t1 Dtfdurfeof true bappine. reli,ion; and make it plainely appeare,that their cafe(with- out found converfion and imbracement offncerity) is the very ftate ofwretchedneile andofdeath, But now fourthlyand'laftly, in Ele&ions, the thoughts of 4' Cods Child, in whofe heart alone the Word ofGod doth chiefly rule, and is deepely rooted, would be thefe or the like, in tl- e firft place,there comes intohis minde a reverent feare ofthat Cod, who bath mercifully advanced hire to his piace, wherein he expeð confcience and fàithfullneffe; l-Heconfders thatfolemne and facred oath which hee takes (in the fight ofhimwho feeth all hearts and cogitations}for a refolute and unfwayed uprightneffe in thedill ofing .of his \lice ; that upon the integrity or unconfcionablenefle in Elé&ions, depends themifery and confùfìon, or happineffe and fourifhing of an Houle., He further calleth to mindé j. outof his experience, that commonly thofe fellowes who thruft into focieties, offices, and high roomes, by lhuffling and violence, by faction and prepofterous favour, by cun- ning or corruption, become pernicious and difhonourable to theplaceswhere they, live; they are (till thornes in the fides, and prickes in the eyes ofall that lovegrace andgood= nelle they either turneidle, truly fa1ious, or notorioufly fcandalous, by mif-fpcnding theunvaluablc preciouftief e of their goldenhomes, to Tavernes, Ale-houfes, or fome other' courfe ofgood-fellowfhip, to the inexpiable and eternal! diíhonour of thole Houfes, of which they fhould be orna- ments. And when theyhave done muchhurt and mifchiefe Feere, theyare theonely mento bargain for, buy, or corn= paffe ly indirect and finifter dealing,.. Benefices, and fpiritu- all promotionsabroad : of whichbeing poffeft, they either by unconfcionable and cruel! negligence, and Non-refi- dencein their charge, betray the foules of their people to wildnefle and barbarifine, .. to ignorance,- prophaneneflè, or Popery ; or elfe by a prophane and unhallowed handlingof CodsWord,.. by dawbing with untempered morter,_ as the Prophet fpeakes, fo ftrengthen the hands of the wicked; that they cannot returne from their wicked waits,.. and kill 137 the'
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=