Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

696 That worldly things trithdrdllr men from C/ odtferoice. flrong and'cheerful for thefe holy a&ions;and religious exerci- frs. And thus this worldly profperity and earthly abundance draweth men fróperforming vntoGod,ÿ duties ofhis woríhip and feruice,and from vfing the means oftheir own faluation;ei- ther as it vtterly hindreth them from performing thefe Chrifli- an duties, which is the cafe of prophane worldlings, who do= ting vpon thefe earthly vanities,arefo wholly taken vp in buft- nes and imploiments about either the getting, keeping,er dif- pofing them ,that they can find no leifure at all, either to vfe in their ovine familiesthe exercifes ofprayer,reading,meditation; or to come veto the congregation, to heare the word,receiue the facraments,or total pu#ílickly vpon the holy name ofGodr or els ifthey formally performe thefe duties,ithindreth them,as it doth difra&their minds in prayer,and hearing the word,and came away their hearts,fo as they doe not attend at all to thofe holy exercifes which they haue in hand; or elk careleffely;lum_ pifhly, wearily, and without all life and feeling; whichis the cafe oftemporizers, and formaIlworldlings,who for Come car- nalirefpe &s make an outward profefìïonofreligion. And not onely they,but euen Gods dearer children are thusouertaken, through the immoderate loueofthele vanities;fo as they Rime- times negle& thefe holy duties ofGods feruice;and meanes of their ovine faluation,and fometimes performe them with much diflra&ion,dulnes,and wearineffe,as appeareth in the example Ulric ro.4t:4z..ofc 4.artha,whobeing cumbred with. worldly bufineffe,neg- ]e&edtohearkenvnto our SauiourChriff. To which purpofe one faith,that worldly pleafures and abundance,do make vs to negle& al good duties ofpiety towards God;and contrariwife, afi &ions do make vs holy,and moll devout in the exercifes of religion.Which ifany would clearelyfee,let him enter into the Chryfofithoat: houle ofthofe who marrie,andinto the honk of mourners,in- ad PAP` -2. to the prifonsand theaters,banquetting houfes,and hofpitals of cow.4. the Gcke;andobferue the -great difference betweene their feue- uerall carriages; what vanitie,lightneffe,irreligion, prophane- neffe,fwearing and ribaldrie, he (half fee, and heare in the one; and what prayer,deuotion, contemptof theworld,holy confe- rences, and other religious exercifes, he fhall behold in the o. Cher. But as this confluence and abUndance of worldly bene. fits doecommonly make vsvnft to doe feruicevnt° God, and