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

14. Another thing that hindereth our Belief of you, is that we see that it is only ignorant or wicked men that are of this opinion, and say that the world is the worse for Godliness, or the Preaching of the Gospel. Not a man saith so that knoweth what he saith, and that ever felt the power and sweetness of the Gospel upon his soul: But only those that are blinded by the world, and serve the flesh, and are drowned in lust, and know not what they speak against. And shall we regard the judgement of such men?

14. Another thing that hindreth our Belief of you, is that we see that it is only ignorant or wicked men that are of this opinion, and say that the world is the worse for Godliness, or the Preaching of the Gospel. Not a man saith so that knoweth what he saith, and that ever felt the power and sweetness of the Gospel upon his soul: But only those that are blinded by the world, and serve the flesh, and are drowned in lust, and know not what they speak against. And shall we regard the judgement of such men?

15. And moreover, when you say that the world was better when there was less Godliness and Teaching, you contradict all history, and therefore are not to be believed. You know not well what is before you: much less do you know what hath been in your fore-fathers days. Be it known to you, we have as full advantage to know that, as you have. Many and many a large Volume have I read, concerning the state of the world before us, which tell us of far greater wickedness in our fore-fathers days, then are in these. If you will not believe me, I will show it to any of you, that can read and understand, at any time when you ⟨p. 193⟩will come to me: I will show you the words of the Chroniclers, and Historians of those ages, that make more lamentable complaints of the vices of those times, and tell us of far more evil then, and of a far greater scarcity of good, then can be truly spoken concerning us. And are you that never saw those days, to be believed before them that saw them?

15. And moreover, when you say that the world was better when there was less Godliness and Teaching, you contradict all history, and therefore are not to be believed. You know not well what is before you: much less do you know what hath been in your fore-fathers dayes. Be it known to you, we have as full advantage to know that, as you have. Many and many a large Volume have I read, concerning the state of the world before us, which tell us of far greater wickedness in our fore-fathers daies, then are in these. If you will not believe me, I will shew it to any of you, that can read and understand, at any time when you