Serm. XXXIII. again,fl dangerous Miflakes in Religion. 2; 7 and fenfual Apprehenfions of Things, and thereby render Men unfit to difcern thofe Truths which are of a Spiritual Nature and tendency, and altogether indif pofed to receive them. For tho' the Vices of Men be properly feated in their Wills, anddo not poffefs their Underftandings ; yet they have a bad influence upon them, as Fumes andVapours from the Stomach are wont to affe& the Head. Nothing indeed is more natural to the Mind and Underftanding of Men, than the Knowledge of God ; but we may abufe our Faculties, and render them unfit for the difcerning even of their proper Objeds. When Men by wicked Pra&ices, have rendred theinfelves unlike to God, they will not love to retain the knowledge ofhim in their Minds, but will become vain in their Imaginations concerning him. What Clouds and Miffs are to the bodily Eye, that the Lofts and Corruptions of Men are to the Underitanding ; they him- der it from a clear perception of Heavenly Things ; the pure in heart, they are befit qualified for the fight of God. Now according as a Man's Notions of God are, fuch will be his Apprehen- fions of Religion. All Religion is either Natural, or Revealed : Natural Religion confifts in the belief of a God, and in right Conceptions and Apprehenfions con- cerninghim, and in a due Reverence and obfervance of him, and in a ready and chearful Obedience to thofe Laws which he hath imprinted upon our Nature ; and the Sum of our Obedience confifts in our conformity to God, and an endea- vour to be like him. For, fuppofingGod to have made no External Revelation of his Mind to us, we have no other way to know his Will, but by confidering his Nature, and our own ; and if fo, then he that refembles God moff, is like to underftand him heft, becaufe he finds thofe Perfe&ions in force meafure in him- felf, which he contemplates in the Divine Nature and nothing gives a Man fo Pure a Notion of Things, as Pra&ice and Experience : Every good Man is in force degreepartaker ofa Divine Nature, and feels that in himfelf, whichhe conceives to be in God : So that this Man does experience what others do but talk of ; he fees the Image of God in himfelf, and is able to difcourfe of him from an inward fenfe and feeling of his Excellency, and Perfe&ions. And as for Revealed Religion, the only Defign of that is, to revive and im- prove the Natural Notions which we have ofGod ; and all our Reafonings about Divine Revelation are neceffarily gathered by our Natural Notions of Religion : And therefore he that fincerely endeavours to do the Will of God, is not apt to be impofed upon by the vain and confident pretences of Divine Revelation ; but if any Do&rine be propofed to him, which pretends to cone fromGod, he meafures it by thofe fteady and fure Notions which he hath of the Divine Nature and Per- fedions, and by thofe he will eafily difcernwhether it be worthy of God, or not, and likely to proceed from him : He will confider the Nature and tendency of it, and whether it be (as the Apoftle exprelfes it) a Dodrine according to Godlinefs, fuch as is agreeable to the Divine Nature and Perfe&ions, and tends to make us like to God: If it be not, tho' an Angel from Heaven fhould bring it, he will not receive it : If it be, he will not reje& it upon every idle pretence, and frivolous exception that prejudiced and ill- mindedMen may make againft it;, but after he is fatisfied of the reafonablenefs and purity of the Do&rine, he will accept of fuch evidence and confirmation of it, as is fit for God to give to his own Revelations ; and if the Perfon that brings it , hath the atteftation of Miracles (which is neceffary in cafe it be a new Doitrine) and if he carry on no Earthly Intereft and Defign by it, but does by his Life and Actions make it evident that he aims at the Glory of. God, and the good of Men, in this Cafe a goodMan, whofe Mind is free from Paflion and Prejudice, will eafily affent, that this Man's Marine is of God, and that he does not fpeak of him- felf. This was the Evidence which our Saviour offered to the :pros in vin- dication of himfelf, and his Do&rine, job. 7. 18. He that fpeaketh ofhimfelf, feeketh his ownglory : but he thatfeeketh his glory that feat him, the fame is true, and no unrighteoufnefs is in him ; as if he had faid, hereby may you diftinguifh one that really comes from God, from an Impoftor : If any Man feek his own glory, you may conclude that Godbath not fent him, but whatever he pretends, that
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