comes to pa&s;s a <HI>cen&s;ure</HI> upon <HI>plea&s;ures</HI> and <HI>indulgences</HI> of the <HI>meer animal life,</HI> &s;aith of <HI>laughter</HI> it is <HI>mad,</HI> and of <HI>mirth,</HI> what doth it? and when he gives in his <HI>judgment</HI> of the <HI>ways</HI> of <HI>Wi&s;dom, commends</HI> them to the &s;ons of men as <HI>plea&s;antne&s;s</HI> and <HI>peace.</HI> Prov. 3. 17. <HI>Her ways are ways of plea&s;antne&s;s, and all her paths are peace.</HI>
<PB N="47" REF="30"> Replete with &s;uch <HI>plea&s;ures</HI> as <HI>exceed</HI> the <HI>Sen&s;es,</HI> and &s;uch <HI>peace</HI> as <HI>pa&s;seth</HI> the <HI>Under|&s;tanding.</HI> Here we have one of the <HI>fir&s;t-born</HI> of <HI>Wi&s;doms children,</HI> ri&s;ing up, and calling her <HI>ble&s;&s;ed.</HI> If you would know how <HI>emphatical</HI> and <HI>pregnant</HI> the expre&s;&s;i|ons here u&s;ed, are to <HI>illu&s;trate</HI> and <HI>advance</HI> the excellency of Religion, you may learn it from any <HI>Commentator:</HI> I &s;hall only <HI>&s;ug|ge&s;t</HI> this con&s;ideration, that by <HI>Peace,</HI> which the <HI>Hebrews</HI> made u&s;e of in their <HI>Saluta|tions,</HI> is to be under&s;tood according to their <HI>idiome,</HI> the <HI>confluence</HI> of all <HI>manner</HI> of <HI>ble&s;sings;</HI> the <HI>three</HI> common <HI>&s;alutations</HI> of the <HI>Greeks,</HI> <GAP LANG="grc" DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF">, <GAP LANG="grc" DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF">, <GAP LANG="grc" DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF">, being but <HI>equivalent</HI> to this one which doth <HI>&s;um|marily compri&s;e</HI> in it, <HI>welfare of mind, health of body,</HI> and <HI>&s;ucce&s;s of affairs.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. My meditation is in this Chapter confined in particular to the <HI>plea&s;ure</HI> and <HI>delight</HI> which <HI>pious Souls</HI> are partakers of in their <HI>con&s;tant exerci&s;e</HI> of tho&s;e duties to which <HI>Religion</HI> doth <HI>oblige</HI> them. They are a <HI>Canaan</HI> flowing with <HI>Milk</HI> and <HI>Honey;</HI> an <HI>emblem</HI> and <HI>epitome</HI> of the <HI>State</HI> of <HI>Heaven,</HI> the <HI>Pre&s;ence Chamber</HI> of the <HI>King
<PB N="48" REF="31"> of glory;</HI> they are fill'd with <HI>fulne&s;s</HI> of <HI>joy,</HI> and drink of the <HI>River</HI> of <HI>plea&s;ure</HI> that is in the <HI>Paradi&s;e</HI> of God. Religion brings the Soul to <HI>conver&s;e</HI> with <HI>objects</HI> of &s;o <HI>glorious</HI> a nature, that it is at once <HI>tran&s;ported</HI> with <HI>wonder</HI> and <HI>delight.</HI> The thoughts of that exuberant <HI>Love, manifold Wi&s;dom,</HI> and <HI>in|finite Power</HI> which did <HI>contrive</HI> and <HI>accom|pli&s;h</HI> the Redemption of Mankind, with tho&s;e <HI>ble&s;&s;ed con&s;equences,</HI> which attend it <HI>occupie</HI> and <HI>po&s;se&s;s</HI> the Souls of holy men; and that <HI>clear apprehen&s;ion</HI> they have <HI>of,</HI> and <HI>intere&s;t</HI> in the&s;e Divine Truths fills their Souls with <HI>joy un&s;peakable and full of glory;</HI> under the&s;e <HI>&s;hadows do they &s;it with great delight, and the fruit is plea&s;ant to their ta&s;t,</HI> that I may borrow the ex|pre&s;&s;ion of the Wi&s;e man in his <HI>Song of Loves.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. There is a <HI>vein</HI> of <HI>plea&s;ure</HI> runs through its whole <HI>body.</HI> To tho&s;e Souls who&s;e <HI>faculties</HI> are not <HI>di&s;temper'd,</HI> nothing more <HI>grateful</HI> and <HI>&s;avoury</HI> then the <HI>things</HI> of <HI>God;</HI> 'tis an <HI>evidence</HI> of a <HI>di&s;ea&s;ed</HI> and <HI>corrupt</HI> mind, to <HI>nau&s;eate</HI> and <HI>di&s;gu&s;t</HI> this heavenly <HI>Manna,</HI> and to <HI>reli&s;h</HI> the <HI>Garlike</HI>
<PB N="49" REF="31"> and <HI>Onions</HI> of <HI>Egypt.</HI> When <HI>God</HI> hath <HI>pre|pared</HI> a Table, and furni&s;hed it with an <HI>Oleo</HI> of all <HI>high ta&s;ts compounded</HI> together, to <HI>invite</HI> the &s;ons of men thereto, it &s;peaks a great mea&s;ure of <HI>degeneracy,</HI> to <HI>delight</HI> to eat <HI>husks</HI> with the <HI>Swine,</HI> and in <HI>effect</HI> bid <HI>God keep his good things to him&s;elf.</HI> But tho&s;e &s;acred Viands, which to a wicked mans Palate have no more ta&s;te then <HI>the white of an Egge,</HI> are to him which is truly religious, <HI>&s;weeter then the Honey, or the Honey-combe.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. The <HI>Plea&s;ures</HI> of holy men are <HI>founded</HI> upon tho&s;e <HI>objects</HI> which make them <HI>rival</HI> the <HI>Angels</HI> in felicity; nay more, of the <HI>&s;ame nature</HI> with tho&s;e wherewith <HI>the King of glory entertains him&s;elf.</HI> That <HI>corre&s;pon|dence</HI> and <HI>harmony</HI> which there is between their <HI>Minds,</HI> and <HI>Truth,</HI> and <HI>Goodne&s;s,</HI> is the <HI>Fountain</HI> of all tho&s;e pure and <HI>cry&s;talline plea&s;ures</HI> which they do enjoy. A <HI>&s;trong &s;en&s;e</HI> of <HI>Divine Love,</HI> and firm <HI>per&s;wa&s;ion</HI> of <HI>Eternal Glory, begets</HI> and <HI>propagates</HI> a Chri&s;tians <HI>joy;</HI> 'tis of a more <HI>&s;ublime</HI> and <HI>exalted nature,</HI> then are tho&s;e <HI>gro&s;s</HI> and <HI>corporeal</HI> delights wherewith the <HI>Sen&s;es</HI>
<PB N="50" REF="32"> are <HI>affected;</HI> 'tis <HI>depurated</HI> and refined from all that earthly <HI>foeculency,</HI> which is <HI>incor|porated</HI> into the very <HI>quinte&s;&s;ence</HI> of tho&s;e <HI>plea&s;ures</HI> which <HI>material objects</HI> do produce. The mo&s;t <HI>ravi&s;hing</HI> and taking delights, which the world doth <HI>pro&s;titute</HI> to them which are her greate&s;t <HI>favourites,</HI> are <HI>foul</HI> and <HI>ful&s;ome,</HI> and re&s;olved into their <HI>fir&s;t principles,</HI> will appear <HI>fitter objects</HI> for <HI>di&s;dain</HI> then <HI>de&s;ire,</HI> and rather to be loathed then lov'd. What are all their plea&s;ures, but the product of a <HI>greedy</HI> and <HI>ravenous</HI> de&s;ire, which <HI>&s;uppo&s;e</HI> their Souls to <HI>labour</HI> under &s;ome <HI>violent di&s;tempers?</HI> they are but the <HI>&s;cratching</HI> of an <HI>Itch,</HI> or the plea|&s;ure of <HI>drinking</HI> under the <HI>&s;corchings</HI> of a <HI>Calenture.</HI></P>
<P N="5">5. The <HI>degeneracy</HI> of Humane Nature appears in nothing more then in mens <HI>pro&s;elyting</HI> them&s;elves to <HI>bruti&s;h &s;en&s;uality,</HI> wherein the <HI>Bea&s;ts</HI> do indeed <HI>out-vie</HI> them, as being furni&s;hed with <HI>greater exqui&s;ite|ne&s;s</HI> of Sen&s;e, for the entertainment of the <HI>objects</HI> of <HI>Sen&s;itive plea&s;ure.</HI> Yet how many are there which <HI>&s;acrifice</HI> their <HI>Rea&s;on</HI> to their <HI>Appetite,</HI> and <HI>&s;ink</HI> them&s;elves into a
<PB N="51" REF="32"> <HI>lower &s;pecies;</HI> which place the <HI>Bea&s;t</HI> above the <HI>Man,</HI> and <HI>quarry</HI> upon no other <HI>prey,</HI> nor <HI>pur&s;ue</HI> the <HI>cha&s;e</HI> of any other <HI>game,</HI> then what may <HI>gratifie</HI> their <HI>bruti&s;h Lu&s;ts;</HI> which <HI>live only</HI> in <HI>&s;ub&s;erviency</HI> to their <HI>&s;en&s;ual</HI> Inclination, and <HI>&s;ubordinate</HI> all their actions to the <HI>intere&s;t</HI> of the <HI>Fle&s;h,</HI> and never <HI>reflect</HI> upon the <HI>excellency</HI> of their Soul, nor regard the <HI>adorning</HI> of it with tho&s;e <HI>vertuous habits</HI> which will <HI>qualifie</HI> it for <HI>Everla&s;ting glory?</HI> as if all <HI>delectable</HI> objects were <HI>calculated</HI> for the <HI>meridian</HI> of the <HI>Body,</HI> and <HI>ingro&s;&s;ed</HI> by the <HI>Sen&s;es;</HI> and the <HI>Intellectual</HI> parts had no <HI>objects agreeable</HI> to its <HI>heavenly nature</HI> to take a <HI>complacency</HI> in: &s;uch &s;urely <HI>pity</HI> the condi|tion of <HI>Angels,</HI> and <HI>envy</HI> the <HI>felicity</HI> of <HI>Brutes.</HI></P>
<P N="6">6. The&s;e <HI>terre&s;trial plea&s;ures</HI> which vo|luptuous <HI>Epicures indulge</HI> them&s;elves, <HI>di|&s;pirit</HI> and <HI>enervate</HI> their minds, (like the Ivy, eat out the heart of the Oak) <HI>&s;often</HI> them by degrees into the mo&s;t <HI>effeminate</HI> and <HI>degenerous</HI> temper, and remove them the greate&s;t di&s;tance from all noble and real delights. Divine joy doth <HI>invigorate</HI>
<PB N="52" REF="33"> and <HI>ennoble</HI> the Soul and <HI>quicken</HI> it to an <HI>heroick generou&s;ne&s;s</HI> and <HI>activity; the joy of the Lord is its &s;trength.</HI></P>
<P N="7">7. 'Tis an <HI>opinion</HI> no le&s;s <HI>fal&s;e</HI> in it &s;elf, then <HI>pernicious</HI> in its <HI>effect,</HI> to the <HI>promotion</HI> of all true <HI>goodne&s;s,</HI> which hath &s;o many <HI>Pa|trons</HI> in the world, <HI>viz.</HI> that Religion <HI>di|vorceth</HI> its <HI>Pro&s;elytes,</HI> from all plea&s;ant <HI>enjoy|ments,</HI> and e&s;pou&s;eth them to a <HI>melancho|lique</HI> and <HI>&s;ullen &s;pirit,</HI> when the <HI>aera</HI> from which all <HI>true comfort</HI> bears <HI>date,</HI> is the <HI>com|mencement</HI> of a <HI>religious life. In&s;tances</HI> are <HI>numerous,</HI> of them which have <HI>rioted</HI> in the <HI>variety</HI> of all <HI>worldly delights,</HI> and afterward <HI>devoted</HI> them&s;elves to the <HI>practice</HI> of Chri|&s;tianity, who have upon the <HI>experience</HI> of both <HI>e&s;tates,</HI> in fine concluded, that the <HI>gleanings</HI> of <HI>divine joy,</HI> are infinitely to be prefer'd to the whole <HI>vintage</HI> of <HI>worldly plea&s;ures.</HI></P>
<P N="8">8. In other ca&s;es this Maxime pa&s;&s;eth for a truth, That every man is to <HI>believed</HI> in his <HI>own Art;</HI> and except all <HI>moral cer|tainty</HI> be <HI>que&s;tioned</HI> out of the world, and the <HI>ultimate rea&s;on</HI> of all <HI>belief terminated</HI> in the <HI>Sen&s;es,</HI> and our <HI>a&s;&s;ent</HI> to the mo&s;t
<PB N="53" REF="33"> common and certain truths be <HI>&s;u&s;pended,</HI> until they give us <HI>information;</HI> I &s;ee <HI>no ground</HI> of <HI>exception,</HI> again&s;t the <HI>te&s;timony</HI> of tho&s;e religious and holy Souls, which <HI>a&s;&s;ert</HI> their <HI>frequent experience</HI> of many <HI>ravi&s;hing</HI> and <HI>&s;atisfying plea&s;ures</HI> to be <HI>en|joyed</HI> in the <HI>con&s;cientious exerci&s;e</HI> of tho&s;e duties to which Religion doth engage them: Or why any &s;hould <HI>mi&s;call</HI> their heavenly <HI>Sentiments</HI> and <HI>Impre&s;sions,</HI> the <HI>Chimera's</HI> and <HI>Enthu&s;ia&s;tical Hallucinations</HI> of an active and bu&s;ie <HI>Fancy;</HI> as if Chri|&s;tians in this re&s;embled the antient Philo|&s;ophers, who have written much of the <HI>Mu&s;ick</HI> of the <HI>Sphears,</HI> when they never <HI>heard</HI> any &s;uch <HI>harmonious airs;</HI> and &s;poke of the next World but as blind men do concerning this, without any certain <HI>a&s;|&s;urance</HI> of the <HI>variety</HI> of tho&s;e things which they do affirm. The <HI>invitation</HI> of <HI>Philip</HI> to <HI>Nathaniel, Joh.</HI> 1. 46. Come and &s;ee, when 'tis <HI>practically an&s;wer'd,</HI> is the mo&s;t <HI>powerful charm,</HI> to <HI>di&s;inchant</HI> tho&s;e who are <HI>prepo&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed</HI> with &s;uch <HI>low</HI> and <HI>unworthy opinions</HI> of the ways of Wi&s;e|dom, and in wor&s;e <HI>e&s;teem</HI> the <HI>plea&s;ing
<PB N="54" REF="34"> vanities</HI> of this world are of &s;o <HI>high value.</HI> How <HI>jejune</HI> and <HI>un&s;atisfactory</HI> are all the <HI>keck-&s;haws</HI> of the world to him who hath <HI>ta&s;ted how gracious the Lord is?</HI> How <HI>dull</HI> and <HI>unaffecting</HI> all its <HI>Pageantry</HI> to him who hath <HI>&s;een how glorious?</HI> All the <HI>galliardi&s;e</HI> and <HI>treat|ments</HI> of it, makes no <HI>impre&s;&s;ion</HI> upon tho&s;e <HI>&s;eraphick</HI> minds who&s;e <HI>ta&s;t</HI> of <HI>earth|ly</HI> things is lo&s;t by their <HI>prelibation</HI> of <HI>heavenly plea&s;ures.</HI></P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="6" TYPE="chapter">
<PB N="55" REF="34">
<HEAD>CHAP. VI.</HEAD>
<ARGUMENT>
<P><HI>1. The weakne&s;s of all Sublunary Comforts argued. 2. Their lubricity and &s;lipperine&s;s make them unworthy a Wi&s;e mans pur&s;uit. 3. A Good man is &s;atisfied from within, in the defect of outward &s;upports. 4. Chri&s;tianity gives &s;ome earne&s;t of Happine&s;s before it pays the total &s;um. 5. Com|fort hath a nece&s;&s;ary dependance on the faithful di&s;charge of Duty. 6. The Impul&s;es of the Spirit con&s;onant to Scripture. 7. There is a pre|&s;ent advantage accrews to the Religious. 8. Good|ne&s;s and Happine&s;s import the &s;ame thing. 9. Sin and Mi&s;ery twi&s;ted into one thread. 10. Plea|&s;ure in its true notion our chiefe&s;t Happine&s;s. 11. The Conclu&s;ion.</HI></P>
</ARGUMENT>
<P N="1">1. THere is an <HI>intrin&s;ique weakne&s;s</HI> and <HI>in&s;ufficiency</HI> in the&s;e <HI>terrene</HI> delights, to <HI>&s;atisfie</HI> the minds of men; they are too &s;hort for their va&s;t de&s;ires to &s;tretch them&s;elves upon; they <HI>thir&s;t</HI> in the <HI>mid&s;t</HI> of the&s;e <HI>waters,</HI> and are <HI>&s;corched</HI> under its <HI>&s;hadow;</HI> their de&s;ires are real, but enjoyments fictitious; the <HI>expectance</HI> of <HI>&s;atisfaction</HI> is <HI>equally di&s;appointed</HI> in the <HI>fruition</HI> and <HI>fru&s;tration</HI> of their hopes:
<PB N="56" REF="35"> when we come to <HI>gra&s;pe</HI> them, they are but <HI>wind;</HI> and to <HI>embrace</HI> them, they are but a <HI>cloud;</HI> they hang out a <HI>fair bu&s;h</HI> to invite men in, but their <HI>wine's</HI> too much <HI>diluted</HI> and <HI>di&s;pirited</HI> to <HI>refre&s;h</HI> and <HI>allay</HI> the violent and <HI>thir&s;ty de&s;ires</HI> of tho&s;e which turn in thither. They <HI>never &s;atisfie,</HI> &s;eldom <HI>compound</HI> for the <HI>debts</HI> they <HI>promi&s;e.</HI> The <HI>large&s;t</HI> and <HI>faire&s;t volumes</HI> of this <HI>worlds enjoyments</HI> end with a <HI>Nonnulla de&s;unt.</HI> How many are there which are <HI>arre&s;ted</HI> in the <HI>mid&s;t</HI> of their <HI>plea&s;ures</HI> an <HI>gran|deur,</HI> and fall like <HI>Sacrifices</HI> with their <HI>Crowns on their heads!</HI> Its <HI>&s;tately Galleries</HI> lead to the <HI>Chambers</HI> of <HI>death;</HI> its River of <HI>Plea&s;ures</HI> &s;wallowed up in a <HI>Mare mortu|um;</HI> its joy is an U&s;her to regret and anxie|ty; its <HI>Comical Scenes</HI> end in a <HI>Tragical Cata&s;trophe.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. The&s;e &s;ublunary &s;en&s;ual plea&s;ures, like <HI>flowers, wither</HI> in our <HI>hands,</HI> are <HI>&s;trangled</HI> in the <HI>birth,</HI> and <HI>peri&s;h</HI> in <HI>em|bracing;</HI> make a little <HI>blaze</HI> and <HI>vani&s;h, &s;alute</HI> our <HI>Sen&s;es</HI> and take an <HI>eternal fare|well,</HI> flow to us with tidings of an ebbe; they are <GAP LANG="grc" DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF">, as the Father very well
<PB N="57" REF="35"> expre&s;t them, or as the Epigrammati&s;t, <GAP LANG="grc" DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF">, of a very <HI>tran&s;ient</HI> and <HI>&s;lippery</HI> nature, &s;ubject to be <HI>eclip&s;ed</HI> at the <HI>full</HI> of &s;o <HI>light</HI> a <HI>colour,</HI> that they <HI>fade</HI> and are <HI>&s;ullied</HI> in the <HI>handling,</HI> and apt to be <HI>&s;owred</HI> by the lea&s;t <HI>clap</HI> of <HI>Thunder:</HI> a&s;&s;oon as ever you put your <HI>hands</HI> into their <HI>&s;ides</HI> you &s;hall feel their <HI>hollowne&s;s.</HI> Divine Plea&s;ures are much <HI>inhanced</HI> in their worth by their <HI>permanence</HI> and continuance, whil&s;t all <HI>mundane delights</HI> are ju&s;tly <HI>depretiated</HI> by their <HI>incon&s;i&s;tence</HI> and <HI>lubricity.</HI> That heavenly Herald that knew well enough how to <HI>blazon</HI> this Worlds <HI>Coat of Arms,</HI> tells us its made up of fading <HI>Flowers</HI> be&s;et with <HI>Cro&s;&s;es</HI> and <HI>Cro&s;&s;ets.</HI> The anointing of Kings with <HI>Oil</HI> at their Coronations, inti|mates the <HI>&s;lipperi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e&s;s</HI> of their Thrones. Tho&s;e things which have the mo&s;t <HI>durable nature</HI> are reputed <HI>caeteris paribus,</HI> mo&s;t excellent; this puts a lu&s;tre and value upon divine <HI>delights,</HI> that they are not <HI>obnoxious</HI> to that <HI>&s;hortne&s;s</HI> and <HI>uncertainty</HI> which is the <HI>common fate</HI> of all mundane plea&s;ures, which ju&s;tly <HI>rank</HI> them in that <HI>degree of beings</HI> which are but a <HI>remove</HI> from <HI>no|thing,</HI>
