Sermons preached on several occasionsSermons preach'd on several occasions

There are many in this degenerate Age, who although they dare not publicly own the defiled and abhorred Name of Infidels, yet among their Companions employ their Wit to dispute and deride the most sublime and sacred Truths out of the World. Their Faces are full of Death, the Tokens of Reprobation are visible upon them. The Issue will discover them to be the wretched Examples of that fearful Rule. Those who are destined to final Ruin are infatuated.

There are many in this degenerate Age, who altho they dare not publickly own the defil'd and abhorr'd Name of Infidels, yet among their Companions employ their Wit to dispute and deride the most sublime and sacred Truths out of the World. Their Faces are full of Death, the Tokens of Reprobation are visible upon them. The Issue will discover them to be the wretched Examples of that fearful Rule. Those who are destin'd to final Ruin are infatuated.

Others are Believers in Profession and their own Conceit, but Infidels in Practice. Their Faith is but a vain Opinion, a loose Assent to the Christian Doctrine, because ⟨p. 234⟩'tis the Religion of the Country, but with our Radication and Establishment. This is evident, considering that the Doctrines of the Gospel are not merely intellectual, the Objects of Theory and Speculation, but moral and practical, the Objects of our choice and seeking: This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all Acceptation, that Jesus Christ is come into the World to save Sinners. Accordingly the unfeigned belief of them is seated not only in the Mind, but in the Heart, and is correspondent to the infallible Truth and transcendent Goodness of the thing revealed: they make such an Impression on the Soul, that the value of them is above Life, and whatever comes in Competition is with despising Disdain rejected. But when Men seldom remember and little regard eternal Things, how specious soever the Profession is, can there be a reasonable Belief ⟨p. 235⟩of their Words against their Works? Therefore in the Language of the Scripture, all that do not first seek the Kingdom of Heaven, and the Righteousness thereof, are Unbelievers; it being morally impossible that Men should sincerely believe, and have a due Apprehension of it, but it must be the great Design of their Souls, and the main Business of their Lives to obtain it.