) Z9:Z. VECA'D. Ill. - - feeds and allaccurfed1 Inboth which regards, Nature her fdfe, in whofe brefrGod A bath ~ritten his royall Law(thoughin part,by herdefuced)hath light enough to condemne a TNrlte, as the worft Pagan. Let no man look for further difproofe. Thefi follies, a wife Chrifrian will fcorne to confute,and fcarcevouchfafe to laugh at. The GreekiJh Church(fothe Ruj[t1 tearmerhemfdves) putin the next claime,bur with no better fucceffe; whale infinite Clergie affords not aman that can give either reafonoraccount oftheirowne DoCirine.Thefearerhe bafefr dregs of all Chrifrians, fo we favourably rearme them; rho they perhaps in morclimp1icity then wilfulneffe, would admit none ofall the ether Cbrifrian world to their font, bur rhofe, who in a falemne renunciation,!pir at,& abjure their former God,Rdigion,Baptifme;yer peradventure we mighr more jufrly rearme them Nichol•itAnl, for char obfcure Saint (if aSaint,ifhonefr)by anunequal! divifion,findsmore homage from them then his ma. B frer. Thefe ace as ignorantas Turks, as iablayous as Heathens, as obfrinate as ]ewes, andmore fuperfritious-rhen Papifts.To fpeak ingenuoui!y from that I have heard and read;ifthe worft oftheRomifh religion, and the befr ofthe MuCcovitifh be compared,the choice will be bard whether fhould be leffe ill. Ilabourthe leffe in all rhefe, whoferemotenelfe and abfurditie f<eure us from infection, and whofe onely name is theirconfutacion. I defcend to that maine rival! ofTruth, which creeps into her bofome, and is not leffe neere then fubtile,rhe religion (ifnot racherrhe faclion) o£Pa. bifme,wbofe pleais importunate, and fo muchmore dangerous,as it caries fairer proability. Since thenofall religions the Chrifrian obtaiaeth, let us Lee ofchofe rhat are called Chrifrians,which fhould command affent & profeffion.Every religion beares in her lineaments rheimage ofher parent : the true Religion thereforeis fpiricuall C andlooks like God in her puritie: all falfe religions are caroall, and carie the face of Nature, their mother, and ofhim whofe illulion begot them, Satan. In fumme, Nacure never conceived anywhich did not favour her, ·nortbe Spirit any whichdid not oppugneher. Let this then be the Ll!diao tlone ofthis tdall1we need no more.Whe. ther religion foeverdoth more plau tbly contentNature,isfalfe,whether gives more lincereglory to God,is his Truth.Layalide prejudice : Whither I beleec you tendeth all popery, but to make Nature eithervainly proud, orcardefly wanton ~ What canmore advance her pride,then to tell her, thatibe bath in.her own hands freedome enoughofwill (with a littleprcvention)to prepare her felfe to her jufrificacion; char I fbe bath (whereofto rejoycc) fomewhat, which fhe bath not received, that ifGod pleafe but tounfeuer her,fhe can walke alon<!She isinfolent enough ofher fdfe;rhis D flattery is enough to make !)ermad of COI\Ceit. Aft<r this; That ifGod will but boare halfe the charges by his cooperation, fhe may undertake tomerit her owne glory, and brave God in the proofe of his mofr accurat< judgement ; to fulfil! the whole royall Law; and that from the fuperfluiryof her owoe fatisfactions,fhe may be abundandy beneficial! to her neighbours,chat naturallywithout faith aman may do fome ~ood workes; that we may repofe confidence inour merits,Neicher is our good only y this flattery extolled, butour ill alfodimioifhed; our evills are our finues; fome ofthem (they fay) are in their nature venial!, and not worthy of death :more, that our originall lioneis bur the want ofour firft jufrice 1 no yuilt ofour firfr fathers offence; no inherent ill difpofition, and that by Baptifmal water is taken awaywhat ever bath the nature of linne; char a meere man (lee me not wrong Saint Petm E fucceffor, in fo rearming him) bath powerro remit both punifhmcnt and linne, pafr and future; charmany have fuffered more then their linnes have required : chat the fufferings ofthe Saints added toChrifrs paffions,make up cherreafureofthe Church, that%irituall Exche~er; whereof their Bifhopmufr keepe the key, and malce his frien s. In all thefe t e gaineofNatUre (who fees notO isGods loffe: all her bravery isftolne from above : belides rhofe other direa derogations from him 1 that his Scriptures are not fufficient 1 that their original! founraines are corrupted, and the frreames ruone clearer; thatthereis amultitude (ifa finite number)ofMediators. Turne your ~es now ro us, and fee contrarily howwe abafeNature, howwe knead ' her in the du ; fpoiling her ofher proud rags,loading her with reproches;andgiving glory to him,rhar fayes,he will not give it to another;whileswe teach,that weneither have
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