第 5 节
作者:      更新:2021-03-08 19:26      字数:9320
  result   of his infinite   wisdom;   to   create   a   world;  and   for the   glory  of   his
  majesty to   make several   sorts of   creatures   in order   and degree   one   after
  another; that is to say; angels; or pure immortal spirits; men; consisting of
  immortal   spirits   and   matter;   having   rational   and   sensitive   souls;   brutes;
  having   mortal   and   sensitive   souls;   and   mere   vegetatives;   such   as   trees;
  plants; &c。; and these creatures so made do; as it were; clasp the higher
  and lower world together。
  2。   I believe the holy Scriptures; and everything therein contained; to
  be the pure and essential word of God; and that; according to these sacred
  writings; man; the lord and prince of the creation; by his disobedience in
  Paradise;     forfeited   his   innocence     and   the   dignity   of   his  nature;   and
  subjected himself and all his posterity to sin and misery。
  3。   I believe and am fully and entirely satisfied; that God the Father;
  out of his infinite goodness and compassion to mankind; was pleased   to
  send his only Son; the second person in the holy and undivided Trinity; to
  meditate for him; and to procure his redemption and eternal salvation。
  4。   I   believe   that   God   the   Son;   out   of   his   infinite   love;   and   for   the
  glory   of   the   Deity;   was   pleased   voluntarily   and   freely   to   descend   from
  heaven; and to take our nature upon him; and to lead an exemplary life of
  purity; holiness; and perfect obedience; and at last to suffer an ignominious
  death upon the cross; for the sins of the whole world; and to rise again the
  third day for our justification。
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  5。    I   believe   that   the   Holy   Ghost   out   of   his   infinite   goodness   was
  pleased to undertake the office of sanctifying us with his divine grace; and
  thereby assisting us with faith to believe; will to desire; and power to do
  all those things that are required of us in this world; in order to entitle us to
  the blessings of just men made perfect in the world to come。
  6。    I believe that these three persons are of equal power; majesty; and
  duration; and that the Godhead of the Father; of the Son; and of the Holy
  Ghost   is   all   one;   and   that   they   are   equally   uncreate;   incomprehensible;
  eternal; and almighty; and that none is greater or less than the other; but
  that every one hath one and the same divine nature and perfections。
  These; sister; are the doctrines which have been received and practised
  by the best men of every age; from the beginning of the Christian religion
  to this day; and it is upon this I ground my faith and hopes of salvation; not
  doubting but; if my life and practice have been answerable to them; that I
  shall   be   quickly   translated   out   of   this   kingdom   of   darkness;   out   of   this
  world of sorrow; vexation and confusion; into that blessed kingdom; where
  I shall cease to grieve and to suffer; and shall be happy to all eternity。
  As to my principles in religion; to be as brief as I can; I declare myself
  to be a member of Christ's church; which I take to be a universal society of
  all   Christian   people;   distributed   under  lawful   governors   and   pastors   into
  particular     churches;      holding     communion        with    each    other   in   all  the
  essentials of the Christian faith; worship; and discipline; and among these
  I look upon the Church of England to be the chief and best constituted。
  The Church of England is doubtless the great bulwark of the ancient
  Catholic   or Apostolic   faith   all   over   the   world;   a   church   that   has   all   the
  spiritual advantages that the nature of a church is capable of。                     From the
  doctrine and principles of the Church of England; we are taught loyalty to
  our prince; fidelity to our country; and justice to all mankind; and therefore;
  as I look upon this to be one of the most excellent branches of the Church
  Universal;   and   stands;   as   it   were;   between   superstition   and   hypocrisy;   I
  therefore   declare;   for   the   satisfaction   of   you   and   your   friends;  as   I   have
  always   lived   so   I   now   die;   a   true   and   sincere;   though   a   most   unworthy
  member   of   it。     And   as   to   my   discontinuance   of   my   attendance   at   the
  public worship; I refer you to my papers; which I have left with my worthy
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  friend; Mr。 Barlow。          And thus; my dear sister; I have given you a short
  account   of   my   faith;   and   the   principles   of   my   religion。    I   come;   in   the
  next place; to lay before you a few meditations and observations I have at
  several      times    collected     together;    more     particularly     those     since   my
  retirement to St。 Helen's。
  Meditations and Observations relating to the Conduct of Human Life
  in general。
  1。   Remember   how   often   you   have   neglected   the   great   duties   of
  religion and virtue; and slighted the opportunities that Providence has put
  into your hands; and; withal; that you have a set period assigned you for
  the management of the affairs of human life; and then reflect seriously that;
  unless   you   resolve   immediately  to   improve   the   little   remains;  the   whole
  must     necessarily     slip   away    insensibly;    and    then   you    are  lost   beyond
  recovery。      2。    Let   an   unaffected   gravity;   freedom;   justice;   and   sincerity
  shine  through   all   your   actions;  and   let   no   fancies   and   chimeras   give  the
  least check to those excellent qualities。              This is an easy task; if you will
  but suppose everything you do to be your last; and if you can keep your
  passions      and    appetites    from     crossing    your     reason。     Stand     clear    of
  rashness; and have nothing of insincerity or self…love to infect you。
  3。    Manage   all   your   thoughts   and   actions   with   such   prudence   and
  circumspection as if you were sensible you were just going to step into the
  grave。     A little thinking will show a man the vanity and uncertainty of all
  sublunary   things;   and   enable   him   to   examine   maturely   the   manner   of
  dying;   which;   if   duly   abstracted   from   the   terror   of   the   idea;   will   appear
  nothing      more    than   an   unavoidable      appendix     of   life  itself;  and   a  pure
  natural action。
  4。    Consider  that   ill…usage  from  some   sort   of   people   is in   a   manner
  necessary; and therefore do not be disquieted about it; but rather conclude
  that you and your enemy are both marching off the stage together; and that
  in a little time your very memories will be extinguished。
  5。    Among   your   principal   observations   upon   human   life;   let   it   be
  always one to take notice what a great deal both of time and ease that man
  gains     who    is  not   troubled     with   the   spirit   of  curiosity;    who    lets   his
  neighbours' affairs alone; and confines his inspections to himself; and only
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  takes care of honesty and a good conscience。
  6。   If   you   would   live   at   your   ease;  and   as   much   as   possible be   free
  from the incumbrances of life; manage but a few things at once; and let
  those;   too;   be   such   as   are   absolutely   necessary。    By   this   rule   you   will
  draw   the   bulk   of   your   business   into   a   narrow   compass;   and   have   the
  double pleasure of making your actions good; and few into the bargain。
  7。   He that torments himself because things do not happen just as he
  would have them; is but a sort of ulcer in the world; and he that is selfish;
  narrow…souled; and sets up for a separate interest; is a kind of voluntary
  outlaw; and disincorporates himself from mankind。
  8。   Never      think   anything    below     you   which    reason    and   your   own
  circumstances require; and never suffer yourself to be deterred by the ill…
  grounded       notions    of   censure     and   reproach;     but   when     honesty     and
  conscience prompt you to say or do anything; do it boldly; never balk your
  resolution or start at the consequence。
  9。   If   a   man   does   me   an   injury;   what   is   that   to   me? It   is   his   own
  action; and let him account for it。           As for me; I am in my proper station;
  and   only   doing   the   business   that