152 Eafe, Ryietnefs andworldly Peace to be denied. theleaft work ; and they that have moll of his flock in their hands, fhould make the lean ufe of it or thofe \ that are obli- ged toGod by the greaten mercies, &mid do kali in math-- felling their thankfulnefs or fidelity I what incongruities are thefe ? Who fhovld be fo butie and laborious, as thofe that have thegreaten account to make, and chafe that are to be ex- emplary to the reit ? Truly Gentlemen,I mull deal plainlywith you, that Idlenefs and the expreffion of it among the moll of you, inhunting, and hawking, and bowling, and complement- ing, and vifitations,andvain difcoUrfings, and excefs ofdrink- ing, and tedious meals, is become the common shame of your order; and mull be correfted before your honour or confci- \ antescan be recovered : And I am fo far from any partiality in this cenfure of you, that I mull tell you, if I knewone of myown profeflion ;hat were guilty but of the tenth part of fome of your Idlenefs, I woulddo my belt to rid the Church of him, and have him call out among the fenfual. And you may do well fometime to ask your felves, whence it comes to pafs that Negligent idle Minifters mull be fequeftred and turn- edout of all, and Idle Magiftrates let alone ? One reafon is, becaufe Gentlemen can better cheap compell a Minifter to painfulnefs then themfelves, and punifh Minifters for negli- gence then themfelves. Andanother reafon is , becaufe all faithful Ivlinifters themfelves in love to the Church are the feek- ers of this feverity : but Magiftrates are few of them fo felf-de- nyingand forward to feek for fuck feverityagainft the idle and negligent of their own order. But doth not your calling re- quire diligence as well as ours ? It is a brutifh, ungrateful con- ceit ofany man to think that he may live idly, becaufe he is rich. The richeft men in the world are bound to as diligent labour as the pooreft, though not in the fame kind. And yet I can perceive that moil ofthe poor are evenof the fame mind; andwhen they labour harden, they are idle in Gods account , becaufe they would live idly if they could. It is no thanks to them that they labour ; for it is neceqity that doth confirsths them. I can hear them fay, that they would not work, at leaft but little, if they had but money enough. God will judge thefe as Idleperfons, becaufe he takes the will for the deed. You
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