By the Croft ofChriio but by their profefsions , or by their Jives ? But if you fay, It is the Life you judge by, I demand what is it in the lives of fuck men that proves their covetoufnefs ? If it be opprefling, deceiving, injuflice,or unmercifulnefs,I would de- mand of you in the fecond place, Queft. 2. Is it all orfome of them thatyou thus accatfe ? If you know fome few tobe filch, what is that to the refl ? But this bath been alwaies the trick of the malignant. If they fee one profef- for fall or prove an hypocrite ; they cry out [ Theyare all alike ; Ifyou couldbut fee their hearts, they areallfach. ] Chry- foffomand ocher of the Fathers tell use that this was the ufe in their daies, and no wonder if it be fo fiíll. What if there beone Cain in Adams family :It follows not that Abel or Sethwere like hire. What if there were one Wham inNoahs Ark will it follow that they were all alike, or that his family was no better then the reft of the world which was drowned ? What if there was an Ab- falon in Davids family ? What if there wasone ladas among the Difciples of Chrift ? Will you fay therefore that all the reft were fuch, or that Chrifls Difciples were as. bad as others, or his family nobetter then the refl-of the world ? But I would further ask you, (Z.ieft. 3. Is it the courfeof their lives thatyou judge by ? or is it fome oat particularaUion ? He that is notblind may fee, that the courfe and drift of their lives , is lefs earthly and more hea- venly then other mens. And God judgech of a man by the (cope of his life , and not by one tingle action : and fo muff we. The very bent and drift of your lives is worldly. If .a man come into your family, what (hall he fee but worldlinefs ? If one fall into your company , what (hall he hear from you but about this world ? If oneobferve what you do from year toyear he may fee that you lay out your felves for the world : You cannot re- frain upon the Lordsownday ; but you are minding it, and talk- ingof ir. You favour not any other difcourfe. The very talk , and labourthat is laid out about another world, is troublefom to you , and its this that makes you diflike-thegodly. You cannot fay fo of the courfe of their lives. If once any of them have fallen by temptation into a mifcarriage ; will you judge of all their lives by that ? Do they not lament and bewail it as longas they live after ? and avoid it more carefully for the time to come. C c z What 195
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