A Continuation of morning-exercise questions and cases of conscience practically resolvedA Continuation of morning-exercise questions and cases of conscience practicaly resolved

The Loss of an Experience of the Power of Religion, hath been the Cause of the loss of the Truth of Religion; or it hath been the Cause of rejecting its Substance, and setting up a Shadow or Image in the room of it.

This Transformation of all things in Religion, began and proceeded on these Grounds. Those who had the Conduct of it, were always possessed of the General Notions of Truth, which they could not forget without a total Renunciation of the Gospel it self. But having lost all Experience of this power in themselves, they wrested them unto things quite of another nature, destructive to the Truth, as well as devoid of its Power: Hereon it came to pass that there was a dead Image made and set up of Religion in all the parts of it, called by the Name of that which was true and living, but utterly lost. All Experience, I say, of the power and efficacy of the Mystery of the Gospel, and the Truths of it, in communicating the Grace of God unto the Souls of men being lost, retaining the general Notion of it, they contrived and framed an outward Image or Representation of them, suited unto their Ignorance and Superstition.

Thus was the truth of Religion once almost totally lost in the world, as we shall see; neither will it ever be lost any other way, or by any other means. When Churches or Nations are possessed of the Truth and the Profession of it, it is not Laws, nor Fines, nor Imprisonments, nor Gibbets, nor Fires, that shall ever dispossess them, or deprive them of it.