1. It is most Holy, for it calleth us up entirely unto God,1 and consisteth in our absolute dedication and devotedness to him. 2. It is most Spiritual, leading us from things carnal and terrene; and being principally about the government of the Soul; and placing all our felicity in things spiritual, and not in fleshly pleasures with the Epicureans and Mahometans: It teacheth us to worship God in a spiritual manner, and not either irrationally, toyishly, or irreverently: And it directeth our lives to a daily converse with God in holiness. 3. The Principles of it are the three Essentialities of God in Unity, viz. the Infinite Power, Wisdom and Goodness; and the three grand Relations of God to Man, as founded in his three most famous works, viz, as our Creator, our Redeemer, and our Regenerator or Sanctifier; and the three great Relations arising from Creation, and also from Redemption, viz. as he is our Owner, our Ruler and our Benefactor or chiefest Good and End. 4. The Ends of the Christian Religion, I find are proximately the saving of man from Satan, and the Justice of God; the sanctifying them to God, and purifying them from sin, the pardon of their sins, and the everlasting happiness of their Souls, in the pleasing and fruition of God for ever. In a word, it is but the redeeming us ⟨p. 230⟩from our carnal self, the world, and the devil, to the love and service of our Creator. 5. Nothing can be spoken more honourably of God in all his perfections, in the language of poor mortals, than what the Christian Religion speaketh of him. 6. And no Religion so much humbleth man, by opening the malignity both of his original and actual sin, and declaring the displeasure of God against it. 7. It teacheth us who once lived as without God in the world, to live wholly unto God,2 and to make nothing of all the world in comparison of him. 8. And it teacheth us to live upon the hopes of heaven, and fetch our motives and our comforts from it.
1. It is most Holy, for it calleth us up entirely unto God,1 and consisteth in our absolute dedication and devotedness to him. 2. It is most Spiritual, leading us from things carnal and terrene; and being principally about the government of the Soul; and placing all our felicity in things spiritual, and not in fleshly pleasures with the Epicureans and Mahometans: It teacheth us to worship God in a spiritual manner, and not either irrationally, toyishly, or irreverently: And it directeth our lives to a daily converse with God in holiness. 3. The Principles of it are the three Essentialities of God in Unity, viz. the Infinite Power, Wisdom and Goodness; and the three grand Relations of God to Man, as founded in his three most famous works, viz, as our Creator, our Redeemer, and our Regenerater or Sanctifier; and the three great Relations arising from Creation, and also from Redemption, viz. as he is our Owner, our Ruler and our Benefactor or chiefest Good and End. 4. The Ends of the Christian Religion, I find are proximately the saving of man from Satan, and the Justice of God; the sanctifying them to God, and purifying them from sin, the pardon of their sins, and the everlasting happiness of their Souls, in the pleasing and fruition of God for ever. In a word, it is but the redeeming us ⟨p. 230⟩from our carnal self, the world, and the devil, to the love and service of our Creator. 5. Nothing can be spoken more honourably of God in all his perfections, in the language of poor mortals, than what the Christian Religion speaketh of him. 6. And no Religion so much humbleth man, by opening the malignity both of his original and actual sin, and declaring the displeasure of God against it. 7. It teacheth us who once lived as without God in the world, to live wholly unto God,2 and to make nothing of all the world in comparison of him. 8. And it teacheth us to live upon the hopes of heaven, and fetch our motives and our comforts from it.
- 1Nulla major ad amorem invitatio quam praevenire amantem: & nimis durus est animus, qui, si delectionem nolebat impendere, nolit rependere. August. de Catech. rud. In eo quod amatur, aut non laboratur, aut labour amatur. August. de san. Vid. Ad Divos adeunto castè: pietatem adhibento, opes amovento: qui secus faxit, Deus ipse vindex erit. Leges Rom. in Cic. de Leg. 2. p. 237. Significat probitatem Deo gratam esse, sumptum esse removendum. Ib p. 239.Nulla major ad amorem invitatio quam praevenire amantem: & nimis durus est animus, qui, si delectionem nolebat impendere, nolit rependere. August. de Catech. rud. In eo quod amatur, aut non laboratur, aut labor amatur. August. de san. Vid. Ad Divos adeunto castè: pietatem adhibento, opes amovento: qui secus faxit, Deus ipse vindex erit. Leges Rom. in Cic. de Leg. 2. p. 237. Significat probitatem Deo gratam esse, sumptum esse removendum. Ib p. 239.
- 2Christianus nemo recte dicitur, nisi qui Christo moribus, prout valet, coequatur. Maxim. Christiani nomen frustra sortitur, qui Christum minime imitatur: Quid enim tibi prodest vocari quod non es, & nomen usurpare alienum? sed si Christianum te esse delectat, quae Christian tatis sunt gere, & merito tibi Christiani nomen assume. August. de vita Christiani. Ille vere Christianus est, qui omnibus misericordiam facit, qui nullâ omnino movetur injuriâ; qui alienum dolorem tanquam propium sentit; cujus mensam pauper non ignorat; qui coram hominibus inglorius habetur, ut coram Deo & Angeli glorietur: qui terrena contemnit, ut possit habere coelestia; qui opprimi pauperem se praesente non patitur, qui miseris subvenit, &c. August. de vita Christ.
