Page:A Compendium of the Chief Doctrines of the True Christian Religion.djvu/210

26 they teach in their churches, publish in their writings, and make the ground of all the literary fame and reputation that they ever hope to acquire, as it is the way to all the rewards, donatives and preferments that they can ever expect to be presented with; and this, notwithstanding that in consequence of such faith alone, at this day, the sun is darkened, the moon doth not give her light, the stars are fallen from heaven, and the powers of the heavens are shaken, according to the words of the Lord's prophecy in Matthew, Chap. xxiv. 29. That the doctrine of this faith hath now blinded men's minds to such a degree, that they are unwilling, and therefore seemingly unable, to see any divine truth interiorly, either in the light of the sun, or in the light of the moon, but only exteriorly, rudely, and superficially, as by the light of a fire, hath been proved to me by the clearest evidence; so that I can venture to affirm, that should the divine truths which relate to the conjunction of charity and faith, to heaven and hell, to the Lord, to a life after death, and to eternal happiness, be dropped down from heaven, written in letters of silver, they would be rejected, as not worth the reading, by those that maintain the doctrine of justification, and sanctification, by faith alone; whereas on the other hand should a paper containing the doctrines of justification by faith alone, be sent from hell, this they would receive, embrace, and carry home with them in their bosoms.

It is written in Matthew, Then shall be great tribulation, such as was not from the beginning of the world unto this time, neither shall be; and except those days shall be shortened, no flesh could be saved, Chap.