46o the Efficacy, `Üfefu&efr, and Vol. II. Worlhipped, and that it is not in vain to ferve him. This Faith is neceffary to Natural Religion. And in cafe God do difcover and reveal his Will to Men, no Man can obey the Will of God, unlefs he be perfwaded that God bath Come way or other made known his Will ; and be perfwaded likewife as tei the parti- cular Inftance wherein his Obedience is required, that this is God's Will. For In. Rance, no Manwill obey the Precepts of the Bible'as Divine Laws and Commands, unlefs he be perfwaded that the Do&rine contained in the Holy Scriptures is a Divine Revelation. So likewife no Man can entertain Chrift as the McJar and Saviour of the World, and yield Obedience to his Laws, unlefs he believes that be waslint ofGod, and ordaineday him tobe a Prince and a Saviour. So that you fee the neceffity of Faith to Religion. Secondly, I !hall thew the influence that a Divine Faith hath upon Men to make themReligious. A true Divine Filth fuppofeth a Man fatisfied and perfwaded of the Reafonablenefs; and Necefíit of being Religious ; that it is reafonable for every Man to be fo, and that it is neceffary to his Intereft. Now there needs no more to be done to put a Man upon any thing, but ro fatisfie him of thefe two things; that the Action you perfwade him to is reafonable ; that is, pofftble and fit -to be done : and that it is highly his Intereft todo it ; that is, if he do it, it will be eminently for his Advantage ; if he do not do ir, it will be eminently to his Prejudice, and he is a loft and undone Man. If you can once poffefs a Man, that is in any degree fober and confederate, with theft Perfwafons, you may make himdo any thing of which he is thus perfwaded. Now a true Divine Faith fuppofeth a Man fatisfied and perfwaded of all this. r. Of the reafonablenefs of Religion. He that verily believes there is a God, believes there is a Being that bath all Excellency and Perfe&ion, that is infinitely Good, and Wife, and Juft, and Powerful, that made and preferves all things, Now he that believes fuch a Being as this, cannot but think it reafonable that he should be Efleemed, and Honoured, and Adored by all thofe Creatures that are fenfrble and apprehenfive of thefe Excellencies ; that feeing he is infinitely Good, and the Fountain of all Being, and all the Bleffings we enjoy, we fhould love fo great a Benefa&or, and thankfully acknowledge his Goodnefs to us ; not only by confiant praife of him, but by an univerfal Obedience to his Will, And a chearful Submiffìon to his Pleafure. For what more reafonable than Gratitude t That feeing he is infinitely Wife and Powerful as well as Good, we fhould croft in him, and depend upon him in all Conditions, and feek to him for what we want. For-what more reafonable than to place our Confidence in him, who is able and willing to do us good; and to fee to him who knows our Wants,, and is ready to fupply them ? And feeing he is Truth it felf, and bath been pleated to reveal his Will to us ; what can be more reafonable than to believe all thole Difcoveries and Revelations which God, who cannot lie, hath made to us, and to comply with the intention of them ? And feeing he is the Original Pattern of all Excellency and Perfection ; what can be more.reafonable than to imitate the Per- fedions of the Divine Nature, and to endeavour to be as like God, as we can ? And thefe are the fumm of all Religion. So that whoever firmly believes a God, and that he bath revealed and made known his Will to the World, cannot but be fully fatisfied and perfwaded of the reafonablenefs and equity of Religion, and all thofe Duties which Religion requires of us ; and confequently of the poffibility of performing all thofe Duties which Religion requires of us, by the Affiftance of the Grace and Strength which God is ready to afford us, if we beg it of him. For no Man that believes the Goodnefs of God, (which every Man does that be- lieves a God,) can think that he wilj.make it our Duty to do any thing which he bath left us in an utter impoffibility of doing. z. A true Divine Faith fuppofeth a Man fatisfied and perfwaded of the neceffity of Religion ; that is, that it is neceffary to every Man's Intereft to be Religious; that it will be highly for our Advantage to be fo, and eminently to our Preju- dice to be otherwife that if we be fowe (hall be Happy, if we be nor, we !hall be. Miferable, and undone for ever. And every Man that believes a God, and the Revelations which he bath made, cannot but be fully fatisfied of this. And
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