eri. i 3, z 4. the Epifile to the Romans. 5 63 difficulty, contention, and labour,con- trary to that which moll think, that to be a Chrift ion is a matter of nothing,but to fay the Lords Prayer, the ten Com- mandements and Creed, to come to Church Sundaies and Holy - daies, &c. Thefe are deceived, for we are taught that our profeflion is full of perill, (we muff forfàke our goods and lives for Chrilt,) and of pain, and travail. The virgins which will enter in with the Bride- groom, muff be watchfull, and they (hall be blefhed who walk in the waies of Gods Comandements. Secondly,it ferves to reprove Poch as fleep (till in fecurity and careleffe -li- ving,yet bear themfelves in hand they be goodChriftians; they will fpare no painsfor back and belly, for profit and pleafure, but will not lifta foot nor fUr a finger towards the work of their falvation : let filch remember that the five foolifh Virgins were (hut out tor this caufe, for that they were negli- gent to trim their Lamps. If that theft flothfull Chrillians will not be refor- med by that voice ofChrift, Mat. 20.6. Why ftand ye here idle all the day ? nor by that of Solomon, He that lovethfleep }hall furely go in rags, and come to pover- ty : yet let them be afraid of being (hut out of the Kingdome, and call into ex- treme darkneffe, which muff be the portion of all Inch as love their cafe, and fhort in their fins : for Poch as live like droans devouring the honey gathe- red by the induftrious Bees,what will be their ends ? T t nz. What i the other lef n from thin word [honefily ?] S i L. That our worksmutt be ho- neft, and filch as become the day of knowledge. Common civility teacheth men to go decently, and to do honeff things in the day when all men fee and obferve how they go and what they do: Likewife let Chriftians think that now 1 the day -light of the Gofpell is come, they mutt do only fuch works as may become the Gofpell, and are worthy of', the light. Men are drunk in the night, faith Paid, i Theff . g.7. and when knew 1 not God, ye ferved dumb Idols, Gal. 4 g. And he tels the Epbefians that when they were in ignorance they committed fm with greedineffe, Ephef. 4. 19. but now that they know Chrilt, they mull no more have fellowfhip with the works of the night,the unfruitful work s ofdarkneffe : For the light which bath appeared, teacheth us to deny ungodli- ne(fe and worldly lufts,and to livegodly towards God, juflly towards our neigh - bour,and foberly in our felves.lf a man would do fuck works in theday as ma- ny will do in the night, what a fhame were that? fo it wereadi(honeffy now that Chrift the Day }tar is rifen, }hill to lye, fleal,deceive, &c. and do the other works of darkneffe. As Paul exhorts, Eph. 4.28. & i Pet. 4.2,3,4. fo I exhort you not to do the evill now which in your ignorance ye were wont to do, but to thing it fu$icient,that fo long ye have followed the lulls of ignorance, henceforth applying your felves to oleafe God by doing godly works. Now feting there muff be a ceafing from evill works that we may do the works befeeming the day : what may we think of fuch as fince the day ap- peared, continue í}i11 in their former vices,their uncleannefs,ufury,covetouf- neffe,opprefhon,cruelty, railing,flande- ring, (wearing? to whom may be com- pared thefe ? They are like unto certain infamous and unthrifty gametters, who contrary to the order that God bath fet in nature, turn night into day, and day into night, (porting and playing all night time when they fhould fleep, and fleeping in the day when they fhould work : So it fareth with numbers of us who hill delight in, and exercife our (elves in works of corruption, now in the clear and bright day of grace : theft things which without red cheeks one cannot do, no not in ferret, and which a Chriftian (hould be a(hamed'to (peak of, yet are commonly pra&ifed without blufhing, in this broad day light of knowledge: a mofI lamentable cafe, and will coft full dear to walk Dill in darknef(e now in the day of the Go- fpell. T i M. What be thofe vices which do molt
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