140 The Harmony of the Di·vine Attributes, &c. ~ Foundation: And as Truth doth not delight the Mind, unlc[s united to Goodnefs , fuch Chap. 7· as is fuitable to its Palate; fo Goodnei$ doth not affca the Will unlcfs it be real . Now ~the DOCtrine of the Gofpel is as_ c~rtain as the Law, and in fi nitely ·more comfortable than all the Inventions of Men. 'Trs 111 the knowledge of it alone that the fenfible and confidering Soul enjoys perfeEl: fatisfaEtion, and the mof'c compofed Reft.. . 'Tis evident, that the Underf'candmg doth not behold thefe Truths 111 therr proper Lrghr, when the Will doth not embrace them. For the Rational Appetite follows the laf'c Judgment of the Mind. When the Apof'cle had a Powerful ConviEt10n· of tbe Excellency of the /(;to>~• ledge of Clmjl, Phi!. l· this made lum fo earnef'c to gain an Imeref'c in H 1m. For this ~~~[~~~v~~~J i~:~~e:rfn ~li;p~~;~~~~~~~u~~e:~~~~ltJ:e1s ~ f:rb~i ~{g ?~~::j/~~a~e;t~fe who truly and heartily believe this great Myllery of Godlinefs, fhould remain ungodly. 'Tis a f'crong and effectual Aifent, that defcends from the Brain to the Heart and Lile, that denominates us true Believers : So that when the Death of Chnf'c IS propounded as the Caufeof our ReconciliatJon with God, the wonder of the Myf'cery doth not make it incredible ; when as the reafon of the Mortification of our Luf'cs, the Pleafures of Sin do not difguife its Horror: When Salvation is olfer'd uporr our accepting of Chrif'c for our Prince and Saviour, the Soul is ravifb'd with its Beauty, and chufes it for an everlafiing fu~ . To conclude, The Doctrine of the Gofpel clearly difcovers its Divine Original: 'Tis ~atl~{~~~b;~ i~d~i~~~l:~~r~~~~~b:it~ N~t~~afu~ir~~~:~~t~lel:t~~rfe~l~~ c~~dpo~~~ ing in all its parts, that without affected Obf'cinacy. no Man can reject it. And if after the open Revelation of. It ~e ar_e fo fiupt~ and ,WICked, as not. to fee I~S su,erlatwe Ex~ cel1ency, and not to recetve 1t With the Fatth, Love, and Obedtcnce whtch IS due ro it - What contempt is this of that infinite Wifdom which contL·iv'd the af'conifhing way of our Salvation? What a reproach to the Divine Underf'canding, as if it liad been employed fi·om Eternity about a matter of no moment, and ti)at deferves not our ferious Con!ideration and Acceptance ? The neglect of it will juf'cly bring a more fevere Puni.Ihment than the Hell of the uninf'cructed Heathens, who are Strangers to Supernatural M,ffre. ries. · ' - C H A P. :VIII.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=