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A48887 Reason and religion in some useful reflections on the most eminent hypotheses concerning the first principles, and nature of things : with advice suitable to the subject, and seasonable for these times. Locke, John, 1632-1704. 1694 (1694) Wing L2750; ESTC R19663 52,442 148

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which is paid to God and his Service among their People 2. The Religious deserve especial Consideration in the State as Persons whose Affection and Fealty may be depended on They esteem Government as the Ordinance and Governours as the Ministers of God Liberty is never more grateful to them nor Life on Earth more expressive of the Heavenly than under the Protection of Pious Kings They look upon their Authority with an obsequious Love and Reverence and prosecute their Commands with Heartiness and Integrity They fear no Diminution of their own Happiness from the encreasing Successes of their Royal Power but believe the best of their Persons hope the best from their Conduct and endure all Things for their Sake If the Number of such Persons at present be very few the Religious Care of Governours under the Divine Blessing may add to them But when the Reins of Coercion are remitted unto blind Chance and the Vermin of Corruption swarm abroad and make no small Buz in the Sun-shine of Security what a melancholick Scene of Thought does this open to all well-disposed and serious Minds Scepticism in former Times has been adjudged to merit the Scrutiny and Severities of the State and all those flourishing Empires the Records of whose Glory swell the Cheeks of Fame have ever agrandiz'd themselves under the Banners of Piety Vertue inspir'd their Soldiery with true Courage and Vigour and Religion gave Reputation to their Arms. The World affords never an Instance of Triumphant Atheism and if through the Iniquity of the Times and an extream Abhorrence of having Asses for Subjects Irreligion be permitted to spread in the Camp and Council in the City and Country how great soever the Prince himself may be the utmost such Toleration will prefer him to is in too large and literal a Sense to be a King of Devils Oh the Reproach that such a Brood must bring upon a Church and Nation and the Grief it must produce in all the Fearers of God to hear the Hopes the Author the Means of their Salvation so frequently blasphem'd If it go on much further being deliver'd over for the Correction of our Sins into the Hands of those Men whose Mercies are cruel is the milder Judgment of the two When a Nation is once sunk into the Dregs of Impiety whatever Stirs or Commotions may fall out whatever Changes in Government may succeed there is some Hopes of its arising into a better State no Fear of its growing worse Calamity at least may reform their Manners whom Prosperity had corrupted and they may be induced to acknowledge God in his Judgments who disdain his Mercy 'T is highly behooveful therefore for Governours in securing Themselves to secure a Reverence for Religion Because Irreligion will break the Bonds of Love Honour and Fidelity whereby Subjects are tied to their Authority and a general Profaneness grieving the Hearts of the Religious makes them indifferent unto the State that suffers it V. Since our Belief of God is so rationally grounded from thence we may learn not only the Folly Rashness and Rudeness but also the Inexcusableness of those Men who live without the Sense of God in the World St. Paul affirms of the darkest Times of Heathenism that God did not leave himself without Witness and that the Eternal Power and Godhead was manifested to them by the Things that were made and from thence concludes them to be without Excuse How much more inexcusable must such Men be in this our Age of Light wherein the Advantages of the Gospel doth not only appear by the new Revelations made unto us but by improving our Rational Faculties and enabling us to look more judiciously into the Frame and Laws of Nature than they could before If all the Light which now shines among us will not awaken the Drowsiness remove the Wilfulness work on the Infidelity of some Men if they will still please themselves with Fancy and Vanity with Shadows and Delusions and prefer their own Darkness before this Light their Sin hath all the heightning Aggravations it is capable of And what can they answer unto God for such their unreasonable Opposition to his Laws for perverting the Excellencies of their own Mind and abusing his Mercy and turning the noblest Accomplishments of Humane Nature against the Author of them What can they say when God sets these Misdemeanours before their Eyes when to their own Shame and Confusion they come to a Sense of their former Errors when their Reason and Consciences here drowned in Sottishness and Sensual Joys shall be awaken'd and the Revelation of the Great Day shall discover to them and to all the World the Falsity and incorrigible Senselesness the Incoherence and Weakness of those silly Arguments and Excuses wherein they prided themselves against God This Time will come we need not doubt but safely believe O Heavenly Father when the Tongues of thy Holy Ones shall turn unto thy Praise and the Mouth of all Wickedness shall be stop'd Lastly Since our Faith in God is not to be shaken by the strongest Reason this may be a Matter of great Joy and Comfort unto all Faithful Christians That God who made them and governs the World will bear a continual Respect unto them will reward all their pious Cares and Fears will supply all their Weaknesses will help them through all Temptations will be with them in all their Conflicts and Strivings against Sin They may boast themselves to be the only Wise-men to build upon the wisest Expectations and Principles to use the best means for their Everlasting Comfort and for securing the Favour of their God who is the best Friend They may live in a joyful Perswasion of the Goodness of their God and of his Intentions to make them happy and may think within themselves How when the Wicked shall not be able to stand in Judgment the Lord will own them for his People and glorifie their Faith and receive them to an Eternal Communion with Himself and his Son Jesus Christ in whom they trusted Be exhorted therefore and encouraged in the Apostle's Words Heb. 10.35 c. Cast not away your confidence in God which hath great recompense of Reward For yet a little while the Lord will come and will not tarry And if like Just Men ye live by Faith and continue Faithful unto Death the Lord will raise you up in Likeness to the Glory of his Son and give you a Crown of Life If you believe in God and make towards Heaven the Place of his Abode with heavenly Hearts and Affections you will find that you are not deceived in your Faith the God in whom you believe being a Rewarder of all those who diligently seek him To whom be Glory and Obedience for ever and ever Amen FINIS BOOKS lately Printed for William Rogers SErmons and Discourses in 3 Volumes Octav. The Rule of Faith Or An Answer to the Treatise of Mr. I. Sergeant Octav. Eleven Sermons in Quart Sermons