A55752:756
Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity…
Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity and duty of Gods children by the late Reverend and Faithful Minister of Jesus Christ, John Preston ...Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity and duty of Gods children by the late Reverend and Faithfull Minister of Jesus Christ, John Preston ...
London: printed by J.T., 1658
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
And you may add this to it, that is the reason why men are so shy of it, every man wonders at it, as things that are rare, every man wonders at them, as we do at new fashions, as men gaze at new Stars and Comets. The form because it is common, it is therefore approved, it passeth amongst men without wondering; but the other is rare and seldom found, and therefore it is gazed at, and wondered at, and pointed at. But though this be common among men, and brings men but to the form of godliness, yet the Lord requires the power of godliness; it is not the form alone that God regards. And what need we add any reason for this? you know men regard not complements and shows, they look to realities; Therefore we will rather hasten to make some use of it.
And you may add this to it, that is the reason why men are so shie of it, every man wonders at it, as things that are rare, every man wonders at them, as we do at new fashions, as men gaze at new Stars and Comets. The form because it is common, it is therefore approved, it passeth amongst men without wondring; but the other is rare and seldom found, and therefore it is gazed at, and wondred at, and pointed at. But though this be common among men, and brings men but to the form of godliness, yet the Lord requires the power of godliness; it is not the form alone that God regards. And what need we add any reason for this? you know men regard not complements and shews, they look to reallities; Therefore we will rather hasten to make some use of it.
If this be so, that the form of godliness is so common 1without the power, let every man look the more carefully to it, that it be not his case. In epidemical diseases, that run over a people, or a City, or a Country, if a man have but the beginning of such a sickness […] sickness which is but like it, he is very curious, […] the disease is common. If any of us have a disease li•e the plague, we will be exceeding careful, to be […] ⟨p. 262⟩