Bates - BT775 B274 1675

ítt ontrítíi1gWAtit1' e í > to have praEtifed vice with thofe, to whom they com- mended the Precepts ofVenue. The foulefl Aólions were approved by force, and the moll excellent condemned by others that pretended toPhilofophical Perfeélion. Unnatural Luft was allowed as in- different by Zeno andChryfippus: And the noblefl Love ingiving Life it Pelf for the Glory ofGod in Martyrdom, is cenfured by Epicetus and Antoni nus, as the effeót offoolifh and incu- rableMelancholy in Chriftians, who were difgufted with the World and devoted themfelves to Death. The Spirit of Holinefs who formes the powerful and falling habitsof true Ver- tue in the Soul, that effeóually enclines fromthe Love of God, and with an intention for his Glory, to obey his Will; as it was purchafed by Jefus Chrifl, fo it is peculiar to theDifpenfation of the Gofpel that reveals Him. TheDoctrine ofit is not delivered with fomuch Pomp, but with infinite more efficacy than the molt e- loquent Infiruélions ofPhilofaphers. One plainSermon that reprefents Chrift as Crucified before our eyes to obtain PardonofSin for us, inflames the Soul with a more ardent Love to God and vehement hatredofSin, than all theirelegant and fublime Difcourfes. There is the fame difference between their Morals and the E- vangelical Inflitution,as between two Nurfes : Theone is adorned, and looks lovely to the eye, but wants Milk to nourifh the Infant in her Arms ; °the other is not foamiable in appearance, but hath a living fpring ofMilk tonourifh her Child. Philofophy hath the ad- vantage ofartificialbeauty, but cannot fupply the nou- rifhment that is neceffary tomaintain the fpiritual Life. But the Gofpel affords the fincere rational milk to the Z z z Soul, 35'5' C i.,tf, Vid. Philcxis judicicm de Platcni:o convivio, in Lib. de vita. Conrcm,t, Quanquam iflorum fe inle,ia as rc dicebant ea fete potiffinem (lux bene habitabaut. Q is .s i[le amor amicitia: ? cur rea. .c mem Adolefcenrem formolant fenem ì Cicer. Vencrem nefandam & quoi is In- ccilus effe adiaphoro dicebantnen folum Epicurei, fed fereri ifli Stoici, good Seztns Empíricns nos docce ex Zenone, & Chryfippo.

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