7. Consider, that all things in the Christian Religion are transcending and high, and call for somewhat more than ordinary. There are great Obligations, holy Precepts, rich Advantages, glorious Hopes. Great Obligations: God was devising what he should give us, and in the Covenant he hath given us Himself, and ⟨p. 192⟩could give us no greater thing; he gave us his Son to die for us, and his Spirit, and with Christ he hath given us all things. It should constrain and urge us more than it doth, 2 Cor. 5.14, 15. For the Love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judg, that if one died for all, then were all dead. And that he died for all, that they which live, should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. What a poor Requital is the best that we can do? We have too many Mercies, as too much Wood puts out the Fire. God's Love is gone to the uttermost; therefore we should not be cold and careless, but double our Diligence in the Work of God. Then we have rich Advantages, the Supplies of the Spirit. A poor Heathen may torture and rack his Brain how to find out a Remedy for Sin; some of them, because they could not mortify a Lust, hanged themselves, and some put out their Eyes, and offered Violence to Nature: O, but we have a mighty Spirit: mark! there is not only a Person of the Godhead to merit our Salvation, but a Person of the Godhead to work it out: Next to the Gift of Christ, we have the Gift of the Spirit. O it should be a shame, that when we have such a keen Sword to cut the Throat of our Lusts, that we act so faintly, use it so feebly, and are no more valiant. And then what pure and excellent Precepts have we in the Christian Religion, reaching not only to the Act, but the very Aim, to the Intents and Thoughts and secret workings of the Heart; Psal. 19.7. The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the Soul: And not only to the Sin, but to the Lust: Thy Commandment is exceeding broad, Psal. 119.96. Then we have glorious Hopes. The Scriptures that are a perfect Rule in all other Cases, yet herein they profess their Imperfection, 1 Cor. 13.9. We prophesy but in part; Words not fit and great enough to tell us of our Hopes, 2 Cor. 4.17. Our light Affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory, [Greek or Hebrew]. It is the highest strain and reach of Fancy.
7. Consider, that all things in the Christian Religion are transcending and high, and call for somewhat more than ordinary. There are great Obligations, holy Precepts, rich Advantages, glorious Hopes. Great Obligations: God was devising what he should give us, and in the Covenant he hath given us Himself, and ⟨p. 192⟩could give us no greater thing; he gave us his Son to die for us, and his Spirit, and with Christ he hath given us all things. It should constrain and urge us more than it doth, 2 Cor. 5.14, 15. For the Love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judg, that if one died for all, then were all dead. And that he died for all, that they which live, should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. What a poor Requital is the best that we can do? We have too many Mercies, as too much Wood puts out the Fire. God's Love is gone to the uttermost; therefore we should not be cold and careless, but double our Diligence in the Work of God. Then we have rich Advantages, the Supplies of the Spirit. A poor Heathen may torture and rack his Brain how to find out a Remedy for Sin; some of them, because they could not mortify a Lust, hang'd themselves, and some put out their Eyes, and offered Violence to Nature: O, but we have a mighty Spirit: mark! there is not only a Person of the Godhead to merit our Salvation, but a Person of the Godhead to work it out: Next to the Gift of Christ, we have the Gift of the Spirit. O it should be a shame, that when we have such a keen Sword to cut the Throat of our Lusts, that we act so faintly, use it so feebly, and are no more valiant. And then what pure and excellent Precepts have we in the Christian Religion, reaching not only to the Act, but the very Aim, to the Intents and Thoughts and secret workings of the Heart; Psal. 19.7. The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the Soul: And not only to the Sin, but to the Lust: Thy Commandment is exceeding broad, Psal. 119.96. Then we have glorious Hopes. The Scriptures that are a perfect Rule in all other Cases, yet herein they profess their Imperfection, 1 Cor. 13.9. We prophesy but in part; Words not fit and great enough to tell us of our Hopes, 2 Cor. 4.17. Our light Affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. It is the highest strain and reach of Fancy.
