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

And as they Deceive themselves, so they are the common cheaters of the world. They tell them as smooth a tale as if all were fair and right, when they are pleading against God, and reasoning men out of their faith and reason. When Eve had sinned, she tempted Adam. The drunkard will tempt others to be his companions: and so will the fornicators, and voluptuous sensualists. The ungodly will persuade those about him to be ungodly; and when he hath not a word of solid reason to speak against the holy diligence of the Saints, a jeer or scorn shall serve to deceive instead of Reason. And if he dare not stand to what he saith to the face of a minister, or any but the ignorant that cannot gainsay him, he will take his time, and speak when none are present that can contradict him▪ O how many thousand are now in misery that were cheated thither by the scorn• and cavils of ungodly men! And how many thousands have lost all hopes ⟨p. 214⟩of Heaven by their deceits! Could you but ask many thousands that are now in misery, [How came you to choose so unhappy a way?] they would tell you [We were deceived by the words of wicked men! The cavils and scorns of ignorant sinners have cheated us of our Salvation.] The very calling a diligent servant of Christ by the name of a Puritan or Precisian, hath kept many a thousand even in England, from the fear and diligent serving of the Lord. And surely this is a silly argument. And are these Honest men that are the factors of Satan the great deceiver, in cheating themselves and others into Hell?

And as they Deceive themselves, so they are the common cheaters of the world. They tell them as smooth a tale as if all were fair and right, when they are pleading against God, and reasoning men out of their faith and reason. When Eve had sinned, she tempted Adam. The drunkard will tempt others to be his companions: and so will the fornicators, and voluptuous senfualists. The ungodly will perswade those about him to be ungodly; and when he hath not a word of solid reason to speak against the holy diligence of the Saints, a jeer or scorn shall serve to deceive instead of Reason. And if he dare not stand to what he saith to the face of a minister, or any but the ignorant that cannot gainsay him, he will take his time, and speak when none are present that can contradict him▪ O how many thousand are now in misery that were cheated thither by the scorn and cavils of ungodly men! And how many thousands have lost all hopes