Bates - HP BX5200 B3 1700

cannot judge of things but as they appear, nor aiTent againll its jud~mcnt. indeed Threatnings and Tortures may ma~e M.en In~d~b, but not fin.~e.re Believers : 1t may make them Hypocrites and Comed1ans mRel1gwn, but not unfeJgned Profelfors.. Th!s is abundantly exemplified in France, where the vafi: number of fcrvile Converts have been made by their Dragoons, not their Doctors. _ 7i i ~. This is moll contrary to the Practice of our Saviour, and to the Spirit of the Gofpel. The Sword that Chnll ufeth in fubduing his. Enemies, and making them 1yillmg ~~:!ft;o~~~.;~~l~e;;,dG~i;::l:{,h~~~~~rl~ J;~d~~~}~fferl~~ ~~:f~d~~e!p~~;~ :~~Rev. '' ''· way for the Gofpel not by killing h1s Enemies, but by dying himtclt; and in his Members: The elbblifl1ing and enlarging his Religion are by futable means, fhe Illumination of Mens Mmds, the Perfwahon of their Wills, the drawing of their Affectcons to h~;~:~;z;t;,~~~~r~~~r)~ ttep~hi~~1J,~~1!/}l,!:•J:.~z:·~~~:~ X":!"!~:;:;;:,~~:::}' cor .o.•,,.. ev"J bigh thing that exaltetb ztfelf againj/ the Knowledg of God, and bringing into_ Captz- 'Vity C'l!ery 1honght to tbe Obedience of Chrij/. The Weapons are futablc to the Warlare,and the Warfare to the Kingdom, which is Spiritual, not of tbis World. The uftng of force to confl:rain Men to embrace the Chrifrian Religion, is contrary to the Love, rheGoodnefs, Meeknefs, Clemency ~nd Benignity, the blelfed Temper the Gofpel plants in the Brealls ofChrillians. How feverely did our Saviour rebuke the fiery Spirit in James Luk. • · , : and John? Tou knoro not what manner of Spirit you are of; t!Je Son of Man came not ro de- ~{ci;f~~: ~h;~'y!:~v::~t~:~;e:;her:~;s,~;~!~aJo;~~ ~~c11~~~den Rule givert t~ all hi~ But this mull -be acknowledged, that 'tis very congruous that the Papij/s make ufe of the material Sword, when tbe Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, llrikes through the Heart of Popery. The Doctrine of the Mafs is a clear Contradiction to the Scripture, and a notorious derogating from the Value ancJ Virtue of ChrW:'s Death : they fay 'tis an unbloody Sacrifice of Chrill, propitiatory for the Living ond the Deod : Whereas our Saviour \\'as offered up but once, the Mafs is ten thoufUnd times in a day repeated.; Chrifi's Sacri fice was with Blood, and an unbloody Sacrifice is not propitiatory, nor can ohtaiu Remij{ro11. Where can they find in Scripture the Religious Worfhip of rhe Saints ? They fer up an infinite number of lntcrcelfots, and rob our Saviour bf his Glory, as if h.e were defective either in his Compaflionate Love to us, ~or wh~m h~ mediates, or m his P<?wcr with God. They prefer his Mother b~forc h1m in di.fpenfmg Mercy of which Smners have the moll need: they reprefent lum as llriCl: and fcvere, but fl1e is compofed of Sweetnefs, he is the Judge, fl1e the Advocate and Saviour; we will leave them to the jealous God. I !hall only obferve farther, that many erring Sects preferve their Allegiance to the Divine Authority m the Scripture, for they do not alfume an InJalhbil it y to t hcmfelves, but millake the Senfe<:>f Scripture: but the Papijls by alferting that the Authority of Scripture depends upon the Telltmony of their Church, that is, the Sun borrows itS· Beams from her Eyes, and by arrogating an Infallibility to it, do in effect renounce Homage to the Authority of God in his Word. And from hence it is that the Adhereis to that Religion are fo inconvincible: tho' Scnfe, Reafon and Scnpture difcovet the1r Doctrines to be plainly impoilible. Their Doctrine of 1ranfubj/antiation involves fudr Contradictions as de!lroy the Elfence and End of Miracles : Their Doctrine of the· Pope's Supremacy implies there are two Monarchs of one Kingdom, two Heads of one Body, two Husbands of one Spoufe. No Errors are more thong and fatal than fuch as are arm'd with Authority, efpecially if that Authority be ellcem'd facred. But to return from this Digreffion, tho, not impertinent. Compel tbem to come in. The word fignifies the ufe of all conllraining Motives, and the mofl: earnefl: Intreaties that are congruous to prevail upon thofe who are invited to a Feall. The fome word isufed Mat.'+>>. AndJefus conftrained /Jis Difciples to p;et into a Sh1p; which certainly was not by vwlent drivmg or drawing them, but by his corrimaQding Authority. So 'tis related of the two that were with our Saviour in· the Journey to ErnmaUI.' that they conflramed IJim to abide with them: The Confiraintr vas by Luk. to+· ,.9 , earnell lntreaues, far from Force. The fame word is ufed of Petels compelling tire Gent des to lz'Ve after the Rites of tbe ]ews : that was by IllS Example. Thus the Natl- G• l. ' · rf. ~~owdei~ ~r~~lt~~~di>~fo:fo:i;:J~:t ~JJe:},~Y;;;~~h~~eis~ ~~er~~~e~~d~~sb~~~~~i~~ led to God. Their Doctrine was recommended by the Holinefs of their Lives, and con. firmed by the Luller of their Miracles. In fhort, the f.~preflion ftgnifi es how r>Ie~fin'g it is to God, that thofc who are invi1ed by the Offers of Grace in the Gofpel, fhould Z z z z com~

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