N02150:62
Religious societies. Proposals for the revival of dying religion, by well ordered societies for…
Religious societies. Proposals for the revival of dying religion, by well ordered societies for that purpose. : With a brief discourse, offered unto a religious society, on the first day of their meeting. : [One line from I Thessalonians]
Boston: printed by S. Kneeland for John Phillips, 1724
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.
First; THE Nature of the Things; we must have a Right Knowledge of That. So we read about, Knowing the Grace of GOD. Ignorance is indeed the Mother of Destruction. The Blind fall into the Ditch. The way to Heaven is a Narrow way; And tho' it be said, The wayfaring men, tho' Fools, shall not err therein; yet foolish Man, who is born like the wild Asses Colt, must have a CHRIST for his Prophet, and ⟨p. 8⟩in that way be made Wise unto Salvation, or else he will Err, and be for ever a Stranger to the way of peace. O Ignorant Creature, The Darkness of thy Mind, will bring thee down to the Darkness of the Pit. Ignorance, Ah, Bloody Cur-throat unto Millions of Precious and Immortal Souls! How should People be Saved, without Knowing the way of Salvation; or, Enjoy Peace without Knowing the way to the Jerusalem? The Gospel of Peace is therefore such an inestimable Jewel; Because we have the means of Knowledge in it.
IT was once prescribed, Acquaint thy self with GOD, and be at peace. Even so, Let People Acquaint themselves with Faith, and with Repentance, and with Holiness, if they would seek peace and pursue it.
THERE are Mysteries in Faith. People often delude themselves with an Historical Faith, as if it were enough to yield some Kind of Assent unto the Truth; or with a presumptuous Faith, taking it for granted that their Sins are pardoned, whether ever they have with a distressed Soul sought for it, or no; or with an Imperfect Faith, receiving a CHRIST in some of His Offices, but not in all of them. So, forsooth, now they have Commenced Believers.