<PB N="58" REF="36"> and con&s;equently unworthy to have the affections of a Soul <HI>too &s;trictly</HI> engaged to them, which is <HI>capable</HI> of <HI>Eternal Com|munion</HI> with, and fruition of the fir&s;t and Supreme Being.</P>
<P N="3">3. The mind of a good man brings him in <HI>con&s;tant revenue</HI> of &s;olid <HI>peace</HI> and &s;a|tisfaction; he <HI>holds</HI> his Serenity by a better <HI>Tenure</HI> then the world can give: he is not <HI>indebted</HI> to the <HI>plenty</HI> of external enjoy|ments, for the <HI>evene&s;s</HI> and <HI>compo&s;edne&s;s</HI> of his mind; nor doth his <HI>joy</HI> and <HI>plea&s;ure depend</HI> upon the <HI>curte&s;ie</HI> of the <HI>creature,</HI> but he enjoys <HI>halcyon</HI> days in the <HI>greate&s;t tempe&s;ts;</HI> to them the <HI>Rod buds</HI> and becomes <HI>plea&s;ant;</HI> he can <HI>&s;ing</HI> with the <HI>Thorn</HI> at his <HI>brea&s;t;</HI> he accepts with <HI>equal welcome</HI> an adver&s;e or pro&s;perous condition, knowing the wi&s;dom and goodne&s;s of that Provi|dience, which doth appoint the&s;e circum|&s;tances of life: His <HI>bones</HI> are not &s;ubject to <HI>aches</HI> upon <HI>change</HI> of <HI>weather:</HI> His <HI>joy</HI> is &s;o <HI>&s;ecurely trea&s;ured</HI> up, that it cannot be <HI>ravi&s;hed</HI> away by the hands of <HI>violence,</HI> but will run <HI>parallel</HI> with <HI>Eternity.</HI> Though holy men are not by any <HI>&s;pecial Charter,
<PB N="59" REF="36"> priviledg'd</HI> from outward troubles, but are <HI>involved</HI> in the &s;ame <HI>common calamities</HI> with the wor&s;t of men, yet their <HI>minds</HI> are like the <HI>upper Region, calm</HI> and <HI>&s;erene,</HI> and not di&s;turbed with tho&s;e <HI>tempe&s;tuous &s;torms</HI> which <HI>ari&s;e</HI> in <HI>guilty</HI> &s;ouls, upon the <HI>approach</HI> of <HI>mi&s;ery.</HI> Religion <HI>allays</HI> all the <HI>perturbations</HI> and <HI>commotions</HI> of the Soul, <HI>appea&s;eth</HI> all tho&s;e <HI>tumultuous riots</HI> and <HI>in&s;urrections,</HI> which mens <HI>boi&s;terous</HI> and <HI>unruly pa&s;&s;ions</HI> are apt to rai&s;e; &s;o that their minds are neither <HI>mole&s;ted</HI> by any <HI>in|ward conte&s;ts</HI> or <HI>outward violence,</HI> but <HI>en|joy perpetual &s;erenity.</HI> In the bo&s;ome of a good man you may find the <HI>Mare paci|ficum.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. Chri&s;tian Religion hath not only this <HI>peculiar advantage</HI> above all other, that its de&s;ign is to <HI>repair</HI> the <HI>ruines</HI> of <HI>decayed Nature,</HI> and at <HI>la&s;t</HI> to <HI>readvance</HI> it to that <HI>primitive &s;tate</HI> of <HI>perfection</HI> it was <HI>po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed</HI> of, before the <HI>delinquency</HI> of <HI>rebel|lious</HI> Adam had brought him <HI>under &s;e|que&s;tration;</HI> but doth in the <HI>interim com|municate</HI> &s;uch bli&s;sful <HI>enjoyments</HI> to its <HI>Votaries,</HI> as even <HI>anticipate</HI> their <HI>de&s;ires</HI>
<PB N="60" REF="37"> of being in <HI>Heaven.</HI> It takes them up in|to the <HI>Mount</HI> of <HI>Transfiguration,</HI> and gives them a <HI>Pi&s;gah-&s;ight</HI> of their future Inheri|tance; brings them <HI>clu&s;ters</HI> of <HI>Canaan</HI>'s <HI>Grapes,</HI> before their <HI>actual entrance</HI> upon the <HI>purcha&s;ed Po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion.</HI> It opens a <HI>Ca&s;e|ment</HI> into the other Life, whereby holy men take a <HI>view</HI> of the <HI>Kingdom</HI> of Heaven and all <HI>the glory of it;</HI> it <HI>fea&s;ts</HI> them with the <HI>hidden Manna, refre&s;heth</HI> them with the <HI>water of life,</HI> which <HI>Antepa&s;t</HI> of <HI>Eternity makes their joy greater then the joy of Har|ve&s;t, or the joy of them which divide the Spoil:</HI> If their <HI>notion</HI> of Heaven be agree|able to the <HI>nature</HI> of it, which &s;uppo&s;e it rather a <HI>&s;tate</HI> then a <HI>place,</HI> it is not incon|gruous to believe that <HI>pious men</HI> are in <HI>Heaven</HI> before their <HI>di&s;&s;olution;</HI> they need not in the language of <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and St. <HI>Paul,</HI> &s;eek for one to <HI>a&s;cend up into Heaven, to bring them</HI> comfort from above, nor <HI>de&s;cend into the deep to fetch</HI> it from below. No, it is not at &s;uch a <HI>va&s;t di&s;tance,</HI> but it is neer them, in their <HI>mouth,</HI> and in their <HI>heart.</HI> It is the <HI>immediate i&s;&s;ue</HI> of <HI>Con&s;cience,</HI> giving in <HI>evidence</HI> of a <HI>&s;incere hearty complyance</HI>
<PB N="61" REF="37"> with the <HI>Divine Will.</HI> This fills <HI>their mouth with laughter, and their hearts with joy.</HI></P>
<P N="5">5. I do not take <HI>Comfort</HI> and <HI>Joy</HI> to be &s;uch <HI>arbitary donatives</HI> of Heaven, as to be <HI>promi&s;cuou&s;ly &s;cattered</HI> with an <HI>indifferent</HI> hand, without <HI>re&s;pect</HI> to the <HI>qualifications</HI> of tho&s;e per&s;ons unto whom they are <HI>di|&s;pen&s;ed;</HI> but rather <HI>&s;uppo&s;e</HI> them the <HI>natural</HI> and genuine <HI>product</HI> of vertuous actions, according to that of the Prophet <HI>I&s;aiah, The work of righteou&s;ne&s;s is peace, and the effect thereof quiet and a&s;&s;urance for ever.</HI> A <HI>good Con&s;cience</HI> and a <HI>merry Heart</HI> are <HI>in&s;eparable</HI> concomitants. A Chri&s;tian can give him&s;elf a <HI>rational account</HI> of all tho&s;e comforts he partakes of; he &s;aith not he &s;hall have <HI>peace though he walk in the ima|ginations of his own heart,</HI> but expects and enjoys it in the faithful <HI>di&s;charge</HI> of tho&s;e <HI>duties</HI> he is <HI>engaged</HI> to by his <HI>pro|fe&s;sion.</HI></P>
<P N="6">6. There are no &s;uch <HI>Jobacches</HI> and <HI>Di|thyrambs</HI> dictated by the holy Spirit, which offer violence to the faculties of the mind, and tran&s;port it into an <HI>Ec&s;tatical Paroxy&s;m;</HI> this <HI>Fanatical &s;pirit</HI> prevailed much in the
<PB N="62" REF="38"> <HI>Pagan World;</HI> and its <HI>delu&s;ions</HI> were em|braced with the <HI>&s;ame veneration</HI> an <HI>Oracle</HI> could exact. All the <HI>impre&s;sions</HI> Chri&s;tians can expect the <HI>Spirit of God</HI> &s;hall make upon their minds, are to be <HI>agreeable</HI> to their <HI>natures, accountable</HI> to <HI>Rea&s;on,</HI> and <HI>con&s;onant</HI> to the <HI>&s;acred Scriptures;</HI> and this is not to <HI>limit the Holy One of I&s;rael,</HI> or to chalk out a way for the Holy Gho&s;t to move in his Operations, who is free to work where and when he plea&s;eth; but may &s;erve for a <HI>caution</HI> to <HI>credulous minds</HI> not to be <HI>in&s;nared</HI> by the <HI>Impo&s;tures</HI> of tho&s;e which pretend to <HI>high degrees</HI> of <HI>In|&s;piration.</HI></P>
<P N="7">7. All the felicity of <HI>Religion</HI> lies not in <HI>rever&s;ion;</HI> good men &s;tay <HI>not for all</HI> their Happine&s;s till they come to Heaven. In the keeping <HI>Gods Commandements there is a great reward;</HI> Chri&s;tians gather in much of their <HI>harve&s;t</HI> while they are <HI>&s;owing their &s;eed;</HI> their bli&s;s and comfort is not <HI>wholly</HI> &s;upported by <HI>expectation:</HI> there is a <HI>pre|&s;ent po&s;&s;e&s;sion</HI> of &s;o much of Heaven as may <HI>quicken endeavours, &s;atisfie de&s;ires,</HI> and <HI>en|courage hope.</HI> They are not <HI>adventurers</HI>
<PB N="63" REF="38"> meerly for a <HI>peradventure,</HI> but have <HI>in|&s;urance</HI> for <HI>advantage.</HI> What is that <HI>pre|&s;ent Revenue</HI> of Joy which good men have imparted to them, but <HI>Heaven Incarnate?</HI> God <HI>muzzles not the mouth of the Oxe which treadeth out his Corn;</HI> None <HI>&s;erve</HI> him for <HI>nought:</HI> Who ever complained of God as an <HI>au&s;tere</HI> Ma&s;ter, which had <HI>expe|rience</HI> of his <HI>&s;evice,</HI> or can &s;ay, they had <HI>nothing</HI> for their <HI>labour</HI> but their <HI>pains?</HI> He that <HI>forgoes</HI> or <HI>undergoes</HI> any thing for Gods &s;ake, and the Go&s;pel, &s;hall be <HI>compen&s;ated</HI> in this <HI>life</HI> an <HI>hundred fold,</HI> and in the world to come &s;hall have <HI>life Everla&s;ting.</HI> He may &s;ay as St. <HI>Paul, Act. 27. 21. We have gained this lo&s;s,</HI> of all the <HI>damage</HI> he <HI>&s;u&s;tains</HI> in his pa&s;&s;age <HI>Heaven-ward;</HI> God <HI>gives good mea&s;ure, heaped up, pre&s;&s;ed down, and running over:</HI> Though we are to God <HI>un|profitable &s;ervants,</HI> yet is not <HI>Gods &s;ervice unprofitable</HI> to us. If any demand, What <HI>profit is there by Chri&s;tianity,</HI> and what <HI>ad|vantage an holy man</HI> hath? I an&s;wer, <HI>as the Apo&s;tle in another</HI> ca&s;e, <HI>much every way; much more</HI> then any one can imagine who is <HI>e&s;tranged from the life of God,</HI> and knows
<PB N="64" REF="39"> not that &s;weet plea&s;ure which is <HI>twi&s;ted</HI> into the very <HI>E&s;&s;ence</HI> of <HI>virtuous</HI> and holy <HI>actions.</HI></P>
<P N="8">8. <HI>Goodne&s;s</HI> and <HI>Happine&s;s</HI> are but <HI>di|&s;tinct</HI> notions of the <HI>&s;ame</HI> thing; what is <HI>Glory</HI> and <HI>Heaven</HI> but <HI>other names</HI> given to <HI>Grace</HI> and <HI>Vertue?</HI> for the <HI>E&s;&s;ence</HI> is the &s;ame; and only a <HI>gradual,</HI> no <HI>&s;pecifical</HI> difference between them. The Scripture hath baptized the <HI>&s;malle&s;t degrees</HI> of <HI>Grace</HI> with the name of <HI>Glory, I&s;aiah</HI> 60. 1. and the highe&s;t enjoyments of <HI>Glory</HI> with the name of <HI>Grace,</HI> 1 Pet. 1. 13. <HI>Hope to the end for the Grace that is brought unto you at the revelation of Je&s;us Chri&s;t;</HI> that Grace is glory <HI>inchoate,</HI> and grace glory <HI>con&s;um|mate;</HI> that grace is glory in the bud, glo|ry grace in the flower, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> are expre&s;&s;ions frequently made u&s;e of, to expre&s;s the <HI>&s;imilitude</HI> and <HI>difference</HI> there is between <HI>Goodne&s;s</HI> and <HI>Happine&s;s.</HI> An <HI>appeal</HI> to the general <HI>experience</HI> of mankind, who have had no <HI>acquaintance</HI> with the <HI>Doctrine</HI> of our Saviour, will make it evident, that the notions they entertain'd concerning <HI>Vice</HI> and <HI>Vertue,</HI> were <HI>equivalent</HI> unto them
<PB N="65" REF="39"> which are here <HI>&s;ugge&s;ted. Plato</HI> a&s;&s;ures us that 'tis a Law enacted from Eternity in the great Con&s;i&s;tory of Heaven, and for ever to be kept inviolate; <HI>That Sin and Evil &s;hall be attended with mi&s;ery; that Vertue and Goodne&s;s &s;hall be always happy.</HI> To cite what the Sentiments of <HI>Seneca,</HI> that great Morali&s;t, concerning this &s;ubject are, would be to tran&s;cribe a great part of his Epi&s;tles, wherein he makes <HI>Vertue</HI> to be its <HI>own reward,</HI> and <HI>Vices</HI> to be the <HI>tormen|ters</HI> of &s;uch which act them; for every <HI>&s;in</HI> brings into the world a <HI>lictor</HI> with it.</P>
<P N="9">9. A <HI>difference</HI> between <HI>Good</HI> and <HI>Evil,</HI> is <HI>ingraven</HI> in &s;uch <HI>indelible Characters</HI> up|on the minds of all men, that the mo&s;t <HI>profligate</HI> and <HI>obdurate</HI> &s;inner cannot <HI>totally excu&s;s</HI> them, nor &s;in him&s;elf into &s;o deep a <HI>Lethargie,</HI> as to be altogether <HI>in&s;en&s;ible</HI> of the <HI>gripings</HI> of a guilty Con&s;cience. The holy Tongue calls <HI>Sin</HI> and <HI>Puni&s;hment</HI> by the <HI>&s;ame name,</HI> as being in effect one and the &s;ame thing. Were there no other <HI>Neme&s;is</HI> to execute <HI>vengeance</HI> upon wicked men, then what ari&s;eth from their <HI>reflection</HI> upon their <HI>Impieties,</HI> yet could they not
<PB N="66" REF="40"> <HI>e&s;cape</HI> a <HI>&s;evere puni&s;hment,</HI> having their own <HI>Con&s;ciences</HI> appointed to be their <HI>Tor|mentors.</HI> Every &s;inner is a <HI>Megaera</HI> to him&s;elf; there is a <HI>bo&s;ome fury</HI> that <HI>pur&s;ues</HI> a &s;inner, with &s;uch <HI>&s;ugge&s;tions</HI> of <HI>guilt</HI> and <HI>wrath,</HI> as beget in it <HI>pre&s;ent horror, amazement</HI> and <HI>perplexity,</HI> and <HI>dreadful apprehen&s;ions</HI> of a <HI>future judgment:</HI> Sin and mi&s;ery are <HI>twi&s;ted</HI> into the &s;ame <HI>thread;</HI> the <HI>vails</HI> of &s;in is <HI>&s;hame</HI> and <HI>&s;orrow,</HI> the <HI>wages death.</HI> A &s;inner is <HI>felo de &s;e;</HI> not only an <HI>acce&s;&s;ory,</HI> but the <HI>principal</HI> in his own ruine; many an one per&s;ecutes him|&s;elf to death by <HI>Envy, Malice, Revenge,</HI> and becomes the <HI>Martyr</HI> of his <HI>Lu&s;ts.</HI> Whence come tho&s;e <HI>wars</HI> and <HI>fightings,</HI> tho&s;e <HI>violent perturbations</HI> and <HI>anxious con|te&s;ts</HI> which di&s;cruciate the minds of wick|ed men? come they not from their <HI>lu&s;ts?</HI> they are the effect of <HI>Pride, Self-love,</HI> and <HI>Malice;</HI> they are the <HI>Incendiaries</HI> which <HI>fo|ment divi&s;ions,</HI> and di&s;po&s;&s;e&s;s the mind of its calmne&s;s and peace: the <HI>web</HI> that <HI>en|tangles</HI> men is <HI>&s;pun</HI> out of their <HI>own</HI> bowels; Death and Hell are to be accounted the creature of &s;in, that is the <HI>womb</HI> that bears
<PB N="67" REF="40"> them, and the <HI>paps</HI> that give the &s;uck; by this the Prince of Darkne&s;s &s;upports his Kingdom. This kindles the <HI>devouring fire,</HI> and prepares fuel for everla&s;ting burn|ings. To &s;in, is to <HI>anticipate eternal</HI> death, and to be <HI>damned</HI> before one comes to <HI>Hell,</HI> and <HI>act over aforehand</HI> the <HI>Tragedie</HI> of their own de&s;truction, and to <HI>torment them|&s;elves before the time.</HI> As God in his gra|cious Providence doth not leave holy <HI>per|&s;ons</HI> to grapple with the <HI>difficulties</HI> of the <HI>Divine Life,</HI> without &s;ome <HI>Prelibations</HI> of that Happine&s;s to which it doth conduct them, for their <HI>encouragement</HI> to a conti|nual <HI>progre&s;sion</HI> and advancement in Piety: So neither doth he leave the wicked to an <HI>uninterrupted tranquillity</HI> in the cour&s;e of their &s;ins, but <HI>imbitters</HI> their plea&s;ures, by the &s;ecret <HI>Convul&s;ions</HI> of their own Con|&s;ciences, and by a dreadful <HI>pre&s;en&s;ation</HI> of future mi&s;ery, that by the&s;e &s;ad <HI>pre&s;ages</HI> they may be excited <HI>to flee from the wrath to come,</HI> through the <HI>abhorrence</HI> of that which is its immediate and nece&s;&s;ary <HI>cau&s;e.</HI></P>
<P N="10">10. The <HI>Epicureans</HI> did not err in their
<PB N="68" REF="41"> <HI>Philo&s;ophical</HI> determination of Plea&s;ure, its being the <HI>chiefe&s;t good,</HI> the <HI>Alpha</HI> and <HI>Omega</HI> of Happine&s;s; for if we have a right notion of it, (and are not impo&s;ed upon by that <HI>meretricious, treacherous</HI> and <HI>&s;erpen|tine</HI> plea&s;ure, which is ever attempting to in&s;inuate it &s;elf into the affection of our <HI>ma&s;|culine faculties</HI>) we ought to <HI>court</HI> it and <HI>imbrace</HI> it where ever we can meet it; but becau&s;e we have <HI>mi&s;apprehen&s;ions</HI> of its nature and objects, therefore we hunt up|on a wrong &s;ent, are apt to catch at every &s;hadow, and <HI>&s;eek the living among the dead,</HI> vainly expecting to enjoy a <HI>&s;atisfy|ing</HI> plea&s;ure &s;eparate from that goodne&s;s wrich is <HI>e&s;&s;ential</HI> thereunto. <HI>Epicurus</HI> him|&s;elf tells us, though a &s;uppo&s;ed Enemy to a <HI>vertuous temperance,</HI> <GAP LANG="grc" DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF">. Wi&s;dom and Goodne&s;s are nece&s;&s;ary concomitants of Plea&s;ure; which make me prone to believe, that tho&s;e which exploded his <HI>Atomical Hypothe&s;is,</HI> and were &s;uch bitter <HI>Antagoni&s;ts</HI> to his <HI>Na|tural</HI> Philo&s;ophy, might be a litile over-lavi&s;h when they de&s;cribe his <HI>Moral de|meanour,</HI> which though it might not be &s;o
<PB N="69" REF="41"> <HI>cynical</HI> and <HI>moro&s;e</HI> as that of &s;ome other Sects of Philo&s;ophers, yet was different e|nough from their <HI>deportment,</HI> who for their <HI>&s;en&s;ual Indulgences,</HI> in the vulgarlan|guage are named <HI>Epicures.</HI></P>
