3. Let every one, who in sincerity of heart seeks to be saved, ever hold it a special happiness, and his hiest honour, oto be singled out from the universal pestilent contagion of common profaneness, and the sinful courses of the greatest part; and to be censured as singular in that respect. Neither is this a singular thing, that I now suggest; but it hath been the portion of the Saints in all ages, to be trod upon with the feet of imperious contempt, as a number of odd despised underlings, whereas indeed they are Gods Jewels, and the only excellent upon earth. Behold, saith Isaiah, chap. 8. 18. I and the Children whom the Lord hath given me, and for signs and wonders in Israel, I am as a monster unto many, saith David, Psalm. 71. 7. I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me, saith Jeremiah, chap. 20. 7. We are made, saith Paul, a spectacle unto the world, and to Angels, and to men, 1. Cor. 4. 9. We are made as the filth of the world, the off-scouring of all things, v. 13. In pAustins time, those that made conscience of their ways, durst not plunge into the corruptions of the times, and play the good fellows, were scornfully pointed at, not only by Pagans, but even by unreformed Professors, Professors at large, as we call them, as fellows that affected a preciseness and purity above ordinary and others: They would thus insult and scoffingly fly in the face of such an holy one: You are a great man, sure, you are a just man, you are an Elijah, you ⟨p. 8⟩are a Peter, you come from Heaven, &c. In qafter-times, if a man were but merely civill, ingenuous, chaste, temperate, he was made a by-word and laughing stock to those about him. They presently said; He was proud, singular, beside himself, Hypocrite, &c. Thus it was, is at this time, and will be to the worlds end, that every stigmatical Whoremonger, beastly Drunkard, ignorant Losel, scoffing Ismael, and Self-guilty wretch will have a bitter gird, a dry blow, as they say, a scurrile gibe, to throw like the Mad-mans fire-brand into the face of Gods people, as though they were a company of odd humorous fellows, and a contemptible generation. This, I say, ever was, and ever will be the worlds opinion of the ways of God. The children of darkness ever harbour such conceits, and peremptorily pass such censures upon the children of light.
3. Let euery one, who in sinceritie of heart seekes to be saued, euer hold it a speciall happinesse, and his hiest honor, oto be singled out from the vniuersall pestilent contagion of common prophanenes, and the sinfull courses of the greatest part; and to be censured as singular in that respect. Neither is this a singular thing, that I now suggest; but it hath been the portion of the Saints in all ages, to be trod vpon with the feete of imperious contempt, as a number of odde despised vnderlings, whereas indeed they are Gods Iewels, and the onely excellent vpon earth. Behold, saith Isaiah, chap. 8. 18. I and the Children whom the Lord hath giuen me, and for signes and wonders in Israel, I am as a monster vnto many, saith Dauid, Psalm. 71. 7. I am in derision dayly, euery one mocketh mee, saith Ieremy, chap. 20. 7. We are made, saith Paul, a spectacle vnto the world, and to Angels, and to men, 1. Cor. 4. 9. We are made as the filth of the world, the off-scowring of all things, v. 13. In pAustins time, those that made conscience of their waies, durst not plunge into the corruptions of the times, and play the good fellowes, were scornefully pointed at, not onely by Pagans, but euen by vnreformed Professors, Professors at large, as we call them, as fellowes that affected a precisenesse and purity aboue ordinary and others: They would thus insult and scoffingly fly in the face of such an holy one: You are a great man, sure, you are a iust man, you are an Elias, you ⟨p. 8⟩are a Peter, you come from Heauen, &c. In qafter-times, if a man were but meerely ciuill, ingenuous, chaste, temperate, hee was made a by-word and laughing stocke to those about him. They presently said; Hee was proud, singular, beside himselfe, Hypocrite, &c. Thus it was, is at this time, and will bee to the worlds end, that euery stigmaticall Whoremonger, beastly Drunkard, ignorant Lozell, scoffing Ismael, and Selfe-guilty wretch will haue a bitter gird, a dry blow, as they say, a scurrill gibe, to throw like the Mad-mans fire-brand into the face of Gods people, as though they were a company of odde humorous fellowes, and a contemptible generation. This, I say, euer was, and euer will bee the worlds opinion of the wayes of God. The children of darknesse euer harbour such conceits, and peremptorily passe such censures vpon the children of light.
- oTo walk with God, is a precious praise, though xone d•e it but my self, and to walk with man, with the world, with a Town or Parish, in wicked ways, is a deadly sia, though millions do it, B. Babington upon Gen. 6. vers. 8.To walke with God, is a precious praise, though xone d•e it but my selfe, and to walke with man, with the world, with a Towne or Parish, in wicked wayes, is a deadly sia, though millions doe it, B. Babington vpon Gen. 6. vers. 8.
- pSunt multi malè viventes Christiani, inter quos qui voluerit benè vivere, & inter ebriosos sobrius esse, & inter fornicatores castus esse, & inter consultatores Mathematicorum Deum sinceriter colere, & nihil tale requirere, & inter spectators nugacium theatrorum noluerit ire nisi ad ecclesiam, patitur insultores ipsos Christianos, & patitur verba aspe•a, & dicunt, Tu magnus, tu justus, tu es Elijah, tu es Petrus, tu do coelo venisti: insultant quo cunque se verterit, audit hinc atque inde verbum asperum. Quod si time•, recedit à via Christi Dei.—Quando audit verba aspera, unde sibi habet facere solatium, ut non curet verba aspera, &c. Dicat, Qualia verba audio, seruus peccator? Dominus mens audivit, Daemonium habet. August. in Psalm. 90.Sunt multi malè viuentes Christiani, inter quos qui voluerit benè viuere, & inter ebriosos sobrius esse, & inter fornicatores castus esse, & inter consultatores Mathematicorum Deum sinceriter colere, & nihil tale requirere, & inter spectatores nugacium theatrorum noluerit ire nisi ad ecclesiam, patitur insultores ipsos Christianos, & patitur verba aspe•a, & dicunt, Tu magnus, tu iustus, tu es Helias, tu es Petrus, tu do coelo venisti: insultant quo cunque se verterit, audit hinc atque inde verbum asperum. Quod si time•, recedit à via Christi Dei.—Quando audit verba aspera, vnde sibi habet facere solatium, vt non curet verba aspera, &c. Dicat, Qualia verba audio, seruus peccator? Dominus mens audiuit, Daemonium habet. August. in Psalm. 90.
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