A39678:439
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
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.
Expectation IV.
Fourthly, Your Reason will justly expect it from you, that when or wheresoever you shall see eminent Piety meeting with punctual Conformity in one Man, that Man shall be your very Darling, and that both these Qualifications should recommend him to your dearest Affection. The more strictly godly he is, the more conformable he is to the Laws of God; as well as by his punctual Compliance with enjoined Rules and Rites of Worship to the Laws of ⟨p. 112⟩Men. If he be a Man of Catholic Charity to all of every Persuasion, whom he judges to fear God, and be truly conscientious; if he boldly and impartially reprove Sin wherever he finds it, tho it be in his own Patron, or Men of his own Profession; you will still love him the more for that. For if Sincerity and Conformity (as you pretend) be the very things which you make such a Noise and Bustle for in the World, here you have them both in conjunction. This is the Man you seem to seek (by these Pleas of yours) for a Pattern and Standard to reduce other Men to.
Fourthly, Your Reason will justly expect it from you, that when or wheresoever you shall see eminent Piety meeting with punctual Conformity in one Man, that Man shall be your very Darling, and that both these Qualifications should recommend him to your dearest Affection. The more strictly godly he is, the more conformable he is to the Laws of God; as well as by his punctual Compliance with enjoyned Rules and Rites of Worship to the Laws of ⟨p. 112⟩Men. If he be a Man of Catholick Charity to all of every Perswasion, whom he judges to fear God, and be truly conscientious; if he boldly and impartially reprove Sin whereever he finds it, tho it be in his own Patron, or Men of his own Profession; you will still love him the more for that. For if Sincerity and Conformity (as you pretend) be the very things which you make such a Noise and Bussle for in the World, here you have them both in conjunction. This is the Man you seem to seek (by these Pleas of yours) for a Pattern and Standard to reduce other Men to.