But yet a Religion they will have instead of it, to deceive their souls, and quiet them in the way to Hell. For instance, I must speak it with grief of heart, that I meet with no small number among us that know not who Christ is; some say he is God and not man; some say, he is man and not God; some say he was made both God and man at once: some say he is neither God nor man, but a Spirit: some say, he is not God, but the Son of God, and hath the power of God given him: Abundance say that he is God only and not man, now he is in Heaven, though he was both on earth: and very many know not what Christianity is, nor wherein the Christian Religion doth consist. And yet all these persons, that are Heathens rather then Christians, ⟨p. 353⟩are the most zealous Keepers of Christmas (as it is called,) and the bitterest condemners of those that do not; and so do make themselves believe that they are Christians as well as others. The same persons that know not who Christ is, nor what it is to be a Christian, are so much for kneeling at the taking of the Lords Supper, that they dare not be so unreverent as to sit or stand; but will ra•her never receive at all: (nor are they fit till they change in a greater matter then the gesture:) And yet, poor souls, they think themselves to be very Religious, and more Reverent then others, and that here lieth the difference between them. It would grieve the heart of a considerate man, to see a multitude of miserable sinners, to live in wickedness, in cursing, swearing, drunkenness, filthiness, neglect of God and a holy life, drowned in worldly-mindedness, ⟨p. 354⟩and as regardless of the life to come as if they thought they should die like the beasts: and even hating those that will not be ungodly as well as they; and yet as hot for Ceremonies, and Holidays, and kneeling at the Sacrament, and the Common-prayer-Book, as if they were more devout then others and it seems they have made themselves believe in good earnest that they are true Christians and Godly men, because in the depth of their ungodliness they can make a stir against those that will not be of their mind, and use these Ceremonies as well as they.
But yet a Religion they will have instead of it, to deceive their souls, and quiet them in the way to Hell. For instance, I must speak it with grief of heart, that I meet with no small number among us that know not who Christ is; some say he is God and not man; some say, he is man and not God; some say he was made both God and man at once: some say he is neither God nor man, but a Spirit: some say, he is not God, but the Son of God, and hath the power of God given him: Abundance say that he is God only and not man, now he is in Heaven, though he was both on earth: and very many know not what Christianity is, nor wherein the Christian Religion doth consist. And yet all these persons, that are Heathens rather then Christians, ⟨p. 353⟩are the most zealous Keepers of Christmass (as it is called,) and the bitterest condemners of those that do not; and so do make themselves believe that they are Christians as well as others. The same persons that know not who Christ is, nor what it is to be a Christian, are so much for kneeling at the taking of the Lords Supper, that they dare not be so unreverent as to sit or stand; but will ra•her never receive at all: (nor are they fit till they change in a greater matter then the gesture:) And yet, poor souls, they think themselves to be very Religious, and more Reverent then others, and that here lyeth the difference between them. It would grieve the heart of a considerate man, to see a multitude of miserable sinners, to live in wickedness, in cursing, swearing, drunkenness, filthiness, neglect of God and a holy life, drowned in worldly-mindedness, ⟨p. 354⟩and as regardless of the life to come as if they thought they should die like the beasts: and even hating those that will not be ungodly as well as they; and yet as hot for Ceremonies, and Holydays, and kneeling at the Sacrament, and the Common-prayer-Book, as if they were more devout then others and it seems they have made themselves believe in good earnest that they are true Christians and Godly men, because in the depth of their ungodliness they can make a stir against those that will not be of their mind, and use these Ceremonies as well as they.
