The reasons of the Christian religion the first part, of godliness, proving by natural…

They meddled so little with the inward sins and duties of the heart, especially about the holy Love of God; and their goodness was so much in outward acts, and in mere respect to men; that they were not like to sanctify the Soul, or make the Man good, that his actions might be good; but only to polish men for Civil Societies; with the addition of a little Varnish of Superstition and Hypocrisy. 11. Their very style is either suitable to dead speculation, as a Lecture of Metaphysics; or sleight and dull, and unlike to be effectual to convert and sanctify mens Souls: 12. Almost all is done in such a disputing sophistical way, and clogged with so many obscurities, uncertainties, and self-contradictions, and mixed in heaps of Physical and Logical Subtleties, that they were unfit for the common peoples benefit, and could tend but to the benefit of a few. 13. Experience taught, and still teacheth the World, that Holy ⟨p. 290⟩Souls and Lives, that were sincerely set upon God and Heaven, were strangers amongst the Disciples of the Philosophers, and other Heathens: Or if it be thought that there were some such among them, certainly, they were very few, in comparison of true Christians, and those few very dark, and diseased and defective: with us, a Child at ten years old will know more of God, and show more true piety, than did any of their Philosophers; with us poor women, and labouring persons, do live in that holiness, and heavenliness of mind and conversation, which the wisest of the Philosophers never did attain. I spake of this before, but here also thought meet, to show you the difference between the effect of Christs doctrine and the Philosophers.

They medled so little with the inward sins and duties of the heart, especially about the holy Love of God; and their goodness was so much in outward acts, and in meer respect to men; that they were not like to sanctifie the Soul, or make the Man good, that his actions might be good; but only to polish men for Civil Societies; with the addition of a little Varnish of Superstition and Hypocrisie. 11. Their very style is either suitable to dead speculation, as a Lecture of Metaphysicks; or sleight and dull, and unlike to be effectual to convert and sanctifie mens Souls: 12. Almost all is done in such a disputing sophistical way, and clogg'd with so many obscurities, uncertainties, and self-contradictions, and mixt in heaps of Physical and Logical Subtilties, that they were unfit for the common peoples benefit, and could tend but to the benefit of a few. 13. Experience taught, and still teacheth the World, that Holy