<P N="11">11. A &s;trong de&s;ire after Plea&s;ures is <HI>ra|dically fixed</HI> in the nature of our being, we need no powerful motive to awaken us to inquire after it; for it is a <HI>Principle</HI> in our Souls, and our Propen&s;ions to it are <HI>there|fore &s;trong,</HI> becau&s;e they are <HI>natural.</HI> The government and <HI>direction</HI> of this <HI>connate Appetite,</HI> hath been a Theme largely hand|led not only by <HI>Theologi&s;ts,</HI> but <HI>Philo&s;ophers,</HI> and is the ultimate end to which their &s;tu|dies have pretended; all the circum&s;tances of life which are <HI>valuable,</HI> are therefore &s;o becau&s;e they are <HI>delectable:</HI> 'tis the <HI>Plea&s;ure</HI> men take in their Friends and Relations, in their Wealth, in their Honours, which en|gageth their <HI>affections</HI> to them; if that be not the <HI>re&s;ult,</HI> they are no way <HI>bettered</HI> by fruition of them. Was I now di&s;po&s;ed to be accurate and exact, in the drawing of particular Inferences from tho&s;e various branches, which the foregoing notions of
<PB N="70" REF="42"> Plea&s;ure yield, I &s;hould tran&s;gre&s;s that law of brevity, which I have for the prevention of complaints of being too prolix and tedious, pre&s;cribed my &s;elf; as al&s;o in part hinder what I endeavour to promote, <HI>viz.</HI> the Readers care to <HI>&s;upply</HI> what is <HI>deficient</HI> by his own con|&s;iderations; to which end, I &s;hall in&s;ert out of a de&s;erving <HI>Poet,</HI> that which may engage him to this practice.</P>
<Q><L>Who readeth much, and never meditates,</L>
<L>Is like a greedy eater of &s;weet Cates,</L>
<L>And doth his &s;tomach &s;o &s;urcharge with food,</L>
<L>That commonly they do him little good.</L></Q>
<P>But that which in general I &s;hall &s;ugge&s;t, is this; That who&s;oever &s;hall be <HI>prevail'd</HI> upon, by any of tho&s;e <HI>arguments</HI> this Treati&s;e affords, to aban|don any <HI>vitious</HI> practice, and renounce the <HI>Works of Darkne&s;s;</HI> to live in the exerci&s;e of <HI>Virtue,</HI> and an <HI>intire con|&s;ecration</HI> of him&s;elf to the Service of God, if he find not the <HI>harmony</HI> and
<PB N="71" REF="42"> <HI>plea&s;ure</HI> of his Soul, when in the &s;tate of <HI>Righteou&s;ne&s;s,</HI> abundantly <HI>&s;urpa&s;sing</HI> tho&s;e <HI>lower</HI> delights admini&s;tred to the meer <HI>animal life,</HI> I &s;hall give him leave to cur&s;e me for an <HI>Impo&s;tor</HI> upon his <HI>fir&s;t repentance.</HI></P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="7" TYPE="chapter">
<PB N="72" REF="43">
<HEAD>CHAP. VII.</HEAD>
<ARGUMENT>
<P><HI>1. Chri&s;tian Religion propounded by our Saviour as an ea&s;ie yoke. 2. It doth not contain any thing prejudicial to the Body or the Mind of Man. 3. The Difficulties wherewith 'tis charged, are for the mo&s;t part fictitious. 4. Wi&s;dom is ju&s;tified of her Children. 5. Ignorance a great promoter of Irreligion. 6. Experience advanceth Piety. 7. The Important matters of Religion are obvious to the meane&s;t of them which inquire after it. 8. The Doctrine of the Go&s;pel abu&s;ed by fal&s;e Sup|po&s;itions. 9. Chri&s;tian Religion be&s;t known by Tryal. 10. The Duties and Vertues of it every way more grateful then the oppo&s;ite Vices.</HI></P>
</ARGUMENT>
<P N="1">1. AMong tho&s;e many motives which our ble&s;&s;ed Lord did frequently in|&s;i&s;t upon, to bring men &s;o much <HI>in love with them&s;elves,</HI> as tho&s;e were with whom he did conver&s;e, to <HI>e&s;pou&s;e</HI> a Doctrine which engaged them to the practice of &s;uch Du|ties which at fir&s;t &s;ight &s;eemed <HI>contra|dictory</HI> to the de&s;ign and &s;cope whereunto their pre&s;ent Inclinations carried them; he
<PB N="73" REF="43"> propounds it to them as <HI>con&s;i&s;tent</HI> with their <HI>pre&s;ent Intere&s;t,</HI> and containing in it nothing repugnant to the common Senti|ments of Humane Nature, his <HI>yoak</HI> being <HI>ea&s;ie,</HI> and his <HI>burden light.</HI> 'Tis &s;uch a yoak which is lined through with a <HI>downie &s;oftne&s;s,</HI> and doth not <HI>pre&s;s,</HI> but <HI>ea&s;e</HI> tho&s;e which take it upon them. 'Tis a <HI>burden,</HI> yet 'tis no Soloeci&s;m to &s;ay 'tis <HI>light;</HI> its <HI>Onus alarum:</HI> Let the <HI>ballace</HI> rather be ac|counted the <HI>remora</HI> of the Ship, which it &s;ecures, then the burden which our Ma&s;ter impo&s;es be thought heavy, to the &s;houlders where it lies in its greate&s;t weight.</P>
<P N="2">2. Were Chri&s;tianity attended upon with a <HI>numerous retinue</HI> of Incumbrances, which would di&s;turbe and un&s;ettle the <HI>peaceable</HI> and <HI>harmonious</HI> temper and con|&s;titution of the Mind, the <HI>neglecters</HI> of it might with &s;ome <HI>colourable pretence</HI> of rea|&s;on, <HI>attempt</HI> to <HI>ju&s;tifie</HI> their refu&s;al, to &s;ubject them&s;elves to the rigorous and &s;e|vere injunctions of that which would &s;o much <HI>retrench</HI> that liberty and &s;erenity about which they are &s;o <HI>highly &s;ollicitous.</HI>
<PB N="74" REF="44"> But Religion comes not to <HI>prey</HI> upon our Peace, to <HI>di&s;&s;ei&s;e</HI> us of our Rights, to <HI>in|vade</HI> our Priviledges, to <HI>betray</HI> us to &s;er|vility, or ingulf us into a &s;tate of trouble and inquietude; or engage us unto &s;o <HI>cruel</HI> a <HI>Di&s;cipline</HI> as <HI>Super&s;tition</HI> hath in|&s;tituted in the <HI>Pagan</HI> and <HI>Chri&s;tian</HI> world for its <HI>Pro&s;elytes</HI> to &s;ubmit to: There is nothing contained in it which offers any violence to the faculties of the Mind, or can be rightly interpreted to the <HI>prejudice</HI> of the Body.</P>
<P N="3">3. There are no &s;uch <HI>in&s;uperable diffi|culties</HI> and <HI>inacce&s;sible Alpes</HI> in the way to Heaven, as the <HI>&s;upine negligence</HI> of &s;ome &s;ugge&s;ts unto them, who have made the mo&s;t impo&s;&s;ible tasks to be emblemes of the Go&s;pel Precepts, and cry out the <HI>burden of the Lord,</HI> the <HI>burden of the Lord,</HI> though they do not &s;o much as touch it with one of their fingers. The <HI>Lion</HI> in this way is not &s;o <HI>fierce</HI> as he is <HI>painted;</HI> there are no &s;uch dreadful Apparitions, no &s;uch <HI>horrid Spectres</HI> and affrighting <HI>Mormoes</HI> as are <HI>conjur'd</HI> up by the power of a <HI>deluded</HI> Imagination; the difficulties which occurr,
<PB N="75" REF="44"> are not half &s;o great as they are repre&s;ented to be by them which look at the wrong end of the Per&s;pective. The&s;e &s;ons of <HI>Anak</HI> are not &s;o formidable as Suppo&s;ition makes them: The &s;tory of tho&s;e great Giants is a <HI>Romantick</HI> Fiction: The&s;e <HI>fiery Drrgons</HI> that watch the Garden of the <HI>He&s;perides</HI> are nowhere but in a Poetique Fable. Tho&s;e <HI>Centaurs,</HI> &amp;c. which are &s;o terrible, are the <HI>Chimaera</HI>'s of a teeming Fancy, and have no other being then what mi&s;apprehen&s;ion doth confer upon them. Men do fir&s;t draw the <HI>Picture</HI> of Religion with a &s;ad and <HI>low|ring Countenance,</HI> and then take occa&s;ion to <HI>di&s;like</HI> it; <HI>di&s;gui&s;e</HI> it with <HI>uncouth notions,</HI> and &s;o keep them&s;elves at a di&s;tance from it, and are terrified with a <HI>Vizzard</HI> of their own putting on. They ca&s;t a <HI>Mantle</HI> of <HI>Darkne&s;s</HI> upon the <HI>face</HI> of <HI>Light,</HI> and re|pre&s;ent Religion to them&s;elves in the mo&s;t <HI>averting form;</HI> and no wonder if they be no otherwi&s;e <HI>affected</HI> with it; they con|clude there are many hard&s;hips to be un|dergone, and great oppo&s;ition to be over|come, and &s;o give them&s;elves a <HI>Writ of Ea&s;e</HI> from the pur&s;ance of it, without any further
<PB N="76" REF="45"> inquiry into the nature of it, making an <HI>excu&s;e</HI> of their own <HI>&s;landers</HI> and jealou&s;ies: doubtle&s;s &s;uch which <HI>criminate</HI> Religion as unea&s;ie, and except again&s;t it as har&s;h and rigorous, are &s;uch as never give them&s;elves the trouble to <HI>ju&s;tifie</HI> or <HI>condemn</HI> their fears, by experiencing whether they were true or fal&s;e; but pa&s;s a &s;evere &s;entence upon it, without any other evidence then the te&s;timony of its greate&s;t Adver&s;ary, and their degenerate Nature &s;uborned by him; never appealing to their own <HI>Rea|&s;on,</HI> nor putting it to a <HI>tryal</HI> of <HI>Sen&s;e,</HI> either of which would an&s;wer their Ob|jections, &s;ilence their clamours, confute their fears, and <HI>vindicate</HI> Religion from that <HI>&s;ourne&s;s</HI> and <HI>moro&s;ene&s;s</HI> of which it is <HI>impeached,</HI> and make its <HI>unju&s;t Judges</HI> become <HI>powerful Advocates</HI> to plead its ea&s;ine&s;s, plea&s;antne&s;s and de&s;ireablene&s;s.</P>
<P N="4">4. 'Tis mens want of acquaintance with Religion deceives them into a mi&s;|belief concerning the conver&s;able and acceptable nature of it; to all that know it, it appears very aimable and attractive; 'tis mens <HI>Ignorance</HI> of it is the Mother of
<PB N="77" REF="45"> their <HI>want of devotion to it.</HI> The mean|ing of the matchle&s;s <HI>Spencer</HI> is apparent, in making <HI>Ignaro</HI> Porter to the Ca&s;tle of the Impo&s;ture&s;s <HI>Due&s;&s;a. Wi&s;dom is ju&s;tified of all her Children, they ri&s;e up and call her ble&s;&s;ed;</HI> Let the <HI>Brats</HI> of <HI>Folly</HI> and <HI>Dark|ne&s;s calumniate</HI> never &s;o &s;trongly, when men take no other view of Religion then what they have through the <HI>Devils Opticks,</HI> 'tis no news to hear them &s;peak of it as difficult, and <HI>decline</HI> the <HI>pur&s;uit</HI> of it as not worth their while; but to him that hath &s;een it in its <HI>native excellency</HI> and <HI>beauty,</HI> and under&s;tands the worth and im|portance of it, the greate&s;t <HI>labour</HI> imployed about it, is a kind of <HI>recreative diverti&s;e|ment,</HI> and nothing that conduceth to it e&s;teemed a difficulty.</P>
<P N="5">5. What except <HI>Ignorance</HI> and <HI>O&s;citancy</HI> could infu&s;e into mens minds, &s;uch <HI>perni|cious prejudices</HI> concerning Virtue and Pie|ty, as is too apparent in the <HI>fatal con&s;e|quences?</HI> What other cau&s;es can be a&s;|&s;igned of that <HI>Irreligion</HI> and <HI>Immorality,</HI> which is &s;o <HI>Epidemical,</HI> if the&s;e be denyed? What el&s;e could beget &s;uch <HI>practical Con|tradictions</HI>
<PB N="78" REF="46"> in rea&s;onable creatures, and make them <HI>Antipodes</HI> to them&s;elves? How pa&s;&s;ionately do men <HI>langui&s;h</HI> and <HI>&s;u&s;pire</HI> after life, yet how <HI>importunately</HI> do they <HI>court</HI> the <HI>embraces</HI> of death? At how <HI>great a value</HI> do men pretend they prize the ble&s;&s;ings of Eternity, and the Happine&s;s of the World to come, yet &s;ell them at the <HI>vile&s;t rate,</HI> and exchange their Salvation for a <HI>Penny?</HI> What <HI>kindne&s;s</HI> do men pro|fe&s;s they have to their Souls, and how <HI>&s;ol|licitous</HI> will they &s;eem to be to procure their welfare, when in the mean time they will <HI>forfeit</HI> all their happine&s;s to <HI>gratifie</HI> a &s;en&s;ual de&s;ire, and expo&s;e them to <HI>eternal</HI> mi&s;ery for a <HI>moment</HI> of plea&s;ure? Speak with mo&s;t men, they will tell us, the end of their being here is to glorifie and enjoy God, and prepare them&s;elves for an In|heritance in the future life, when all their actions proclaim them wholly immer&s;t in this pre&s;ent world: and all their de&s;igns levell'd at the&s;e &s;ublunary vanities; as <HI>if their hou&s;es &s;hould continue for ever, and their dwelling place unto all generations.</HI> How unbecoming the&s;e contradictions are
<PB N="79" REF="46"> tho&s;e active intellectual and generous pow|ers of their Souls, the labour of reflection will inform them.</P>
<P N="6">6. Did men enquire into, and make experience of the ble&s;&s;ings of Religion, and lay a&s;ide tho&s;e <HI>prejudices</HI> wherewith their <HI>ignorance</HI> and idlene&s;s hath <HI>prepo&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed</HI> them, touching its trouble and difficulty, we &s;hould find the <HI>foundation</HI> which &s;up|ports the <HI>Kingdom</HI> of <HI>Darkne&s;s</HI> razed, and the tents of wickedne&s;s made de&s;olate in a moment. Religion looks upon us with a <HI>&s;erene</HI> and <HI>plea&s;ant A&s;pect;</HI> engageth us to cope with no power &s;o great, as <HI>threa|tens a de&s;pair</HI> of Victoiy; puts us upon no <HI>task</HI> which &s;hall <HI>fru&s;trate</HI> &s;edulous endea|vours; it gives a&s;&s;i&s;tance proportionable to its commands, and allows <HI>Straw enough</HI> to make the number of <HI>Bricks</HI> it exacts from us.</P>
<P N="7">7. The <HI>Fundamental</HI> Truths of Chri&s;tian Religion are <HI>ea&s;ie</HI> and <HI>intelligible,</HI> and its most <HI>important Duties fea&s;ible;</HI> acquain|tance with <HI>Philo&s;ophical Di&s;tinctions, Scho|la&s;tical Notions,</HI> thin and <HI>airy Speculations</HI> are not <HI>E&s;&s;ential</HI> to a Chri&s;tian; a little
<PB N="80" REF="47"> <HI>Theory</HI> is a &s;ufficient <HI>Ba&s;is</HI> to rai&s;e a large Structre of Piety upon. Religion, as <HI>Era&s;|mus</HI> complains, is become now <HI>res inge|nio&s;a;</HI> as if it were intended more for to <HI>exerci&s;e</HI> our wits then <HI>regulate</HI> our lives; and were rather to &s;cratch mens Itch of Di&s;putation, then advance true Devotion, and to furni&s;h them with <HI>Di&s;cour&s;e,</HI> and not better their <HI>Conver&s;e:</HI> But the Doctrine of our Saviour is de&s;igned to more noble and glorious ends; 'tis to <HI>in&s;inuate</HI> an <HI>heavenly nature</HI> into the minds of men, and effectually to <HI>ingratiate</HI> the Precepts of Virtue, and to <HI>propagate</HI> Goodne&s;s in the World; and tho&s;e <HI>previous</HI> di&s;po&s;i|tions which are indi&s;pen&s;ably nece&s;&s;ary for the minds of men to be qualified with, for the entertainment of this &s;acred Do|ctrine, are not a <HI>large &s;tock</HI> of humane learn|ing and natural abilities, but an <HI>humble</HI> and <HI>pacate</HI> compo&s;ure of &s;oul.</P>
<P N="8">8. The <HI>&s;uperficies</HI> of the Go&s;pel, at fir&s;t &s;ight pre&s;ents us with &s;o much Truth as is needful to <HI>u&s;her</HI> in Vertue, though we &s;hould never dig into the bowels of this golden Mine, and find out tho&s;e rich trea|&s;ures
<PB N="81" REF="47"> which are hidden there. We do much abu&s;e our &s;elves and injure the Doctrine of our Salvation, by framing &s;uch <HI>Idaea's</HI> of it, as are no way <HI>corre&s;pondent</HI> to the nature of it, <HI>viz.</HI> &s;uppo&s;ing it to be <HI>folded</HI> up in &s;ome <HI>inexplicable</HI> my&s;teries, and &s;hadowed over with <HI>clouds</HI> of thick Darkne&s;s, or <HI>&s;ublimated</HI> into &s;uch thin and <HI>volatile</HI> no|tions, as are too <HI>&s;ubtil</HI> for the ken of Vulgar Under&s;tandings: Whereas the wi&s;e <HI>Legi&s;lator</HI> of the Go&s;pel, (pardon the Solaeci&s;m) hath <HI>promulgated</HI> it in &s;o con|de&s;cending a manner, that the meane&s;t of tho&s;e who are concerned in it, may be &s;oon <HI>Doctors,</HI> of what doth immediately relate to their <HI>Obedience.</HI> Who is &s;o <HI>Idio|tical</HI> as to <HI>ignore</HI> the meaning of the&s;e and the like mo&s;t nece&s;&s;ary and important truths, <HI>Without faith it is impo&s;&s;ible to plea&s;e God; Without holine&s;s no man &s;hall &s;ee the Lord: That God hath &s;hewed thee O man what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do ju&s;tly, and to love mercy, and walk humbly with thy God,</HI> &amp;c? All the Principal and Fundamen|tal Truths of Religion are writ in &s;o fair a
<PB N="82" REF="48"> character, that <HI>he that runs may read them,</HI> and he that reads may <HI>under&s;tand</HI> them. God &s;peaks not to us in the <HI>language</HI> of <HI>Eternity,</HI> but as the <HI>Hebrews</HI> frequently expre&s;s it, <GAP LANG="heb" DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF"> with the <HI>tongue of the &s;ons of men;</HI> he hath graciou&s;ly <HI>accommodated</HI> his &s;peeches to the <HI>lowe&s;t capacities,</HI> fitted truths of Scripture to the lowe&s;t under&s;tandings: We need not go to a <HI>Seer</HI> to enquire what is mo&s;t impor|tant expre&s;&s;ions &s;ignifie, they &s;hine &s;o <HI>cleerly</HI> in their own <HI>light:</HI> The <HI>Oracles</HI> of <HI>God</HI> &s;peak not <HI>ambiguou&s;ly</HI> as the Pagan Oracles, who&s;e &s;ayings might be interpre|ted to contrary &s;en&s;es; and tho&s;e which <HI>con&s;ulted</HI> them left in <HI>&s;u&s;pence</HI> to which con&s;truction they &s;hould give credit, till oftentimes the <HI>fatal events decided</HI> it. As the <HI>con&s;picuous</HI> and eminently apparent Stars are &s;ufficient to <HI>direct</HI> the Mariner which way he is to &s;teer his cour&s;e, though many of the le&s;&s;er magnitude cannot be di&s;cerned without the advantage of a <HI>Te|le&s;cope;</HI> &s;o tho&s;e ble&s;&s;ed Truths which are nece&s;&s;ary for the <HI>government</HI> and regulating of our actions, are clear and <HI>vi&s;ible</HI> to a
