Page:A general history of the pyrates, from their first rise and settlement in the Island of Providence, to the present time (1724).djvu/119

  and Faith in Chrit, they being o fully and o often mentioned in the Scriptures, that you cannot but know them. And therefore, perhaps, for that Reaon it might be thought by ome improper for me to have aid o much to you, as I have already upon this Occaion; neither hould I have done it, but that conidering the Coure of your Life and Actions, I have jut Reaon to fear, that the Principles of Religion that had been intilled into you by your Education, have been at leat corrupted, if not entirely defaced, by the Scepticim and Infidelity of this wicked Age; and that what Time you allowed for Study, was rather applied to the Polite Literature, and the vain Philoophy of the Times, than a erious Search after the Law and Will of God, as revealed unto us in the Holy Scriptures: For  you would then have found that God’s   and that you would account all other Knowledge but Los, in Comparion of      Chap. 2. 7.

You would then have eteemed the Scriptures as the Great Charter of Heaven, and which delivered to us not only the mot perfect Laws and Rules of Life, but alo dicovered to us the Acts of Pardon from God, wherein they have offended thoe righteous Laws: For in them only is to be found the great Mytery of fallen Man’s ,

And they would have taught you that Sin is the debaing of Human Nature, as being a Derivation from that Purity, Rectitude, and Holines, in which God created