The Impious, and Mischievous Men, against whom the Inspired Writer is now Engaged, have their Impiety here declared. First, The Ungodly Men stand charged with Filthiness. They were, that I may use the most agreeable Term, which the French Translation Leads me to, A very Dissolute Generation. I take notice by the way, that the Greek Term, here used for, Lasciviousness, or Wantonness, is derived from the Name of the Town Selga; a Place infamous for such Dissolute Practices. It makes me wish, that no Town of ours, may in our Days, have any Vice abounding in it, so as with a lasting Infamy to derive a Name unto it. I am loth here to Explain my self too particularly! I go on with my Remarks, and ⟨p. 3⟩say; That I would not be so unacquainted with Church-History, •n•to think, the Gnostics to be the Ungodly Men peculiarly intended here, tho' a well-known Interpreter, with an Oddity not unlike many more in him, with which he has most shamefully injured the Sacred Scriptures, ridiculously enough runs every where upon it. There were Other and Older Heretics, which this Iniquity might be charged upon. And indeed, it is well known, and from Authority much better than Epiphanius, that the Heretics of those Days were noted for Indulged Impurities. But then, secondly; To our Astonishment, we find, what it was, that the Ungodly men, made the Encouragement o• their Filthiness. Astonishing! It was the Grace of God, which they turned into Wantonness. by the Grace of God, is meant, the Revelation which is in the Gospel brought unto us; what we have, in [Act. XX. 24.] The Gospel of the Grace of God: A Revelation wherein, Grace! Grace! the Glorious Grace of God, shines in its Meridian Glory, and with an amazing Splendour on the Children of Men When it is said, They Turned it; there is a Word used, that signifies, they ••rested it, they Wronged […], they Transferred it from the right use of it, they horribly Abused it. I am stopped a little. Whose Grace? We are told, The Grace of OUR God. Sirs, If we have any Sense of an Interest in GOD, and if we rejoice in Him as OUR God, we shall have a Zeal for Holiness boiling in our Souls. If we care not whether Holiness flourish or no, we want a Good Mark, that the Holy God is OURS A•, Lord▪ If thou […] OUR God, we shall be loth to see […] Gospel abused with any unholy Practices.
The Impious, and Mischievous Men, against whom the Inspired Writer is now Engaged, have their Impiety here declared. First, The Ungodly Men stand charged with Filthiness. They were, that I may use the most agreeable Term, which the French Translation Leads me to, A very Dissolute Generation. I take notice by the way, that the Greek Term, here used for, Lasciviousness, or Wantonness, is derived from the Name of the Town Selga; a Place infamous for such Dissolute Practices. It makes me wish, that no Town of ours, may in our Dayes, have any Vice abounding in it, so as with a lasting Infamy to derive a Name unto it. I am lothe here to Explain my self too particularly! I go on with my Remarks, and ⟨p. 3⟩say; That I would not be so unacquainted with Church-History, •n•to think, the Gnosticks to be the Ungodly Men peculiarly intended here, tho' a well-known Interpreter, with an Oddity not unlike many more in him, with which he has most shamefully injured the Sacred Scriptures, ridiculously enough runs every where upon it. There were Other and Older Hereticks, which this Iniquity might be charged upon. And indeed, it is well known, and from Authority much better than Epiphanius, that the Hereticks of those Dayes were noted for Indulged Impurities. But then, secondly; To our Astonishment, we find, what it was, that the Ungodly men, made the Encouragement o• their Filthiness. Astonishing! It was the Grace of God, which they turned into Wantonness. by the Grace of God, is meant, the Revelation which is in the Gospel brought unto us; what we have, in [Act. XX. 24.] The Gospel of the Grace of God: A Revelation wherein, Grace! Grace! the Glorious Grace of God, shines in its Meridian Glory, and with an amazing Splendor on the Children of Men When it is said, They Turned it; there is a Word used, that signifies, they ••rested it, they Wronged 〈…〉, they Transferred it from the right use of it, they horribly Abused it. I am stop'd a little. Whose Grace? We are told, The Grace of OUR God. Sirs, If we have any Sense of an Interest in GOD, and if we rejoyce in Him as OUR God, we shall have a Zeal for Holiness boiling in our Souls. If we care not whether Holiness flourish or no, we want a Good Mark, that the Holy God is OURS A•, Lord▪ If thou 〈…〉 OUR God, we shall be lothe to see 〈…〉 Gospel abused with any unholy Practices.