<PB N="83" REF="48"> <HI>dim</HI> eye, though there be &s;ome <HI>collateral</HI> Truths, which are not &s;o neerly allied unto Piety, intimated in the Go&s;pel, which are <GAP LANG="grc" DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF">, hard to be under&s;tood, and fall not under the <HI>cogni&s;ance</HI> of every ordinary In|tellect, but, may be, prove <HI>too hard</HI> for the greate&s;t <HI>Lingui&s;t, Critick,</HI> or <HI>Schola&s;tick,</HI> to &s;atisfie him&s;elf, or others in, as might be evidenced by many In&s;tances, were it not a digre&s;&s;ion.</P>
<P N="9">9. The Truths of Chri&s;tianity are rather adapted to <HI>Sen&s;ation</HI> then <HI>Speculation;</HI> our <HI>Sentient faculties</HI> do acquaint us with more of the nature of true Religion, then our Noetical can arrive to; 'tis better under|&s;tood by a <HI>lively ta&s;te</HI> and relli&s;h, then by any <HI>artificial</HI> de&s;cription. The <HI>manner</HI> of the Go&s;pel di&s;pen&s;ation as well as its <HI>de&s;ign,</HI> argues all tho&s;e to whom it is <HI>propounded,</HI> to be <HI>capable</HI> of receiving the <HI>benefits</HI> promi&s;ed in it, and di&s;charging the <HI>duty</HI> required in order thereunto. Religious Duties were never yet found &s;o perplext with difficulties as to defer any <HI>Probationer</HI> from becoming a <HI>Votary;</HI> Who ever <HI>e&s;pou&s;ed</HI> her &s;ued out a <HI>Bill</HI> of <HI>divorce?</HI> Tho&s;e Exerci&s;es to
<PB N="84" REF="49"> which it doth engage us are to <HI>invigorate</HI> and to quicken the Soul, and to <HI>breath</HI> out tho&s;e noxious fumes, which are &s;o apt to weaken and di&s;temper it; and becomes a <HI>&s;overaign Antidote</HI> again&s;t tho&s;e Di&s;ea&s;es to which Idlene&s;s expo&s;es it.</P>
<P N="10">10. Let wicked men compare but tho&s;e real difficulties wherewith the ways of &s;in are incumbred, with tho&s;e imaginary ones which they have &s;et in the way of Vertue, to affright them&s;elves out of it, and they will upon the <HI>audit</HI> of the <HI>account</HI> &s;oon re|nounce their pre&s;ent opinion; &s;o <HI>obvious</HI> is it, that every <HI>Vertue</HI> is more facile and ea&s;ie then its oppo&s;ite <HI>Vices:</HI> What <HI>torment</HI> is their in <HI>Love?</HI> What trouble in the <HI>concomitants</HI> of Faith, <HI>viz. Joy</HI> and <HI>Peace?</HI> What <HI>wrong</HI> is their in forgiving an <HI>Injury,</HI> and forbearing <HI>Revenge?</HI> What <HI>weight</HI> in the <HI>bearing</HI> Evil with Patience? what <HI>preju|dice</HI> is there &s;u&s;tained by <HI>Moderation?</HI> where doth <HI>Humility pre&s;s,</HI> or Truth and Sincerity aggrieve? Doth Contentment di&s;quiet and perplex? Do the gentle <HI>Dove-like</HI> brea|things of the <HI>ble&s;&s;ed Spirit</HI> rai&s;e &s;torms and tempe&s;ts? Doth the <HI>hope</HI> of Eternal Hap|pine&s;s
<PB N="85" REF="49"> <HI>interrupt</HI> plea&s;ure and delight? Doth an <HI>entire re&s;ignation</HI> of a mans &s;elf, and all his concernments, to the <HI>goodne&s;s</HI> and <HI>wi&s;e|dom</HI> of Gods Providence, and a peaceable <HI>acquie&s;cence</HI> in his di&s;pen&s;ations to him, be|tray to any inconveniences? what doth God <HI>require</HI> of us, or <HI>do</HI> unto us, which can give us any ju&s;t cau&s;e, to complain of any hard <HI>u&s;age</HI> or <HI>cruel dealing?</HI> which of his <HI>Laws</HI> could we de&s;ire &s;hould be <HI>abro|gated</HI> and <HI>repeal'd,</HI> as burden&s;ome and pre|judicial?</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="8" TYPE="chapter">
<PB N="86" REF="50">
<HEAD>CHAP. VIII.</HEAD>
<ARGUMENT>
<P><HI>1. The A&s;perities of Chri&s;tianity more eligible then Sen&s;ual Di&s;&s;olutions. 2. An Induction of &s;ome Vices which are more difficult then the oppo&s;ite Vertues. 3. There is a Moral power in Cu&s;tom en|gageth men to &s;in. 4. The beginning of Religion is not ordinarily very grateful. 5. In its progre&s;s it appears ea&s;ie and rational. 6. The Proleptical Notions of our minds atte&s;t its Equity and Ne|ce&s;&s;ity. 7. The principal parts of it,</HI> Faith <HI>and</HI> Love, <HI>con&s;onant to our Natural Dictates.</HI></P>
</ARGUMENT>
<P N="1">1. THe Devil as great a Liar as he is, did never yet <HI>cen&s;ure</HI> the commands of <HI>Meekne&s;s, Love, Temperance, Content|ment,</HI> &amp;c. Every vertue hath that in&s;epa|rable &s;weetne&s;s adhearing to it, which ren|ders it not only <HI>ea&s;ie,</HI> but al&s;o <HI>plea&s;ant,</HI> and makes it not only <HI>light,</HI> but a <HI>delight</HI> to tho&s;e noble &amp; generous &s;ouls which live in the practice of it. The <HI>denial</HI> of our &s;elves, the <HI>&s;u&s;ception</HI> of the Cro&s;s, the <HI>maceration</HI> of the Fle&s;h, the <HI>renuntiation</HI> of the World, which are the mo&s;t irk&s;ome Duties, where|with
<PB N="87" REF="50"> Chri&s;tianity is charged, and carry in them the greate&s;t <HI>repugnancy</HI> to the Incli|nations of &s;oft and <HI>tender natures,</HI> put|ting into the account that <HI>intimate plea&s;ure</HI> which is <HI>incorported</HI> into them, and that <HI>con&s;tant &s;erenity</HI> which re&s;ults from them, are rather plea&s;ureable <HI>diverti&s;ements,</HI> then oppre&s;&s;ing <HI>employments,</HI> and arguments of a <HI>magnanimous</HI> and heroick Soul, which hath &s;ubdued it &s;elf to the Divine will, and lives above the delights of Sen&s;e, plea&s;ing it &s;elf more in &s;erving the plea&s;ure of the Almighty, then in the indulging its natural and vitious propen&s;ions; &s;o that even the&s;e reputed <HI>&s;everities,</HI> and har&s;h <HI>injunctions,</HI> are infinitely more <HI>eligible,</HI> then the <HI>rude|ne&s;&s;es</HI> and <HI>di&s;&s;olutions</HI> of a &s;en&s;ual life.</P>
<P N="2">2. Every Vice labours under its own im|perfections; there is no &s;inful <HI>habit</HI> nor in|ordinate Pa&s;&s;ion, which puts not the minds of men, to undergo more <HI>labour</HI> and tra|vel to <HI>gratifie</HI> it, then is nece&s;&s;ary for the <HI>acqui&s;t</HI> and exerci&s;e of a <HI>vertuous</HI> di&s;po&s;i|tion. He that is of a malicious and envi|ous temper, <HI>makes him&s;elf mi&s;erable,</HI> becau&s;e he cannot make others &s;o, and &s;ucks <HI>Poy&s;on</HI>
<PB N="88" REF="51"> out of tho&s;e <HI>Flowers</HI> wherewith others are <HI>adorned:</HI> when on the contrary, he which is po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed with a &s;pirit of <HI>univer&s;al love,</HI> plea&s;eth him&s;elf in the pro&s;perity of others, and in a &s;en&s;e <HI>&s;hares</HI> of that <HI>good</HI> which they enjoy, and thus partakes of Happine&s;s in common with the whole world: Intempe|rance makes men <HI>nau&s;eate</HI> and <HI>di&s;gu&s;t</HI> tho&s;e plea&s;ures they are &s;o <HI>ravenous</HI> after, when <HI>Moderation</HI> in the u&s;e of lawful and natural plea&s;ures, makes them <HI>grateful</HI> and de&s;ira|ble: <HI>Covetou&s;ne&s;s</HI> engageth its <HI>Pro&s;elytes</HI> to be <HI>perpetually &s;acrificing</HI> to a lu&s;t which can|not be &s;atisfied, though all the Mines of <HI>Peru</HI> and Gold of <HI>Ophir</HI> were con&s;ecrated to it; but Contentment heals this <HI>Bond-man,</HI> and <HI>charms</HI> the Soul into a quiet <HI>repo&s;e,</HI> under tho&s;e circum&s;tances of affairs which Provi|dence appoints; and he only that is thus &s;atisfied, can boa&s;t him&s;elf a <HI>Son of Wi&s;e|dom,</HI> which hath attained that <HI>Elixir</HI> turns all to Gold. Ambition 'tis a <HI>rack</HI> on which men <HI>greedy</HI> of applau&s;e <HI>torture</HI> them|&s;elves; their heads lie too high to &s;leep well, and their very <HI>&s;lumbers</HI> are di&s;turb'd by <HI>dreams</HI> of Honour; they look for re&s;t in
<PB N="89" REF="51"> agitation, and <HI>Panther</HI> like, leap at this poy&s;onous <HI>Aconite</HI> till they bur&s;t. He that &s;tudies Revenge, and <HI>travels</HI> with the <HI>ac|compli&s;hment</HI> of a mi&s;chievous purpo&s;e, if he frame not an <HI>engine</HI> which doth imme|diately <HI>recoil</HI> upon him&s;elf, &s;hall certainly be mole&s;ted by &s;uch future regret and anxieties, which will more then <HI>preponde|rate</HI> the &s;weetne&s;s of Revenge. How free from all &s;uch <HI>&s;ollicitudes</HI> are the &s;pirits of tho&s;e men which are of a <HI>benign</HI> and <HI>ob|liging</HI> di&s;po&s;ition, and ready to gratifie and engage all men by an <HI>affable</HI> and <HI>courteous demeanour!</HI> To in&s;tance in every particular grace and vertue, would be to prevent the Readers thoughts, which may readily fur|ni&s;h him with the &s;ame notions of tho&s;e other vertues and vices which I have not &s;ugge&s;ted.</P>
<P N="3">3. Were there not &s;o great a <HI>moral</HI> power in Cu&s;tom, and an aver&s;ene&s;s in men to the relinqui&s;hment of that to which they have been <HI>habituated,</HI> men could not <HI>rebel</HI> &s;o much again&s;t the <HI>Laws</HI> of <HI>Rea&s;on,</HI> as to give them&s;elves up to the <HI>tyranical Impo&s;itions</HI> of their bruti&s;h lu&s;ts, con&s;idering
<PB N="90" REF="52"> the labour which they undergo in their act|ing of them, and pains they &s;uffer after; to this the Prophet refers, <HI>Can the Aethiopian change his skin, or the Leopard his &s;pots? then may you that are accu&s;tomed to evil learn to do well.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. It mu&s;t be conceded, that true Reli|gion is not ea&s;ie <HI>to fle&s;h and blood.</HI> Lu&s;t will be very <HI>importunate</HI> to be gratified; there will be a <HI>renitency</HI> again&s;t Self-denial and Mortification; the <HI>old man</HI> will be urg|ing for his acco&s;t and fare; the <HI>Sen&s;ative Ap|petite</HI> will at fir&s;t e&s;pecially be &s;olliciting to be indulged. The <HI>&s;trong man armed</HI> will not pre&s;ently quit his hou&s;e, and <HI>peaceably &s;ur|render</HI> unto the <HI>&s;ummons</HI> of Religion; there is need of a great power to beat him out of all his <HI>Fortifications. Abraham</HI> was un|willing, though the Father of the faithful, that the bond-woman and her &s;on &s;hould be ca&s;t out. The <HI>women</HI> will be weeping for <HI>Tammuz.</HI> The right-hand cannot be cut off and ca&s;t away without &s;ome <HI>reluctancy;</HI> yet men to prevent a <HI>Gangrene</HI> will conde|&s;cend to <HI>Amputation.</HI> The method pre|&s;cribed by the <HI>Go&s;pel Phy&s;itian,</HI> for the
<PB N="91" REF="52"> healing the di&s;tempers of Humane Nature, engageth men to &s;uch a <HI>diet</HI> as it not <HI>acceptable</HI> to an Inordinate Appetite. The New-birth is not <HI>accompli&s;hed</HI> without &s;ome <HI>throws.</HI> The <HI>Devil</HI> will rage when <HI>di&s;|po&s;&s;e&s;s'd.</HI> The <HI>peccant humours</HI> cannot be <HI>evacuated</HI> without &s;ome <HI>gripings;</HI> and the <HI>corro&s;ives</HI> applyed to the proud fle&s;h will occa&s;ion <HI>&s;mart:</HI> <Q REND="inline">'Tis &s;ome pain to <HI>rack</HI> and fetch the fle&s;h from of the <HI>lees,</HI> to ra|tifie and <HI>attenuate</HI> the &s;pirits <HI>incra&s;&s;ate</HI> by vitious diet, as the learned Dr. <HI>Ham|mond</HI> &s;peaks. The whole <HI>body of &s;in</HI> can|not be carried out to its <HI>funeral</HI> without being <HI>condoled</HI> by the <HI>bruti&s;h part.</HI></Q> When the old man <HI>breaks up hou&s;e,</HI> there are many <HI>retainers</HI> to the <HI>family</HI> are loth to part, and will pretend a title from pre&s;criprion. Tho&s;e that have liked <HI>Satans</HI> &s;ervice &s;o well, as to have given him leave to <HI>bore their ears,</HI> its an argument of their approbation of it, will at fir&s;t take it ill of them, which &s;hall per&s;wade them to change <HI>their Ma&s;ter,</HI> whom they &s;o much delight in. And &s;ay of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> as tho&s;e in the Go&s;pel, <HI>We will not have this man to reign over us.</HI> The dull
<PB N="92" REF="53"> A&s;s, as <HI>Luther</HI> &s;tyles corrupt Nature, can|not endure to be laden. Tho&s;e <HI>&s;editious</HI> Lu&s;ts and Pa&s;&s;ions, which have &s;o long bore &s;way in the minds of degenerate men, will be <HI>molding Factions</HI> and Combinations again&s;t the Soveraignty and Dominion of Rea&s;on and Religion, and 'twill be &s;ome difficulty to <HI>repeal</HI> every law of the mem|bers. The fir&s;t <HI>Scene</HI> of this New-life ap|pears <HI>Tragical,</HI> and there is an aptne&s;s to draw back upon the entrance into the Har|ne&s;s; before the <HI>vitiated</HI> Palat be re&s;tored to its proper <HI>temperament,</HI> it ta&s;tes no &s;weetne&s;s in the <HI>hidden Manna;</HI> the <HI>Onions and Garlike of Egypt</HI> are as &s;avoury. De|praved Nature calls <HI>Darkne&s;s Light;</HI> and <HI>Light Darkne&s;s.</HI></P>
<P N="5">5. That there &s;hould be any <HI>ea&s;ine&s;s</HI> in the bearing that <HI>yoke,</HI> which is to <HI>bridle</HI> the wildne&s;s of an unruly Appetite, is a <HI>Pa|radox</HI> to all &s;uch which have not &s;ubmitted to it; but a certain and known truth to all who have had <HI>experience</HI> of <HI>both E&s;tates,</HI> and 'tis to &s;tand of fall according to the <HI>&s;uf|frage</HI> of &s;o competent Judges. Tho&s;e who <HI>conver&s;e</HI> with true Religion mo&s;t <HI>familiar|ly,</HI>
<PB N="93" REF="53"> do not complain of any burden&s;om tasks and unea&s;y &s;ervices, 'tis a <HI>weight</HI> to them who are <HI>weak</HI> through &s;inful <HI>infirmities,</HI> and <HI>painful</HI> only to &s;uch who <HI>labour</HI> under their own <HI>idlene&s;s.</HI> 'Tis ea&s;ie to the more noble part of Man; every way <HI>corre&s;pondent</HI> to tho&s;e <HI>powers</HI> wherewith our rational Souls are endowed. 'Tis not <HI>cooked</HI> for a <HI>vitious Palat,</HI> or gratifie the unbounden <HI>licori&s;hne&s;s</HI> of a <HI>depraved</HI> Appetite: 'Tis not to <HI>treat</HI> our <HI>bruti&s;h</HI> and inordinate de&s;ires, with tho&s;e <HI>varieties</HI> which they affect; but 'tis to entertain our <HI>angelick</HI> faculties, with &s;uch <HI>delicacies</HI> as are agreeable to their &s;pi|ritual nature. Nothing more ea&s;ie and ge|nuine to <HI>&s;anctified Nature</HI> and <HI>undi&s;torted Rea&s;on,</HI> nor more &s;atisfactory to the minds of men free from the Impo&s;itions of Lu&s;ts and Pa&s;&s;ions, then to wor&s;hip their Creator, and endeavour to plea&s;e him by an entire devotion of them&s;elves to &s;uch actions as are con&s;onant unto his holy Will. To give <HI>honour to whom honour is due,</HI> fear to whom fear, and to love our Benefactors, and them that love us, is currant coin all the world over; the <HI>Publicans</HI> the wor&s;t of men, did
<PB N="94" REF="54"> thus; and to be deficient in this, is an argu|ment of greater <HI>&s;otti&s;hne&s;s</HI> and <HI>&s;tupidity,</HI> then is to be <HI>found in Bruits;</HI> for, <HI>The Oxe knows his Owner, and the A&s;s his Ma|&s;ters crib.</HI></P>
<P N="6">6. By the <HI>renunciation</HI> of Religion, men <HI>recede</HI> from the laws of their being, and walk in contradiction to their very na|tures: There are tho&s;e <HI>anticipations</HI> in our minds, which do <HI>atte&s;t</HI> not only the <HI>equity,</HI> but the <HI>nece&s;sity</HI> of it too, in or|der to the attainment of the &s;upreme good; &s;o that if men offer no violence to their faculties, they will naturally conduct them to &s;uch apprehen&s;ions of the Divine <HI>Wi&s;|dom, Power</HI> and <HI>Goodne&s;s,</HI> as are proper to in&s;inuate that <HI>Affiance, Love</HI> and <HI>Reverence,</HI> which if <HI>regulated,</HI> and improved accor|ding to <HI>Go&s;pel Revelation,</HI> will be effectual through the grace of God, to bring men to everla&s;ting Happine&s;s.</P>
<P N="7">7. Man as bad as he is, is not <HI>&s;o far degenerate,</HI> as not to acknowledge the wayes of <HI>Virtue,</HI> in many re&s;pects more <HI>advantagious,</HI> and le&s;s <HI>burden&s;om,</HI> then tho&s;e of <HI>Vice;</HI> to this the Heathen Morali&s;ts, <HI>Epi|ctetus,
