To the forementioned sort,1 if we shall adjoin three other kinds of bad ones, it shall easily appear that there are infinite persons living among good Christians, and of some so accounted of also, at least of themselves; who yet have not renounced open and apparent sins. The first of these three kinds, are the rude & common sort of people: and as ignorant for the most part, as they §Bare rude & barbarous. They fear no danger, and their own speeches do best bewray them: when they be reproved, their shift & answer is, that their hearts are as good as the best mens, though they cannot talk greatly of religion, nor make no such shows as many can: and as for their lives, they hope they serve God, as Christian people ought; and keep their Church, and have no acquaintance with any which hold false opinions, but have the good will of their neighbours, and if need were, could get the hands of many, for their honesty. Indeed, (they must needs say) they have such evil nature, that they cannot but be angry, when they have occasion offered them; and revile, and revenge when men provoke them: and that some are so evil, that §Cthey can never be in charity with them: and though there be hard agreeing betwixt them and their wives, yet it lasteth not long, though it be often: neither have they many times had their neighbours to set them together, they thank God: and they think the best couples jar sometimes. They give their servants and children liberty to do what they will, and to go where they list, on Sabbaths, and at some other days, as long as they will do their business: and if they hap to curse and ban, or swear,2 (they say) they were greatly urged to it: and though they do not like this singing of Psalms, and Prayers, and reading in their houses (for they think there is reason in all things) yet they love as well to hear their own man say service, (I speak in §Dtheir own phrase) and sometime to hear a good pulpit man too, as the best: They are no common gamesters, they say, but after they leave work, when they have any good company, such as they themselves be, and on the Sunday out of service time. The world being so hard as it is, they are fain (they say) to put away their bad ware for good, and to mix dross with corn, and to make a lie in commending of that which is evil, or else they cannot live:
To the forementioned sort,1 if we shall adioyne three other kindes of bad ones, it shall easily appeare that there are infinite persons liuing among good Christians, and of some so accounted of also, at least of themselues; who yet haue not renounced open and apparent sins. The first of these three kinds, are the rude & common sort of people: and as ignorant for the most part, as they §Bare rude & barbarous. They feare no danger, and their own speeches do best bewray them: when they be reproued, their shift & answer is, that their hearts are as good as the best mens, though they cannot talke greatly of religion, nor make no such shewes as many can: and as for their liues, they hope they serue God, as Christian people ought; and keepe their Church, and haue no acquaintance with any which hold false opinions, but haue the good will of their neighbours, and if need were, could get the hands of many, for their honesty. Indeed, (they must needes say) they haue such euill nature, that they cannot but be angry, when they haue occasion offered them; and reuile, and reuenge when men prouoke them: and that some are so euill, that §Cthey can neuer be in charity with them: and though there be hard agreeing betwixt them and their wiues, yet it lasteth not long, though it be often: neither haue they many times had their neighbours to set them together, they thanke God: and they thinke the best couples iarre sometimes. They giue their seruants and children liberty to doe what they will, and to goe where they list, on Sabboths, and at some other daies, as long as they will doe their busines: and if they happe to curse and ban, or sweare,2 (they say) they were greatly vrged to it: and though they doe not like this singing of Psalmes, and Prayers, and reading in their houses (for they thinke there is reason in all things) yet they loue as well to heare their owne man say seruice, (I speake in §Dtheir owne phrase) and sometime to heare a good pulpit man too, as the best: They are no common gamsters, they say, but after they leaue worke, when they haue any good company, such as they themselues be, and on the Sunday out of seruice time. The world being so hard as it is, they are faine (they say) to put away their bad ware for good, and to mixe drosse with corne, and to make a lie in commending of that which is euill, or else they cannot liue:
- 1The second sort of bad professors, ignorant and careless.The second sort of bad professors, ignorant and carelesse.
- 2Note the woeful estate of the rude ignorant.Note the wofull estate of the rude ignorant.
