Babington - Houston-Packer Collection BV4655 .B23 1615

3.3. Command. vpon the Commandements. 37 may not the Íighreóus God fuminon to his-high court and fay, Thou artefaultieof taking my name in vaine by praying ? Alas for my fclfe , I fee it in the time of mine Praying, or ignorance I haue pattered often which colde affection , for peraduenture I kenw not what 1 fayd thinking the deede done-to bee feruice liked,and the wordes pronounced all to be w cll. And even now fïnce the Lord bath opened mine eyes that I know it to bce finne to pray without attentiuc mindvpon the thing! doo and without ardent a$'et -ion , yet how hard it is to doo it euer,and neuer to ftvarue or llray, I find it, yea euen impoflble to my corruption. For this thing and that thing is Saran roadie to trouble fo fruitfull an csercite withal , and a thoufand wales he bath to make the minds to wander from the thing it onlie fhould attend. Ifaffe6tion bee good,atten- Lion faileth :and if attention fland,airflion dieth.And therefore feeing that cuen rea- fon teacheth me that to call vpon the name of God not as I ought to doo is plainlie to abufe his name and take it in vaine, neither in this poynt can I cleare my felfe , but broken herein alfo I haue this his cotmnaundement. What vaine vowes and promifes Vowes. haue pafíed from me needlcffeto bee made , and fruideffeto bec kept ? Lbrforccrie and w uchcraft,charming and coniuring,am I able to fay I hale as earnefllie abhorred Charming: them as I ought,and euery way fo abtleined fromthem as I fhould ? Nay, bath not rathcreafe been fought in paine ofinee by thefe meanes , or at leaftwifhed if I could liaise gotten them ?My folly arid my friends,my children and goods,haue I loued obe- dience more than them? Or bath not euer forcebale creature as (wine or inch like been dearer to nice than the Lord, Itching by charmeto faue the one,and not fearing by finne to lofe the other? God Litt not my guilt eilen now in this:for pradlife or will, for my felfe or for others will furehe accufe mee: Further and betide all thefe , let It bee well weighed ofauy Chriflian hart that feareth G O D indecde, and carefully fcc. leech the credile of his haute, how often vnrcucrentlie in fporting and playing in Carting. (hooting and bowling , in dicing and carding , wee vfe his name,how the pltrafe of ShtiRare Scripture will rowle out of their mouthes in idling and light conferences,how feare- P ° e' fulliewcevfc him incurfing and banning our brèthren; and furche bee (hall fee no 1)anrdng. finall guilt touching this commandement in tuerie one of vs, if God in iuflice weigh vs in thebalance , and reward vs as hce findethweight of finne full duely to deferue. Where is that happie man or woman, fo waking and fleeping,fo fitting and going, fo fpeaking and keeping filence,foliuing and dying as for no finne oftheirs,for no iufir- tnitie,for no flip or fall,the name of God and trueth hash been cull! fpoken or thought of? Let this man and woman appcare and boat+ that in great meafurc they haue kept this commandement. But if none fuch can be found,whofe frailtiè bath not fotlred in reprobatmimics a making of good 'hinges , then let all flefh fall downe before his footlloole and fue out pardon, for that lining fo loofely they haue taken his name rn vaine and broken this commandement.Lafl ofall,ifwee cal our eyes about and con- fider a little the niinifolde meanes prouidcd by the Lorde to doo vs good in bodie and foule and tuerie way,are wee able to fay wee haue neglet`led none,but ever vied Means not them as wee ought ,reucrentlie,carefullic,and with thankfgiuing? Hach neuer an vrr. vkd profitable bathfulneflè made vsconceale ourbodihe griefc , or refute the meanes thought meete to doe vs good? Hach not careleffe contempt robbed vs ofthereme die appoynted for our fouies ? And hath not vnthriftie felfewill reienled meanes to lncrcafe onr worldly elate? If thefe all or any bee true, we haue defpifed the wifo. dome of the Lord, which appeareth in thefe thinges , and fhould bet magnified by them,anei in them,we haue polluted his name our felues,greathe occafioned others to thiske lightly ofgood thinges,and gricuoufly guiltie wee fiend before him for it, of the breach of this commandement; Whatthotild lily ofnotrebteking others actor- Notrebrk,n ding to our place,whome wee haue noted to offend in any ofthefe, which is a thing as bath been fayd ,'required allo in this law , and therefore athing that rating in vs doth crie for vengeance, though in all the ref+ we were pure and innocent ? For wee were not borne for our felues,but alto for others :and the bodie, the foule,the goods rat Mate of our brethren fhould bee Beare vtlto vs,wce not feeing & fuffering them by our willes to doe the thing that wee knowe will hurt them.Whát I fay fhould I fpeake E of this J

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