upon the Epinle of J A M E s. VB R. S.I8. principle and found~tioil of~eliglon andWodhip to beleeve t?at God u, atid tfutt be u ~plentiful Rewnrderof thofe thatfee~hzm; H-eb. 1 1. 6. He that cometh to God, that is, to engage in his Worlhip, next to his Being muft beleevt: his 'Bounty; and the rea– fuh is; becaufe aman, in alLhis endeavors, is poifed to fome baP,p.i– nefs and reward:. Now ·Gnce t:he Fall there are r»iln) invtnticns,. Er:def. 7• 29. As the ·Sf.domit~;r, when. they were fminen· wich blindnefs,.groped ab0ii't..bots door, fo do "Ye grop~ and feel, he~e· and there, for areward tha-t may be adequate and of fi1H preportl~ on with our deGres: Tile Eea~he11s were at a f.ad lofs and puzzle; - _ ""'~uftin out of v~r:ro reckoneth up 288 Opinions a9outrhe •:A_uguft•. ae Chi~fefr ·~ood .;. Som_e ph~ed it .in pleafutes, and fuch thi~gs as ~i~;1 r;9~~::,. _lto grnufied fenfe; Blilt thts were to make brutes of men~ t0r 'tls the, · P bettfts hapJiin.efs to ·~njoJ .pleafures·Withom remi'Jrfe,: .and T ully f-a'ith,He1s ne>t woFthy ·the name ofaman,-qui u~urndiem ?.te-lit e j[# ~·n v'Bluptate, that would- ~ntirely (Eend one whole day in pleafures : Alafs Lthis is away .fo .grofs, fo oppreffiv..e,_and burthen~ {om to Nature, fo full ·of diflurbance and -difiratl:ion to Reafon,, that it can never'fatisfie r Soine went·higher Jor-areward for vir-- tue, and calked of vict.ory over·enemies, long life, •tmd an happy: Dlaage; but many that weregood wanted thefe Bleffings: Others. tirea,med ofa·kinaeofEternitJ, and ~.placed it infame; and 'the ptr– 'j{etuity of our name, tmd· renown, which is a kinde of thadow of the·true eternity; but this was.aferry happinefs to thofe that lived . and ·dyed o~curc:ly : Thofe,th'arwent highe!t,' could go no higher then the excrcife of Virtue, and faid, That Pirtue \v.u a rewdrd tiJ i't.fe/f;. and faid, That aman W.u hllppy, if virtuom, in the grcatc.ft torments, in Phalaris bra:2::..en Bull, (!):..c. But alafs 1 -~<if* I.Cor.Ifot9' our happinefs Were in thu life onely, we were of all men moft mifer~tble ; Chrifiianity would fcarce make amentis for the trouble of it. Bu~ now the~Gofpelgoeth rusher, and propoundetha pure and' [weet h.ope, moftpure and·fiueft tor fL1ch a·fublime Creature, a rea.. fonable Creature, as/Man 1~, 'and 'moft fweet and contenting, and that is the-eternal and happy enjoyment of God-in Chrifi, in the ltfe to come; not a Turkifo Paradife, but chafie and rationAl.. oJ< pleafures at his right,hand for evermore ; compleat knowledgJ * Pfa. l 6.. u;-.• perfed: love, the filling up of. the Soul with God·; fo that the G~ - _ fpelJ·you fee,hath out-bidden all (Rdigionsrpropounding a fit and ~~~-~~~~~~~ ~~w-~!~--~~ ~~~ ~oly I~f~~ -- - - ~!·~I!_~it} ·~
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