S a C T. VIE. The Counterfeit of Inherent Grdce. 34p Wily, They declare this Lam Written, in that they have improvedtheft natural y. fparkc, andhave attainedto admirable commendations,for many things done by them : By cha They did notall of themdetain the truth in unrighteoufnefs, but did admit of thou r l all the Culture and Tillage they could meet with, to perfeft thofe vertuous parts to a _ principles as they thought of. HenceCome of them have thrown away all the rahle eoin- wealth they had, that theymight the better attend to Philofophy ; yea, So- crates would never difpute about the Heavens or Stars, or other Sceptical matter, butwholly manners, how tored &e them, and tomake yongmen leave theirvices ; efpecially wemight give you inftances oftheirgreat improvements in thefethings : Firft, Their hearty love to thepublique, preferring it above all particular re- I, fpeétsand advantages. Tidy would not have immortality it Pelf, CO bundle Their Love. Commonwealth : Another faid, he had rather be poor, fo as the Commonwealth were rich, then he rich, and that thereby made more poor. Theyconclude, Juftice and Righteoufnefs,were theonely walls and defenceofa Kingdom.Some of them, devoted themfelves to prefent death, as the Decii and Curtii, to pre- vent judgements to the publique. Oh what a fhame maymany Heathens, upon record in Hiflorÿ, be to thofewho [tile themfelves Chriftians I Secondly, In Fidelity andRighteoufnefs, both of words and promifes, andall II. their contras s. Romanafides was a proverb, becaufe they faithfully would do Fidtiiity.' what they had promifed ; their words were as good as oathes. One prifoner, acaptive, had given his word, that if he might go to difpatch his bufnefs, and get Comeway or other to redeem himfelf, he would faithfully return again, in cafe he couldnot ; and not being able to effect it, he returned, again tohis ene- mies, though heknew he was tobe put to all cruelty. Ari/lides wascalled the juft,becaufe ofhis righteoufnefs and faithfulnefs in all his dealings. But ofhow. manymay we fay,even that are called Chriflians, in (leadof Such an one the jult, fuch anone the falle and unrighteous man. Thirdly, leadmoderation and fobriety, abfaininq from thofe things that Were III. fit obirTtafor their lulls. Alexanderkept himfelf from Darim his Virgins, when Subeicry. hehad conquered him byWar: They were temperate in their dyets, avoiding occalions of gluttony and drunkennefs, The Lacedemoniarls would have . their childrenfee a drunkenman, that beholding his madnefs and bea(Hinefs, they might takeheed of it : And as forthe pafîions of anger and malice, how lowly in refraining of them, patiently bearing all contumelies and reproaches 1 I would, Paid an Heathen, to one who reviled on him, that this mancould rule his tongue, as well as I can myears. I would beat and punifh thee, laid another to his fervant, but that I am angry. Thus we might go even into the wildernefs, and gather many fweet flowers there : We might tell youof wife and Cage Apophthegmes, of vertuous and noble aélions, and all this while they had no hopes of an Heaven, or Eternal Glory to incourage them. Many of them, aftertheir nobleAchievements for the publique, returned home a- gain without any wealth or advance, but onely glory ; yea, and one or two of them contemned that alfo : But though they have done thus worthily, yet you mull take heed of two errors, magnifyingthefe their actions too high. Firft, Some have thought, and that both of the ancients and latter fort of C"i". Writers, that manyof thefe Heathens have been faved ; thatmen who in their generationdid thus wonderfully, could not be damned. Though chele Teachers are divided among themfelves; fome fay, the Law of Nature faved them, as Chrift doth Chriflians, fo that they fay, they were faved without Chrift: Others fay, Chrift was immediately and extraordinarily revealed to them : but neither of chafe opinions have anyground in Scripture, which attributes no iai- vationbut untoChrift, and thecalling upon his name, which theydid not. No.ltound ïn. Secondly, he other Error is, that natural menby improving their naturals, SCripture for Y Y p Heathens Sai: are thereby difpofed and prepared for fupernaturals; that a man by well Ming vadon. of
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