( 2 ) . were indeed entrufled with the noble faculties and gifts of MEN, while you captivated them unto your Appetitesand Senfe, and lived bm to the END of BEASTS. T~e fecond thing that I have to do, for the conquering all op– pofitwn to this Conclufion,is, to prove the NECESSITY of H 0 LINESS : which (being now to fpeak ro fHch as pr~fefs to believe the holy Scriptures,) I may eafily do from this plam and pregnant Text : To which I {hall annex fuch cog~nt REAS O'N S as may filence thofc that will not acqu-iefce in the a_uthority of the holy Word. . So great is the difference between a dreaming Opinion in Reli– ~ton (called aDead Faith); and a[eriom, hearty, praElical Be– /zef, ~hat if they rhat fay ( and do but fay ) they believe the ho– ly Scnptures, and yet are JJngod!y, had foundly Believed, Con,.. fideHd and digefied this very Text , it would _have made fuch a change both in th.eir Hearts and Li11es, as would have told them by happy experience , that the Gofpel is not a dead letter, nor f~ving faith a lifelefs uneffed:ual thing; and that God fent rtot hts fon mto the worId only to becomplemented with, and reve– rently treated wi th·a few good words; nor -his Gofpel and Mini– fiers meerJy to be emerrained with a demure, filent, and refpeet– ful audience; nor bath propofed his Kingdom to be meerly the macrer of commendation or difcourfe -! But that as man is a creature of a Noble and CapaciOtlS Nature, fo he hath an high a~d noble End, and confequently the higheft imployment for h1s Reafon ; and that Religion is the moO: NE CESS ART; and rnufi be the moO: SE R 10 VS bufinefs1ri the world . Did they believe this Tex~, as verily as they pretend to believe the · Gofpel, it would help to the recovery of the underfiandings of the Ambitious, and make the proud afhamed of their glory, and. fettle the drunken afpiring minds of rhofe that think it worth more rhan rhetr falvation , to fit upon the highefi pearch : It: would call off the covetous worldling from his immoderate feek- · ing provifions for the flefh, and f~ve-rhem that are drowned in the care~ of thrs life, by {hewing them the true and neceffary , :treafure : It would (pare them many a vexatious th?ught, and a great deal of tmnecef.fary labour , and prevent the fharne and., . horrour that rnuft befall them , when in the end they find their · labour loll, and all their exped:ations frufirate: It w.ould quick~: Xyflop t4em_cuthes· which-prejudice, i~n~r~n£e, malignant ~n=, w - -- - - - - • • m1ty ;_
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=