A26808:133
The sovereign and final happiness of man with the effectual means to obtain itThe soveraign and final happiness of man with the effectual means to obtain it
The sovereign and final happiness of man with the effectual means to obtain it by William Bates ...The soveraign and final happiness of man with the effectual means to obtain it by William Bates ...
London: printed by J.D. for Brabazon Aylmer, 1680
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
He will strive by blessed and glorious Gradations to ascend to the perfection of his aims and desires, to be holy as God is holy in all manner of Conversation, to be pure as Christ is pure. We have an admirable instance of this in St Paul who declares,1 Brethren, I count not my self, to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark, for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. His Progress was great, yet that did not make him slack in the prosecution of his End. He laboured to attain the President of our Saviour, to feel the Power of his Death and Life, to apprehend Christ entirely and perfectly as Christ had apprehended him. He was very diligent to improve the Divine Image in his Heart and Life.
He will strive by blessed and glorious Gradations to ascend to the perfection of his aims and desires, to be holy as God is holy in all manner of Conversation, to be pure as Christ is pure. We have an admirable instance of this in St Paul who declares,1 Brethren, I count not my self, to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark, for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. His Progress was great, yet that did not make him slack in the prosecution of his End. He laboured to attain the President of our Saviour, to feel the Power of his Death and Life, to apprehend Christ intirely and perfectly as Christ had apprehended him. He was very diligent to improve the Divine Image in his Heart and Life.
From hence we may discover the vanity of their Hopes, that are of luke-warm Affections in Religion, (the abhorred character of Laodicea) who esteem it a prudent Principle, as convenient for their