and for Christians to attend to the instructions of natural Reason, and neglect the Divine Revelations of the Gospel, is ⟨image 6⟩a folly like that of the silly Indians of Mexico, who having plenty of Wax, the natural work of the Bees; yet […] made use of Fire brands to light them in the Night that afforded a little Light mixed with a great deal of Smoke. Briefly, they had but wavering conjectures of the future State; and the recompenses thereof, from whence are derived the most powerful Motives of Active and Passive Obedience to the commanding and disposing Will of God; But in the Scripture are laid down in the clearest manner, and with infallible ⟨image 6⟩assurance, such Principles as are effectual to compose the Mind to patient Suffering, and to meet with valiant Resolution all the terrible contrarieties in the way to Heaven. It declares, that Sin opened an entrance unto all the current adversities in the World, which are the evident signs of God's displeasure against it. In anguish we are apt to dispute with Providence, and an imagination of Innocence kindles Discontent: Of this impatience, some even of the best Moral Heathens were guilty; Titus and Germanicus ⟨image 7⟩charged the Gods with their untimely, and in their apprehension undeserved Deaths; but the due sense of Sin will humble and quiet the Mind under Sufferings, it directs us to consecrate our Sorrows, to turn the flowing Stream into the Channel of Repentance. And thus the Passion of Grief, which, if terminated on external Troubles, is barren and unprofitable, it can neither retrieve our lost Comforts, nor remove any oppressing Evil; if it be employed for our offences, prepares us for Divine Mercy, and is infinitely beneficial to ⟨image 7⟩us. And thus by curing the Cause of Afflictions, our Guilt that deserves them, we take away the malignity and poison of them. The Word of God assures us, that all the perturbations and discords in the passages of our Lives are ordered by his Wisdom and Will, so that without extinguishing the two eyes of Reason and Faith, we must acknowledge his Providence, and observe his design in all, which is either to excite us when guilty of a careless neglect, or remiss performance of our Duty, or to reclaim us from our excursions and deviations ⟨image 8⟩from the narrow way that leads to Life.
and for Christians to attend to the instructions of natural Reason, and neglect the Divine Revelations of the Gospel, is ⟨image 6⟩a folly like that of the silly Indians of Mexico, who having plenty of Wax, the natural work of the Bees; yet 〈…〉 made use of Fire brands to light them in the Night that afforded a little Light mixt with a great deal of Smoak. Briefly, they had but wavering conjectures of the future State; and the recompences thereof, from whence are derived the most powerful Motives of Active and Passive Obedience to the commanding and disposing Will of God; But in the Scripture are laid down in the clearest manner, and with infallible ⟨image 6⟩assurance, such Principles as are effectual to compose the Mind to patient Suffering, and to meet with valiant Resolution all the terrible contrarieties in the way to Heaven. It declares, that Sin opened an entrance unto all the current adversities in the World, which are the evident signs of God's displeasure against it. In anguish we are apt to dispute with Providence, and an imagination of Innocence kindles Discontent: Of this impatience, some even of the best Moral Heathens were guilty; Titus and Germanicus ⟨image 7⟩charged the Gods with their untimely, and in their apprehension undeserved Deaths; but the due sence of Sin will humble and quiet the Mind under Sufferings, it directs us to consecrate our Sorrows, to turn the flowing Stream into the Channel of Repentance. And thus the Passion of Grief, which, if terminated on external Troubles, is barren and unprofitable, it can neither retrieve our lost Comforts, nor remove any oppressing Evil; if it be imployed for our offences, prepares us for Divine Mercy, and is infinitely beneficial to ⟨image 7⟩us. And thus by curing the Cause of Afflictions, our Guilt that deserves them, we take away the malignity and poison of them. The Word of God assures us, that all the perturbations and discords in the passages of our Lives are ordered by his Wisdom and Will, so that without extinguishing the two eyes of Reason and Faith, we must acknowledg his Providence, and observe his design in all, which is either to excite us when guilty of a careless neglect, or remiss performance of our Duty, or to reclaim us from our excursions and deviations ⟨image 8⟩from the narrow way that leads to Life.