<PB N="95" REF="54"> Seneca, Plutarch,</HI> &amp;c. give in their te|&s;timony, and the Con&s;cience of every man is a witne&s;s. Chri&s;tian Religion, if we view it in the <HI>Epitome,</HI> viz. <HI>Faith,</HI> and <HI>Love,</HI> evinceth it's own excellency. What more <HI>rational</HI> then to give up our Un|der&s;tandings, to the <HI>belief</HI> of tho&s;e Truths which challenge a&s;&s;ent upon &s;uch <HI>unque|&s;tionable evidence?</HI> What more con&s;onant to Humane Nature then to <HI>love</HI> that which is every way <HI>amiable</HI> and affecting? God becau&s;e of his <HI>ab&s;olute</HI> Perfection and infinite Beauty, being <HI>altogether lovely,</HI> and becau&s;e of his <HI>relative</HI> Goodne&s;s and con&s;tant Beneficence to us, he that loves not God for his <HI>Excellency,</HI> is le&s;s then a <HI>Man;</HI> he that loves him not for his <HI>Kind|ne&s;s,</HI> is wor&s;e then a <HI>Bea&s;t:</HI> If the <HI>apprehen|&s;ions</HI> of his tran&s;cendent glory work not upon our <HI>Rea&s;ons;</HI> if the <HI>&s;en&s;e</HI> of his <HI>bounty</HI> and mercy work not upon our <HI>inge|nuity,</HI> 'tis too infallible an argument that we live <HI>Excommunicate</HI> from our own <HI>Na|tures,</HI> and that our <HI>demeanour</HI> is incon|&s;i&s;tent with tho&s;e <HI>Principles</HI> which give us a <HI>right</HI> to the title of Humanity. Love
<PB N="96" REF="55">
'tis part of that homage and quit-rent that we owe to him <HI>in whom we live, and move and have our beings;</HI> and is it not fit that he which <HI>plants a Vineyard &s;hould eat of the fruit of it?</HI> To love God is not &s;o much a <HI>duty</HI> as priviledge, <HI>Salvation</HI> and eternal glory con&s;i&s;ting chiefly in the <HI>con|&s;ummation</HI> of Divine Love; and 'tis diffi|cult to determine, whether he that is de&s;ti|tute of this ble&s;&s;ed grace lies under greater <HI>&s;in</HI> or <HI>puni&s;hment.</HI></P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="9" TYPE="chapter">
<PB N="97" REF="55">
<HEAD>CHAP. IX.</HEAD>
<ARGUMENT>
<P><HI>1. An ardent de&s;ire after Happine&s;s is intimate to our Natures. 2. The love of our Neighbour very congruous to our rea&s;ons and condition in this &s;tate of Mortality. 3. The excellency of the Law of our Saviour manife&s;ted. 4. The joy of one only con|jectural to another. 5. The Go&s;pel Precepts founded upon immutable Rea&s;on. 6. Gods indulgence to us in the&s;e Laws to be admired.</HI></P>
</ARGUMENT>
<P N="1">1. THe <HI>Harmony</HI> of the <HI>Univer&s;e,</HI> and the <HI>Wi&s;dom</HI> of the <HI>Creator</HI> con&s;i&s;ts in this, that all kinds of things are endow|ed with <HI>&s;uch Natures</HI> and <HI>Principles</HI> as may <HI>accommodate</HI> them for the work to which they are appointed; and in that they are goverened by &s;uch laws as are <HI>&s;uitable</HI> to the natures at fir&s;t implanted in them. The mo&s;t univer&s;al Principle is <HI>Self-pre&s;ervati|on;</HI> in man a <HI>rational</HI> agent, 'tis accompanied with a <HI>&s;trong de&s;ire</HI> after a &s;tate of happi|ne&s;s, and this <HI>predominates</HI> all others, which eager appetite of good is &s;o <HI>intimately twi&s;ted</HI> into him, that he can a&s;&s;oon <HI>dive&s;t</HI>
<PB N="98" REF="56"> him&s;elf of his being, as of his de&s;ire of being happy. <HI>Self-love</HI> propo&s;eth happine&s;s as the <HI>la&s;t end</HI> of Man, and he is under no <HI>liberty</HI> of &s;u&s;pending his de&s;ires thereunto, but doth &s;o nece&s;&s;arily, and can do no otherwi&s;e, as is evident in all men, who eagerly chace that, in the attainment of which they <HI>apprehend happine&s;s</HI> is to be enjoyed; and becau&s;e they are not firmly convinced, that their chief felicity con&s;i&s;teth in <HI>the favour of God,</HI> therefore do they fall in love with <HI>painted beauties,</HI> grow fond of <HI>appearances,</HI> and court what&s;oever hath the &s;hadow and <HI>&s;emblance of good,</HI> and are to&s;t with the <HI>vehement</HI> motions of Love and De&s;ire, through all the fal&s;e glozing excellencies of this world, finding no ob|ject which can bear any <HI>proportion</HI> to their <HI>indigence</HI> and <HI>nece&s;sities.</HI> Whereas if they were certainly per&s;waded that this happi|ne&s;s which they are <HI>&s;ollicitous</HI> to procure, did con&s;i&s;t in the fruition of <HI>God alone,</HI> they mu&s;t as readily love and de&s;ire him, as hungry men eat, or the thir&s;ty drink, and prefer him unto all things what&s;oever may challenge a place in their affection;
<PB N="99" REF="56"> and to <HI>direct</HI> and &s;et aright, not <HI>eradicate,</HI> this natural inclination, is the de&s;ign of the Go&s;pel.</P>
<P N="2">2. As the Love of God contains nothing in it which carries not the greate&s;t <HI>con|gruity</HI> to the under&s;tandings and minds of men; &s;o neither doth that love of others which the Go&s;pel enjoyns, include any thing which is not highly <HI>rational, benefi|cial</HI> and <HI>agreeable</HI> to the <HI>ingenuity</HI> of man|kind, and can be di&s;&s;atisfactory only to tho&s;e which have exchanged the <HI>nature of Man</HI> for that of <HI>Panther</HI> and <HI>Tyger,</HI> and proclaim open war again&s;t their own <HI>&s;pe|cies.</HI> That golden rule of our Saviours, <HI>That what&s;oever we would that men &s;hould do unto us, that we &s;hould do to them,</HI> is to mind us to act in <HI>pur&s;uance</HI> of tho&s;e <HI>Prin|ciples</HI> which are deeply <HI>radicated</HI> in our Souls. Can it be called burden&s;om and unrea&s;onable, to bear the &s;ame affection to another which I would have him bear to me? to put my &s;oul <HI>in his &s;ouls &s;tead,</HI> as <HI>Job</HI> &s;peaks; to &s;uppo&s;e my &s;elf under tho&s;e circum&s;tances which attend him, and <HI>cloathing</HI> my &s;elf with his condition, de|mean
<PB N="100" REF="57"> my &s;elf towards him, as I &s;hould be heartily willing to be dealt withal, were the <HI>&s;cene changed,</HI> and be in that &s;tate wherein I am; <HI>exacting</HI> no more of him then in &s;uch a ca&s;e I my &s;elf would <HI>allow?</HI> con&s;idering that as he is in the world, &s;o am I; that we participate of the &s;ame na|ture, that the <HI>&s;ame blood</HI> runs in <HI>both our veins,</HI> that we <HI>are fle&s;h of one anothers fle&s;h,</HI> and <HI>bone of one anothers bone,</HI> and have the &s;ame <HI>relative obligations</HI> to all acts of <HI>curte&s;ie</HI> and <HI>charity,</HI> being of the &s;ame original and extraction, obnoxious to the &s;ame ca&s;ualties, &s;ubject to the &s;ame pa&s;&s;ions, cloathed with the &s;ame infirmities, &s;treightned by the &s;ame nece&s;&s;ities, and capable of the &s;ame glorious felicity; What greater inducement can there be to love, then &s;o much <HI>likene&s;s</HI> and <HI>&s;imili|tude?</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. What&s;oever <HI>circum&s;tances</HI> can con|cur to make any <HI>Laws effectual</HI> and <HI>ac|ceptable,</HI> take place in the <HI>whole &s;y&s;teme</HI> of the Go&s;pel Precepts; the <HI>indi&s;pen&s;able nece&s;&s;ity</HI> of the things commanded, their <HI>re|lative and intrin&s;ecal goodne&s;s,</HI> the <HI>indi&s;pu|table
<PB N="101" REF="57"> right</HI> and &s;overaign authority of the <HI>Legi&s;lator</HI> to impo&s;e them; their <HI>commen|dation</HI> as <HI>eligible</HI> by &s;uch which have lived under the power of them; the <HI>greatne&s;s</HI> of that <HI>reward</HI> which is con&s;equent upon the ob&s;ervance of them, and the <HI>moderation</HI> of the <HI>rigour</HI> of all penal Statutes by a <HI>Court</HI> of <HI>Chancery,</HI> candidly interpreting, and favourably accepting the &s;incere endea|vours of all tho&s;e which cordially apply them&s;elves to the performance of them, without any <HI>&s;evere admini&s;trations</HI> again&s;t any offenders, except them which by their own <HI>ob&s;tinacy</HI> render them&s;elves <HI>uncapable</HI> of the grace and mercy which is offered therein.</P>
<P N="4">4. To give an exact account with what plea&s;ure and ea&s;e, <HI>alacrity</HI> and <HI>activity</HI> &s;ome <HI>run the ways of Gods Commandements,</HI> is beyond anothers power. Who knows what abundance of joy and &s;trength may be communicated to holy men by the Di|vine Spirit? or how their Souls may be enlarged in their addre&s;&s;es to God! A <HI>&s;tranger intermeddles not with this joy;</HI> nor can one acquainted with its nature know
<PB N="102" REF="58"> its extent, and determine its mea&s;ure. But to this every Saint &s;ub&s;cribes his <HI>Probatum e&s;t,</HI> that <HI>it is good for to draw near to God,</HI> and that the <HI>Introduction</HI> to eternal ble&s;|&s;edne&s;s, is more ea&s;ie and &s;atisfactory to vertuous and gracious &s;ouls, then are tho&s;e <HI>paths</HI> of <HI>carnal plea&s;ure</HI> which vain men &s;o much delight in, that lead to the <HI>cbambers of death.</HI> Though men may hear <HI>much</HI> of the ea&s;ine&s;s, and delightfulne&s;s of the yoke of Chri&s;t, yet the <HI>half</HI> of it cannot be told them, when they come to experience what the <GAP LANG="grc" DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF"> means, and find how gracious, benign, good and profitable a yoke it is, then will they cry out concerning it, as the Queen of <HI>Sheba</HI> did of the wi&s;dom of <HI>So|lomon, The report that I have heard is true, but the one half of it was not declared to me.</HI> Though men <HI>hear</HI> never &s;o much of the excellency of Religion, their <HI>experience</HI> will acquaint them with more then <HI>relation</HI> can make out.</P>
<P>Three things I &s;hall in&s;i&s;t on, which much contribute towards the facilitating the com|mands of the Go&s;pel. 1. Their Agreeable|ne&s;s to our Rea&s;ons. 2. The A&s;&s;i&s;tance of
<PB N="103" REF="58"> the Spirit. 3. The A&s;&s;urance of a Reward.</P>
<P N="5">5. Fir&s;t, The Evangelical Precepts carry a <HI>congruity</HI> to our natures, are founded upon &s;uch immutable rea&s;ons as our Under&s;tand|ings can readily a&s;&s;ent to; they have in them an <HI>intrin&s;ick</HI> and <HI>e&s;&s;ential</HI> goodne&s;s, and borrow not their obligation meerly from their <HI>injunction,</HI> but are to be reckoned with tho&s;e things which are commanded becau&s;e they are good; not them which are good only be|cau&s;e they are commanded; under the <HI>Mo&s;aical di&s;pen&s;ation</HI> God made greater u&s;e of his Soveraignty, the greate&s;t number of tho&s;e Laws being <HI>Symbolical</HI> and <HI>Cere|monial,</HI> having only a Po&s;itive goodne&s;s depending upon the command; they were not founded upon <HI>natural rea&s;ons,</HI> but were purely <HI>arbitrary;</HI> and the rea&s;on of them could be re&s;olved only into the <HI>Soveraign</HI> will and plea&s;ure of the Almighty, there being no <HI>obligation</HI> antecedent to the com|mands, the <HI>matter</HI> of the Precepts being de&s;titute of any <HI>real</HI> and <HI>internal</HI> good, and had only &s;uch which was relative, and in order to &s;ome higher end. Hence the
<PB N="104" REF="59"> greate&s;t part of tho&s;e Precepts are enforced by this rea&s;on, <HI>I am the Lord;</HI> intimating his Legi&s;lative Authority to be the ground of their Obedience. Be&s;ides tho&s;e two <HI>Po|&s;itive</HI> duties of Divine In&s;titution, which con&s;idering the lap&s;e of man, and the good|ne&s;s of God, are accommodate to our ne|ce&s;&s;ities, the holy Sacraments: All the commands of the Go&s;pel concern the <HI>diffe|rence</HI> of good and evil; they have their <HI>foundation</HI> in the <HI>Nature</HI> of God, and are <HI>imitations</HI> of the <HI>Divine Perfections,</HI> and have an innate tendency to the perfecting of our natures, the <HI>equity</HI> of them ea&s;ily di&s;cerned, and their <HI>accommodation</HI> to their end readily apprehended. The matter of the Precepts recommends them to our ob|&s;ervance; the Laws there pre&s;cribed, being founded upon &s;uch con&s;iderations as we are naturally affected withal; that which is thus con&s;onant to the Principles of our nature, will be found more ea&s;ie to be performed then tho&s;e <HI>po&s;itive</HI> Laws which &s;eem to be given only <HI>pro imperio.</HI> The fir&s;t tran&s;gre&s;|&s;ion was of &s;uch a command that was <HI>meerly arbitrary,</HI> who&s;e goodne&s;s did de|pend
<PB N="105" REF="59"> on the will of God; not of a law com|mended from any natural rea&s;on.</P>
<P N="6">6. Unle&s;s we will <HI>abjure</HI> our <HI>humanity,</HI> and call our &s;elves by &s;ome other name then that of Man; we cannot complain of the yoke of Chri&s;t as burden&s;ome and <HI>oppre&s;|&s;ive;</HI> 'tis by interpretation to <HI>tax</HI> the Al|mighty of <HI>tyranny</HI> and cruelty in requiring us to live comformable to our nature; which is no more then this, that we which are rea&s;onable creatures &s;hould act according to the <HI>dictates</HI> of our <HI>rea&s;ons,</HI> and live up to the heighth of our beings, which is the <HI>univer&s;al</HI> notion and agreement of man|kind. Who&s;oever will con&s;ult with his own &s;oul, and attend to the <HI>deliberate de|bates</HI> thereof, concerning tho&s;e terms upon which he &s;tands in this life in relation to a future &s;tate, will admire and adore the <HI>indulgence</HI> and <HI>benignity</HI> of &s;o gracious a Law-giver, in impo&s;ing no other <HI>Laws</HI> then tho&s;e which have &s;o much <HI>agreeable|ne&s;s</HI> to our natures, as to carry in them&s;elves &s;uch weighty and forcible mo|tives as are <HI>effectual</HI> to engage us to the ob&s;ervance of them, not only without
<PB N="106" REF="60"> complaint and <HI>reluctancy,</HI> but al&s;o with an high mea&s;ure of ea&s;ine&s;s and <HI>complacency.</HI> Upon this account the Apo&s;tle &s;tyles wicked men, 2 <HI>The&s;.</HI> 3. 2. <GAP LANG="grc" DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF">, ab&s;urd and un|rea&s;onable, &s;uch whom no <HI>Topicks</HI> can prevail upon, and <HI>Ephe&s;.</HI> 2. 2. <GAP LANG="grc" DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF">, <HI>&s;ons</HI> of <HI>unper&s;wa&s;iblene&s;s,</HI> whom no <HI>rea&s;on</HI> can &s;atisfie and convince.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="10" TYPE="chapter">
<PB N="107" REF="60">
<HEAD>CHAP. X.</HEAD>
<ARGUMENT>
<P><HI>1. God nigh at hand in the a&s;&s;i&s;tance of his Spirit to all &s;uch which de&s;ire it. 2. He hath provided relief &s;uitable to that infirmity our degenerate &s;tate hath brought upon us. 3. The difficulty &s;uppo&s;ed to be in Religion ari&s;eth from our own de|ficiency. 4. A&s;&s;urance of future Happi|ne&s;s animates the Soul to encounter any ha|zards. 5. Rational Agents encrea&s;es their &s;trength proportionable to the con&s;ideration of their end. 6. Temptation to Sin not &s;o &s;trong, but encouragement to Vertue greater. 7. An happy end reconciles men to the love of the means which conduce to it, though otherwi&s;e abhorred. 8. Religion ab&s;tract from pre&s;ent and future plea&s;ure would have few Pro&s;elytes. 9. 'Tis the nature of Hope to encourage men to de|&s;ert little for the pre&s;ent in hope of a great rever&s;ion. 10. Our de&s;igning our own Happine&s;s con&s;i&s;tent with our making Gods Glory our chiefe&s;t end. 11. God
<PB N="108" REF="61"> u&s;eth all rational methods to bring Man to Heaven. 12. Fear in its own nature apt to be effectual thereunto. 13. The Promi&s;es of the Go&s;pel appropriated to the various di&s;po&s;itions of men.</HI></P>
</ARGUMENT>
<P N="1">1. SEcondly, The a&s;&s;i&s;tance of the Spirit makes the commands, if a burden, ea&s;ie to be born; God leaves nothing of him&s;elf forlorn and de&s;titute, but cheri&s;heth and aids it with the continual influences of his grace; <HI>He doth not break the brui&s;ed reed, nor quench the &s;moaking flax, not de&s;pi&s;e the day of &s;mall things:</HI> His Power is always imploying it &s;elf in the promotion of Piety among the children of men. God is at hand to &s;econd any that &s;et them&s;elves in oppo&s;ition to the Power of Darkne&s;s; and where he is the <HI>re&s;erve,</HI> there is no <HI>forlorn.</HI> It was no haughty &s;train of arro|gance in the Apo&s;tle St. <HI>Paul,</HI> &s;peaking of him&s;elf, <GAP LANG="grc" DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF">, <HI>Phil. 4. 13. I am able for all things through Chri&s;t which &s;treng|theneth me;</HI> and the &s;ame Apo&s;tle Petiti|ons for the &s;ame <HI>almightine&s;s</HI> to be vouch|&s;afed to the <HI>Colo&s;&s;ians,</HI> Colo&s;. 1. 12.
