Sermons preached

IT is a general Complaint of the World, that Christians are defective in the Duties of the second Table. Some Hypocrites may be so, to mask over a dishonest Life with a pretence of Worship and Godliness: But we are not to judge of the rest of the People of God by these, no more than we would judge of the Glory of a Street by the filthiness of the Sink or Canal; or of the sound Grapes in the Cluster by the rotten ones. For certainly all that have truly submitted to Christianity, do find that Religion doth influence their Relations, and run out and issue it self in all the Duties which they owe to Man, as well as unto God. And it was not a Boast which Austin said to the Heathens, Let all the Religions of the World produce such Princes, such Subjects, such Husbands, Wives, Parents, Children, as the Christian Religion produceth. This was the Glory of Religion then, and it should not fall in our hands. Or possibly this may be the Cause of it, Unrenewed Men which allow one another in their Excesses, and glory in some kind of mutual Civilities, may equal or over-pass the Godly therein. Look ⟨p. 346⟩as Dogs excel Men in the acuteness of Smell, and the Eagle in sharpness of Sight, and many other Beasts in other Senses, because it is their Excellency; so there are certain lower Respects, which the Men of the World mutually pay one towards another, and they may excel in these as their peculiar Worth.

IT is a general Complaint of the World, that Christians are defective in the Duties of the second Table. Some Hypocrites may be so, to mask over a dishonest Life with a pretence of Worship and Godliness: But we are not to judge of the rest of the People of God by these, no more than we would judge of the Glory of a Street by the filthiness of the Sink or Canal; or of the sound Grapes in the Cluster by the rotten ones. For certainly all that have truly submitted to Christianity, do find that Religion doth influence their Relations, and run out and issue it self in all the Duties which they owe to Man, as well as unto God. And it was not a Boast which Austin said to the Heathens, Let all the Religions of the World produce such Princes, such Subjects, such Husbands, Wives, Parents, Children, as the Christian Religion produceth. This was the Glory of Religion then, and it should not fall in our hands. Or possibly this may be the Cause of it, Unrenewed Men which allow one another in their Excesses, and glory in some kind of mutual Civilities, may equal or over-pass the Godly therein. Look ⟨p. 346⟩