A saint or a brute the certain necessity and excellency of holiness, &c. ...…

But on the other side, if thou couldst live a heavenly joyful life, that the glory of thy hopes might appear in thy countenance, thy conference and conversation, how many might hereby be drawn to Christ, and caused to think well of the ways of God? Did the Godly but exceed the rest of the world, in holy joy and cheerfulness of mind, as much as they exceed them in happiness and in the causes of true joy, what an honour would it be to Christ and holiness? and what an attractive to win the ignorant to embrace the motions of salvation? How easily would they let go their sinful pleasures, their gluttony, and drunkenness, and filthiness, and gaming, if they did but see by the carriage of believers, that they were like to exchange them for much greater joys? You cannot expect that ignorant men, that never tried a holy life, and have a natural enmity against it, should see the excellency of it immediately in it self; But they will judge of Religion by the persons that profess it: That shall seem to them the best Religion, that hath the best and happiest professors: And those seem to them the happiest and best, that have the greatest comforts, and conquer most the troubles of their minds. You can expect no other, but that country people, that know not the nature of medicines themselves, should judge of them by the success, and think that he followeth the best advice, who is most healthful, and of longest life. And so will the ignorant judge of the holy doctrine and commands of God, by the lives of those that seem to follow them. O therefore behave your selves in the Church of God, as those that remember, that they live in the presence of a world of men, whose happiness or misery hath much dependence on your lives. If you were debating the case with a sensual wretch, would you not tell him that Holiness is a state of greater pleasure then his sin? Tell him so then by your example as well as by your words: Let him see as well as hear of the confidence and comforts of true believers. Were Christianity exemplified in the lives of Christians, how excellent a state would it appear? were we but such as the holy doctrine ⟨p. 358⟩and Christian pattern requireth us to be, even the blind malicious world would be forced to admire the attainments of the Saints: Though they might hate them, yet they would admire them.

But on the other side, if thou couldst live a heavenly joyful life, that the glory of thy hopes might appear in thy countenance, thy conference and conversation, how many might hereby be drawn to Christ, and caused to think well of the ways of God? Did the Godly but exceed the rest of the world, in holy joy and cheerfulness of mind, as much as they exceed them in happiness and in the causes of true joy, what an honour would it be to Christ and holiness? and what an attractive to win the ignorant to embrace the motions of salvation? How easily would they let go their sinful pleasures, their gluttony, and drunkenness, and filthiness, and gaming, if they did but see by the carriage of believers, that they were like to exchange them for much greater joys? You cannot expect that ignorant men, that never tryed a holy life, and have a natural enmity against it, should see the excellency of it immediately in it self; But they will judge of Religion by the persons that profess it: That shall seem to them the best Religion, that hath the best and happiest professors: And those seem to them the happiest and best, that have the greatest comforts, and conquer most the troubles of their minds. You can expect no other, but that countrey people, that know not the nature of medicines themselves, should judge of them by the success, and think that he followeth the best advice, who is most healthful, and of longest life. And so will the ignorant judge of the holy doctrine and commands of God, by the lives of those that seem to follow them. O therefore behave your selves in the Church of God, as those that remember, that they live in the presence of a world of men, whose happiness or misery hath much dependance on your lives. If you were debating the case with a sensual wretch, would you not tell him that Holiness is a state of greater pleasure then his sin? Tell him so then by your example as well as by your words: Let him see as well as hear of the confidence and comforts of true believers. Were Christianity exemplified in the lives of Christians, how excellent a state would it appear? were we but such as the holy doctrine