XVIII.

Dominion over the Difciple, when he took the CHAP. Name Christian, he submitted as to his Sovereign Lord, the After-conduct of his Will, Words, and Deeds, they were all cheerfully and abfolutely controul'd by its Laws: They never loft Sight of their folemn Engagements; they daily remembred them as the Capital Maxim of their Conduct whilft now-a-days every feditious Tribune of Self-fufficiency, or inordinate Affection, difputes the Authority; or is very indifferent to the Government; makes Sacramental Refolutions in order to remember them no more, or be nothing the better for them. The Degrees of Faith, in the ordinary Course of Providence, will ever arife out of the greater, or lefs Degree of Mens affenting to, and putting them alfo in use as fuch, to fuch Purpose.

THE modern Reason why the Lives of fo many Chriftians are unlike their holy Profeffion is, because they don't examine the Grounds and the Nature of their Faith, to know the Certainty and the Purport of it, for giving it an effectual Force upon their Minds, in referring its indubitable Design to holy and righteous Practice; they have but an half-persuasion of the Certainty of it, tho' attefted with a full Evidence; they afford an indolent Affent in general that fuch things may be, rather, than that they affuredly are, and that our Salvation and Happinefs depend upon the right Reception and Application of them; a Method of not difbelieving, rather than believing in any Earneft, or to any Purpose. How very many in these Kingdoms have been educated in the Chriftian Religion, yet how very few have embraced it

as

A

CHAP. as the Effect of a deliberate Choice? They beXVIII. ftow their fimple Approbation as on a Fashion or Custom of their Country, and had they been born and brought up in any other, of another Perfuafion, they would have done the very fame; and therefore if the Fashion of the Faith fhould vary, or threaten a Variation by the Defertion of Numbers, they are ready to come into it because, as a perfonal, obligatory, covenanted, faving Thing they regard it not at all. This is that frequent, fruitless, feigned Faith, the reverfe of that unfeigned Faith which is appointed to head a pure Confcience. And what pity it is, what Reproach and Scandal to the Reafon of many Christians, that their continual Inconfideration, Negligence, and Careleffness in thofe Things which they profefs they do believe, and which they acknowledge they can do, should fo conftantly, and with fo much Aggravation, undo fo many of them!

THEY either confider them not as what they are, Means, but as what they are not; and fo reft in them, as the End, Tapépyov epyov; as able to acquit them of the moral Law, or dispense with fome Difobedience, or raise Hope of Juftification, or, thro' fome other falfe defeating Opinions mixing with it, defeat its Intention. Or, if they take them to be Means, they nevertheless employ them not at all, or negligently, and unconftantly; and fo either way shame their Profeffion, and fo relinquish the ferene Benefits, Comforts, and Heavenly Benedictions of their Faith, for the horrible Accufation, and Condemnation thereof.

THAT

CHAP.

THAT Animadverfion may poffibly be too XVIII. juft, with respect to fome few, "who went

from Church to Chapel, from Chapel to "Church, and were punctual in all Church Ce"remonies, without regarding the End for "which they could be inftituted: So, that in ❝ftead of being humble, affable, and good, they have proved big with the worst fort of "Pride, Spiritual Pride; cenfuring and de

fpifing their Neighbours, though ever fo "good, if they were not as punctual as them"felves in obferving those Things; and the "Conceit they had of their own Godliness, "has made them as troublesome at Home as "Abroad, as bad Wives as Neighbours.* It is commendable to learn even from an Enemy. But thefe Confiderations do not fall under my prefent Design.

I CONCLUDE therefore, that this Faith in the Mediator, as before reprefented, purposely reveal'd for influencing the Chriftian Life, and invigorating the degenerated Powers of Man to good Works, is fo necceffary, fo morally neceffary to both, (where it is made known) that they depend upon it as their moral Caufe; and confequently, that a Rejection, or Corruption, or habitual Doubting, or Neglect in the former, is that inward Principle of Immorality, which produces the fame in the latter. Such as the Tree is, fuch will be the Fruit. Where there is Unbelief, there will be Impenitency, Apoftafy from Prayer, and a Subfidence into all evil

Christianity as old, &c. pag. 132.

Works

CHAP. Works either of Flefh, or Spirit, or both. But XVIII. when there is Faith towards our Lord Jesus

Chrift in ferious Earneft, and to its true Purpose, there will be true Repentance towards God, with true Devotion, and every good Work: And the Increase and Steddinefs of every Chriftian's Virtue will be in proportion. to their Increase and Steddinefs in that Faith in the Mediator.

CHAP.

CHA P. XIX.

A Proper Answer to the DEIST, objecting the Want of Universality to the Chriftian Religion.

I

RESERVE this to the laft, and CHA P. thought once of throwing it into an XIX. Appendix, as being an Objection rather to the Ways of Divine Providence, than to the intrinfick Merits of Chriftianity. But as thefe Objectors are very impertinent, in laying fo great a Strefs upon it, and immodeftly importunate in fo often repeating it, fince the firft ftarting by Porphyry, who was himself an Epicurean * as to his Philofo

phy,

*For Epicurean read Platonift. This indeed maims that part of the preliminary Obfervation; but as it is Truth, upon farther Inquiry, it must in Confcience be fubmitted to. Ard I take this Opportunity to thank the ingenuous Gentleman [See Fog's Journal 13 Nov. 1736. being a Letter from a Deift converted upon reading this Book] for his Correction of the Miftake, and to beg the Correction of all other Mistakes from every other learned Hand, in a Caufe of fuch Dignity and Importance; promifing, they fhall be publickly acknowledg'd, in Cafe they prove Miftakes, to the generous Corrector, who does me that Honour and Favour. I am the more obliged to the Candor of the learned Letter Writer, for making his Judgment of my imperfect Performance, from the main Drift and Defign of it, and at the same time generously overlooking not a few Inaccuracies and leffer Faults, that escaped in the first Edition by one Means or VOL. II.

U

other,