tv drayiie SAINTS. x Samuel 25.2, s. So my Brethren, as our name is to fhould we be; if Chrifianbe our name, true Chriftianity fhould bee with us; Humility, love, meekeneffe, patience, faith, holineffe, and all other parts of Chrillianity fhould be with us; now if wee have the .Name without thefe things intimated by the name, this is a very unreafonable thing; nay, it is not onely unreafonable, but alto ridiculous ; who will not count the names that the Papifls give to their bloc -. kith Friers ridiculous ? Sm6tilifmtcr Dodtor, Dodtor, An- geliossr, Seraphicm, theft are ridiculous, as a Drunkard a Chnflian, a whoremonger a Chriflian, a worldling a Chrifli- an, a vaine min a Chriflian ? What a ridiculous thing it is to call fùeh the Saints of God ? Strangers here on earth, fisch as have their converfation in Heaven, filch as are buried together with Chrift in his death ; filch as are men of ano- ther World ; Mortified, ¡unified fanblified , crucified to themfelves, loving the things above, and not the things that arc here beneath ; If thele things doe not agree with us, what a ridiculous thing is it that wee fhould bee termed good Chriflians ; here bee Chriflians indeed ? this is a meere mockery. Fifthly, it is an impudent thing ; when we have a Name to live and to be wrought upon by the word, what an impu- dent thing is it if we doe not looke to it that wee be fo in- deed; one would thinke wee fhould blufh to thinke what a Name wee have , and how little wee make good our name, between God and our owne fóules. When the men of Bethlehem. paid, is mot shoe Naomi, O bow fhe was athamed of ber fife ; call me mot Naomi, tall me Marah, for the .41 - mightr hash dealt wry bitterly with me,Ruth.r.áo. So when wee are named Chrifians, we fhould even blufh, call me not a Chrtftian,.call me a Wretch , call nie a vile creature, a hell- hound, a limme of the Devill, a curled (inner ; for the Al- mighty never yet timed my heart ; he never yet purified my Soule and life, I never yet have relimbled Chrñl to this very day;I fay the mat duty fhould even be confounded to thinke $ what Reaf.S, i
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