The trades-man's calling being a discourse concerning the nature, necessity, choice, &c. of a…

We preserve the Name of Christians, Reformed Christians, but we dishonour that worthy Name, by which we are called. How do we trifle in Religion! God and Christ, and Satan and Death are all in good earnest, and we our selves do but dream. O the best had need to repent and amend: What then will become of them that hate and oppose all that's serious, that ridicule all Religion, tho under other Pretences; they dislike the Men, not the Religion; or only their Sins, not their Sanctity: and too much occasion for that Umbrage is given by many; and woe to them by whom Offences come; yea, and woe to the World, because of Offences, both those that Give Offence, and those that Take and improve it to the Prejudice of Religion are in a woeful Condition: For why should not a great deal of Goodness in a pious Man, cover a little Evil, as well as some little Goodness in others, shall cover a great many Faults? Let a Religious Man have never so many virtuous Qualities, and let him have done never so many good things; yet if he have any one Fault, as if he be too passionate, or too worldly; all the worthy things in him, or ⟨p. 223⟩done by him, are buried, and he only hears Hypocrite, and all that's naught on both Ears. But if a wicked Wretch have never so many ill Qualities, and have lived in Sin all his days; yet if he have but one good Property, as to be good humoured, charitable, or the like; all his Faults are passed over and buried in silence, and he shall be excused them all, and cried up for a very fair conditioned Man. Now is not here rank Partiality? Do not these Men show hereby their Hatred to God? Yes, yes, the Malignity is at God himself. If good Men were less like to God, they might sleep quietly with their other Faults. Who ever affirmed that the most sober and religious were without Sin? and must they, and Religion also, be therefore hooted out of the World? Who throws Stones at the Moon, because there be some dark parts in it? I would advise such to beware, for Religion is the Cause of God, who is a jealous God: and if he damn them that are without it, what will become of them that are against it? These Arrows do penetrate Jesus Christ himself, whom you might hear, if you had an Ear to hear, saying, I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the Pricks. Acts 9. 5.

We preserve the Name of Christians, Reformed Christians, but we dishonour that worthy Name, by which we are called. How do we trifle in Religion! God and Christ, and Satan and Death are all in good earnest, and we our selves do but dream. O the best had need to repent and amend: What then will become of them that hate and oppose all that's serious, that ridicule all Religion, tho under other Pretences; they dislike the Men, not the Religion; or only their Sins, not their Sanctity: and too much occasion for that Umbrage is given by many; and wo to them by whom Offences come; yea, and wo to the World, because of Offences, both those that Give Offence, and those that Take and improve it to the Prejudice of Religion are in a woful Condition: For why should not a great deal of Goodness in a pious Man, cover a little Evil, as well as some little Goodness in others, shall cover a great many Faults? Let a Religious Man have never so many vertuous Qualities, and let him have done never so many good things; yet if he have any one Fault, as if he be too passionate, or too worldly; all the worthy things in him, or