Confidence towards God, explained. 363 neous opinions did not proceed from weak- S E R M. nefs, but they held the truth in unrighteouf XIV. nefs ; they knew God, but perverfely would `'""j not glorify him, nor were thankful ; they became vain in their imaginations; and ver. 28, Becaufe they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, they were given up to a reprobate mind ; and the progrefs of their vices he doth not impute merely to their erroneous opinions, but to their lulls rebelling againft the voice of reafon and con- fcience, I have infifled fo much on this fubjeCt, not merely becaufe the miftaken notion I propofed to refute is an error in fpeculation, but efpecially becaufe it has a very bad in- fluence on pra Lice. When men have once got into this perfuation, that their true reli- gious belief, and the regular conformity of their external aEts to the letter of God's law, will recommend them to his favour, their attention is diverted from the goodnefs of their affections, and the uprightnefs of their hearts, which is the only juft foundation of confidence; and thus their religion degene- rateth into hypocrify. Thus the yew j zealots, whofe falfe pretences are largely re- futed by St. yames in his epiftle, imagined that their faith would fave them, while they.
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