The Works of the REV. Richard Cecil (Volume 3); With a Memoir of His Life (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1816. Excerpt: ... grosser features; but what has this imposture introduced in their place?'" Infidels, perhaps, have told you that the moral virtues, at least, may be found in some parts of the world, where the Christian Faith is unknown: but representations of this kind have been proved, again and again, to be absolute falsehoods: and even allowing that any degree of truth attaches to such accounts, nothing more is to be inferred than that the strong man uses specious methods to keep his goods in peace: Luke xi. 21. The affected solemnity of one lunatic as fully discovers his actual condition, as the extravagant pranks of his fellow. But, still, you may be ready.to ask, "Has not even Christianity itself exhibited scenes, at which humanity shudders?" I answer, No: in no instance. Christianity is one thing: Popery, another. Christianity must no more be made answerable for its counterfeits, that its emblem Gold. It is one of the arts of Hell to confound truth with hypocrisy. Real Christianity is that wisdom from above, which is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy: James iii. 17. But if, under this holy name, a bold Harlot comes forward in heathen attire, affecting the pomp, secularity, tyranny, and idolatry of Pagan Superstition, what wonder, if she adopts its cruelty also Let God, however, be true; and every man, opposing his declarations, a liar. He has described, by existing facts and by every figure of speech, the blindness, depravity, and helplessness of fallen nature in the pentile World: and, were it not that we are apt to read accounts till we forget their meaning, I need only to read the first Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans to shew more fully the moral state of the H...