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A31245 The truth and excellence of the Christian religion, with the corruptions and additions of the Romish Church a discourse, wherein the pre-eminence of Christianity is demonstrated above the religion of Jews or heathens, and the contradiction of popery to its main articles : and that religion prov'd in many instances to be a mixture of heathenish superstitions, and Jewish ceremonies : with a short vindication of Christian loyalty, and a brief historical account of Romish treasons and usurpations, since the Reformation / by a hearty professor of Reformed Catholick Christianity. S. C. 1685 (1685) Wing C126; ESTC R22983 60,383 154

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is Mysterious and the Doctrine of the Trinity is Incomprehensible to humane Reason but yet it is not repugnant to it The Unity of the three Persons of the Godhead transcends indeed our conceptions but reason connot prove it to be an impossibility or to include a contradiction for altho among creatures one nature is still join'd with one subsistence yet the Divine Nature being not of the same condition with created substances it can never be prov'd impossible that three Divine Persons should subsist in one Nature the manner indeed is incomprehensible to reason and it is not to be expected that a finite creature should be able fully to comprehend an infinite being In a word The Christian Religion gives us the most exalted lovely apprehensions of the Divine Nature without any of those jarring notions which the Heathens entertained and tho there be some mysteries in our Faith yet they tend only to exalt God and debase Man and 't is our duty to believe what God says of himself and to fall down and worship what we cannot comprehend But further the manner of worshipping God prescrib'd by the Apostles is highly suitable to his Majesty and becoming his Spiritual Nature not with the follies and extravagancies of the Heathens nor pompous and gaudy Ceremonies of the Jews but with a modest magnificence and comely simplicity with prayer and praise and singing and other solemn exercises of Devotion with a reverent celebration of its mysteries without I dolatry or Superstition on the one hand and without contempt of a Being so worthy of the most humble adoration on the other This is the method of Devotion in the Christian Church much more comely and decent and agreeable to the Nature of God and Reasons of Men than the butchery of Sacrifices and numerous gay solemnities among the Jews which except they had prefigured the great undertakings of the Messiah would never have been injoyn'd Much more then the ridiculous charms and impure rites of the Heathen Worship which the wisest among them were asham'd of and only join'd therein ut legibus jussa non ut diis grata as commanded by their laws not as pleasing to their Gods 2. Their Doctrine concerning mans reconciliation with God by the Lord Jesus tho it was above the sphere of reason to invent yet when once reveal'd appears highly satisfactory to reason for when man had wilfully broke the Divine Law and exposed himself to the threatned punishments of infinite justice God that he might signalize his mercy and fill the hearts and mouths of Men and Angels with the most ardent love and admiring Hallelujahs was pleas'd to dispence with his threatning and show himself ready to be reconcil'd Now what imaginable way can we think of more agreeable to reason whereby man may be restor'd to the divine favour shall he meerly pardon sinners this clemency would be but weakness and foolish pity for it would argue either that he wanted Power to effect what he threatned or was defective in Wisdom as if he thought his law unadvisedly made and foresaw not the inconveniences it would occasion Or that he was not infinite in Holiness who could so easily be reconcil'd to sinful rebels Besides this would weaken his Government over Angels and Men and encourage them to sin for the future in hopes of the same mercy and compassion Thus we see how unreasonable it is to imagine God should meerly pardon sinners It was necessary therefore that some satisfaction should be made and except this be proportionable to the offence the same inconveniences will still follow the repute of the Law will not be kept up God will still labour under the dishonourable reflections of Levity Impotence and Impurity and Men will be encouraged to sin for the future with hopes of an easy remedy This burden was too weighty for the shoulders of any creature such is the Malignity of sin and so great a dishonour to the Divine Male sty that it is impossible the services and sufferings of a meer creature should compensate for the affront It was necessary that God should satisfy Himfelf and because those satisfactions do most secure the ends of satisfaction which come as near the threatned penalty as may be 't was necessary he should become man live a life of misery and dye an accurfed death and endure such agonies and torments of Body and Soul as might represent more livelyly to the sons of men what their sins had deserved and come as near the penalty as the dignity and innocence of his Nature would permit Thus Gods hatred of sin is most clearly display'd and men are mos● effectually deterr'd from continuance in any iniquity Thus the Divine Wisdom and Power and Holiness and Mercy shine in their brightest lustre and conspire together in a most admirable harmony and agreement and that men might still be more apprehensive of their own vileness God not withstanding all the wonders of his love testifies his hatred to our sins by refusing to admit any immediate applications to him and resolving to accept of no services nor hear any prayers that are not perfum'd by the intercession of his beloved Son This is the admirable Gospel-method of propitiating the Divine Favour which we indeed dar'd not once to have thought of till God had reveal'd it but now it is made known appears to be only satisfactory to reason What the Sacrifices and Offerings and other contrived methods of satisfaction among the Jews and Gentiles were too weak to effect this this is done by the great Sacrisice of our Lord Redeemer 3. Their precepts and rules of Life were all reasonable and advantagious to our interest conducive to the health of our bodies the tranquility of our minds the peace of our consciences the sweetning of our tempers the exalting our natures the improvement of our estates the advancement of our reputation and the comfort of our lives By the practise of them we shall consult our private interest obtain the good will and respect of men and promote the publick benefit of all We shall act worthy of our selves and becoming our reason obtain the Divine Favour and resemble the Divine Nature What more comely and decent than a profound admiration of him who is so Glorious and excellent in himself An ardent love of him who is so kind and beneficial to us An awful reverence of him who is so Powerful Holy Wise and Just and a cheerful obedience to all his Laws who is our Soveraign and our Father our Friend and best Benefactor What more reasonable than prayer to him who is able to supply our wants and praise and thanksgiving to the same God who gives all the comforts of this life and from whom we expect the rewards of a better What more just and fit and conducible to our interest than that we should be upright in our dealings with our neighbour veracious in our words faithful in our trusts sincere in our contracts innocent and inoffensive in our