Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BT770 .B39 1670

The Life ofFaith. and with the name of Chriflianity and holy obedience: A little more Religion you will admit, than a Parrot may learn, or a Poppet may exercife. Compare your care, and labour, and coil, for Heaven, and for this world. That you believe the flattering deceitful world, we fee by your dairy folicitoufnefs about it : You Peek it ; you ffrive for it ; you fall out with all that Rand in your way ; you are at it daily, and have never prone: But who can fee, that you ferioufly believe another world ? you talk idly, and wantonly, and proudly by the hours; but you talk of Heaven and holinefs but by the mi- nutes : You donot turn the glafs when you go to your unne- cefTary recreations, or your vain difcourfe or at lean, you can flay when the glafs is run : But in hearing the moll nc- cetfary truths of God, or in praying for everlafling life, the hour teems long to you ; and the tedious Preacher is your wearinefs and moleflation. You donot [call and play by the glafs ; but if we do not preach and pray by it exa kly, but exceed our hour, though in fpeaking of, and for eternity, we are your burden, and put your languid patience to it, as if we weredoingyou fome intollerable wrong. In worldly matters, you are weary of giving, but feldom ofreceiving : you grudge at the asker, but feldomat thegiver. But if the gift be jpiritual and heavenly, you are aweary to hear talk of it, and expoflulate the cafe with him that of fereth it : and he mull thew by what authority he would do you good ! If by ferious holy conference he would fur- ther your preparations for the lift to come, or help you to make fore of life eternal, he is examined what power he hath tomeddle withyou,_ and promote your falvation : And per- haps he is fnappithly told, he is a bute, fawcy fellow, and you bid himmeddle with his own matters, and let you (peed as you can, and keep his compaflion and charity for hirmfelf; you give him no thanks for his undefired. help. The molt laborious. faithful fervant you like ben, that will doyou the arson work, with greteft-skill, and care, and diligence : But the moll laborious faithful inflrueter and watchman for your fouls, you moti ungratefullyvilifie, as if he were morebufie and precife than needs, and were upon Tome unprofitable work and you love a fuperficial hypoetitica1.Minitlry, that H 3 teaehetly 53

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