A sermon of judgement preached at Pauls before the Honourable Lord Major and aldermen…A sermon of iudgement preached at Pauls before the Honourable Lord Maior and aldermen…

Three things I shall take leave to propound to your Consideration, which I am certain God requireth at your hands. The first is, that you grow in knowledge, humility, heavenliness and Unity, according to the blessed means that you enjoy. In my eyes▪ it is the greatest shame to a people in the world, and a sign of barbarousness, or blockishness, when we can hear and read what famous, learned powerful Minister such a place, or such a place had, and yet see ⟨image 5⟩as much ignorance, ungodliness, unruliness, and sensuality, as if the Gospel had scarce ever been there. I hope it is not thus with you: but I have found it so in too many places in England: We that never saw the faces of their Ministers, but have only read their holy Labours, have been ready to think, sure there are but few ignorant or ungodly ones in such a Congregation! Sure they are a people rich in Grace, and eminently qualified above their brethren, who have lived under such Teaching as this! At least, sure there can be none left that have an enmity to the fear of God! But when we have come ⟨image 6⟩to the Towns where such men spent their lives, and laid out their labours, we have found ignorant, sottish worldlings, unprofitable or giddy unstable Professors, and some haters of godliness among them. O what a shame is this to them in the eyes of wise men! and what a confounding aggravation of the•r sin before God! Thrive therefore and be fruitful in the Vineyard of the Lord, that it may not repent him that he hath planted and watered you.

Three things I shall take leave to propound to your Consideration, which I am certain God requireth at your hands. The first is, that you grow in knowledge, humility, heavenlyness and Vnity, according to the blessed means that you enjoy. In my eyes▪ it is the greatest shame to a people in the world, and a sign of barbarousness, or blockishness, when we can hear and read what famous, learned powerful Minister such a place, or such a place had, and yet see ⟨image 5⟩as much ignorance, ungodlyness, unruliness, and sensuality, as if the Gospel had scarce ever been there. I hope it is not thus with you: but I have found it so in too many places in England: We that never saw the faces of their Ministers, but have only read their holy Labors, have been ready to think, sure there are but few ignorant or ungodly ones in such a Congregation! Sure they are a people rich in Grace, and eminently qualified above their brethren, who have lived undersuch Teaching as this! At least, sure there can be none left that have an enmity to the fear of God! But when we have come