But though undeniable reason thus presented, by the grace of God, do much cure some particular souls, yet alas, the World, the most of the Church visible & the Land is so far uncured, as that selfishness still triumpheth over our innocency, piety and peace, and seemeth to deride our hopes of remedy. Were Profession as rare as true Self-denial, I should be of their mind who reduce the Church into a much narrower room than either the Roman, the National, the Presbyterian, or Independent. Alas, how few are those true Believers, whose inordinate SELF-LOVE, SELF-CONCEITEDNESS, SELF-WILL, and SELF-SEEKING are truly conquered by FAITH, and turned into the LOVE of GOD as GOD, and of the PUBLIC GOOD, and of their NEIGHBOUR, as themselves; and into a HUMBLED UNDERSTANDING conscious of its Ignorance; and into a humbled submissive WILL, which is more disposed to follow than to lead, and to obey than to be Imperious and domineer; and into a LIFE entirely devoted to God and to the Common good?
But though undeniable reason thus presented, by the grace of God, do much cure some particular souls, yet alas, the World, the most of the Church visible & the Land is so far uncured, as that selfishness still triumpheth over our innocency, piety and peace, and seemeth to deride our hopes of remedy. Were Profession as rare as true Self-denial, I should be of their mind who reduce the Church into a much narrower room than either the Roman, the National, the Presbyterian, or Independent. Alas, how few are those true Believers, whose inordinate SELF-LOVE, SELF-CONCEITEDNESS, SELF-WILL, and SELF-SEEKING are truly conquered by FAITH, and turned into the LOVE of GOD as GOD, and of the PUBLICK GOOD, and of their NEIGHBOUR, as themselves; and into a HUMBLED UNDERSTANDING conscious of its Ignorance; and into a humbled submissive WILL, which is more disposed to follow than to lead, and to obey than to be Imperious and domineer; and into a LIFE entirely devoted to God and to the Common good?
