The blessedness of the righteous discoursed from Psal. 17, 15 /The blessednesse of the righteous discoursed from Psal. 17, 15 /

But when he draws nearer to us, and observes the course and carriage of our lives; when he sees us walk as other men, and considers the strange disagreement of our daily conversation, to our so great avowed hopes, and how little sense of joy, and pleasure we discover our selves to conceive in them: would he not be ready to say, sure some or other (willing only to amuse the world with the noise of strange things) have composed a Religion for these men, which they themselves understand nothing of. If they do adopt, and own it for theirs, they understand not their own pretences; they are taught to speak some big words, or to give a faint, or seeming assent to such as speak them in the names; but tis impossible they should be in good earnest, or believe themselves in what they say, and profess.

But when he draws nearer to us, and observs the course and carriage of our lives; when he sees us walk as other men, and considers the strange disagreement of our daily conversation, to our so great avowed hopes, and how little sense of joy, and pleasure we discover our selves to conceive in them: would he not be ready to say, sure some or other (willing only to amuse the world with the noise of strange things) have composed a Religion for these men, which they themselves understand nothing of. If they do adopt, and own it for theirs, they understand not their own pretences; they are taught to speak som big words, or to give a faint, or seeming assent to such as speak them in the names; but tis impossible they should be in good earnest, or believe themselves in what they say, and profess.

And what reply then should we be able to make? for who can think that any who acknowledge a God; and understand at all what that name imports, should value at so low a rate, as we (visibly) do; the eternal fruition of his glory, and a present Sonship ⟨p. 360⟩to him, the pledge of so great an hope.