Of the BleRdnef of the Pure in Heart. 367 perfe &, or grofily erroneous notions concern- S E R M. ing the deity, have been principally owing XIII. to the corruption of men's hearts, and the "'^'"" prevalence of their vices, which made them not like to retain God in their knowledge;. and therefore, as the apoftle fames, chap. i. 8. reprefenteth infidels, and them that waver in their belief of the articles of religion, as double minded, in another paf age of the fame epiftle, he prefcribeth it to men of that chars &er, as the beft cure of their unbelief, that they íhould purify their hearts, ch. iv. 8. It is really not to be wondered at that men of very bad lives, in whom nothing is pure, but even their very mind and confcience is de- filed, as the apoftle fpeaketh, that they fhould be averfe to the belief of principles, which muff perpetually reproach their wickednefs and fill them with confounding fears ; and having denied God in their wilhes and in- clinations, which probably is the meaning of the Pfalmift's expreßion, the fool bath Paid in his heart there is is no God, they at Taft, diverting their attention from the evi- dences of that truth, bring themfelves to he- fitate concerning it. But if it be not fo, and if they have no doubts at all about it, yet they confider it only as a matter of mere fpecula- tion, and their perfuafion wanteth the cha- raaers
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