I.1 Such as are ashamed of holiness. LORD, what times are we fallen into now. The Image of GOD, which was once mens glory, is now their shame; and sin, which is mens shame, is now their glory. The world hath raised up many false reports of holy courses, calling it folly and preciseness, pride, hypocrisy, and that ⟨p. 33⟩whatsoever shows men may make they are as bad as the worst, if their sins were writ in their foreheads. Hence it cometh to pass that many a man, who is almost persuaded to be a new man and to turn over a new lease, dares not, will not, for shame of the world, enter upon religious courses. What will they think of me then (saith he?) men are ashamed to refuse to drink healths, & hence maintain them lawful. Our gallants are ashamed to stay a mile behind the fashion: hence they will defend open and naked breasts and strange apparel as things comely; O time-servers! that have some conscience to desire to be honest and to be reputed so, yet conform themselves to all companies; if they hear others swear, they are ashamed to reprove them; they are ashamed to enter the lists of holy discourse in bad company, and they will pretend discretion, and we must not cast pearls before swine; but the bottom of the business is, they are ashamed to be holy. O fearful! Is it a shame to be like God? O sinful ⟨p. 34⟩wretches. It's a credit to be any thing but Religious, and with many Religion is a shame. I wonder with what face thou darest pray, or with what look thou wilt behold the Lord of glory at the last day, who art ashamed of him now, that will be admired of all men, Angels and devils then? Dost thou look for wages from Christ, that art ashamed to own Christ, or to wear his livery?
I.1 Such as are ashamed of holinesse. LORD, what times are wee fallen into now. The Image of GOD, which was once mens glory, is now their shame; and sinne, which is mens shame, is now their glory. The world hath raised up many false reports of holy courses, calling it folly and precisenesse, pride, hypocrisie, and that ⟨p. 33⟩whatsoever shews men may make they are as bad as the worst, if their sinnes were writ in their foreheads. Hence it commeth to passe that many a man, who is almost perswaded to bee a new man and to turn over a new lease, dares not, will not, for shame of the world, enter upon religious courses. What will they think of me then (saith he?) men are ashamed to refuse to drinke healths, & hence maintain them lawful. Our gallants are asham'd to stay a mile behind the fashion: hence they will defend open and naked breasts and strang apparell as things comely; O time-servers! that have some conscience to desire to be honest and to be reputed so, yet conforme themselves to all companies; if they heare others sweare, they are ashamed to reprove them; they are ashamed to enter the lists of holy discourse in bad company, and they will pretend discretion, and wee must not cast pearles before swine; but the bottome of the businesse is, they are ashamed to bee holy. O fearefull! Is it a shame to bee like God? O sinnefull ⟨p. 34⟩wret•hes. It's a credit to be any thing but Religious, and with many Religion is a shame. I wonder with what face thou darest pray, or with what looke thou wilt behold the Lord of glory at the last day, who art ashamed of him now, that will be admired of all men, Angels and devils then? Dost thou looke for wages from Christ, that art ashamed to own Christ, or to weare his livery?
- 1A threefold reprehension.
