Tell him, that his Riches must be expended to feed and clothe the poor, and promote good uses, and not merely for himself and family, or else he will make but a sad account: and that he must freely engage his reputation, estate and life, and all for Christ and his Gospel, when he calls him to it; yea and forsake all for him, if Christ put him to it, or else he can be no Disciple of Christs: and then what good will his Honours and Riches do him, when his Soul shall be called for? Try this course with Great men, yea with Great men that seem religious, and that no further then faithfulness and compassion to mens souls doth bind you, and do it with all the wisdom you can, that is not carnal; and then tell me what it doth cost you. Let those Ministers ⟨p. 319⟩that are near them, plainly and roundly tell both the Parliament-men, and Commanders of the Army, of their unquestionable transgressions, and that according to their nature, (and woe to them if they do not) and then let them tell me what it doth cost them. Alas Sirs, how great a number of Professors are base, daubing, self-seeking Hypocrites, that cull out the safe, the cheap, the easy part of duty, and leave all the rest! And so ordinarily is this done, that we have made us a new Christianity by it; and the Religion of Christs own making, the self-denying course prescribed by our Master, is almost unknown; and he that should practice it would be taken for a madman, or some self-conceited Cynic, or some saucy, if not seditious fellow. It is not therefore because Christ hath not prescribed us a more self-denying, hazardous, laborious way, that men so commonly take up in the Cheapest Religion: but it is through our false-heartedness to Christ▪ and the strength of sensual carnal Interests in us, which make us put false Interpretations on the plainest precepts of Christ which charge any unpleasing duty on us, and Familistically turn them into Allegories, or at least we will not yield to obey him.
Tell him, that his Riches must be expended to feed and cloath the poor, and promote good uses, and not meerly for himself and family, or else he will make but a sad account: and that he must freely engage his reputation, estate and life, and all for Christ and his Gospel, when he cals him to it; yea and forsake all for him, if Christ put him to it, or else he can be no Disciple of Christs: and then what good will his Honours and Riches do him, when his Soul shall be called for? Try this course with Great men, yea with Great men that seem religious, and that no further then faithfulness and compassion to mens souls doth bind you, and do it with all the wisdom you can, that is not carnal; and then tell me what it doth cost you. Let those Ministers ⟨p. 319⟩that are near them, plainly and roundly tell both the Parliament-men, and Commanders of the Army, of their unquestionable transgressions, and that according to their nature, (and wo to them if they do not) and then let them tell me what it doth cost them. Alas Sirs, how great a number of Professors are base, daubing, self-seeking Hypocrites, that cull out the safe, the cheap, the easy part of duty, and leave all the rest! And so ordinarily is this done, that we have made us a new Christianity by it; and the Religion of Christs own making, the self-denying course prescribed by our Master, is almost unknown; and he that should practice it would be taken for a madman, or some self-conceited Cynick, or some saucy, if not seditious fellow. It is not therefore because Christ hath not prescribed us a more self-denying, hazardous, laborious way, that men so commonly take up in the Cheapest Religion: but it is through our false-heartedness to Christ▪ and the strength of sensual carnal Interests in us, which make us put false Interpretations on the plainest precepts of Christ which charge any unpleasing duty on us, and Familistically turn them into Allegories, or at least we will not yield to obey him.
