Cbriftian Religionproved by Reafon. corrupted Nature, fuch allif\ance might cherifh it ; bur he is dead to the truly Splrifll- ~ al Life, though not to themeeriy Moral, and no lefs than. an Ommp.orem efficacy can Chap. 2. produce a new fpring of L1fe, a D1vme Nature, the Prmople of WJ IImg Obed1ence to ~ God. And aft<r converfion, while in the f\ate of tryal here, the be(\ are fubjetl: tt> innumerable furprizes by their own frailty, and expof~d to new dangers every hour by temptations that foment and he1ghten the rehques ofSm m them, fo that Without fupernamral affi{bnce they would be quite difcouraged and foil'd by the Enemies that war again(\ the Soul. Now in the Gofpel God has promifed to give the Holy Spirit to thofe that adzit ! in the mof\ hazardous and difficult confli&, he affures thofe who ardently addrefs themfelves to him for help, that hn Grace fball be fiifficient for them. . 3 . The Gtfpelcontains many gracious pr omifes w1th refpetl: to fupplymg the wants, and giving fupport and refrefhment under the troubles ofthe prefent Life. T emporal bleffings are in the !owe(\ rank ofgood things, and are promifedasthey fhould be defir'd fubordinately to our chief good. Firjl feel<., the Ki11gdom of He.ww, a11d the Righteoufmifi thereof, and •0 other thi11gs jbaU be added, faith our Saviour. And to rehcve us m the troubles ot this mortal flare, the Gofpel affures us of thetr bleffed 1ffue.at the I all. The mam defign of Phil'!fophy was to reconcile rhe Mind to every Condmon; that nothmg m1ght be able to difcompofe its tranquility. As fome high Mountams that afcend above the middle Region whiles Clouds cl!arg'd with Thunder break upon the fides, and Storms encornpafs it 'below, yet the top has a pure Sun and calm Air. Thus the Philofophers pretended to raife Man to that hetght of vertue, that the fupenour part the Mmd, fhould be ferene and undif\urb'd, whatever was done to his lower part the Body. But their Principl es were infufficient on which they built their Perfwalion. Some pretended that Men were abus'd by words, and that was the caufe of their Mifcry. The Jofs of Ef\ate, of Relations, of Health, were not real Evils, but only call'd fo. Sottifh Wifdom! As if things by the change of Names would alter their qualities. Call them by what foft titles you pleafe, f\!11 they are injurious and affiitl:ive to our Nature, and to perl\vade the contrary is to depri~e us of Senfe. Others tell us that the Evils we fuffer are fatal, and to refill inevitabledef\iny is to no purpofe. But this JS to exafperate infteaci of allaying our farrows. This is to turn our fears into defpair, to make an afflicted condition abfolutely uncomfortable. Others d.ireC't us to look abrOJd into the wretched World, and compound a Medicine of the miferies of others for our own griefs. But rh1s as 'ris vicious in its Principle, fo it affords no true relief. For that another fuffm in the lame or different manner does not leffen the evil that oppreffes me. Nay if hu ll'lane atfetl:ions are not extingui£h'd, by a forrowful inAuence irtcfeafes it. Others difcourfe of the van ity of Riches, Pleafures, Dign ities, and Life it felf, to make us quietly to part with them. But this Difcou rfe, though true and ufeful, yet cannot aftOrd conrentment, unlefs to a Chriftian, whofe hopes extend to a future flare of Bleffednefs: For how mean foever thefe things be, yet, if we know no bener, they are our felictty. Some attribute to naked Venue a power fuffici ent to fupport a Man under the heavie(\ troubles. This tbey affirm'd to be the true Philofophers Stone, that purifies and exalts the bafefl Metals, turning them into fine Gold; that enables a Perfon not only to be content in every f\ate, but to enjoy torments, and be pleafed · . with the greateft di[afl:ers that befal him. But they took fo hlgh a O:rain, that humane ~~r~r;~rb~{; Nature could not uphold. The indifference and equality of Mind they fo much pre- .;,"';, ' '"" tended to, ~as bu~ an cmp~Y appearance. One might difcover unqt1iet agirations un- :;~~~acf~'~ib. de.r all that fetgned mfe~1fib1ltty, and rrue fervitude under that imaginary foverargmy oftheir 4· Acad. ~6}1 • . w1fe Man. Indeed without the fled fa(\ belief of another Life, the reAcll:ion upon unhappy Venue inAames the wouAded Spirit, and kindles in the breafl: mu~murings Tinfif''!J'Craagainfl: Providence, fo that 'tis fo far from making the a1RiCted happy, that 'trs rather ~~J,ir;~~n ~';;i- ~Wo~~:d u~ff~l~; a~1~fe:;, e~?:n~~~ ~~~;~;t. di~;i~~~i~~:~o!1d~fgui~h~~~ia~a~:;~g~F t~l~~~ ~;;;:E!~ffi bur allows that pr~fent ttfflillion.r are not joyful but grievou.r. It doth not Promife an p!aguluc~!um, exemption from nnfery: Nay itforetels thatbefidesrhecommontroublcs that rain upon ;1Jt::b~r~fi: Mankind, there are fome .proper to fincere Chrifbans, to which they are e5::_pos'd upon bJv~tamim":~- ;~;he~cfo~nt~~fg~~:/rofHt~1}cP:z~e~~~- G~~t ;~s~:~~Ii~~rnB;J1i:s,al~h!bi6fv~~~up~~~~/~~ ~!~ft ]~H~~~m admir~bl~, in t~mpering rh.e qualities. of the fighting Ele~ents in fuch a manner, that ~:::;, ~~;;;~; what mu fc~f 1S a defhuChve contranety, becomes only ad1verfity, to preferve thecomduntaxat uno6 poundecl bemgs that refult from them. Thus the wife and aracious Providence ofS.eton. G?d makes all thin&s, even the mof\ adverfe, to confpire for th~ final happinefs of his faithful Servants. ]heir lightAfjliaion.r that arc brJt for a moment, worlzout for thefna far more exceeding a1rd eternal weight of Glory. This makes them to pojfefs their So11l.r iu, palimce, to rejoice iu hope, and to be triumphant conquerors over the greateft outward - K tr~ubles
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