The Practice of Piety

2 The evil example of ⟨p. 255⟩great persons. The practise of of whose profane lives they prefer for their imitation, before the precepts of Gods holy word. So that when they see the greatest men in the state, & many chief Gentlemen in their Country to make neither care nor conscience to hear Sermons, to receive the Communion, nor to sanctify the Lords Sabbaths, &c. But to be swearers, adulterers, carousers, oppressors, &c. Then they think, that the using of these holy ordinances are not matters of so great moment: for if they were; such great and wise men would not set so little by them. Hereupon they think that Religion is not a matter of necessity. And ⟨p. 256⟩therefore where they should like Christians row against the stream of impiety towards heaven: they suffer themselves to be carried with the multitude down right to Hell, thinking it impossible that God will suffer so many to be damned. Whereas if the God of this world had not blinded the eyes of their minds: the holy Scriptures would teach them, that ^aNot many wise men, after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called, &c. but that for the most part, the ^bpoor receive the Gospel, and that ^c