· 7I4.~ _________ S_E~R~M __O__N___V_II_.___________ ably heischill'd and controul'd in the Alacrity and Vigor of his Endeavours after Hea. venly things. Thus a_s .a frefl1-Water R1ver by ltS nearncfs to the Sea has a brackilh Tafl:c ; fo even the Cltlzens of Heaven arc ,pron~ to be , J;:artbly-minde~, by their So. c1ery wlth the Cluldren of th1s World. T1s the w& a?d earnefl: Advice of the A poille, Be not cOiiformed to thnWorld, but he ye transform d by the renewing of •our /11uuls, that ye may prO'Ile what zs tbat good, and acceptahle, and perfe[/ Will of~od. '{i~~ ~~£lu6:i~~l~~ t~~e:'0 :~~ ~::n~~~&d re:~;~ uin°~h~~ r.~~:a~~r~.urgS: ~~iffi:J,; i~ is for a Carnal Man to re!ifl: the united Foi·ce and potent Sway of corrupt Nature and Cufl:om. · , ' Sc~~~)anlJD~~F!i0~~g;;~~~k~~e ~~~e~~;re~~~g~ ~~~~~e J!~~~:nl; ~~~· f:~~~~~ bJ difparaging Reflections, and 'us one of the f'J?,iteful Arts of Satan to ·make ufe of his In. ilruments to dende fenous Rel1gron out of the World._ 'Tis equally l'rofane and pernicwus to turn mto Ra1llery a~d w!ld Mirth the Imp!Ctles and Impunnes of rhe Wicked, and the Hohnefs that !hmes m the L1ves of excellent Saints : for ,the making a Mocf of Sin, takes away the juil Horrour and Deteilatiori of it; and the fcurrilous vilifying of Holinefs, takes away the Veneration and high Refpect that is due to it. Carnal Men who live in Pleafures, without reilraint of their licentious Appetites, upbraided by the holy and heavenly Confervatwn of!incere Chri!lians,cannot with Patie.nce fufferothers to practife what they neglect; and to countenance their own Loofenefs, and from Re. venge, fcurriloufly abufe whom they will_ not imitate. Pure and undejiled Religion is the Game that winged Wits Ay at. He that avoids the appearance and approach of Sin, job " • · ~~;fo~!d~:;~~. :~::fa~:,Jd. 1"A:;:;;~:;%~ 0'~=·~:1.~;;:d :: Yc~~n~"~a;~le~~~~ t~~IT Wretches will let up for Wits, and attempt by their in!ipid Jells, and thred-bare Foole. ries to abufe the Saints. But all the bitter Sarcafms that are darted upon Religion, are infinitely more hurtful to the Defpifers than the Defpifed. It argues a prodigious Depravation of Mind in thofe who take a perverfe delight in fcorning Holinefs, the glori· ous Likehefs of God in Man: fuch m.t~e a~count of Scripture are the wor!l Sinners, th~ moft forlorn Wretches, whofe Condltlon ts dreadful, if not defperate. !fa. 6. This fcornful expo!ing Religion to make Men afi>am'd of it, is mofl: fuccefsful upon the Difpo!itions of young Perfons, and thofe who are of higher Birth and Rank in the World. Youth is the blufi1ing Age, and has a Tendernefs ol Face, that cannot bear the Prints of Difgrace. If one in his early Age begins to breath the Life of HolinelS, if he abllains from flefhly Lulls that war agamfi the Soul, he is reprefented as fondly nice, and ridiculoufly fcrupulous : no lefs than the fpecial Grace of God is nece!fary to fonify his holy Refolutions, and make him fuperior to the Scorns of the Wicked. The Honourable are fearful of Dilgrace, and more tender of their Reputation, than others, being in a greater Light, and expos'd to more Eyes and Obfervations. Ifone of noble Q!~ality renounces the Vanities and Enticements of the World, makes the Fear of the Lord his 1reafnre; if he zealoufly endeavours to be more diflingui!h'd from others by his eminent Vertues, than by the Splendor of his Condition, he is fcornfully tra· due'd as a melancholy Fop, as a low Spirit : as if Confiancy in Devotion, and the Pra· ctice of Mortification were a defcent from his Dignity, and cafl: a dark fad Shade upon his Honour. Thus the vain perverted World vilifies that Holinefs in Men, which the ble!fed Angels adore in God. But alas, how many that had ferious Inclinations to be religious, and were entred in.. to the way of Life, have been cool'd and check'd in their firfl: Fervors: they could not firmly fufiain Reproach, and endure Conflicts with the Paffion of Shame, there· fore return'd to the Courfe of the World, and with it have perifh'd to Eternity. We read ~se,"~- 9~r . 17 ' ~ft1~ 1[elf:eJ~;:sG~~~ra~7]mo~~7~~Jee~~:, 0!nJi~:~, tl~~~ I~=~~~ ~}::,;~ayTh~~r::a{h'~ Lord firidly charged them to blot ~11t the !lfemo'l of Amalec _from rmder Heaven. In this Type, prolane Scorners, that d1fcourage Begmners 10 Rehgwn, may fee thelt Do;~~oncludc this fir!\ General, I fhall obferve, the Parable reprefents to us, that thofe who were firfi invited, not only made fight of it, but entreatedJPitefully tbe Servants, and flew tbem. Their neglect of the gracious Invitation, was like the. Sleep of one oppren with the Fumes of Wine, that does not hear a Melfage fent to h1m: thw cruel Rage againtl: thofe who invited them, was like the awaking of a difiraded Perfon, :vhohea_r· •ing the Voice that calls him, and by an Error of Judg~ent m1frakwg what 1s fa1dfu:; ·
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