of Spirituali Death andL,ie. 163 Art that greater , laid Thee, than oterfather la-- cob thatgave us thió Well? This opinion that our fathers havegone this way, and it is tranfm it- red tous, hinders men much ; men cannot in dure newnefe. Lot is taxed for this by the Sodomites, Gen. 19. 9, This/el/ow eamein tofo jorneh r e, and willhenote bee a ltudge? So AU. 17. Paul preaching at Athens, the 4iherians iiskcd, what newdoctrineis this that thoupreach. e/? :' Men being accuffomcd to a way, it winns their opinion ; men having onde lugged, are loth to judge againe : cuflorne twines their affection. Change is troublefotnc : men having gone long in a courfe they will dill plod. on in the fame tract. Cuflome ofour fathers, or country or place where wee are, our owne cuftome makes us loath to ferfake it. Thirdly, Similitude is a great hindcrance. Exod.7. 2 2. Pharaohs heart wds hardnedbecatrfe the Magicians didthefamemiracles that Moy/es and Aaron did ; So fimilitude hinders men from imbracing.the wayes of Chrift , and God. Men feeing>Papifis auflerity like our mortification, their fuffering like true mar- tyrdome , they areperfwaded oftheir wayes, as we are ofours; fo for civility, whenas men fee it fo like religion, as a fparke is like the Ere, they itubrace it : " All deceit is from fi litude, falfe wares having the fame dye that true have, deceive the buiers: fo falling flarres are
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=