C77) ~ieJ- ~nd then 11/l that drt ntJW ll/ive OH Cdrth, thAt tVer _tryed ll holj Jif~ i The Scripture will tell thee that Abraham, lfaac, racob, David and all the refi of the Saints that were then mofi dear to God, ;.,ere fo far from thinking that a holy life was more then needs, that they thought they could never be ho!J enough , and blamed-their defeB:s when they excelled fuch as now thou blamc!l: as too precife. And if thou wilt preferr the words and exam~ple of a worldling-~ or of a fottifh fenfual man, before the judge– ment and example of thefe Saints, the compar1'y that rhon choof– efr, and the deceivers whom thoa followd1, {hall bealfo thy com– panions in calamity , where £hall be weeping and gndhing.of teeth·, when ye fhallfee-the s~imts from Eafl: and Wefl:, from North and South, fit down with Abraham, Jfa·ac, 'lacob, and all: the Prophfts, in the Kingdom of God, and you, and fuch as you thru!l: out : Even when thelafl in. time (whom you here de– fpifed) thall be equal to-the firfi and antient Saints, Lttk.! I 3.. · 2.7 1 2g', 29-;, 3o, Why do· you hypocritical.ly honour the names and memorials of the· Prophets , Apofiles , and: other former Saints , and keep,Holy-dayes for them , and yet reproach their holy courfe, and preferr the judgement of a drunkard or a ma· ltgnant enemy of godlinefs before theirs ? For fo you do when you argue 2gainfi aholy life.. . ~efi. z·o. Doft thou thin"-that there is now one foul in He~ven tDr Hell, that id of thy prophane opinion, a14d would (ay, tb..rt a dili– gent holy life i4 mere ado then needs ft;r mem falvation ! Certainly thofe inHeaven have more knowledge;.and experience, and love toGod and man, and goodnefs, then to be of fo impious amind,. or once to enterc.ain fueh beailly thoughts :· And thofe in Hell, though fiill unholy, have learned to their cofl to know the great Neceffiry-of hellnefs : And would tell you, if they could fpeak with you, that the mofi firiet and heavenly life for miliions of ages were not too dear, for the efcaping of th~ · everlaGing mife– ry. Why elfe do we find one of them in kukJ 16. defcribed as f0 defirous., that one from the dead might befent to his Brethren~ to warn them that they come not to that place of torment ? And ..what is i.t that he wouldhavehad them warnecl of, but that lhey fhoutd ltve a holy felf-denying life,and with all their diligence lay up a treafure in the life to wme, infread of living fo fenfual, and voluptuous, and ungodly a life as he had lived. The fcope of the ftory tells us tha~ thi~ would have been his meffage, if he might ~~ve fenr. - _ b- 3" • · guei.!!
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