Spiritual PerfeEiion. 597 The Doctrine of the Gofpel is like the p,]Jar of Cloud and of Fire, that was dark- ~~~c:~l ~h~-o~f{~~a'p,.~u~~t a~nli~~~~~:~d t~~ K';ei{'~~~e.the~::~~~a~~t ~L~cf~:~~~~~ rious and turbulem, and averre from fubmitt~ng to God's Authorhy, who Commands the Wife and moft Underftand ing to yield fu!l Alfent to his _Word, as the meaneft Capacities. The NAttlrAl Man recen;es not the things of the. S~t~it of ~od, for thq are foolifhmfj to him, neither ctJn he know thrm, btcaf#fo they are {p1rttt~ally difcern d. There is no proportion between the Faculty and the Ob]ect. You may as well fee an Angel by the Light ofa Cand le, as fee the great Myfteries. of the Gofpel by the Natural Mind their reality, beauty, and excellt::ncy, fo as favmgly to believe them, Fazth u Eph. c , 7 • the p; 11it of the Spirit, who is llil'd the Spirit of Wi[dom and Revelation , who difcovers the ObJeCt, and in lightens the Mtnd to fee It, and by free prevenung-Gr<~ce 10 .. dines the Will to imbrace it. · The H ()ly Spirit alone can ptlll down jlrong holds, and cafl, Cor 1o, down Imaginations , and ever} hiJ!.h thing tbat exal:s it {elf ag_ainjJ the knor.v~edge of God, ancl bring into Captivity every thot~gl~t to the obedrcnce ~f Chrifl. The Spmt ov~rc~mes the Pride of the Natura l Underftandmg by the Authomy of the Revealer, and •nl•ghtens the Ignorance of it by the Infall ible Revelation. Violence, and Tempora l Relpects, ma y by Terrors and Allurements mal<e Men Hypocrites, but cannot make them finc~rc Be lievers: t here will be a Form of Religion without, and Atheifm with in. Tis fpwal Grace infpires the Elect of God with Light to fee Spiritual things, and requires fpecial Thankfulnefs. Let us Humbly pray to the Father of Mereies, and of Lights, that he would reveal the Myfte ries of his Kingdom to the Minds of Men. If the Go/pet be hid, 'tit hid to 'Coq. H· t6o{t that are loft , in whom the !(Od of this world hath blmded the minds of them who believe not, left the lig/;t of the glorrotu Gofpel of Chrifl, who z; the Image of God, jb011ld fbine into t hem. CHAP. VII. T he Power of Faith, to overcome all that is oppojitt to our Salvation. .A fpecr•lative Affent to SupunatMal Tmths, is not Saving. The Efficacy of Fazth t~.r,ainft the Temptatt.ons of the World, promds from the Natrm of its ObjeEis, and the degre<J of A.f[ent, and the {rtqtunt appltca~ton of them to 011r Hearts. There is an incomparable difference betrveen the good and evtl thinJ!.S that are prr:fent , and tho(e that are fi~tt1re. The Evidence and lmport~nce of fiJturt ,e~od. thing.s , and o~r .int~rejl in thtm , fix~s .our Affent, and makes tt t{feflual. 'Jtif/ifJmg Fatt /; confider d m tts Nature and Pt~rifjmg Vtrt 11e. Faith in the difpofals of Divine Providence, is & Fundamental P~incifle . from w~ence man 1 Prat1~cat Con/(qt~ences .are derived. The Heathms had ver7 difparagmg Concerts of God's P r.ovtdmce. The Scrtptt~rc dec~ares th11.t nothing happens without tbt /(nowltdge, the ':Jz~;~~:1a~e::e;;/~~~:: 01~::.mg, and thr: Ordr:ring·Providence of God. This is verJ 4 · J Will now Confider the Power and Efficacy of Faith, to overcome all that is op• pollte to our Sa lvation. I !hall premife, there is a common delufion that has a pernicious Influence in to the Minds and Lives of many, That t hole are true Believers, who yield a dry and barren Affent to t he My ft eries of the Gofpel, without the pratlical Belief of them. They do not foment ~ nd aurhonfe doubts by t he pretence of Reafon , nor excite revolrs in their Minds, and entertain Objections againft fuperna tura l Truths ; but they never fe lt the fpiri t and power of Fa ith in raifing them above t he low defcents of Carnal M inds, and ferting their Affection~ on t hings above. The Love of t he prefent World, like a ll up•fymg Wme, caufes 1n them a fo rgetfu lnefs of Heaven, and that which is t he malt dangerous Idolatry in the .fight of God, is ~eated in .'heir Hearts. The underllanding fubmus to dJVJne Revelau on, but the W1ll1s Rebelltous agamft the div ine Commands. They believe what is neceffary. to believe , but no~ what is n~celfary to do. T hey are fausfied wah a fp_ecu lauve Fatth, that coils nothmg, and wdl go with t hem to Hell , for the Devils beheve fu pernatural. T ruths. They are rich in the Notions of Fai th, ~~:th0~~d 1kn~h~l;d~~eg;'d ?:in~bte;i~:~e~re~~~~~li~~eoJr~~halff~~i~~~p~~d 'A~i~~~ as
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