A39678:343
The reasonableness of personal reformation, and the necessity of conversion
The reasonableness of personal reformation, and the necessity of conversion; the true methods of making all men happy in this world, and in the world to come Seasonably discoursed, and earnestly pressed upon this licentious age. By J.F. a sincere lover of his native country, and the souls of men.The reasonableness of personal reformation, and the necessity of conversion; the true methods of making all men happy in this world, and in the world to come Seasonably discoursed, and earnestly pressed upon this licentious age. By J.F. a sincere lover of his native countrey, and the souls of men.
London: printed for Thomas Cockerill, 1691
THE REASONABLENESS OF Personal Reformation, › Chapter 5 › Section 5 › Inducement 1: Inducement 1.
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.
But this will be found a weak and foolish Plea for Uncleanness, which will never be able to endure the test of your own Reason. For the inbred Notions of a God, and of a future Life of Retribution being so firmly sealed and engraven upon humane Nature, that they can never be utterly eradicated; your own Reason will argue from those inbred Notions in this manner, and how you will be able to refel the Argument, and escape Conviction and Self-condemnation, quite surmounts my Imagination, whatever it do yours. And thus it will dispute, and Dilemma you, do what you can.
That God, before whom greater and lesser, honourable and baser Sinners shall appear in Judgment, will be either partial or impartial in his Judgments upon them. There is, or there is not Respect of Persons with him. If there be (which both his Nature and Word utterly deny) then those great and honourable Adulterers or fornicators, ⟨p. 89⟩whose Examples you follow, may haply be excused for their Eminency and Honours sake; but you that have no such Eminency and Honour in the World, as they have, must be condemned, tho you thought to escape as well as they.
That God, before whom greater and lesser, honourable and baser Sinners shall appear in Judgment, will be either partial or impartial in his Judgments upon them. There is, or there is not Respect of Persons with him. If there be (which both his Nature and Word utterly deny) then those great and honourable Adulterers or •ornicators, ⟨p. 89⟩whose Examples you follow, may haply be excused for their Eminency and Honours sake; but you that have no such Eminency and Honour in the World, as they have, must be condemned, tho you thought to escape as well as they.