Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

nefs, which hath too much of late encroached upon this Western World, do not owe its Original to fuch Religious Pretences of Men, who, under the Name of Justice and Sanctity, have dared to do that which Heathens would have trembled at, I leave to wifer Men than my felf to judge.

Only I cannot but take notice of a strange Effect, which our Sermons have accidentally, as the Sun doth Snakes and Serpents when shining upon unclean Dunghils, produced in the Lives of too many, of whom we might justly have expected better returns in Religion; for while we have been difcouraging them from Hypocrify, they bave run out into Debauchery; and while we have endeavoured to clear our Church from fuch as bave but a Form of Godliness, they have made our Attempt an opportunity to indulge themfelves in their Lufts, and thought that the way to approve themselves true Members of our Church, was to Drink, Swear, and be Lewd, and to commit thofe Sins openly, which the other (may be) did in fecret. Excellent Sons of the Church! that, Viper-like, tear up her Bowels, and, by a kind of Gallantry fetch'd from Hell, rail at their Mother more than Shimei did at David. I

may be bold to affirm, That there is no Church this day in all the Chriftian World, that in her Doctrine doth either encourage Real Goodness more, or strive more to keep the Balance even, that God may have the Things which are God's, and Man the Things which are Man's, than that we live in: Tet to our forrow we find, that while we have given People leave to laugh at Religious Diffimulations, they have laugh'd themfelves

into Licentioufnefs; and while they have taken liberty to cavil at a falfe Religion, they have at laft learned to be averfe from all that looks like Holiness. This hath made me fometimes admire what thefe Men do with their Reason, and that they do not presently for fwear buying any more Pearls, because fome there are that fell Counterfeit ones for True. Strange! They fhould, to avoid one Extreme, run into another; end to fhun Deceptions in Religion, run as far from it as the Devil can mislead them. How foon might the Folly of both Extremes be difcovered, if Men were but willing to think more than they do: But while they go on in a Road of a few outward Duties, and confider not how unworthy of that Church and Gospel they live, whofe Friends they profess themselves to be, no marvel if they fright Men away from our Affemblies, and bring Darkness upon all the Land of Gofhen.

The juft Indignation I have taken at the Injuries our Church fuffers from thefe Scandalous Men, hath been partly the occafion of this Treatife. For I fee, Men's Cures lie within their own Breafts; and that fo many are fick unto Death, and ready to perish, the reafon is, because they will not reflect what unreasonable Men they are; nor represent to themselves the Wrong they do to their Souls for want of a lively Confideration, as will evidently appear in the enfuing Difcourfe.

I confefs divers Accomplishments which render a Book acceptable to curious Palates, fuch as are Rhetorick, Elegancy of Style, Fancy, Wit, and frequent Quotations of Authors, &c. will be

found

found wanting here: but, as I profefs no Skill that way, fo my Defign was not fo much to fill Men's Heads with Notions, as their Hearts with Fire. It was to engage the Ignorant and Careless to a fubftantial Improvement of their Reafon: And if what I have faid, can prevail with thofe that have lived like Beafts, to recover themselves into Men again; I both undervalue the little Cenfures of Supercilious Men, and content my felf with that Success. We cannot all fine as Stars of the first Magnitude, in the wide Firmament of the Church; thofe that cannot, must give fuch Light as they are able to difpenfe: I envy not our Eagles in Divinity, that they fee far more than 1, but thank God I fee so much: And while the greater Sages offer Gold and Myrrhe and Frankincenfe, I am happy enough if I may be allowed to bring Goats Hair, and Badgers Skins, towards the Accomplishment of the Tabernacle. A Critical Eye may Spy Faults in this Free-will Offering, and I do not wonder at it; for my duller Sight, now I have done, difcovers more than I wish there were in't. But my Difcourfe is fitted to my End. Doing good is my intent; if I fucceed not, it's no more but what greater Men have failed of.

Farewel.

THE

raged by evil Company. Neglect confulting with Minifters about this neceffary Work. Delude themselves with the Notion of Chrift's dying for the Sins of the World.

CHAP. V.

87

Of the various Mifchiefs arifing from neglect of Confideration. The want of it proved to be the cause of most Sins. Some inftances are given in Atheism, Unbelief, Swearing, Pride, Carelefnefs in God's Service, Lukewarmness, Covetousness, &c.

A

CHAP. VI.

204

Of the various Advantages of ferious Confideration; it's that which makes a Man Mafter of all Chriftian Duties; it helps a Man to improve Sublunary Objects into Heavenly Contemplations. It's the greatest Support under Afflictions; difpofes a Manto be a Worthy Receiver of the Lord's Supper prepares him for an Angelical Life on Earth; makes him prudent and difcreet in Secular Affairs and Bufinefs.

CHAP. VII.

313

A Pathetical Exhortation to Men, who are yet ftrangers to a ferious, religious life, to confider their ways; the wilfulnefs of their neglect, how dangerous it is; how inexcufable they are, how inhumane to God and their own Souls; how reafonable God's requests are, and how justly God may turn that power of Confideration he hath given them, into blindness and hardness of heart, fince they make foill ufe of it, &c.

CHAP. VIII.

375

Of Retirement and Prayer, the two great helps to Confideration. Retirement proved to be neceffary to make Confideration of our Spiritual State more quick and lively. Prayer calls in the affiftance of God's Spirit, and renders the Work effectual. A Form of Prayer to be ufed upon this occafion.

402

CON

« AnteriorContinuar »