Shepard - BT378 T4 S44 1660

<1/:~e 'Parable of the Secondly,Secret defilement is by neglettofprinre communion with him: this is whoriili in aWife. He:·e is lhonger Temptation ro neglect private Prayer and Meditation, pan:ly.by want ofroom, partly by multitudes ofbulineffes, and work, and cares hereabout, that being we.1ry in the d.1y, fk:epy at night, bulie in the morning, Prayer, Meditation, daily examination are fenraway as Paul from[' <e lix, we will fpeak with thefe at fome more convenient feafon ; and hence ltraitneffe ofheart toward Chrilt, and no means do good. Oh Beloved, have you fu(h a Husband as Ch:iH in Heaven that loves thy looks , thy company, rhy lighs , rhy fpeeches, and WLll you neglect h1m rhus ? what no love ? 2. Is he not broken wirh this whoritb hearr ? 3. Is rh at fpeech worrh any thing with you, We fha/1 ever be with the Lord, doth iu comfort you to think of being ever wirhhim, and now negleCl: him? where are your hearts? Thirdly,Secret defilement is by bringing other lovers imo the fame bed,the f.1me he.m with him : and here the Temptation to this is thong, for mofl men have loft and funk in their Eflates, and it's hard ro live lower thm we did, and thisis a grief, and here 'tis poffible to recover eGate again, and here grief for loffe harh a vent by greedine!Te and purfuit after more. In orher places men had averyco.nfomble eltate, hence rejoyced in wha.c they had, and did nor greedily delire more; but now want makes men hungry and greedy : and no1v when aman hath thought and lookr about him, and feenwhat he may &•in by his labours ofmany acres, by his Goats and Cartel in fo many year ; now he cafts himfeJf inro the world , and alfowill not forfake Chrifl urrer ly, but brillg both into the fame hearr,Chritl:iliall 1 have fome love, fo'Ue delire, bur the world as much , and fo the he1rt is divided: and hence fome fer high prizes on their corn, commodities, caurel , others look for largewages, &c.and yet ChriH too. Hence men cry our of the world bec~ufe it hinders them from Chtilt, and yet bring it imo,and hugg it in their hems,becaufe they muflhave ic in rhe bed with Chrifl. Irwas thefpeech ofone, that he never heard of any Saint in Scripturegiven to covecoufnefs_, fome to one fm, fome ro another) but none to that; I have read of Lot, bur God firedhimoutof hiseflate at llafl : and that is all I would fay ro this. Fourrhly,Secret defilement is by decaying in !eve to rhofe whom Chritlloves,and I . thofe are his Saints, and Temptation is ltrong in this place ro this: r. Becaufe we have multitudes of rhem ; E\·en Gold it felf being fo common as to pave our ltreers, is defpifed. 2, Becaufe there wants a common enemy to drive them together. Take feveral men that never knew one another, yet in rime of War they will love abundantly, and then encourage one ano,ther, and can with joy lie rog<rther: fo 'tis here, hencearife your petty Duels and jars in Churches, furmilings, cenfurings, &c. and rhe rea[on is this , there is little love to Saint>, and for want of this, men {hall not know whether you be Chrilts Difciples or no. Be thy Brethren Saints or npt? bear they the Image of ChriH or no? if they do nor, why doH nor co~wince them , admoniili then? and if they will not be better, away with them: If they be,Oh bear,Oh love,Oh render rhem,as rhoulooketl: the Lor-d· Jefus iliou\d tender rhee. And therefore let the Image ofChrifl appear,and then fee it, and then lo,•e, and then no more breaches will follow: if not, the Lord can-and will foon fend Wolve> to make Sheep run more together. Fifthly,Le;: ring anew Generation of Harlots imo Chrifls bvfom,l mean,not greatly caririv for Potleriry, th,lt they may know and ferve this God, for after this Generation i~palt, our ch!Idren are to follow, and 'tis very rare rharrhey prove right, yet it mQybefo. Hearken diereforeyou p,1rems, if God brought them over for this end, and if they never kno;v God, what a fad thing would it be? or if they be brought forrh to pull down the Te'llpleofGod. Oh therefore, I. Be carefttlof a pious education of them in Schools, in private , and take fome courfe for that end before others come over, this will dmv them. 2. Oh make many Prayers forrhem. 3. Set Faith awork in Gods promife; as he [aid, he would not abate the tord ------------------------- -------------------------

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=