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

1. We have great cause to lament their decay; for how visible is it! and how destructive to the common truly Christian Interest! It was once the usual cognisance of those of this holy profession, See how these Christians love one another, and even refuse not to dye for each other! Now it may be, How do they hate! and are like to dye and perish by the hands of one another! Our Lord himself gave it them to be their distinguishing character. By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if you love one another. Good Lord! what are they now to be known by!

And what a cloudy, wavering, uncertain, lank, spiritless thing is the Faith of Christians in this age become! How little are the ascertaining grounds of it understood, or endeavoured to be understood! Most content themselves to profess it only as the Religion of their Country, and which was delivered to them by their forefathers. And so are Christians but upon the same terms as other Nations are Mahometans or more gross Pagans, as a worthy Writer some time since took notice^*. How few make it their business to see things with their own eyes, to believe, and be sure that Jesus is the Christ, the son of the living God! How far are we from the riches of the full assurance of understanding! How little practical, and governing is the faith of the most! How little doth it import of an acknowledgement of the mystery of God, viz. of the Father, and of Christ! How little effectual is it! which it can be but in proportion to the grounds upon which it rests. When the Gospel is received, not as the word of man, but of God, it works effectually in them that so believe it, 1 Thes. 2.13.

And what a cloudy, wavering, uncertain, lank, spiritless thing is the Faith of Christians in this age become! How little are the ascertaining grounds of it understood, or endeavoured to be understood! Most content themselves to profess it only as the Religion of their Countrey, and which was delivered to them by their forefathers. And so are Christians but upon the same terms as other Nations are Mahometans or more gross Pagans, as a worthy Writer some time since took notice