8 Gofpel--Converfatian. worfe for you, they are afhamed of it, when they go in the ítreets and meet with force of their acquaintance, Oh fay they, Do you not know fuch a one, what he did fuch a week in his houfe, how falle hewas, and how he plaid the knave ? What one that would go in a morning to hear, and rife early in the winter time, and take fomuch pains, and yet do fuch and Inch things '! it cafts a mighty fcorn uponall profeffors ofReligion, and upon the Minifters of the Gofpel and the waies of the Gofpel, all (I fay) is fcorn'd and contemn'd, and men be hard- ned againft it, meerly for thy Converfation ; and it may be force that were coming on and began to think that the pro- feffion ofReligionwas the way to Heaven, and for them tobe more ftric than they were , and to enquire after the waies of God more thanbefore, and to attend upon the Minif}ryof the Word ; but (ince they heard of fuch a mifcarriage , fuch loof- nefs in fuch a ones Converfation their hearts rife againflit, and they bleffe themfelves from fuch a way, Godbleffe me (fay they) from fuch waies ! if this be the fruit of their profefion, andof their talking of Religion, to do thus and thus l So that thou proveft to be a fumbling block that others (tumble at and perifh by, and doff thou think that (they stumblingand Peri- thingat thy tins) that thou (halt go fcot-free ? Cana thou think that thou that art a means to fend fo many toHell, that thou íhalt not go thither thy felt? Certainly there's no men in the world that are the caufesof fending fo many to Hell, as fuch as live loofly in their Couverfations, when they mike profeffion of Religion. Canff thou have any evidence to thy foul that there is any work ofgrace in thee, and yet live looflie ? Oh ! Chrift and His Gofpel will fcorn fuch as thou art, fuch wicked lode ones, thou art a dithonor to Jefus Chrift a difhonor tá the Go- fpel, and I may fay ofthee that doff fo, as it was Paid ofpda, Ithadbeen happy if thouhadfl never been tern: efpecially to beborn in thefe times. But we shall meet with thefe again, whenwe come to the point in the particulars ; how we fhould walk as becomes the Gofpel ; this is but only in the general for fuch as are loofe in their Converfations for certainly thismull be granted as an everlafting rule, Thiv that man or woman which makes not confcience of every thing in their Converfations, makes -411111110WONINININIWIliregffts -10.
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