(4>l tliem up · -to prayer? When ·do they urge them i:o read,. or ~on=~ fider or conferr of the things that concern their everlai1mg ltfe ? 'f.he Lords own day, which is appointed to be fet apart for mat-_ ters of this nature, is wafted in id!enefs or worldly talk~. Come a-r any time into their company, and you may have talk enoug~,. and too much, .of news , or of other mens matters, of rhe~r worldly bufinefs, fports and pleafures: But abot1t God and thetr falvation, they have fo li ttle to f~y, and that fo heartlefly and on the by, 01.s if they were thing!) that belonged not to their care and duty ,.and no whir concerned them. Talk with them ab01.1t t~e re.:. novatioH of the fout and the nature of holinefs, and the life ro · come, and you fhall find them almofi·as dumb as a fi!h, or as dry as a chip, or .as erroneous or·infenfible as thofe that fp~ak. but words by rote;.to fhew you how little they favour or m1n<1 the · things-of the Spirir. The mofi tmderfiand not matters of this nr\~ture, nor much defire or care to underfiand them :·yf one would tea.ch them perfonally , they.are too old to be catechized or to learn , though not too old ro be ignorant of the matters whicli they were made for, .and are pre.1erved for in rhe world : They are tOO wife ro learn to be wife, and too good to be taught how · to begood ; .though not too wife to follow the feducements o£: the Devil ancl the world, nor too -good to be the fia ves of Satan,. 1 and the defpifers -and enemies of goodnefs. If they do any thing :. which they eaU aferving-Df God, it is fome cold and heartlefs ufe .· , of words to make themfclves beheve that for · all their fins they, fhall b~ fa ved ; fo that God will call that a ferving of theid1ns · a-~d abomination, w~ich t~ey call aferving_of God. SGme· of.the~ · • ,wdl confefs that Holmefs ts good ; bm they hope God wtll be · · men:ifl:ll eo them without it ·: And fome·do fo hare·ir that it is a · difple.a!ing irkfom thing to them, to hear any ferious difcourfe of · holinefs, and they derefi and deride thofe as fanatick trouble- · fome_ Preciflan~~ tha-t diligently feek the One thing necelf~ry. So that tf the Belief' of rhe m?fi imay be judged by rheir praetites; we may confidl!ntly fay, that they do not prachcally believt: tha:t e·v~r they fhall be brought to J udgemem , or that there is any Heaven. or Hell to be ·expected ; and that their confeffion ·of the truth of the holy Scriptures, and· their profeffion of the Articles · ofthe Chrifhan Faith, are no proofs th•n they heartily take tllffil · t:o, b'e r:u~, .Who can be fucha firanger to-the wo'rld,as not to fee thattbts ~lsthe caf~ of. th.e ~ greatdlpart :of men? Aml which is 9-- l :. · wor.ft
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