<PB N="109" REF="61"> <HI>Strengthened with all might according to his glorious power.</HI> The Spirit of the Go&s;pel is &s;tyl'd the <HI>Spirit of Power,</HI> and is always ready and able to help our infirmities; and when we are foil'd by temptations, 'tis not for want of power to oppo&s;e them with; 'tis not becau&s;e the <HI>weapons of our warfare are not mighty through God to pre|vail again&s;t them;</HI> but becau&s;e we betray our &s;elves, ca&s;t away our armour, and <HI>deliver</HI> our <HI>glory into captivity,</HI> and <HI>our &s;trength into the enemies hands.</HI> Wherefore &s;hould Man plead weakne&s;s, and charge all his &s;in upon the impotence of his nature? when God attends upon him with <HI>&s;ufficient grace,</HI> and is never wanting to him which &s;eriou&s;ly &s;eeks his a&s;&s;i&s;tance, but makes his <HI>Power perfect</HI> in mans greate&s;t weakne&s;s. Men lie not under any <HI>Phy&s;ical</HI> infirmity whereby they are di&s;abled for the di&s;charge of their duties; their <HI>hands are not bound, nor are their feet put into fetters;</HI> the perver&s;ne&s;s and contumacy of their <HI>wills</HI> is the <HI>only impediment</HI> by which they are hindred from the performance of them; and how ab&s;urd and unrea&s;onable is it for
<PB N="110" REF="62"> men to complain that Chri&s;ts burden's heavy, only becau&s;e they have <HI>no mind</HI> to bear it?</P>
<P N="2">2. This &s;hould awaken us to the mo&s;t unce&s;&s;ant indu&s;try, to con&s;ider that our labours &s;hall not be fru&s;trated, nor our de&s;igns di&s;appointed, through the <HI>concur|rent a&s;&s;i&s;tance</HI> of the Deity: God hath mercifully provided for the children of men in their degenerate condition, again&s;t all tho&s;e di&s;advantages which their <HI>pre&s;ent</HI> &s;tate expo&s;eth them unto; and becau&s;e we are liable to many mi&s;carriages, by rea&s;on of the <HI>darkne&s;s</HI> of our <HI>under&s;tandings,</HI> which are apt to be deluded with fal&s;e appre|hen&s;ions, and ab&s;urd and incon&s;equent de|ductions, through the <HI>propen&s;ity</HI> of our <HI>wills</HI> to hearken to the &s;ugge&s;tions of the fle&s;h, and comply with the &s;ollicitations of the inferiour appetite; God hath not left us in the <HI>hands of our own coun&s;el,</HI> nor &s;et us to grapple with the enemies of our Salvation in the &s;trength of an <HI>arm of fle&s;h,</HI> but graciou&s;ly co-opperates by the a&s;|&s;i&s;tances of his Spirit, that in his might we may prevail over all tho&s;e &s;piritual fle&s;hly
<PB N="111" REF="62"> and <HI>worldly lu&s;ts that war again&s;t our &s;ouls,</HI> yea, be <HI>more then conquerours</HI> through his Almighty power, who never &s;u&s;pendeth the auxiliary concurrence of it from any which endeavour the propagation of Vertue and Religion, but is ever <HI>working in them both to will and to do of his good plea|sure.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. Difficult and ea&s;ie are <HI>relative</HI> terms, are nothing in them&s;elves, but as they have re&s;pect to us, the difficulty and hardne&s;s of a thing being the <HI>di&s;proportion</HI> between the <HI>faculty</HI> and the <HI>object;</HI> thus a little weight becomes a burden to an <HI>infirm</HI> per&s;on, and an ea&s;ie que&s;tion hard to him which is <HI>illiterate,</HI> when the one may be as ea&s;ily carried by one which is &s;trong, as the other be re&s;olved by the one that is learned. Religion might pa&s;s not only for an impo&s;&s;ible task, if the duties which it enjoyns us to perform were to be wrought by the &s;trength of man, who cannot do any thing of him&s;elf, but as he is enabled by the grace of God; <HI>qui jubet juvat. The Leopard may a&s;&s;oon change his &s;pots, and the Aethiopian his hue,</HI> as men of them&s;elves
<PB N="112" REF="63"> change their natures, and <HI>root out</HI> tho&s;e vitious habits which <HI>cu&s;tom</HI> hath &s;o deeply <HI>riveted</HI> into them. Therefore God chargeth nothing upon us as our duty for which he hath not afforded unto us a <HI>proportionable</HI> mea&s;ure of ability, and unto the accom|pli&s;hment whereof he hath not <HI>engaged him&s;elf</HI> by promi&s;e, if we do not offer violence to the grace of God, reject his coun&s;el again&s;t our &s;elves, and re&s;i&s;t the holy Spirit which we are to Petition and attend for; &s;o that notwith&s;tanding many duties of Religion be accounted difficult by tho&s;e which are <HI>&s;pectators only,</HI> or be &s;o in them&s;elves, yet tho&s;e which imploy them&s;elves in the &s;evere&s;t and irk&s;ome&s;t part of it, have that a&s;&s;i&s;tance from an <HI>un&s;een</HI> hand which facilitates and &s;weetens their labours; <HI>They walk and are not weary, they run and are not faint;</HI> as their work, &s;o their &s;trength is increa&s;ed; the more they do, the more they may; the <HI>greater</HI> the burden is which is laid upon them, the <HI>better</HI> they can bear it; and 'tis no won|der if neither a Chri&s;tians Active or Pa&s;|&s;ive Obedience &s;ubject him to faintne&s;s
<PB N="113" REF="63"> or la&s;&s;itude when the <GAP LANG="grc" DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF">, <HI>Phil.</HI> 1. 19. the &s;upply of the Spirit is <HI>&s;o cordial</HI> and <HI>cor|roborative.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. Thirdly, The <HI>a&s;&s;urance of reward</HI> tends to the facilitating the work of Religion; That <HI>exceeding</HI> and <HI>eternal weight of glory,</HI> which is in the Go&s;pel propounded to tho&s;e which are truly religious, is an inducement &s;o <HI>connatural,</HI> and of &s;o ea&s;ie an acce&s;s unto the minds of men, and withal of &s;o weighty an importance, that who&s;o|ever &s;hall diligently poize it, will undoubt|edly give in his &s;uffrage to this truth, that the well grounded expectation of feli|city, &s;o <HI>incomparably great,</HI> &s;o <HI>eternally durable,</HI> &s;o &s;hortly to be enjoyed, mu&s;t more then counter-ballance all the <HI>a&s;perities</HI> and <HI>difficulties</HI> which incommodate men in the way unto it. 'Tis &s;ufficient to make the <HI>roughe&s;t</HI> places <HI>&s;mooth,</HI> and level the highe&s;t Mountains into a Plain, and make the <HI>torrid Zone</HI> temperate; in the view of this glory all difficulties are &s;wallowed up, and the edge of all dangers turned, and oppo|&s;ition is &s;o far from being a <HI>bridle</HI> to re|&s;train, that 'tis a <HI>&s;pur</HI> to quicken endea|vour;
<PB N="114" REF="64"> it animates Re&s;olution, inflames the Appetite, and improves the Soul to an <HI>higher degree</HI> of vigour and generou&s;ne&s;s, whil&s;t it looks not &s;o much at <HI>the things which are &s;een which are temporal, as at the things which are not &s;een which are eternal.</HI></P>
<P N="5">5. All Rational Agents are carried on by their ends, as Watches move according to the &s;trength of the Spring, and Clocks proportionable to the weight which is hung upon them; by how much the more glorious and excellent the reward propounded and expected is, with &s;o <HI>much</HI> the <HI>more ener|gy</HI> and <HI>vertue</HI> is the mind of the <HI>agent</HI> po&s;|&s;e&s;&s;ed, and an an&s;werable <HI>weight</HI> put upon the Soul for the accelerating of its motion. What&s;oever an man propo&s;eth as his end, he gives that an <HI>Empire</HI> and Dominion over him, to regulate and di&s;po&s;e his actions to the attainment of it; he who makes the eternal fruition of God his <HI>ultimate</HI> end, and liveth in expectance of it, is governed and &s;wayed thereby, to be con&s;tant in the pur&s;uance of it, notwith&s;tanding the <HI>means</HI> which only can in&s;tate him in that felicity be very <HI>irk&s;ome</HI> and laborious.</P>
<PB N="115" REF="64">
<P N="6">6. There is no temptation to &s;in &s;o &s;trong, but the motives to Obedience are of far greater force and efficacy; the <HI>encou|ragement</HI> to Duty doth infinitely preponde|rate the <HI>difficulty</HI> of it; 'tis worth the while to <HI>dive</HI> for this <HI>Pearl,</HI> to <HI>dig</HI> for this <HI>Trea&s;ure,</HI> though they lie deep; this <HI>Gold</HI> cannot be <HI>bought too dear.</HI> What though thou &s;hould&s;t prick thy fingers to gather the Ro&s;e of <HI>Sha|ron,</HI> and go over a craggy Mountain to find the <HI>Lilly</HI> of the <HI>Valleys?</HI> What if thou in the &s;weat of thy brows eate&s;t of the <HI>tree</HI> of <HI>life?</HI> What if thou do&s;t toyl all the night, when thou art certain of &s;o rich a <HI>draught</HI> in the <HI>morning?</HI> Who will not pre&s;s with an holy violence to enter in at the &s;traight gate, when a&s;&s;oon as he is in he beholds the <HI>bea|tifical Vi&s;ion,</HI> and is befriended with a view of all the glory of the <HI>new Jeru&s;alem?</HI> Let him that begins to be <HI>weary of well doing,</HI> or to <HI>faint in his mind</HI> in the pro|&s;ecution of this happine&s;s, lift up his eyes unto Heaven, and every glance of that glory will renew his &s;trength, and refre&s;h his &s;pirits more then the touching of the earth did <HI>Antaeus</HI> in his fatal conflict with <HI>Alcides.</HI></P>
<PB N="116" REF="65">
<P N="7">7. God indeed values not the glory of his Kingdom at &s;o cheap a rate, as to <HI>pro|&s;titute</HI> it to the enjoyment of every <HI>&s;upine</HI> and idle wi&s;h, yet &s;ets it not beyond the reach of diligent endeavours. Nothing can be ju&s;tly e&s;teemed difficult which conduceth to &s;uch an end; though there be an <HI>aver&s;e|ne&s;s</HI> and <HI>reluctancy</HI> in men to make u&s;e of tho&s;e means which are effectual to the procuring &s;o great felicity; yet doth the &s;trength of their de&s;ires and expectations <HI>reconcile</HI> them to <HI>affect</HI> the means, which without con&s;ideration of the <HI>end</HI> they &s;o much abhorre. In the mo&s;t religious and refined Souls there is &s;o much Humane Nature left, as would <HI>recoil</HI> and &s;tart back at the appearance of &s;ome Duties which &s;ometimes Religion may exact, if they had not re&s;pect unto the <HI>recompence of reward,</HI> and fled for <HI>refuge unto the hope which is &s;et before them.</HI> In all &s;ecular affairs men are encouraged by the expectation of atchieving their end, to encounter with the greate&s;t oppo&s;itions which contradict their de&s;igns. The Merchant adventures him&s;elf upon the mercy of a boi&s;terous and unruly Element,
<PB N="117" REF="65"> in hope of advancing his E&s;tate. The Scho|lar with indefatigable indu&s;try pur&s;ues his &s;tudies, in expectance of having acce&s;s unto tho&s;e my&s;teries which are lockt up from vulgar under&s;tandings. The Souldier is not terrified by danger, but courts an Enemy to a battle in hope of being crown'd with &s;poil and triumph. By a Romani&s;t even the &s;corching flames of <HI>Purgatory</HI> are cheerfully expected, as being introductory to the <HI>Pa|radi&s;e</HI> of Gods immediate pre&s;ence, That far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, which is prepared for the reward of holy men, cannot to them that eye it, but make the <HI>heavie&s;t</HI> burdens <HI>light,</HI> and <HI>longe&s;t</HI> pre&s;&s;ures <HI>momentary.</HI></P>
<P N="8">8. 'Tis very probable that the practice of Vertue <HI>ab&s;tracted</HI> from all pre&s;ent plea|&s;ure, and future felicity, would be a <HI>burden</HI> wherewith few or none would charge them&s;elves; therefore God hath graciou&s;ly daigned to recommend unto us the duties of Chri&s;tianity, under &s;uch inducements and motives that are mo&s;t apt effectually to prevail upon us; his ways are &s;o amiable and plea&s;ant in <HI>them&s;elves,</HI> that they may
<PB N="118" REF="66"> invite us to walk in them, if there were no <HI>other</HI> happine&s;s in the conclu&s;ion; and withal the <HI>reward</HI> which at la&s;t &s;hall be conferred, is of &s;uch tran&s;cendent worth, that the <HI>hope of it</HI> is a &s;ufficient incentive to engage us chearfully to conflict with the &s;harpe&s;t dif|ficulties can po&s;&s;ibly occur in our pur&s;uance of it, and as the ble&s;&s;ed Apo&s;tle with the greate&s;t earne&s;tne&s;s and intention of &s;oul pre&s;s <HI>toward the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Je&s;us Chri&s;t, being &s;tedfa&s;t and immoveable, always abounding more and more in the work of the Lord, knowing that our labour &s;hall not be in vain in the Lord; but that having our fruit unto holine&s;s, we &s;hall have the end, eternal life.</HI></P>
<P N="9">9. 'Tis the nature of Hope to &s;trengthen the weak hands and confirm the feeble knees; to keep up the Soul amid&s;t all &s;torms, and make it impregnable again&s;t all a&s;&s;aults; to &s;weeten the bittere&s;t potions, and lighten the heavie&s;t burdens; the holy Scripture abounds in pregnant in&s;tances of the powerful influences of it; it provoked <HI>Abraham</HI> to relinqui&s;h his own Country,
<PB N="119" REF="66"> and &s;ojourn <HI>in a &s;trange land, he looking for a City who&s;e builder and maker was God.</HI> It prevail'd upon <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> to refu&s;e the plea|&s;ures, honours and advantages of a Favourite at <HI>Court,</HI> and to accept of the &s;ervitude and mi&s;ery which was undergone by the <HI>I&s;|raelites</HI> at the <HI>Kilne,</HI> for he had re&s;pect to the <HI>recompence of reward, and &s;aw him that was invi&s;ible.</HI> The Primitive Chri&s;tians <HI>welcomed</HI> the Plunders, and did not weep when they beheld the ruine and pillage of their temporal means, but took <HI>joyfully the &s;poiling of their goods,</HI> knowing in them|&s;elves, that they had in <HI>Heaven a better and more enduring &s;ub&s;tance,</HI> and under torture <HI>would not accept of deliverance.</HI> Our ble&s;&s;ed <HI>Lord</HI> and <HI>Saviour,</HI> unto whom we are to look as the mo&s;t eminent in&s;tance and ex|ample, <HI>Heb. 12. 2. for the joy which was &s;et before him, endured the Cro&s;s, and de|&s;pi&s;ed the &s;hame, and &s;uffered the contradicti|on of &s;inners.</HI></P>
<P N="10">10. 'Tis no indulgence to the <HI>infirmities</HI> of weak Believers, but nece&s;&s;ary for the <HI>&s;tronge&s;t</HI> Saints to encourage them&s;elves again&s;t all difficulties by the con&s;ideration
<PB N="120" REF="67"> of future glory. Nor is it any di&s;parage|ment to the <HI>ingenuity</HI> and <HI>generou&s;ne&s;s</HI> of tho&s;e Souls, who&s;e obedience floweth from &s;uch a <HI>Principle</HI> as hath relation to them|&s;elves in the attainment of everla&s;ting bli&s;s, for that the de&s;ire of happine&s;s is our <HI>na|ture,</HI> and the right expre&s;&s;ion of <HI>&s;elf-love</HI> our great duty; and &s;uch which cen&s;ure that love of God <HI>mercenary</HI> and <HI>meretrici|ous,</HI> which is in <HI>conjunction</HI> with the <HI>love of our &s;elves,</HI> do not under&s;tand that we then make the glory of God our principal <HI>end,</HI> when we place our <HI>chiefe&s;t</HI> happine&s;s in the enjoyment of him; it being a vain thing to imagine we can glorifie God any <HI>better way</HI> then in the eternal fruition of him and communion with him; the <HI>glory</HI> of God being nothing contrary to, or ab&s;tracted from the <HI>&s;alvation</HI> of man, but that in which it doth con&s;i&s;t, and whereby it doth mo&s;t effectually <HI>di&s;play</HI> it &s;elf. Nor can we be &s;aid to love <HI>our &s;elves</HI> more then <HI>God,</HI> or &s;ubordinate his <HI>glory</HI> to our <HI>de&s;igns,</HI> in chiefly intending and endeavouring our own <HI>happine&s;s,</HI> when this can only be ac|compli&s;hed by the denyal of our &s;inful
<PB N="121" REF="67"> affections, and entire re&s;ignation of our &s;elves to his Will, and the entertainment of tho&s;e <HI>Divine Impre&s;sions</HI> upon our Souls by which we are made conformable unto him; and by a participation of a Divine Nature, in the communication of which, the honour of God doth become mo&s;t il|lu&s;trious and triumphant, and the Souls of men are made meet to <HI>be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in light.</HI></P>
