3 36 Of the great Duties ofNaturalReligiott, . Vol. I. Oppofition to Atheifm and a Prophane Negle& andContempt of God andRe- ligion; a new and monftrous kind of Impiety ! which of late Years ,bath broke in upon us, and got head among us, not only contrary to the Example of for- mer Ages, but in Defpite of the very Genius and Temper of the Nation, which is naturally devout and zealous in Religion. Or elfe this Phrafe of walking humbly with Gad, may refer more particularly to the Pollute and Condition of the People of Ifrael at that time, who were fallen under the heavy Difpleafureof God for their Sins. And then the Duty required is, that being fenfible how highly God hath been offended. byus,' by the general Corruption and Vicioufaefs of theAge, which like a .Leprofie: had fpread it felf almoft over the whole Body of the Nation, and by that open Lewdnefs and that infolent Impietieswhich are daily committed amongft us; I fay, that being deeply fenfible of this, we do with all Humility acknowledge our Sins to God, and repent of them, and implore his Mercy and Forgivenefs, and refolve by his grace to turn every one from the evil ofour ways, and from the wickednefs-thá je in krbi,se,- our hands ; which God grant we may every one do * this Day, according to ::; the pious deui n and intention of it. And if we be fincere in this Refolution, r.eai'a P K upon .soli who can tell but Godwill turn and repent, and turn away his anger from us, that we 1ck F p net. Nay, we have great reafon to believe, that he will be pacified ro- wards us. So he hath declared, Ifa. r. 16. Wa'hye, make you clean, pet away the evil ofyour doings from before mine eyes, ceafe to do evil, learn to : do well, feek judgment, relieve the oppreffed, judge thefatherlefi, plead for the widow ; come now and let us reafon together, faith the Lord ; thoughyour fins be asfcailet, they 'hall be as white as fnow, though they be red like crimfon, they 'hall be as wool!. But if Me continue unreformed, God will fay tous, as he does there to the people of Ifrael, To what purpofe is the multitudeofyour Sacrifices unto me ? your calling of Afmblies Icannot away with, it is iniquity, even thefolemnmeeting ; and when yefpreadforth your hands, Iwill hide mine eyes fromyou ; when ye make many prayers, Iwill not hear. To which, let meadd that excellent faying of the Soli of Syrach to-this purpofe, Ecclefrafi. 34. :5, 26. He that wafhethhimfelf after the touchingof a dead body, ifhe touch it again, what availeth hiswafting ? So is it with a Man that Meth for his Sins, andgoeth again and cloth the fame things. Who willhear his Prayer, or what cloth his humbling profit him ? IL Let us confider by what ways and means God bath made known thefe Du- ties to us, and the goodnefs and the obligation of them. He bath [hewed thee, 0 Man, what is good; andwhat cloth the Lord require of thee ? I (hall mention Five ways whereby God difcovered this to us. a. By a kind of natural lnftin&. 2. By natural Reafon. 3. By the general vote and confent of Mankind. 4. By external Revelation, 5. By the inward Di&ates and Motions Of God's Spirit upon the Minds of Men. Fir!, By a kind of natural Inftin&, by which I mean a fecret Impreffton up- on the Minds ofMen, whereby they are naturally carried to approve fome things as good and fit, and to diflike other things, as having a native evil and defor- mity in them. And this I call a natural InfliníZ, becaufe it does not feem to pro- ceed fo much from the exercife of our Reafon, as from a natural propenfion and inclination, like thofe Inftin&s which are inBrute Creatures, of natural affe&iòn and care toward their young ones. And that thefe Inclinations are precedent to all reafonand difcourfe about them, evidently appears by this, that they do put forth themfelves every whit as vigoroufly in young perlons, as in thofe of riper Reafon'; in the rude and ignorant fort of People, as in thofe who are more polifh'd and ,refin'd. For we fee plainly that the young and ignorant haveas firong imprefltons ofPiety and Devotion, astruea fenfe ofgratitude and jufticeand pity,as the wifer and moreknowing part ofMankind.A plain indication, that the Beaton ofMankind is prevented by a kind of natural inflinti and anticipa- tion concerning the good .or evil, the comlinefs or deformity of thefe things. And
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