The Malignitj 'Of opprJjing Godlinep. Mcditatin• and llriCI: avoiding fin; thou contradictdl God himfdf; for none.in all the wo'rld ls lo Holy, or f6much for Holinefs_ss he-: And therefore ulti~arcly, it is h'im that all thy mali~ isagainfi~ even God the fathet, and the Redeemer, and the Sanctifier. 2. Thou fettell thy felf agamll all _the evidence of Scripture; 3· And againll all the'rvorl(_! of God: For all co'nfpiretotall the world ·ro HO:. Iinefs and llrict 'obedience to God. 4· And thou contradiCl:ell all the Prophets and Apollks, and •11 the ancient Fathers of the Church ; _and all the Martyrs and Saints of God that ever we're in the world, and all the learned faithful Minillers and Pallors of the Church that are or have been; and all the Godly rhoughoutthe world; and all that ever had experience of a holy life: And what ar~ ihott, that thou fhou!dtl fcorn all thcfe ? Art thou wifer than all the Minillers and godly perfons in the world ? Than all the Apofiles and holy MartyrS ofChrifl, that ever were? Yea than God himfdf? . ~· 33• 8. Didll thou ever mark bow unlike the fpecch of Chrill and his Apofiles was to thine? Di.! they deride men for being too diligent, for the pleafing of God and faving of their fouls? Read but 'thefe places following and judge. Matth. 5• 8, 11, 20· & 6. 33, 21· &7. 13, 14· I Ptt. 4· t8. & 2• :Pet. j. 11· & I• to. Heb. 11. 6. Mattb. 5· Rom. 8, r, 5, 6, J, g, 9, I3· Phi/. 3• t8. I)l. Heb. "' 28, 29· 9.34• 9· Doll thou not thy fdf do as much for the worlil, as thofe that thou 'oppofell ·do for Hea– ven ? Ars thou olfmded that they preach and pray fo lcng? Art not thou longer about thy world– ly bufinefs ? Are notG<~llants longerat afeafi, or vifit, or games and reGreations ? Art thou offended that they talk fo much of Heaven ~ And doll oot rhou talk more of ear1b l And which of thefe dolt thou think in thy Confcience, doth better deferve to be fought and talked of? Which will pmve bet– ·t<r at the !all·? Aad whofe labour will be more worthy of derifion? 9· 3$· ro. What gainwould it be ro thee if thou hadll thy will, and Praying, and Preaching, and "Holinets w<rc as much banilhed from the world, as thou would!! have it~ And if men to plea!e thee 'fhould difpleafc God, and cafi away their fouls for ever> Would it ao thee good for earth to be fo like to Hell? lt is the grief ofgodly men already, to think how little Holinefs is in the world : There is fence a fadder thought that ever came into my heart, than to furvcy all the Nations of the earth ; and to think how ignorance and ungodlincfs abound, acd how few there be that arc truly holy? And what an inhumane creature is that who yet would have then1 fCwer; and fcorn out of the world, the little R.Orri. ~r:!J2; wifdmn and piety that isleft?--- . And would it be any pleafurc to thee in Hell, if ihen fhould accompany thee thither to humour thee ~ Nay it woUld be thy everla'ling torrnerit, to fee there fo many for ever undone, by hea.rkning to thy wicked counfe1. S.1.y not, that thou art not fo !cruel, and it is not their d;lmnation that thou ddircH : No more it is not thy own that thou defircfi : But alPs one as to the effect, if thou dellre the , way to it. Thou maill as well give one man poyfon, and deride at another for eating and drinking> and yet fay, it is not your death that I defire. Bur dit they muft, if they ruled by thee? §. 36. 1I· Were nothe a cruel m·an that would not do a1 much for the faving of his neighbour/foul, as that which thou dcridcfl them for in the {aving of their own l If thou wert fick, lhould I refufe to pray for thy life> Or if I knew that it might fave anorhcrs foul, lhould I think any means or painstoo much > If not, methinks I may be allowed to do as much for my [elf, as charity bids me do fot another. 9· 37· 12. ls it a fe•fon to mock at Holinds, when at the fame time, there are fo many millions of fouls in Heaven that all came thither by the way of Holintfs l And fo many millions of fouls in HtU thar all came thither for walit of Holimjf? And while thou art pratingagainfi it, they are crying out in defpair 'of the folly of their n'egleCl:ing it? Would one of the fouls in Heaven regard thy mock' if he were to live on catth again ~ Or.would bne of the fouls in Hell be mocked thither, if rhey were but tryed with another life? If thou fawell at this hour, what unholy fouls in Hell are fulfering, .and what holy fouls in Heav'en enjoy, wouldll thou ever mock again at Holincfs? for fhame confider what thou dofl; and fee by faith the things that mortal eyes behold not. 9· 38. •3· What if men fhould yield unto thy deriGons, and for[ake a holy life to pleafe thee? Wouldll thou undertake to juflifie them, or be anfwerable for them before that God, that required Holinef.,, and will condemn all the unholy? Wouldfl thou bri•g them off, and favc rhem from dam– nation ! Alas poor foul, how unable wilt thou be to fave thy fdt? And wilt thou take them for wife men, if they difpleafe the Lord, and go to Hell to humourfuch a oneas thou? 9· 39· '4· Thou wilt not thy felf be mockt out of thy Houfe, or Land, or Rit,ht, nor from thy mc~r, or drink, orrefi: wouldfl thou cafi thefe away, ifanother {hould mock but thee for afing thetn.. I thmk thou wouldll not. And wouldll thou have wife men be mockt out of their Salvation. 9· 40. 15· Thou wouldll not think it reafonable that thy Children or Servants be derided for loving or obeying thee ? Or thy very horfe difpraifed for fcrving thee? And do they owe rh~e mqre, than we all owe >God. §. 4': r6. God highly ~onoureth them and deariy loveth them, for rbat very thing that rhou hatrft ~nd •mdrft them for. }oh. r6. 27· & 14· ~ •· He 1h~1 bath my commandmtnts and l;eepeth rhrm, he il u that Lovtt.h me : and he that loveth.me jht~U bt loved of ml Father : •nd I wiU love him, and r:rill mani[c.Jf m,Y filf to h1m. .P.fal._ll • 7· 1he "~hreous_ Lord loverh r~ghtwtJnefs : his counrwance dorh behold 1he up. ngh1. PCa!. 146. 8. _1ht Lo~d loveth 1he r.gb1to~u. 2 Cor. 6. For ye are rht remple of 1h1 living God: M God hatb {a~d, I w•U d'!'eU rn them, and walk, m I hem, ,.,d I n>illbe their God •nd they jhaU be my pro• pl~ : whercj;1re come o:u from amottg :hem, tmd be yt feparate foith the Lord, ami toHcll not tht unclean thm.~, and I wiU :eceive you, and wiU be a f:t!hcr Unto yoH, f!Hd ytfoaUbe my font a-,;:d da•ghttri, faith tbt Lord, •nd AUmigh•y· And dateO thou fcorn the fom and da~tQ.hlert of ''" AUmigbry1 Ji;ven for that vny
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