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Show s~, t69l· ~ I'm I. Rejletlions and Maxims; VoL. I. ~o6. Let us then not co1en out felvcs with the Shells and Hufl<s of Things; nor prefer Form to Power, nor Sha6ows to Subftance; Piftwres of Bread will not fatisfy Hunger, nor thofe of'f>evotion pleafe God. 507. This World is a Form; our Bodies are Forms; and no vifible Aas of Devotion can be without Forms. But yet the.lefs Form in Religion the better, fince God js a Spirit: For the more mtflta/ our Worfhip, the more tJ'dtquttte to the Nature of God; the more filcnt, the more fuitable to the Language of a Spirit. soS. Words are for others, not for our felves: Nor for God, who hears not as Bodies do ; but as Spirits fhould. 5o9. If we would know this DialeCt, we mull learn of the divine Psinciple in us. As we hear rhe Diflates of that, fo God bearr m. 51o. There we may ree him too in all his Attributes' Tho' but in little yet as much as we can apprehend or hear: For as he is in himfelf, he is in~ comprehenfible, and drctllttb in that Li~bt ubicb no Eye can approach. But in his lma10 we may behold his Glory 1 enough to exalt our Apprehenfions of God, and to inllruEl us in that Worfhip which pleafeth him. ~11. Men may tire themfelves in a Labyrinth of Search, and talk of God: But if we would know him indeed, it muft he from the Impreffions we receive of him , and the fofter our Hearts are, the deeper and livelier rhofe will be upon us. s r '· If he has made us fenfible of his Jullice, by his Reproof 1 of his ·Patience, by his Forbe:uance, of his Mercy, by his Forgivenefs, of his Holinefs, by the Sanllification of our Hearts through his Spirit ; we have a grounded Knowledge of God. This is Experience, that Speculation 1 This Enjoyment, that Report. In fhorr, this is undeniable Evidence, with the Realities of Religion, and will ftand all Winds and Weathers. ')1;. As our Fai.rh, fo our Devotion fhould be lively. Cold Meat won't ferve at thofe Repalls. ~·4· II is a Coal from God's Alt3! muftkindle our Fire: And without Fire, true Fire, no acceptable Sacrifice. 515. Optn th•u my Lips, and tbtn, faid the Royal Prophet, My Moutb ]haD praif< Gcd. But not "till then. ')16. The Preparation of the Hearr, as well as Anfwer of the Tongue, is of the Lord: And to have it, our Prayers muft be powerful, and our Wor-fhip grateful. • 517: Let us chufe, therefore, to commune where there ~ the warmeft Senfe of Religion; where Devotion sxcceds Formallty, and PraEHfe moft correfponds with Profeffion ; and where there is at leaft as mu.cli Charity as Zeal : For where this Society is to be feund, there fhall we find rhe Church of God. p8. As good, fo ill Men are all of a Church ; and every Body knows who mull lie Head of it. ~19· The lhl•blt, Muk, Mtrciful, JN]I, Picm and Dtvout Soull, are every where of one Religion , :and when Death has taken off the Mal1c, they wiD know one anQther, though the diverfc Liveries they wear here, make them Strangers. 52o. Gr(at .11/Jtn.canus are to be made for Education and Perfonal Weakncifes : But 'tis a Rule with me, that Man is truly Religious, that love• the Perfwafion he is of, for the Piety rather than Ceremony of i~ pr. They that have one End, can hardly .difagree when they meet. Ar leaft their Concern in rhe Greater, moderates their Value and DiJfcrcncc about the Leifer Things. su. It is a fad Rcft.e£\ion, that many Men hardly have any Rtlig;olllll all ~ and moft Men have none of their own: For that which is the Rclig\ol) of their Education, aod not of their Judgment, is the Religion of Another, and not Theirs. 'i23· To have Religion upon Authority, and nOt upon ConvifHon, is like ~ Hng<~ Watch. to 'be fer forwards or baokw;uds, as he pleafes that has 1! 