<P N="11">11. God in Scripture hath been plea&s;ed to u&s;e all rational methods, and pathetical in&s;inuations to engage us to look after our own happine&s;s; by vehement Per&s;wa&s;ions, pa&s;&s;ionate Expo&s;tulations, convictive Rea|&s;onings, melting Lamentations, and &s;eri|ous Prote&s;tations, accommodating him|&s;elf unto every faculty, and touching <HI>every &s;tring</HI> of the Humane Soul that may move it toward him&s;elf; and becau&s;e <HI>fear</HI> of Puni&s;hment, and <HI>hope</HI> of Reward, are the mo&s;t &s;uitable arguments to work upon rea&s;onable creatures, God hath not been wanting in his addre&s;&s;ing him&s;elf to us in &s;uch a manner that may <HI>deterre</HI> us from evil, and <HI>allure</HI> us to good.</P>
<PB N="122" REF="68">
<P N="12">12. If we have any pity for our &s;elves, what can be more effectual to prevail up|on us to de&s;i&s;t from all impiety, then the apprehen&s;ion of that ju&s;t &s;everity and di&s;|plea&s;ure of God, which we expo&s;e our &s;elves unto by our di&s;obedience? The <HI>Apo&s;tle</HI> was well acquainted with the force of this motive, 2. <HI>Cor. 5. 11. Knowing the terrours of the Lord, we per&s;wade men.</HI> Let us think if we can bear the <HI>indignation of the Lord, and &s;tand before the power of his anger; as is his fear, &s;o is his wrath,</HI> P&s;al. 90. 11. <HI>Can we dwell with devouring fire, and lie down in everla&s;ting burnings?</HI> I&s;a. 33. 14. This con&s;ideration was matter of fear to the &s;inners, and &s;urprized the Hypocrites with terrour; 'tis a probable way to awaken men <HI>to flee from the wrath to come.</HI> No arguments take a fa&s;ter hold of the nature of man in this degenerate &s;tate, then the apprehen&s;ion of danger and fear of mi&s;ery: for when all ingenuity is lo&s;t, and de&s;ire of enjoyment of Heaven is extingui&s;hed, there will remain a &s;trong propen&s;ion, which we cannot quit our &s;elves from, to flee from mi&s;ery, and e&s;cape puni&s;hment.</P>
<PB N="123" REF="68">
<P N="13">13. If we <HI>love</HI> our own &s;ouls, and can be affected with what is <HI>be&s;t</HI> for us, behold, God hath <HI>courted</HI> our love with the pro|mi&s;es of Eternal Happine&s;s, and endeavour|ed to <HI>charm</HI> us to Obedience by the mo&s;t de&s;irable end, and given unto us as certain an a&s;&s;urance of it as we can rationally ex|pect, or as the nature of the thing is capable of, it being both <HI>&s;piritual</HI> and <HI>future.</HI> And becau&s;e men of <HI>different</HI> tempers and con&s;ti|tutions, do not propound one and the &s;ame thing as the &s;cope and de&s;ign of their acti|ons, but are variou&s;ly affected, one with Honour, a &s;econd with Wealth, a third with Plea&s;ure, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> God hath repre&s;ented the &s;tate of future bli&s;s in &s;uch variety of ex|pre&s;&s;ions, as will recommend it unto all &s;orts and conditions of men. Let him that a&s;pires unto Honour, take a view of the Crown of Glory, which &s;hall be &s;et on the head of him whom God will honour, and it will provoke him to this <HI>laudable am|bition.</HI> Let him that thir&s;ts after worldly Wealth, &s;urvey the Riches and Trea&s;ures of the heavenly Kingdom, which is the Inhe|ritance of holy men, and it will quicken
<PB N="124" REF="69"> him in his endeavours to be <HI>rich toward God,</HI> that he may for ever inherit the portion of the ju&s;t in the land of life. Let him who pur|&s;ues the Delights of Sen&s;e, and &s;eeks for &s;atisfaction in the&s;e <HI>low</HI> entertainments, lift up his eyes to the Joy of Gods Salvation, <HI>In who&s;e pre&s;ence is fulne&s;s of joy, and at who&s;e right hand are plea&s;ures for evermore;</HI> and it will po&s;&s;e&s;s him with the importunity of <HI>David, When, O when &s;hall I appear be|fore the Lord, that I may be &s;atisfied with the fatne&s;s of his Hou&s;e, and drink abundantly of the River of his plea&s;ure!</HI></P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="11" TYPE="chapter">
<PB N="125" REF="69">
<HEAD>CHAP. XI.</HEAD>
<ARGUMENT>
<P><HI>1. The belief of a future Reward admitted by all pre|tenders to Religion. 2. Rationally inferred by the wi&s;er Heathens. 3. Probably the</HI> Virtuo&s;i <HI>among them may be happy in the future &s;tate. 4. The Heathens had &s;ome &s;light intimations of the nature of it. 5. The Nature of that Happi|ne&s;s not po&s;&s;ible to be fully conceived by us here be|low. 6. The Conclu&s;ion of the whole Chapter.</HI></P>
</ARGUMENT>
<P N="1">1. SUch per&s;ons which have admitted into the Articles of their Creed the&s;e two Fundamental Principles of all Religion, the <HI>Exi&s;tence</HI> of God, and the <HI>Immortality</HI> of the Soul, can never &s;cruple the faith of a &s;tate of future felicity, or once doubt whe|ther &s;uch as are really good and vertuous, &s;hall be ble&s;&s;ed with the participation of it. 'Tis to me as ea&s;ie to believe all the fabu|lous Narrations of the Popi&s;h <HI>Legend,</HI> all the mon&s;trous ab&s;urdities of the Turki&s;h <HI>Alcoran,</HI> and ridiculous &s;tories of the Jewi&s;h <HI>Talmud,</HI> as 'tis to believe that &s;uch which have made the principal employment of
<PB N="126" REF="70"> their lives to be &s;erviceable to their Crea|tor, con&s;tantly adhering to him in faithful obedience, and breathing after him with vi|gorous affections, &s;hall be then defeated of the fruition of God, when they are mo&s;t capable to enjoy him, <HI>viz.</HI> when freed from tho&s;e impediments which their con|junction with a terre&s;trial <HI>vehicle</HI> doth ne|ce&s;&s;arily carry with it.</P>
<P N="2">2. That there is a condition of bli&s;s re&s;erved for the reward of &s;uch who&s;e vertuous actions qualifie them for admi&s;&s;ion thereunto; or as the Apo&s;tle &s;peaks, <HI>That there remains a re&s;t for the people of God,</HI> hath been rationally inferred by the more prudent Heathens from their ob&s;ervation of the unequal di&s;tribution of good and evil in this world; for &s;urveying the pre&s;ent oeconomy of affairs, and finding &s;uch which were mo&s;t notoriou&s;ly vitious, highly gratified with all tho&s;e plea&s;ures to which their &s;en&s;ual Appetite inclin'd them; and that the mo&s;t exactly and &s;everely vertuous, for the mo&s;t part laboured under tho&s;e in|firmities and nece&s;&s;ities which were incon|&s;i&s;tent with the happine&s;s of Humane Na|ture,
<PB N="127" REF="70"> &s;eeing the&s;e oblique tran&s;actions, that they might reconcile this admini&s;tration of Providence with the Wi&s;dom, Ju&s;tice, and Goodne&s;s of God, did genuinely con|clude that this world was a place of <HI>tryal and probation,</HI> and that there was a future &s;tate for reward and <HI>remuneration;</HI> inti|mating withal, that the &s;tate to which men were appointed upon the quitting this earthly &s;tage, is not to be primarily a&s;|&s;igned to an ab&s;olute and <HI>fatal decree,</HI> or the manife&s;tation of any Soveraign and Arbi|trary Power, but to the righteous progre&s;s of that Divine <HI>Neme&s;is</HI> which in&s;inuates it &s;elf through the whole Contexture of the Univer&s;e, and will not fail to di&s;po&s;e of per&s;ons to &s;uch an habitation and &s;uch &s;o|ciety, for which by their previous Actions and Pa&s;&s;ions they have prepared them&s;elves, con&s;onant to the Divinity of the Apo&s;tle, who tells us, <HI>Rom.</HI> 9. 2. of <HI>ve&s;&s;els of wrath fitted to de&s;truction,</HI> and Col. 1. 12. <HI>Of a being meet to partake of the Inheritance of the Saints in light.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. I do not find it repugnant to Chri&s;tian Divinity, to embrace a favourable opinion
<PB N="128" REF="71"> of the entertainment of <HI>Socrates, Seneca, Plato, Plotinus, Epictetus,</HI> and &s;uch worthy Pagans, in the other World, who&s;e invinci|ble ignorance of many Articles of Religion (who&s;e neglect doth certainly conclude them under damnation, which live under the Go&s;pel <HI>Meridian</HI>) might fairly con&s;i&s;t with their <HI>moral innocency</HI> and integrity, and po&s;|&s;ibly not hazard their future happine&s;s, &s;ith even they might have that faith which the Apo&s;tle allows to be &s;ufficient to make a man acceptable to God, <HI>viz. a belief that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them which &s;eek him,</HI> Heb. 11. 6. which if it produce tho&s;e fruits, and accompli&s;h tho&s;e ends for the effecting of which faith is requi&s;ite, in the want of nece&s;&s;ary means for the arriving to any particular and explicite notions of Redemption, 'tis probable that the root of the matter, the very <HI>e&s;&s;ence</HI> of Religion being found in them, God, (according to the dictates of our faculties concerning his clemency and bounty, and the revelation of his <HI>Philanthropy</HI>) will not condemn them for what was never in their power to act or acquire; and for ought he hath made
<PB N="129" REF="71"> known to the contrary, may by &s;ome &s;pe|cial indulgence favour them with that revelation of him&s;elf which is nece&s;&s;ary to eternal ble&s;&s;edne&s;s: but this looks &s;o like a Controver&s;ie, I &s;hall decline it, referring the Reader to the 12, 13, 14. ver&s;es of the 2. of the <HI>Romans,</HI> as being the <HI>Tropick</HI> of the que&s;tion, beyond which it cannot go, nor I neither.</P>
<P N="4">4. Sith not only the light of Rea&s;on, and natural Religion, but al&s;o divine Revelation doth &s;ufficiently demon&s;trate that vertuous and pious per&s;ons &s;hall after their depar|ture from this world be tran&s;lated into a &s;tate of bli&s;s and glory: It may be worth our enquiry, to under&s;tand, if we can, what this ble&s;&s;edne&s;s is; where if we follow the guidance of the <HI>Ethnick Poets,</HI> they will lead us
<Q><L>&mdash;ad amaena vireta</L>
<L>Fortunatorum nemorum, &s;ede&s;que beatas.</L></Q> To the <HI>Eli&s;ium</HI> Fields, the Fortunate I&s;lands, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> and treat us with <HI>Nectar</HI> and <HI>Ambro|&s;ia,</HI> and cele&s;tial Viands, and admit us into
<PB N="130" REF="72"> the rank of the <HI>Aerial Genii,</HI> and fea&s;t us with the <HI>Gods.</HI> If the diviner &s;ort of Philo&s;o|phers, they will advance us to a further degree of ble&s;&s;edne&s;s and knowledge of it; but we &s;hall leave their worthy E&s;&s;ays, and Philo&s;ophical conjectures about the happi|ne&s;s of the life to come, and wi&s;hing them an intere&s;t in it, &s;hall attempt the knowing of this <HI>Riddle</HI> by plowing with Gods <HI>Heifer.</HI></P>
<P N="5">5. God hath, as it were, ran&s;acked the whole Trea&s;ury of the Creation for the imbelli&s;hment of that condition into which he will in&s;tate his People, and omitted no|thing whereby it may be rendred excellent and eligible: 'Tis call'd life, and what is more, eternal life; that it is life, makes it de&s;irable; but that this life is eternal, that makes it infinitely &s;o. Sin when fini&s;hed, brings forth death; but Religion when con|&s;ummate, brings forth life; its end is life without end. The knowledge of the happi|ne&s;s of Heaven is <HI>re&s;erved,</HI> not <HI>reveal'd;</HI> we &s;peak of it, as of God, not what we ought, but what we can: No man can declare to you what it is, and if he could,
<PB N="131" REF="72"> you were not able to bear it; 'Tis more then <HI>an exceeding and eternal weight of glory,</HI> 2 Cor. 4. 17. <GAP LANG="grc" DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF">. There is both an empha&s;is and elegancy in the Original, lo&s;t in the Tran&s;lation; 'tis glory from one Hyperbole to another Hy|perbole; 'tis <GAP LANG="grc" DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF">, &s;omewhat which is not capable of being expre&s;t by words; rai&s;e up your &s;ouls to the highe&s;t <GAP LANG="grc" DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF">, yet then they will di&s;parage the happine&s;s of Heaven by too low and unworthy apprehen&s;ions of it; 'tis to be limned like <HI>Agamemnens</HI> grief, only by a veil; our faculties are too weak and impotent to frame an exact <HI>idea</HI> of it. The objects we conver&s;e with are too &s;canty and indigent to furni&s;h us with a notion commen&s;urate with its perfection. Our conceptions are too narrow to let in a full and determine Map of that State. There is a great part of the Holy Land not yet di&s;covered. We have but little more acquaintance with the particulars of our en|tertainment in the &s;tate of <HI>&s;eparation,</HI> then of that of <HI>Pre-exi&s;tence</HI> (if the <HI>Hypothe&s;is</HI> may pa&s;s for truth. Did&s;t thou ever look within the <HI>veil,</HI> and &s;ee that perfection of
<PB N="132" REF="73"> beauty and glory which is in the <HI>holye&s;t of all?</HI> Do&s;t thou know the worth of that <HI>Crown,</HI> the magnificence of that <HI>Throne,</HI> the &s;tateline&s;s of that <HI>Man&s;ion,</HI> the richne&s;s of that <HI>Prize,</HI> the &s;weetne&s;s of that <HI>Man|na,</HI> the brightne&s;s of that <HI>Glory,</HI> the gene|rou&s;ne&s;s that <HI>fruit,</HI> the purity of that <HI>joy,</HI> and happine&s;s of that <HI>&s;ociety,</HI> wherewith God will entertain his Children? Can&s;t thou tell me what it is <HI>to know as thou art known? to be like him,</HI> to <HI>be one with him,</HI> to <HI>enter into joy,</HI> to <HI>appear in glory,</HI> to <HI>have God thy portion and exceeding great reward?</HI> Prethee tell me, if thou can&s;t, what e&s;tate thou &s;halt be po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed of, who art a <HI>coheir</HI> with Chri&s;t, and &s;halt <HI>inherit all things,</HI> what dignities thou &s;halt be preferred to, whom the <HI>King of Heaven delights to honour;</HI> what tran&s;|porting plea&s;ures thou &s;halt enjoy, who art alwayes ravi&s;hed with divine love, and in his imbraces who&s;e <HI>favour is better then life?</HI> Who can tell how great that good|ne&s;s is, which God hath laid up for his? or what is that large&s;s they &s;hall receive from his bounty? who knows how far the <HI>helix</HI> of happine&s;s may inlarge, or can &s;ay, <HI>Hi|therto
<PB N="133" REF="73"> &s;hall it come and no further?</HI> Can&s;t thou give me a <HI>bill</HI> of that <HI>fare</HI> where|with tho&s;e &s;hall be fea&s;ted which are invited to the <HI>Marriage Supper</HI> of the <HI>Lamb?</HI> Hath God told thee what <HI>portion</HI> he will give his children? or what <HI>E&s;tate</HI> he will &s;ettle upon his <HI>Spou&s;e?</HI> or what that <HI>Charter</HI> is he hath granted to the <HI>Citizens</HI> of the <HI>New Jeru&s;alem?</HI> Glorious things are &s;poken of this <HI>City of God;</HI> but no de&s;cripti|ons, Metaphors, or re&s;emblances which an active fancy may &s;ugge&s;t can in&s;inuate into our minds an expre&s;s character thereof; for the Apo&s;tle tells us, It doth not yet ap|pear what we &s;hall be; till <HI>Experience</HI> be our <HI>Tutor,</HI> we mu&s;t make a <HI>vertue</HI> of <HI>Ne|ce&s;&s;ity,</HI> and let our <HI>Ignorance</HI> increa&s;e our <HI>Devotion;</HI> whil&s;t we are without, all the&s;e things are in Parables; but after death, he, <HI>who now looks forth at the window, and &s;hows him&s;elf through the Latte&s;s,</HI> Cant. 2. 9. will take the veil from his face, and the &s;cales from our eyes, and enable us to behold the <HI>brightne&s;s of his glory;</HI> till then the <HI>&s;ummum bonum</HI> will not be unridled. No Mathema|ticks can make a <HI>Jacobs Staffe</HI> to take the
