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Some important points of primitive Christianity maintained and defended
Some important points of primitive Christianity maintained and defended Author:George Bull Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: the good God always in Judgment remem- bring Mercy, to thofe Reprehensions and Menaces fubjoyns here in my Text an Exhortation to Repentance and Amend- mentof Li... more »fe, enforc'd with a gracious Pro- mife of Mercy upon fuch Repentance. Sow to your felves in Right eoufneft ) reap in Mercy. Which Words (not to fpend time needlefly in any farther Preface) I fliaJI firft briefly explain, and then raife fuch plain, practical, and ufe- ful Obfervations from them, as they naturally and without ftraining afford. Firft for the Explanation of the Text. It is obvious to obferve in general, that the Verfe out of which my Text is taken., contains an Exhortation to Repentance and a good Life, expreffed under the Metaphors of Plowing and Sowing ; and alfo a Promile of Mercy under an- fwerable Metaphors of Rain upon the Seed fown, and of reaping a joyful Har- veft. Sow to your felves in Rightcoufrreft, reap in Mercy: break up the fallow ground ; for it is time to feek, the Lord, 'till he. come, and rain Righteonfaefo upon you. ButBut I am concern'd at prefcnt to explain only the beginning of the Vcrfe,, which I have pitch'd on for the Subjeft of my Difcourfe at this time. Sow to your felves in Righteonfnefs. The fowing of Seed is a Metaphor us'd in Scripture ) to fignify the doing of thofe moral Exercifes and Works , by which (according as the Quality of them is, as they are good or bad) Men are to expect from God either Reward or Punifliment. To fow in Righteoufnefs therefore is nothing elfe but to live righteoufly., to do righteous AcVions ) that is ) Works of Piety towards God, and of Juftice and Charity towards our Neighbpur. For Righteoufnefs here is not only juft and righteous Dealing towards Men, but it is virtus univerfaHs, an univerfal Vertue, containing in it all other Vertues. '...« less