Preparations for. Peering. of; It's true what thta Prophet told Hazaell what he fhould doe, that he tlioui.l be thus and thus cruel to natty, why faith Ìla'zeef to-the Pro ,het,15 thy fervant a dead d9gg, that I fhould d' these th`ngs ? So do but tell men before they come to have .power in their hands, that they will make th dear Servants of God to cry to ii- aven for the burdens that they will lay (Tot! them, why they would think -it the nioft uncharitable thing, yea they would think in their own hearts that they were but as dead does if they t -íotld do thefe things. Truly we cannot deny, . but muff fay that men do fuch things alteady,fuch as heretofore they themfelves would have thought they t1iould never have .-done ; flow many heretofore were of dear and intimate ac cpuaintance one with another, that did life to unbofome them - felves each to oiler, that did ufe to pray, and tai together, .and flied tears together, groaning under the persecution that wxs before, and yet I will fay that they are come to fuch a height, as w have the denomination of perfecutors, but do not force begin very fair, to be very harfh and very hard even to= wards fuch Brethren as were as'dear as their own fouls,and fuch as are not fallen off Lobe worfe then they were, but their cot- fciences will tell them that they keeps as dole to God as ever, and yet there is a mighty alteration in their fpirics ; and there- fore becau'e we do not know what the depth of evill is in the hearts of men, therefore we have caufe in all times to prepare for this perfecittion, there's no time that is fo peaceable, and fo ferene,butwe have caufe to lay in,and to prepare for fufl ring5t Therefore fat down and reckon upon it when thou 6 ginnelt the profellìon of Religion, that perfe cutions will attend thee ; In the zz of the 4íí-s, you may fee how Maw reckoned upon fufferings ovherefoever he came ; And therefore that you may prepare, I will not enter largely into the common place of pre- paring for fufferings,and carrying of our felves under fufferin . But only in a few words that you may prepare. Firfl of all, you that profe1fe Religion,do not take p- ofelfioit ofReligion, u pb n meer hear -fay, or upon any bee ends, or to give content to your friends, no, but wen en you enter upon the profellìon ofReligion, b fure you lay a good found atia'I,1FVh at yyyz 531
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