1n keep1ng. · VoL. 1.. Rejle.'lloni and Maxims. >•4· It IS a prepofierous Thin h 841 they wiiJ not venture their M g, t at Men can venture their Soul Truft, but not truft a Synod :J b~~ey ~ {G they will take their Religio~ Wfltre ! 693· 52S· They will follow their o~ t e oodntfi of Half a Crown. upon v-v-.....J ed, whatever they do for their So~1~.udgmem when their Money is concern. Pan I. ~26. But to be fure that R r . worj(for having, , e Jgton cannot be right, that a Man is th 5'7· No Religion, is bettertH n U 0 528. Grace Oerfcfls but nev 3 an mtatural One. 529. To be Vnnatu;alin D flerfoun orfpoil.r Nature. 53"· Hardly any Thin lo~kence of Grau, is a Contradi£iion ~ that fhew it has no Crtdirg with ~&~orfe, than .to defend Religio~ by Way~ 531. A Devout Man is one Th' S . • )32. When our Minds exceed ~~:~i: . tttldtr is quite another. du what we would recommend. JU1t Bounds, we muft needs difcre- 533· To be Furious in Reli io . 5 34: If he th~t ls wlthotttgB:,:,~s t~ be lrreligioully Religions. a Chnfban ) s, s not a Man ; How then can he be 535· It were better to be of no Church s;6. Bitternefscomes ver ne · ~ than to be hitter for any the Perfe£\ion of Wickednefs. ar to Enmtty, and that is Bt(/zrlni!J; .becau10 537· A good End cannot fanElif E "l M that Good may come of if. Y vt eans r nor mufi we ever do E .1 538. Some Folk think they S ld . V• ' it be but/or God'$ Sa/it, rn:~y ' 0 ' Rail, Hate, RoO and Kill too. f 539. But nothing in us: unlike h'i "fl , 0 540. Iris :J:s great Prefurn tion ,m, C:Jn p eafe him, as it is to pallillU rh.tm with bod's J/af:."d our Pajjiotuypon God'l ErrllnJs, 541. Z<al dropt In Charity is d ..,. h . ii devours all it comCi near. ' goo ; lt out It, good /or norbi.,g: For S4'· They mull firl! judge themfelves that fo And fuch will nor be':rpt to over-fhoot th'e Markpre urne to cenfure others: anl)~r:~a~~~:.oo ready to Ietaliate, rather th~rt forgive, ot gain by Love 544- And yet we could hurt no Man th b , 545· Let us then try what L"Ove wiiJ dcr·a~o~~ elJeve loves us. them, we ihould foon find they would no~ hat~f :;,en do once lee we love th~4£-~l~J.ce may fubdue, but Love gains: And he that forgives firfr, wins 5A 7· If I am even with my Enemy th I) b • , it, I oblige h.im for ever. ' e e t !S patd t But if I forgive S48. Love IS the hardell Leffon in Ch ·a· . fhould ~ mo{t our Care to learn it D~ ~mty; but, for that Reafon it 54S'· It is a fevere Rebuke upo~ us 'rh~~~G~~ PM!cbra. , ances, a~d we -~ake fo few to our N~i hbour . rna~es us ~o many Ailowto do wllb R(/Jg,on ; Or Love with Fa. t h . As if Cbaruv h•d nolbin§ 550: I lind all Sorts of Peo lea u ' t at ought to work by it. · when humbled by the Approa~bes ~fi>e:r~a:rn~er were thei_r Animofities; pray for, and lovl on( another: Which fhew' n tb(~ {orgzvf, th(JI th(] fut ou! Paffion, that rnak~ :Jnd holds n h s :s, that lt IS .not our Reafon, tn the!f Health and Fulnefs Th p t e euds that telgn among Men which th~y fhould ?ie, mu~ ~ert~infr' 1[;eebtft.~e, that live neareft to that 5)!. Dld we beheve a Flnal Reckon in d 1 . enough of what we do believe we 1 g an udgment, or di4 we think we do ; fince Religion it felf i; not~~~ dlf~llbw Lore Love in Religion .than 552. H( that livu ;11 Lov( lives . G e e . ut out to God and Man. to he fine .a Mln Cln live no wber~ 'betr::.• fays the Beloved Difciple: And >53· It IS mollreafonable Men (h ld 1 h durable. Now Ton ues fh:1ll c ou va ue t at Benefit, which is moft <onfummated in g;.gt and Hopeafe, Ean~ Prophecy fail, and Faith fhall be "'tl , e In n]oymcnt; but Love Unillinr. 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