The Preface. you were fo drunken and befotted with the world, thatyou . had forgotten that you are men, or that you have a God to pleafe, and a foul toPave or lofefor ever. Nay how many of you hate afaithful Preacher, andan holy life, andmake them the ordinary matter of your fcorn; andcheat your fouls with afew ceremonies andformalities, as if byfuck a Carnal Re- ligíoufnes, you could make all whole, when you have li- vedto thefief!), and loathed the Spiritual warfhip of God that is a Spirit, and the heavenly lives of hislanaifled ones, and confequeruly the Law that commandethfuck a life , and the God that is the ofaker of that Law. I call not your Civil Controverßesyour vtitalignity ; but it is the proper title o f your Enmity to flolinefr : vind is it not enough thatman in Honour will be without underllanding,andmake bimfelf like the beans thatperifh, Pfal. 44. ao. but you mull alfo take up theSerpentine nature, and hifing and flinging waft be the requital that you return to Chrifl for all your Honours. Think , if you haveyet a thinking faculty, whether this be kindly, or honefitly, or wifely done, and what its like tobe to yourfelvesin the end. Your Riches andHonours do now hide a great deal of your fhame ; but will it not appear when thefe raggs are tornfromyour backs, andyour fouls are left in nakedguilt.? Saith Chryfoftom, [ If it were poffible to do Juftice on the Rich, as commonly on the poor we could have al,; the Prifons filled with them but Riches with their other evils have alfo this evil, that they fave men from thepúnifhment of their evil.] (o but how long will theydo fo ? ) This wasplain dealing of an Holy Fa- ther: and is it not fuch as is as needful nowas then ? Isit not Greatnefr more then Innocency thatEaves abundance ofyou from ¡brigandpuni(hment ? Ray many of you think that becaufe you are rich, it is Lawfulforyou tobe Idle, and Lawful valuptuou(ly togive up your [elves topleafuses and recreations, andyouthink that you
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=