Sidor som bilder
PDF
ePub

us. Nor is it plain, from any natural Principle, that God cannot enlarge our Duty, or oblige us to any thing but what Nature has already obliged us to: It is certain he cannot contradict his own Nature; and therefore he can teach us nothing contrary to the natural Sense he has given us of himfelf: But, as he has Authority to give us Laws, he may add to our Duty and Obligations as he fees fit. And therefore it is not neceffary all Parts of a Revelation should be fuch as may be proved by natural Reason : It is fufficient that they do not contradict it; for the Will of God is a fufficient Reafon for our Submiffion.

But, however, the Effentials of Religion, even under Revelation, must be tried and judged by the fame Principle. No Revelation can dispense with Virtue and Holiness; for it may as reasonably difpenfe with our believing the Being of a God, as with our believing that he can or would vacate the Obligations to Virtue and Holiness: For to remove God out of the World, and to change the effential Properties of his Nature, is one and the fame Thing. We may be fure then that all fuch Doctrines, all fuch Rites and Ceremonies, as tend to fubvert VOL. IV.

L

true

true Goodness and Holiness, are not of God's teaching or introducing.

Nor is there, I believe, a more certain Way to keep ourselves ftedfaftly in the Purity of the Gofpel, than by keeping our Eye conftantly on this Rule. Could Enthufiafm, or deftructive Zeal, ever have grown out of the Gospel, had Men compared their Practices with the natural Senfe. they have of God? Would they not have feen, that to defend even Religion by Cruelty, and Bloodshed muft be hateful in the Sight of God? Could Religion ever have degenerated into fuch Folly and Superftition, as in fome Places it has done, had the true, Notions of God been preferved, and all religious Actions examined by it?

On the other Hand, fome there are, who, taking Religion to be what it appears to be in the World, find fo much Folly, and Superftition, and Uncertainty in it, that they. have chofen, as the fafer Way, to reject all Religion: But could Men have judged thus perversely had they attended to the true Rule, and formed their Notions of Religion from the Nature and Wisdom of God, and not from the Follies and Extravagancies of Men? How does the Folly and Perverfeness of

others

others affect your Duty to God? or, How came you absolved from all Religion, because others have corrupted theirs? Suppose the People deceived, and the Priests either ignorant or fuperftitious; what then? Does the Error of one, or the Ignorance of the other, deftroy the Relation between you and God, and make it reasonable for you to throw off all Obedience? The Fear of God will teach you another Sort of Wisdom. This therefore you ought to cultivate and improve, and preferve free from Error or Corruption, as your fureft Guide in all Doubts, and as the true Principle of religious Wisdom.

[blocks in formation]
[ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]

But he, willing to justify himself, faid unto Jefus, And who is my Neighbour?

T

HE Precepts of the Law and of the Gospel being conceived in general Terms, and expreffed in the most easy and familiar Manner, Men of fpeculative Minds, whofe Bufinefs is rather Inquiry than Practice, have taken fo much Pains to adjust the Limitations and Restrictions which they conceive to be applicable to the general Rule, that in many Cafes the Duty has been loft in the Explication; and

[blocks in formation]
« FöregåendeFortsätt »