<PB N="134" REF="74"> dimen&s;ions of this State; 'tis not to be mea&s;ured, though by the cubit of the San|ctuary; it hath an heighth and length, and depth, and breadth, which we cannot &s;tand upon the <HI>Earth</HI> and find out. We know not here the &s;weetne&s;s of being inebriated at the Fountain: For ought we can tell, there may be &s;ome <HI>powers</HI> in our &s;ouls, that in his contracted &s;tate are wrapt up in <HI>&s;ilence</HI> and <HI>inactivity,</HI> which upon our relea&s;e from this pre&s;ent confinement to inert and &s;luggi&s;h matter may <HI>awaken, unfold</HI> and dilate them&s;elves for the enter|taining of Happine&s;s, now, altogether un|conceiveable. But by how much the more men live in conformity to the Divine Will, and in familiar conver&s;e with the Deity, &s;o much the more neer approaches do they make towards an acquaintance with the ble&s;&s;edne&s;s in which the &s;pirits of ju&s;t men made perfect are in&s;tated. Such which are in the Apo&s;tles expre&s;&s;ion, <HI>alienated from the life of God,</HI> mu&s;t likewi&s;e be e&s;tranged, as from the <HI>&s;en&s;e,</HI> &s;o al&s;o from the <HI>under&s;tanding</HI> of its concomitant feli|city.</P>
<PB N="135" REF="74">
<P N="6">6. Let our bu&s;ie faculties run into never &s;o great a variety of opinions concerning the <HI>appendices</HI> and <HI>circum&s;tances</HI> of the happine&s;s of Heaven, yet will this abide as an undoubted verity, that the <HI>e&s;&s;ence</HI> of that bli&s;s is &s;uch, that wicked men cannot, con&s;idering the nature of it, be partakers thereof; the beauty of holine&s;s is not vi&s;i|ble to an evil eye; the fruit of the Tree of Life cannot be reli&s;hed by a voluptuous Palate; the paths of plea&s;ure in the Paradi&s;e of God, will be but as ob&s;cure and melan|cholick &s;hades, to him which hath walked contrary to God; he will be <HI>Tantalized in</HI> the waters and <HI>under</HI> the Tree of life; he can neither enjoy this happine&s;s nor (if po&s;&s;ibly he could) rejoyce in it; the rea&s;on is, becau&s;e he is de&s;titute of faculties pro|portionate and analogous to &s;uch kind of objects, whereby the plea&s;ure of them &s;hould be conveyed to the Soul; in this &s;en&s;e the Apo&s;tle may be under&s;tood, when he tells us, <HI>That the natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God, becau&s;e they are &s;piritually di&s;cerned.</HI> The happine&s;s of Man being the fruition of God as the chief|e&s;t
<PB N="136" REF="75"> good, the <HI>foundation</HI> of this enjoyment is in that <HI>communion</HI> which there is between God and Man, which con&s;i&s;ts in the <HI>a&s;simi|lation</HI> and <HI>conformity</HI> of our actions, affecti|ons and di&s;po&s;itions unto the nature and goodne&s;s of God, which work, if it be not accompli&s;hed in &s;ome mea&s;ure in us, it is impo&s;&s;ible we &s;hould be happy; for God being eternally the &s;ame, cannot recede from the holine&s;s of his own nature to have communion with us in a &s;inful &s;tate; there|fore we ought to endeavour a reconciliation of our &s;elves to the purity and perfection of the Divine Being, that thereby we may be made capable of the enjoyment thereof. <HI>What fellow&s;hip can light have with dark|ne&s;s, or what concord can there be between Chri&s;t and Belial?</HI> till we lay a&s;ide the weapons of our ho&s;tility again&s;t Heaven, and heartily comply with the will of God, and entirely devote our &s;elves by &s;elf-denial unto him, that he may be all in all, we have no ground of expectance for that happine&s;s which knows no end.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="12" TYPE="chapter">
<PB N="137" REF="75">
<HEAD>CHAP. XII.</HEAD>
<ARGUMENT>
<P><HI>An Appendix containing certain Propo&s;itions for the Explicating the Nature of Religion.</HI></P>
</ARGUMENT>
<P>HAving frequently a&s;&s;erted that true Religion completes the happine&s;s of Humane Nature, and that it is impo&s;&s;ible &s;uch who&s;e minds are <HI>wholly de&s;titute</HI> of the Principles thereof, and who&s;e lives are <HI>irre|concileable</HI> with its practice, &s;hould arrive here to any con&s;iderable degree of that peaceable and &s;edate temper of &s;oul, which <HI>indicates pre&s;ent happine&s;s;</HI> or upon their departure out of this <HI>&s;cene of life,</HI> be ad|mitted to a participation of the ble&s;&s;edne&s;s of the World to come; It is not improbable but &s;ome one or other which may read this Di&s;cour&s;e, will be de&s;irous to have an ac|count of the Nature of Religion, in &s;uch particulars at lea&s;t which may conduce to their direction in the management of &s;o important an affair as I have affirmed it is, as <HI>intere&s;ting them in</HI> the happine&s;s of this
<PB N="138" REF="76"> life, and <HI>intitling</HI> them to that to come: That I may &s;atisfie &s;uch a rea&s;onable reque&s;t, and improve to the be&s;t advantage I can that end which I aim at in this pre&s;ent Treati&s;e, <HI>viz.</HI> to <HI>endear</HI> Religion to the world, by rendring it mo&s;t <HI>rational</HI> in it &s;elf, and <HI>ad|vantagious</HI> to its Votaries; I &s;hall attempt the Explication of it in the&s;e en&s;uing Pro|po&s;itions.</P>
<DIV2 N="1" TYPE="proposition">
<HEAD>1. Propo&s;ition.</HEAD>
<P><HI>There is one Supreme, Eternal, nece&s;&s;ary, Independent Being, infinite in Wi&s;dom, Power, and Goodne&s;s,</HI> viz <HI>God.</HI> The belief of this is the fir&s;t &s;tep to Religion, and &s;o propounded by the Author of the Epi&s;tle to the <HI>Hebrews, He that comes to God, mu&s;t be|lieve that he is;</HI> where by comming to God, according to the ordinary way of &s;peech with the <HI>Hebrews,</HI> is meant wor&s;hipping him, to which none will or can addre&s;s them&s;elves, without believing <HI>that he is.</HI> So that a firm a&s;&s;ent to the <HI>Exi&s;tence of a Deity</HI> nece&s;&s;arily precedes all Adoration of and Obedience to him: Now if to this Prolepti|cal Principle of the Being of God which is implanted in the Nature of Man, be added
<PB N="139" REF="76"> a <HI>diduction</HI> of &s;uch Truths which do imme|diately flow therefrom, as that he hath Sove|raign Juri&s;diction and Authority over us; that he hath an e&s;pecial care and providence for us, and re&s;pect to us, and &s;uch other Truths which are obvious, to infer from the precedent Suppo&s;ition; we have a true ac|count of the Original of <HI>Natural Religion,</HI> and the Foundation of all that Vertue and Veneration which we meet with in the Pa|gan World; for unto this <HI>Idea</HI> engraven in their Souls, and the rational con&s;equences thereof, were they indebted for the <HI>&s;eminal</HI> Principles of Hone&s;ty and Piety, as might, were it appropriate to the pre&s;ent de&s;ign, be easily manife&s;ted.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="2" TYPE="proposition">
<HEAD>Propo&s;ition 2.</HEAD>
<P><HI>The Soul of Man is of an Immortal Nature, viz.</HI> It &s;ub&s;i&s;ts and acts after its di&s;&s;olution from the body. This hath been generally conceded by all Pretenders to any Rel<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">gion, and runs parallel with the beleif of the precedent Propo&s;ition, which <HI>ab|&s;tracted</HI> from this, would have had a weaker influence upon the Nature of Man, to have encountred with the difficulties of
<PB N="140" REF="77"> Vertue and Piety: And from the&s;e two <HI>prime notions</HI> dictated by the common rea|&s;on of mankind, hath naturally &s;ucceeded the belief of <HI>Reward</HI> and <HI>Puni&s;hment,</HI> and an enquiry after the means of attaining the one, and avoiding the other, which the dim light of Nature could not &s;ufficient|ly manife&s;t; therefore God hath communi|cated him&s;elf unto mankind, through his Son, the Narrative of who&s;e Tran&s;actions we have recorded in the Go&s;pel; and we ought to con&s;ult tho&s;e <HI>&s;acred Oracles,</HI> that we may be a&s;&s;ured what Articles of Faith we are to a&s;&s;ent to, and what Duties to perform, which neither the <HI>Light of Rea|&s;on,</HI> nor the <HI>Mo&s;aical Di&s;pen&s;ation</HI> hath dictated unto us: And that we may have as brief and per&s;picuous account as the nature of the Subject is capable of, I &s;hall proceed to lay down &s;uch further Propo&s;itions, as may conduce to the ea&s;e of the weake&s;t Under&s;tanding, in the apprehen&s;ion of the &s;um and epitome of that Go&s;pel which re|commends to us the Doctrine and Practice of Chri&s;tian Religion.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="4" TYPE="proposition">
<PB N="141" REF="77">
<HEAD>3. Propo&s;ition.</HEAD>
<P><HI>God was plea&s;ed to &s;end his Son into the world, to take our Nature upon him, to re|deem the lap&s;ed Po&s;terity of the fir&s;t Adam, by a perfect accompli&s;hment, through his Active and Pa&s;&s;ive Obedience, of what&s;oever was required of him, as the Spon&s;or and</HI> Mediator <HI>of the New Covenant, wherein is promi&s;ed remi&s;&s;ion of &s;in and eternal life.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="4" TYPE="proposition">
<HEAD>4. Propo&s;ition.</HEAD>
<P><HI>Such only partake of the ble&s;&s;ings of this Covenant, confirmed by the Death and</HI> Re|&s;urrection <HI>of our ble&s;&s;ed Saviour, which faithfully perform tho&s;e conditions which are on their part required in order to the attain|ment thereof.</HI> This Propo&s;ition is evident by its own light to all tho&s;e which under|&s;tand the nature of a Covenant, which is a mutual agreement between different Par|ties, that upon the performance or failure of the conditions therein expre&s;&s;ed, &s;uch and &s;uch &s;hall be the con&s;equences; &s;o that if one of the Covenanters neglect to per|form the condition to which he hath obliged him&s;elf, he cannot ju&s;tly challenge the o|ther,
<PB N="142" REF="78"> to give unto him any thing cove|nanted for, to which he was engaged, up|on no other con&s;ideration; they by ver|tue of that Obligation from which he is <HI>legally di&s;charged,</HI> by the others evacuating the force of the Covenant, in a contra|dicting of the Conditions of it. The Application of this to Gods Covenant with the Sons of Men, through Je&s;us Chri&s;t, is &s;o plain and obvious, I &s;hall not in&s;i&s;t thereon.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="5" TYPE="proposition">
<HEAD>5. Propo&s;ition.</HEAD>
<P><HI>The principal and fundamental Conditi|on, whereby we are Entitled to a Right to all the B<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">nefits of the Go&s;pel Covenant, is Faith:</HI> The exerci&s;e of this divine grace in the various circum&s;tances of our lives is indeed <HI>Chri&s;tian Religion,</HI> and an effectual means, through <HI>Gods appointment</HI> for the obtaining eternal happine&s;s. As under the oeconomy of <HI>Mo&s;es,</HI> the whole duty of man was comprehended in this expre&s;&s;ion, <HI>the fear of God:</HI> So under the Go&s;pel admi|ni&s;tration the &s;ub&s;tance of a Chri&s;tians duty is included in this word <HI>Faith.</HI> That no man may be defrauded of his happi|ne&s;s,
<PB N="143" REF="78"> by being impo&s;ed on in his apprehen|&s;ions of Faith, by &s;wallowing down &s;uch imperfect definitions of it as too many <HI>&s;y&s;temes</HI> of Divinity, and confe&s;&s;ions of Faith do offer him: I &s;hall tender to his con&s;ideration &s;uch a de&s;cription of the na|ture thereof as may ju&s;tifie it &s;elf by Scri|pture, and corre&s;pond with the main de|&s;ign of God in the Go&s;pel, <HI>viz.</HI> the ad|vancement of the Divine life in the world, which hath been not a little checked in its progre&s;s, by the reception of &s;ome &s;up|po&s;ititious notions concerning it, as if the <HI>whole</HI> of Faith were a recumbency and affiance on God <HI>for,</HI> or a particular per|&s;wa&s;ion <HI>of</HI> our own Salvation, making that which is but a <HI>part</HI> or <HI>product</HI> of Faith, comprehen&s;ive of its <HI>entire</HI> nature, that they may <HI>relax</HI> them&s;elves from the &s;trictne&s;s of that obedience which the Faith of the Go&s;pel doth exact; the <HI>object</HI> of which is then only full, complete, and adequate, when there is a firm a&s;&s;ent to its Truth, a &s;ecure reliance upon its Pro|mi&s;es, an awful dread of its Threatnings, and an univer&s;al obedience to its Precepts;
<PB N="144" REF="79"> <HI>He that thus believes on the Name of the Son of God, &s;hall not peri&s;h, but have eternal life.</HI></P>
<P>Had not &s;elf-love, vain-glory, worldly intere&s;t, and carnal indulgence given &s;o &s;ig|nal evidences of their prevalency in other affairs, it would have been &s;trange how that per&s;picuous and practical de&s;cription of Chri&s;tian Faith, which &s;o frequently oc|curs in &s;acred Writ, &s;hould be &s;o ordinarily rejected; and cloudy, and knotty, and &s;pe|culative notions &s;ub&s;tituted in lieu thereof.</P>
<P>The Scripture makes an hearty belief of Je&s;us his being the <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> viz. <HI>the anointed of God,</HI> to be that Faith which is ab&s;olutely nece&s;&s;ary to Eternal Happine&s;s, as being that to which Ju&s;tification and acceptance with God is promi&s;ed; the full under&s;tand|ing of which would &s;ilence mo&s;t of the&s;e di&s;putes wherewith the world is di&s;turbed concerning the Nature of Faith, and the influence it hath into the pardon of &s;in, and &s;etling a man firm in the favour of God, which tho&s;e will never be willing to under|&s;tand, who&s;e &s;turdy and peremptory per|&s;wa&s;ion that they are the Elect of God, is
<PB N="145" REF="79"> the greate&s;t rea&s;on which they have to be|lieve they are &s;o, and who would fain pre|&s;cind all acts of Vertue and Piety from being e&s;&s;ential thereunto. To believe, to confe&s;s, to know, and &s;uch words of know|ledge, and acknowledgement, in the Dia|lect of Scripture, &s;uppo&s;e &s;uch apprehen|&s;ions and affections as are agreeable to the nature of &s;uch actions; Confe&s;&s;ion of &s;in includes in it a regret and repentance; and the belief that Je&s;us is the <HI>Chri&s;t, the anointed of God, the Prophet, the Prie&s;t,</HI> and <HI>the King,</HI> comprehends demeanour becom|ing &s;uch faith. To attend to his voyce, to be|lieve his Revelations, to follow his guidance and direction, is to believe him a Prophet. A per&s;wa&s;ion that he hath done what&s;oever God required for the &s;atisfaction of his ju|&s;tice, for the expiation of guilt, and for pro|curing divine acceptance, and that there is Salvation in no other name but his; this is <HI>to believe him Chri&s;t a Prie&s;t.</HI> A perfect &s;ubjection of our &s;elves to his Laws, and willingne&s;s that he &s;hould reign in us by the power of his Spirit; this is to believe him <HI>Chri&s;t a King.</HI> The con&s;ideration of
<PB N="146" REF="80" MS="y"> this tends to the relief of the minds of men, apt to be perplexed with unnece&s;&s;ary &s;cruples concerning the nature of Faith, and their own a&s;&s;urance of the happine&s;s thereon dependant, and is pregnant with powerful arguments to per&s;wade to the exerci&s;e of all Chri&s;tian graces and Moral vertues, which is the &s;cope of all true Re|ligion, and the end of this Di&s;cour&s;e.</P>
</DIV2>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
<BACK>
<DIV1 TYPE="errata">
<PB REF="80">
<HEAD>ERRATA.</HEAD>
<P>Page 12. line 13. for <HI>nature's</HI> read <HI>nature is.</HI> p. 19. l. 24. l. 14. del. <HI>Ephe&s;. 4. 18. Ephe&s;.</HI> 5 1. p. 22. l. 16. for <HI>critici&s;m, we</HI> r. <HI>criti&s;m who.</HI> p. 25. l. 21. for <HI>the</HI> r. <HI>their.</HI> p. 44. l. 11. left out <HI>former.</HI> p. 53. l. 18. for <HI>variety</HI> r. <HI>verity.</HI> p. 83. l. 24. for <HI>defer</HI> r. <HI>deter.</HI> p. 88. l. 16. for <HI>bondman</HI> r. <HI>boulemia.</HI> p. 91. l. 20. for <HI>its</HI> r. <HI>as.</HI> p. 92. l. 9. in&s;ert <HI>at, or to gratifie.</HI> p. 111. l. 18. del. <HI>the.</HI> l. 19. del. <HI>not only.</HI></P>
</DIV1>
</BACK>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
