262 The Lije of Faith. of thefoul, or the tratb of the Goftel ! But I Ice fo much in hot- brained proud perfons, to be pittied, and fo much of their workin the Church to be with tears lamented, that I will not byfpeecb or filence favour their brainfick, bold afTertions, nor will' 'I fear their phrcnetick furious cenfures. If it be not a mark ofa wife andgood Minilicr ofChrift, tobe utterly igno. rant of thefiate of fouls, both his awe, and all the peoples, then I will not concur to the advancement of the reputation offuch ignorance. It h enough to pardon the great injury whichCatch do to the Church of God, without countenancing it. Though this one infience only now mindme of it, abundance more do fecond it, and till us, that there are in the Churches through the world, abundanceofDivines, who are tirfl taught 'by a' party which they molt elieem, what is to be held and faid as orthodox, and then make it their work, to contend for that orthodoxnefs which they were taught fo to honour, even 'With the moil unmanly and unchrifian (corns and can- lures; when as ifthey had not been dolefully ignorant both of the Sariptures, and tbenofelver, and the fouls of men, they "would have known, that it is thefool that ragetb and is con- fident, and that it was not their knowing more than others, but their knowing lets, which made them fo prefumptuous and that they are tbensfelves as tar from certainty as others, when they condemn tbemfelves to defend their opinions : Even like our late Perfelironiffs, who all lived more imperfalilly than others, but wrote and railed for/in/eft perf,llion, as loon as they did but take up the opinion. As if turning to that opi- nion had made them perfell, So men may pals the cenfure of hypocrifie and damnation upon themfclves when they picafe, by damning all as hypocrites, whole faith is thus far impeded ; but they ]hall never make any wife man believe by it, that their ownfaith is ever the more certain or perfeel. 'Ai far as I can judge by acquaintance with perlons moli re- ligious, though therebe many who are afraid to (peak it out, yet the far greater numb=r ofthe moll faithful Chriliians, have but fi ch a faith which I dcfcribed, and their hearts fay [I am net certain, or pelf all doubt, of the truth of our immortality, or of roe ollpel , but I will venture all my hopes andbopping/I, tbowgb to-the parting witb¡life>rt(elf.upaa it.] And
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