1'art 11. A S11int or 4 Brute: 3'S1 {ball be mad~ the reafon of another, that thotl mai.fr n:m thus in a round of mife~y, and flop in grieving, and go no further : Whereas thou fi\ouldtl -fo grieve for fuch grief as may ca!t thee off and fta), thy grieving : and thy repentirg fhould he the' ~ure and farfak._ing of thy fin, and not the renewal Qf it. ·But on the other .fide, if thou couldfl: live a heavenly joyful -life that the glory of thy hopes might appear in thy counte· na~ce, thy conference and converfation, bow many might her~· by be drawn to Chrifi, and t::aufed to think we.ll of the w_ays of God? Did the Godly but exceed the refl of the world, m hely · joy and cheerfu/nefs of mind, as much as they e~ceed them i? happinefs and in thecaufes of true joy, what an honour would 1t be ro Chrifi and holinefs? and what an attraCtive. to win the ig– norant to embrace the motions of fa! vation? How eafily would they let go-rbeir'finful pleafures, their glutto11y,' and drunken– nefs, and filthincfs,and gaming~ if they did but fee by the carri– age of believers., that they were like to exchange them for much gre~tter joys? ¥ou cannot expect that ignorant men, that never tryed a holy life, and have a namral enmity againfl: it, fhould fee the excellency of it .immediately in it felf; But they will judge of Rel igion by the perfons that profefs it: Th~t {hall feem to them the bef\: Religion, that bath the befl: and happie!l profeffors : And tbofe feem to them the happiefi and bet!, that have the greatefi comforts,and conquer moft the troubles of their minds. r ou can expeCt no other' but that countrey people, that know ' not the nature of medicines themfelves, fuould jadge of them by the fuccefs, and chink that he followeth the befi advice, who .is mofi bealthful, and of longefl: life. And fo will the ignorant · judge of the holy doCtrine and commands of God, by the lives ofthofe that ~em to follow them. 0 therefore behave your felves in rhe Cburchof God, as thofe that remember, that they Jive in the .prefence pf aworld of men, whofe happinefs or mi– !eryh~rh r;nuch dependance on your lives. If you were debating the £afe Wt.th a fenfua·l wretch, wolilld you not tell him that Holi-' nefs is a fiate of greater pleafare then his fin? Tell him fo then by your example~s well as by your words : Let him fee as well as hear of the C(lnfi ..4 ence and comforts of trae .believers. Were ~~rifiianity exen:plifi ed i·n the lives of Chrifl:ians, Iww excellent ~ f!~~~ !YQU!~ ~t app;~~?_ were we but fu,h as the holy doctrine .Y 2 .. _ · - - --- -- - and ...-;:.. y -- ~-
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