Occasional Thoughts in Reference to a Vertuous or Christian lifeMasham, Damaris, Lady
Religion
Occasional Thoughts in Reference to a Vertuous or Christian life
Masham, Damaris, Lady
Christian life -- Anglican authors
so great an Absurdity as to argue from a Matter only unknown to them
against the reality of that evidently _is_: Which is always irrational
to do; but is especially so, when, if we cannot answer what is
Objected, we yet see plainly that That Objection may be very
answerable, and accountable for, even to our Conceptions; were but our
views a little more enlarged, and such as, perhaps, they shall be
hereafter.
But in urging this consideration as sufficient to silence any
Objection to the needfulness of Revelation from its lateness and want
of Universality; I suppose not that the Divine, oeconomy is herein
actually incomprehensible by Men; or at least, may not be accounted
for, if not demonstratively aright, yet suitably to the Divine
Attributes: and a due reflection upon the intire design of
Christianity, so far as it is reveal'd to us, will, it is likely,
conduct us best to a sight hereof. But our present business is not
this inquiry, but to see what those advantages are which we receive by
the Revelation of Jesus Christ, the design of whole coming into the
World appears to have been, to inforce the Rule of Rectitude, by
setting it in a clearer Light, with the manifest Attestation of Divine
Authority, and promulging it as the Law of God, by Declaration of
eternal Rewards and Punishments, annexed to the observance or breach
thereof.
Yet to deliver clearer and more excellent Precepts of Morality; to
attest to the Divinity hereof by Miracles; or to bring Immortalitie to
light, were not (as the means of inforcing Natural Religion) the whole
business for which Christ took our Nature upon him. It was a Decree as
immutable as the Divine Nature, that no unrighteous thing should have
everlasting Life: Wherefore all, both Jews and Gentiles having broken
the Law, and being thereby condemn'd (since the Law necessarily
requir'd perfect Righteousness, and could admit of no abatement
thereof) Christ came to establish betwixt God and Man, a Covenant of
Grace in order to Mens obtaining eternal Life, which they could not
obtain by the Works of the Law. The which Covenant of Grace was, that
to as many as believe in his Son, taking him for their King, and
submitting to his Law, God would grant remission of their Sins; and
that this _their Faith should be imputed to them for Righteousness_;
that is, accepted of by him, in lieu of perfect Obedience, in all such
who sincerely indeavour'd to live up to the Precepts of Christ, their
Lord.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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