IT was the great care of the Apostle Paul to deliver his Gospel to the Churches in its own simplicity, because, SO it is the Power of God unto Salvation to every one that believeth. And if it was his care so to deliver it to us, it should be ours to seek so to continue it: And the rather, because of the Unaptness of the Minds even of the Saints themselves to retain it without commixture. For, to say nothing of the Projects of Hell, and of the cunning craftiness of some that lie in wait to d• ceive, even the Godly themselves, as they are dull of hearing, so much more dull in receiving, and holding fast the simplicity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: from their Sense, and Reason, and Unbelief, and Darkness, arise many imaginations, and high thoughts which exalt themselves against the Knowledge of God, and the Obedience of Jesus Christ; wherefore they themselves have much ado to stand complete in all the Will of God. And were they not concerned in electing love, by which they are bound up in the Bundle of Life, and blessed with the Enjoyment of Saving Grace, which enlighteneth their ⟨image 3⟩Souls, and maintaineth their Faith and Hope, they would not only be assaulted, and afflicted with their own Corruptions, but as others, overcome thereby.
IT was the great care of the Apostle Paul to deliver his Gospel to the Churches in its own simplicity, because, SO it is the Power of God unto Salvation to every one that believeth. And if it was his care so to deliver it to us, it should be ours to seek so to continue it: And the rather, because of the Unaptness of the Minds even of the Saints themselves to retain it without commixture. For, to say nothing of the Projects of Hell, and of the cunning craftiness of some that lie in wait to d• ceive, even the Godly themselves, as they are dull of hearing, so much more dull in receiving, and holding fast the simplicity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: from their Sense, and Reason, and Unbelief, and Darkness, arise many imaginations, and high thoughts which exalt themselves against the Knowledg of God, and the Obedience of Jesus Christ; wherefore they themselves have much ado to stand compleat in all the Will of God. And were they not concerned in electing love, by which they are bound up in the Bundle of Life, and blessed with the Enjoiment of Saving Grace, which enlightneth their ⟨image 3⟩Souls, and maintaineth their Faith and Hope, they would not only be assaulted, and afflicted with their own Corruptions, but as others, overcome thereby.
