462, The Efficacy,''` /efulnefs, and Vol..11, for as much as whoever believes there is a God, and that the Scriptures are .the Word of God, is fully fttisfied and convinced how reafonable it is, and how much it is his Intereft to be Religious. I come in the laft place to the Application of this ©ikourfe. Firfl, This (hews why there is fo little of true Religion in the World ; 'tis for. want of Faith, without which it is impof ible for Men to be Religious. Men are not firmly perfwaded that there is a God i that there is a Bing above them that is Omniicient, and knows every thing that they do, and rakes notice of every Word, and Thought, and A&ion ; that is fo Good, and fo Powerful, as to make thole Happy that Love and Obey him ; and fo Juft and Powerful, as tomake thofe Miferable who hate him, and rebel againft him. Men are not perfwaded that their Souls are immortal ; and that there is another Life after this, in which Men !hall be Happy or Miferable to all. Eternity, according as they demean themfelves in this World. Men are not firmly perfwaded that the Scriptures are the Word of God, and that the Precepts and Prohibitions of the Bible are the Laws of a great King, who will amply reward the obfervance of his Laws, and feverely vindicate the Breach and Violation of them. Men do not believe that the Promifes and Threatnings of God's Word are true, and that every Jot and Tittle of them lhall be accompüfs'd. For did Men believe thefe things, they would be Religious ; they would not dare to live in any known Sin or Impiety of Life : unlefs we can pre. fume that a. Man can be ferioufly unwilling to be Happy, and have a longing delire to beMiferable ; and undone for ever. For whoever believes the Principles of Religion, and the Precepts and Promifes, and Threatnings that arc contained in this Holy Bock, and yet after all thiscan continue in Sin, he muff not only put off the Principles of areafonable Creature, but muff quit the very Inclinations of his Nature 9 that is, he mull knowingly refute that which he naturally delires, which is Happinefs ; and muff embrace that, which of all things that can be imagined he moll abhors, and that is Mifery. So that if Men were verily perfwaded, that the Great, and Holy, and Juft God looks continually upon them, and that 'tis impofliible to hide from him any thing that we do, they would not dare to commit any Sin in his fight, and under the Eye of him who is their Father and Mailer, their Sovereign and their Judge, their Friend and Benefa&or, who is invefted with all thefe Titles, and Rands to us in ail theft Relations, which may challenge Reverence and Refpe&. Did Men believe the Halinefs and Juftice of God, that he hates Sin and will not let it go unpunilh'd, would efley venture to make him a Witnefs of their Wickednefs, who they believe will be the Avenger of it ? Did Men believe that they (hall live for ever, and that after this fhort Life is ended, they mutt enter upon Eternity ; that when they leave the World, there are but two ways which all Men molt go, either into Life Everfafiing, or into eternal and intolerable Torments; did Men believe this, would they not with all pef ìble care and diligence endeavour to attain the one, and avoid the other? WereMen pof3eft with a belief of Eternity, howwould they defpife Temporal and Tranfitory things ? How would they negle& theCon. cetnments of this Life, and overlook the little Impertinences of time, and refer all their Thoughtsand Cares and Endeavours to Eternity ? This great and important Inrereft would fo fill their Minds, and take up their Thoughts, and imploy their utmoft Cares and Endeavours and Diligence, that they would fcarce regard, or (peals, or think of any elfe ; they would be Reftlefs and Impatient, till they had fecured this grand Affair and Concernment 3 they would fubordinate all the lote. ref's of this World ro that of the other, and make all the Concernments of time to !loop to the grand Concernment of Eternity. Thus Men would do, were they but firmly perfwaded that there is another Life after this, to which this bears no proportion. Did Men believe the Scriptures to be theWord of God, and to contain Matters of the higlielt Importance to our everlafting Happinefs ; would they negle&it and lay it aflde, and itudy it no more thana Man would do an Almanack out of dare, or than a Man, who believes the attaining a Philofopher's Stone to be impoflible, would Rudy thole Books that treat of it ? If Men did believe that it contains plain and
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