On LuKE XIV. 23. Butthatitmaybemoreevident that the Flefh witb its AffeElions a11d Luf/s, does pov ' '" fully Jnterpofe to hinder Men from embracing the Gofpel, I will particularly confi2c: its Oppofrtion to the fupernatural DoCtrines revealed in the Gofpel, the ObjeCts of Faith; to the Holy Precepts of it, the Rule of Obedience; to the fpiritual Rewardc commended to our Choice. 71 t. The great Myfrery of Godlinefs, is the incarnate Son of G~d, who by an ignominious and accurfed Death purchafed a glm;rous bleifed Life for Ius People: this DoCt- , c". '· rinc is accounted Fooli!hnefs, and rejeCted by the proud unrenewed Mind. The Gofpel is Rom. , 0 • i. Jliled tbe Wordof Faith: 'tis conveyed ro the Soul with Authority and Efficacy by Faith. As Faith in Chnil was required of the Sick, and Blind, and Lame, that his healing i.lat. 9 . ' '· Vertue might reil on.them; fo the belief of the D!Vlmty of_hrs Perfon and DoCtrine, is the firfl vital Q.uahficatron, that makes us capable of fpmtual healmg. Infidelity frops the Fountain of Grace. · The Apofl!efaith, the Wordpreach'd did not projit tlmn that heard Jr, not being, mixt ~::: ~~~tderi~;Mt~~~a~~eo~i~%~!J~~s~cif:~ ~~ ~ c~~~rth~dc~~~~~i~£ ~~f~~-~h~~~:J; Prejudices and vicious Affections, will not admit it. .An evil Heart is the pri11dpal caufe ofUnbelief Thejews from Pride, Vain-Glory, and the Love of the World, rejed:ed the Son of God, tho all the CharaCters of the Meilias were confpicuous in him : he did not come wit h vifible Glory and Obfcrvation, according to their Expetl;;ltions and Defires; they Jaw no Form 11or Comelinefs in him, and did uot ~eluve the Report concerning bim ; they were fcandaliz'd at his Parentage and mean Condition: he difcovered their beloved Sins, and flmply reproved the reigning Vices among them, which made his Perfon and his Preaching fo odious to them. Our Saviour te1Is us, that Light was come into the World; andMen ltYVe Darknefs rather than Light, becau/e their Deeds are evil. The Prejudice of their Paifions was fo frrong, that-they rejeCted the faving Truths of the Gofpel, and believed damnable Delufions. Now the fame Roots of Offence are in the Hearts of Men againfl the Golpel. Such a Cloud arifes from the Stream of carnal Lulls darkning the Underflanding, that it cannot difcover Truths fo high as the myflerious DoC\rines of Chrifl. Love in the Heart is requifite as well as Light in theMind,toknow fpiritual things: Obedience to the Will of God is the beflPrep~rative to believe his Word. Our Saviour juilly tax'd the Pharifees, they did not repent, tba~ tbey might believe. Men are averfe from receiving thole DoC\rines that condemn therrLufls; and are Infidels tha; they may be freely wicked, that the Shadow of Repentance may not drflurb them. TIS fard of Atherflical Scorn- ~h~~~l{ts'fr~:~:~ffA:~:~~~~s: ~~1~ch~f'd~Iy':~~fi~::eJ,'1~~?o~0,~ith:da:~~~sh~~d ' P«. l· 1· wouldconflram them to acknowledge there IS a nghteous God who has Authority to command, and Power to puni!h thofe who rebel again!\ his Laws. 'Tis true, they pretend to offer fomething for a more colourable Denial of fupernatural Revelation: but the perverfenefs of Infidelity appears through all their Pretences. Some object againfl the Sublimity of the DoCtrines of the Gofpel. It was the fcornful Exprcilion of _one, This is hke the Peace of God tbat paffes all Under/landing. As if the Rea!tty of tlungs depended upon the Conceptron and Capacrty o( the Human Mind, and D!Vtne Truths were unpoilible becaufe mcomprehenfible. Such fooli01 Pride ob" flruCts the Reception of Divine Truths; and from hence humble Chriflians are defpifed as led by a blind Belief. .Others are offended at the limplicity of the revealing them. The DoC\nnes are fo hrgh they cannot reach unto, the manner of conveying them is fo low they will not !loop to. But 'tis evident thefe arguings are not from the Reafon but the Lufls of Men. For the rare Accord of the Matter and Manner of rhe Gofpel-Revelation is a fenfible Character of its Defcent from God : The DoCtrine is high and bright, of an extraordinary Elevation ; the Delivery of it is eafy and familiar,_ fmce 'tis tOr the Jnfirudion and Salvation of Men; and accordingly the Divine Wrfdom has made an exaCt Temperament of thefe things. BrieAy, th~ corrupt AffeClions pervert the Will to rejed:the Gofpel, and the perverted Will influences the Underfranding todifapprove it. Nay, carnal Lufls force Men againfl their Light, (as the Jews dtd Prlate to condemn the Perfon of Chnfl)to condemn hrs DoCtrine. There are many in this degenerate Age, who altho they dare not publickly own the defil'd and abhorr:d Name o! Infidels, yet among their Companions employ their Wit to difputc and dertde the mofl fublime and facred Truths out of the World. Their Faces art fu ll of Death, the Tokens of Reprobation arevilible upon them. The Iifue will difcover them to be the wretched Examples of that fearful Rule. Thole who are de!lin'd tO final Ruin arc infatuated. Otheu
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