dence this age has got. But if the exceeding temperance, chastity, virtue, industry, and contentedness of very Heathens, with the plain and neceffary enjoyments God has been pleased to vouchfafe to the fons and daughters of men, as fufficient to their wants and conveniency, that they may be the more at leisure to answer the great end of their being born, will not fuffice, but that they will exceed the bounds, precepts, and examples, both of Heathens and Chriftians; anguifh and tribulation will overtake them, when they fhall have an eternity to think upon, with gnashing teeth, what to all eternity they can never remedy; these difmal wages are decreed for them, who fo far affront God, heaven, and eternal felicity, as to neglect their falvation from fin here, and wrath to come, for the enjoyment of a few fading pleasures. For fuch to think, notwithstanding their lives of fenfe and pleasure, wherein their minds become flaves to their bodies, that they fhall be everlastingly happy, is an addition to their evils; fince it is a great abufe to the holy God, that men and women should believe. him an eternal companion for their carnal and fenfual minds: for "As the tree falls, fo it lies; and as death leaves men, judgment finds them; and there is no repentance in the grave. Therefore I beseech you, to whom this comes, to retire withdraw a while; let not the body see all, taste all, enjoy all; but let the foul fee too, tafte and enjoy thofe heavenly comforts and refreshments proper to that eternal world, of which fhe is an inhabitant, and where fhe

muft ever abide in a state of peace or plagues, when this vifible one fhall be diffolved.

The doctrine and practice of the blessed Lord Jefus, and his apoftles; the primitive Chriftians, and thofe of more modern times, in favour of this difcourfe.

1. The Doctrine of Christ, from Mat. v. about denial of felf. §. 2. John Baptift's example. §. 3. The teftimonies of the apostle Peter, &c. §. 4. Paul's godly exhortation against pride, covetoufness, and luxury. §. 5. The primitive Chriftians non-conformity to the world. §. 6. Clemens Romanus against the vanity of the Gentiles. §. 7. Machiavel, of the zeal of the primitive Chriftians. §. 8. Tertullian, Chryfoftom, &c. on Mat. xii. 36. f. 9. Gregory Nazianzene. §. 10. Jerom. 8. 11. Hilary. §. 12. Ambrofe. S. 13. Auguftine. f. 14. Council of Carthage. §. 15. Cardan. §. 16. Gratian. §. 17. Petrus Bellonius. §. 18. Waldenfes. §. 19. What they understood by daily bread in the Lord's Prayer. §. 20. Their judgment concerning taverns. S. 21. Dancing, mufic, &c. §. 22. An epiftle of Bartholomew Tertian to the Waldenfian churches, &c. f. 23. Their extreme fuffering and faithfulness. Their degeneracy reproved, that call them their ancestors, f. 24. Paulinus, bifhop of Nola, relieving flaves and prifoners. §. 25. Aca

, bishop of Amida, his charity to enemies,

HAVING abundantly fhewn, how much the doctrine and converfation of the virtuous Gentiles condemn the pride, avarice, and luxury of the profeffed Chriftians of the times; I fhall, in the next place, to difcharge my engagement, and farther fortify this difcourfe, prefent my reader with the judgment and practice of the most Christian times; as alfo of eminent writers, both ancient and modern. Í fhall begin with the bleffed Author of that religion.

§. I. JESUS CHRIST, in whofe mouth there was found no guile, fent from God, with a teftimony of love to mankind, and who laid down his life for their falvation; whom God hath raised by his mighty power to be Lord of all, is of right to be first heard in this matter; for never man fpake like him to our point; short, clear, and clofe; and all oppofite to the way of this wicked world. Bleffed, fays he, are the poor in fpirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God: He doth not fay, bleffed are the proud, the rich, the high-minded: here is humility and the fear of the Lord bleft. Bleffed are they that mourn, for they fhall be comforted: he doth not fay, blessed are the feasters, dancers, and revellers of the world, whofe life is fwallowed up of pleasure and jollity: no, as he was a man of forrows, fo he bleft the godly forrowful. Bleffed are the meek, for they fhall inherit the earth: he doth not fay, bleffed are the ambitious, the angry, and thofe that

a Mat. v.

are puffed up: he makes not the earth a bleffing to them: and though they get it by conqueft and rapine, it will at laft fall into the hands of the meek to inherit. Again, Bleffed are they which do hunger and thirst after righ teousness but no bleffing to the hunger and thirft of the luxurious man. Bleffed are the merciful, for they fhall obtain mercy: he draws men to tenderness and forgiveness by reward. Haft thou one in thy power that hath wronged thee? Be not rigorous, exact not the utmost farthing; be merciful, and pity the afflicted, for fuch are bleffed. Yet further, Bleffed are the pure in heart, for they fhall fee God. He doth not fay, bleffed are the proud, the covetous, the unclean, the voluptuous, the malicious: no, fuch shall never see God. Again, Bleffed are the peace-makers, for they shall be called the children of God. He doth not fay, bleffed are the contentious, back-biters, talebearers, brawlers, fighters, makers of war; neither fhall they be called the children of God, whatever they may call themselves. Lastly, Bleffed are ye when men fhall revile you, and perfecute you, and fay all manner of evil against you falfely for my fake: rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven. He bleffeth the troubles of his people, and tranflates earthly fufferings into heavenly rewards. He doth not fay, bleffed are you when the world fpeaks well of you, and fawns upon you: fo that his bleffings crofs the world's. For the world bleffeth those as happy, that have the world's favour. He bleffeth thofe as happy hat have the world's frowns. This folveth

the great objection, Why are you fo foolish to expofe yourselves to the law, to incur the dif pleasure of magiftrates, and fuffer the lofs of your eftates and liberties? Cannot a man ferve God in his heart, and do as others do? Are you wiser than your forefathers? Call to mind your ancestors. Will you queftion their falvation by your novelties, and forget the future good of your wife and children, as well as facrifice the prefent comforts of your life, to hold up the credit of a party? A language I have more than once heard: I fay, this doctrine of Chrift is an answer and antidote against the power of this objection. He teaches us to embrace Truth under all thofe fcandals. The Jews had more to fay of this kind than any, whofe way had a more extraordinary inftitution; but Chrift minds not either inftitution or fucceffion. He was a new man, and came to confecrate a new way, and that in the will of God; and the power that accompanied his miniftry, and that of his followers, abundantly proved the Divine authority of his miffion, who thereby warns his to expect and to bear contradiction, reviling, and perfecution: for if they did it to the green tree, much more were they to expect that they would do it to the dry; if to the Lord, then to the fervant.

Why then fhould Chriftians fear that reproach and tribulation, that are the companions of his religion, fince they work to his fincere followers a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory? But indeed they have great cause to fear and be afhamed, who are the

R.