A warning to back-sliders, or, A discovery for the recovery of fallen ones delivered…

It is storied of a Philosopher (if I mistake not) the Cynic, Diogenes, that he went with a Lantern and candle at high noon into the Market-place; the people asked him what he meant to do? I am going to find out a man (saith he:) A man (say they?) here is a multitude of men, here are store of men in the Market; O (saith he) I would find out a man, one that acts like a man, and lives like a man.

It is storied of a Philosopher (if I mistake not) the Cynick, Diogenes, that he went with a Lanthorn and candle at high noon into the Market-place; the people asked him what he meant to do? I am going to find out a man (saith he:) A man (say they?) here is a multitude of men, here are store of men in the Market; O (saith he) I would find out a man, one that acts like a man, and lives like aman.

Truly, one might go (would God there were no cause to say it,) through Congregations, & through such meeting places as these are, with a lantern and candle amongst the Saints to find out a Saint, amongst Professors to find out a Professor.

Truly, one might go (would God there were no cause to say it,) through Congregations, & through such meeting places as these are, with a lanthorn and candle amongst the Saints to finde out a Saint, amongst Professors to finde out a Professor.

You will say, here are store: I, here are Professors, but where is that that is professed? A man may find many that profess humility, but where is that humility that is professed? one may find many that profess holiness, but where shall one find the holiness that is professed? one may find many that profess heavenly-mindedness, but where shall one find the heavenly-mindedness that is professed? As he said, Give me that tells me the man is a man: so, give me that too that tells me a Saint is a Saint; give me that that