54 The Life of Faith. tcacheth you but to complement withHeaven, and leads you fuch a dance ofcomical, outfide, hypocritical wor(hip, as is agreeable to your own hypocrìfie : And thus when you are mocking God, you think you worship him, and merit Hea- venby the abufe. Should a Kniiicr or other friend be but half as carnal with you, for the life of your immortal fouls, as you are your feives'for your e(tates, or friends, os lives in any danger, you would take them for Fanaticks, and perhaps do by them as his carnal friends did once by Chrifi, .Mark, 3.21. that went out to lay hold on bim, and [rid, He is be- fdebirnfelf.] For trifles you account it wifdom to be ferious but for everlafling things, you account it folly, or to be more bufie and folicitous than needs. You can believe an at of pardon and indempnity from man ; when as you arc little fo- licitous about a pardon from God, to whole Juflice you have forfeited yourfouls : and if a man be but carnets in begging his pardon, and praying to be faved from everlafting mifery, you (cornhim, beeaufe he does it without book , and fay, he whines, or (peaks through the note; forgetting that we (hall have you one oftheft daies, as carnal in vain, as they are that [hall prevail for their falvatíon; and that the terrible approach of death and judgement, (hall teach you alto to pray without book , and cry, Lord, Lord, open to us, when the door is (hut, and it's all too late, Mat. 25. r r. O Sirs, had you but a lively, ferious forefeeinl faith; that openethHeaven and Hell as to your fight, what a cure would it work of this Hypocrifie a. Such a fight would quicken you from your floth, and put more life into your thoughts, and words, and all that you attempt for God. 2. Such a fight would loon abate your pride, and humble you before the Lord, and make you fcc how fhort you are of whatyou [hould be. 3. Such a fight woulddull the edge of your covetous defines, and Thew you that you have greater things to mind, and another kind ofworld than this to leek. 4. Such a fight would make you diem the temptations of mens reports, but as the (bakingofa leaf, and their allurements and threats as impertinent fpccches, that would call a feather or
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