II S# A Treatife of the Apaifios. he is,better gifted then thy Pelf; nay, for that may a carnal heart do, and be proud, he may rejoyce that his childe is better- memoried, better-witted, better gifted then himfelf. O thinks he, this is my childe, this is my fonne, this is my daughter, never a father or mother hereabouts can fay they have loch a childe. This is nothing but pride. But be it a fervant, yea, be it a ftranger, be it one whom thou counteft thine enemy, thou wilt rejoyce in his gifts; fo God may be glorified, no matter though I be difgraced, yea, I count it my honour, that my fhame in the world may be the ftir- rupfor Gods honour to get up : thus thou wilt reafon, if thou haft a fpirit of true zeal. It is greatly to be bewailed how many fymptomes of Atheifm are amongft us in this regard: For men are fo far from rejoycing in the forward - neffe of others, that they grumble, and they thunder at no- thing fo much, as that any fhould be forward and zealous for God ; they had rather have an hundred boon-compa- nions then one zealous man, rather be acquainted with twenty that are carnal, then one that is holy in his wayes. I thank God, (ayes one, we have never a Puritan in our Pa- rifh. I am glad we can fay, we have none of thefe fingular fellows in our town, (ayes another. I fpeak not of fuch as the Law doth count Puritans, enemies to the State and the Church, it is a blefting indeed there be none fuck : but of the godly that are called Puritans by the impure tongues of the wicked ; the State hath no better friends under hea- ven, the Kingdom no better Subjects in the world, then are they : for thefe are they that pray away Gods judgements from the Land ,that are earneft with the Lord in prayer for the King and Councell, and the Church, while the men of the world by their drunkenneffe, and whoredomes,and co- veteoufnes, and fecuriry, and contempt of Gods Word, are pulling down vengeance on the Nation, and provoke God for to plague us. But thefe are they that molt people have little joy in. O my brethren, where we have ten or twenty fuch Puritans in our Parifh, I would to God we had an hun- dred.
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