~ rrumorsolmirac!es, nofu::t:c~::::;:~~!::~::::e;othingbut(>''""J'"') A, I the fincerity ofScripture~, fio:-plicity of Sacraments, decency ol rare ceremonies, Chri[l crucified. We aregonerfyou goe by appearance: Gone? alos, who can bur blu!h and wecpe and bletd ro fee that Chrif\ian foulesfbould (alter fuch beomes of knowledge) fulfer rbcn,fdves to be rhus palpably cozened with rhe gilded Orps of error , rh,t ofcer fo many yeeres pious ~overnmem offuch an incomparab!efilce<ffionof reli!(ious Pr inces , ;\mhority fhould hove c~ufe to complaine ofour defection. Deore Chr iltians (I rpuft be fhupe) are we chrldren or fooles, that we ibould be berm pleafed with the glittering tinfell of a painted baby from a Pedlers !hop, than wirh the fecretly·rich and invaluJbie Jewell of divine Tmth ? Have we thus learned Chtill' Is this the fruit offo cleere aGofpellloffo bletfed fcepters? ForGod1 fo~ebewife andhoneft, andye cannot be Apojlatu. , Shortly , (or it wereealie robe eP.dleffe: Ifappearancemight be the rule, good B fbould be rvil,cvil good; rhere is no venue th>t cannotbe counterfeited, no vice rh•t cannot be blancheq: we fhould have no fuchfricnd os ourenemy,a flatterer;no fuch enemy as our friend thatreproves us. lr were a wonder ifyegrearones fbould not have fome fuch burs h1nging upon your Oeeves; As foone !ball corn growwithout chalfe, as grfltnefie flu.! br free from adulation: Thefe fervile fpirirs fhall footh up all your purpofes,and magnifie all yeur aClions,and applaud your words,and adoreyour perfons: Sin wh.1t you will,tbey wi 'l nor check you;Project what you will,tbeywill nor twharryou; fay what yewill, they will notfaileto fecond you; bewharye will, they will not faile to admire you: Oh how rhefe men area !I for you,all yours,all you; They loveyou as theRavens doeyour eyes. Howdeare was Sifora to Jael, when fbe fmoothed him up, and gave himmilk in a Lordly difb; samfM to Dahlah,when fbe lulled him in her lap; Chrijl to }uda<, when he kitfed him; Seehowheloved him, C would fame foole have faid, rhat had judged by appeaunce. In the meane time an honell plaine-dealing friend is like thofc fauces which aman praifes with teares in his eyes; like achefnur,which pricksthe fingers,bur pleafes our ralte; or like fome wholfomemedicinail potion,that diflaftesand purges us(perhaps makes us fick) thct it may heale u~Oh let the righteous f.'Dite me,for that is abenefit; !ethim reprove me, and it !ball be a preciousoylethat fhallnot break my head;Break it? no, it (}all healeir, when itis momlly wounded by mine own finne, byothers alfenration: Oh how happy were it, ifwe could love them that love our foules, and hare them that love our finnes.They are thefe rough hands that muft bring us favory difbes, and carry •way a bl<lliog; truth is fur them now, thankesfball beforthem h<reafrer, but in the mean time they may not be judged by the appearonce. Laflly, ifwe fhall judge friendfitip by complement, falubrilyby fweetnetfe, fer- 0 vice by the eye, fidelity byoothes, valour by brags, • Saint by his face, a Devillby his feer, we !hall be fure to be deceived : Judge 1101 therefore according to •ppeara•ce. Bur (that ye rnillake not) though we may not judgeonly by the appearance, yet appearancemay not be neglected in our judgement. Somerhings, according to the Philofopher, ( J'o.,.·.-,·, ~· J\) feeme and are, areasrhey feeme: Semblancesarenot alwaies levered fromtruth; Our fenfes are fafe guides to our uuderflandings. VVe ju[lly laugh ar rhat Sceptick in LaeiliTH, who becaufehis fervanrs robbed his cupbord, doubted whether he lefr his victualsthere: Whatdoewewitheyes,ifwemaynor be!eeve their in!elligence ( That world is pafl, wherein the gloffe elerieTH amtle/Jen~ frzmi6am pu[urml11r he~edicendi co,Ja fuijfe; The wanton imbracements of another mans wife,mult p>ffe with a Clearke for a ghollly benediction; Men are now more wil•, letfe choriroble: Words and probable fbewes are appearances, •frions E are nor; ar.d yet even our words alfo fhall judge us; ifthey be filrby,ifblafphemous, ifbutidle, wefhallaccountfurthem, wefballbejudgedbyrhem; Ex ore t•o; a foule wngue fbewes ever> rotten hearr; By I heir(rHrts J<fhaU k._norrr tbem, is our Saviours mle; I may f>fe!y fay, 1\.o body defiresto borrow colours ofevill; Ifyou doe ill, thinke nor that we will make d1inty to thwke you fo; ~>~henrheGodof love can fay by the Difcipleoflove, .!f!.•i (aeil peecatum, ex di4holo eft; He that committeth finne, is ofrhe Devill: Euen the righteous Judgeoftheworld judgeth (foe•ndHn,
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