tance and Faith in Chriſt, they being ſo fully and ſo often mentioned in the Scriptures, that you cannot but know them. And therefore, perhaps, for that Reaſon it might be thought by ſome improper for me to have ſaid ſo much to you, as I have already upon this Occaſion; neither ſhould I have done it, but that conſidering the Courſe of your Life and Actions, I have juſt Reaſon to fear, that the Principles of Religion that had been inſtilled into you by your Education, have been at leaſt corrupted, if not entirely defaced, by the Scepticiſm and Infidelity of this wicked Age; and that what Time you allowed for Study, was rather applied to the Polite Literature, and the vain Philoſophy of the Times, than a ſerious Search after the Law and Will of God, as revealed unto us in the Holy Scriptures: For had your Delight been in the Law of the Lord, and that you had meditated therein Day and Night,
Pſal. 1. 2. you would then have found that God’s Word was a Lamp unto your Feet, and a Light to your Path,
Pſal. 119. 105. and that you would account all other Knowledge but Loſs, in Compariſon of the Excellency of the Knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus,
Phil. 3. 8. who to them that are called is the Power of God, and the Wiſdom of God,
1 Cor. 1. 24. even the hidden Wiſdom which God ordained before the World,
Chap. 2. 7.
You would then have eſteemed the Scriptures as the Great Charter of Heaven, and which delivered to us not only the moſt perfect Laws and Rules of Life, but alſo diſcovered to us the Acts of Pardon from God, wherein they have offended thoſe righteous Laws: For in them only is to be found the great Myſtery of fallen Man’s Redemption, which the Angels deſire to look into
, 1 Pet. 1. 12.
And they would have taught you that Sin is the debaſing of Human Nature, as being a Derivation from that Purity, Rectitude, and Holineſs, in which God
