Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	good_a	sin_n	soul_n	4,437	5	4.8368	4	true

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A67743	The cause and cure of ignorance, error, enmity, atheisme, prophanesse, &c., or, A most hopefull and speedy way to grace and salvation, by plucking up impediments by the roote reduced to explication, confirmation, application, tending to illumination, sanctification, devotion / by R. Younge ...	Younge, Richard.	1648 (1648)	Wing Y143; ESTC R16605	116,892	303

vertuous and good estate of the godly in this World which is but their Hell or at least their Purgatory How will it gall them when they shall see Abraham and Isaac and Iacob and all the Prophets and Saints of God in the Kingdome of Heaven and themselves thrust out of doores and cast into the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone This shall make them gnash their teeth for envy as our Saviour shewes Luke 13.28 Math. 8.11.12 but how just is it with God that this fire of envy should be punished with the fire of Hell SECT 23. 2. SEcondly it is their manner and property to contemne the supposed meane estate of the godly as Samballat Tobiah and Gershom with the rest of that crue contemned Nehemiah and the Iewes Nehem. 4.1.2 3. Thus Rabshakeh contemned Hezekiah and his people 2 Kings 18.19 to 36. and the Epicurean Philosophers Paul Acts 17.18 Whereas misery with good natures is made a loadstone of mercy with base mindes it is contrarily made a footstoole for pride to trample on and nothing so midnights the soule of him that is falne as scorne and contempt But you may observe that arrogancy is a weed that ever grows on a dunghill and from the ranknesse of that soyle she hath her heighth and spreadings for they are but puft mindes and frothy wits that get so to the top and bubble thus above inferiours As what makes them contemne us but together with pride their ignorance For alassâ— they take notice of our misery not of our happinesse Noahs vertues are not Chams admiration but his drunkennesse is his sport Wicked men are like those ill taught children 2 King 2.24 that could upbraid Elisha with his bald head but had not the wit to consider how God had crowned that head with vertue and honour O that they could but see all that they would but say all as Ephialtes when one cast him in the teeth with his poverty answered Why dost thou not make rehearsall of other things also as that I love law and regard right But indeed this were to cleane our faces and foule their owne But let them insult for a while they cannot sit upon so high a cogge but may with turning prove the lowest in the Wheele as it fell out with Hammon who being now made Lackey to a despised Iew begins to envy where halfe an houre since he had scorned and misery like a Vulture must have some body to prey upon There is a continuall vicissitude of things The Righteous is delivered out of trouble and the wicked cometh in his stead Prov. 11.8 The wicked shall bee a ransome for the righteous and the transgressor for the upright Prov. 21.18 SECT 24. 3. THirdly it is their manner to rejoyce at the supposed evill estate of the godly as the Princes of the Philistims did at Sampsons blindnesse and bondage whom they insulted over and made their laughing stock Iudg. 16.25 Peninna at Hannahs barrennesse especially when shee went up to the house of the Lord 1. Sam. 1.6.7 And the Iewes at the Disciples and the rest of the Church when Herod vexed some and slew others Acts 12.1.2 3. Wicked men feed themselves with others adversity as Beetles are fed with their fellowes dung and like Flesh-flies make the wounds of Gods children their chiefe nourishment Yea Crocodile-like they would if they might fatten themselves with the warmest blood of godly mens lives And not so onely for we have a generation whose onely rejoycing is Cham-like to see another fall into some grosse sin or infirmity Yea as Luther speaks they hunger and thirst after the scandals of the godly and if at any time through humane frailty they doe fall into some evill like hungry Hogges they muzzle in their excrements and feast upon them as upon dainties there being nothing that so glads their hearts that so opens their mouths with so much insolency and triumph as what cure will they take to spread the same abroad by a common fame Yea it were well if they would not play the Curres and open when they are able to spâ—ing no Game But they must needs be filthy creatures that feed upon nothing but corruption To delight in mens sinnes is the sport of devils recovery from those sinnes is the joy of good men and Angels Cham derides his Fathers nakednesse it should have been his sorrow he makes it his sport But it is ill for a man to make himself merry with that which angers God SECT 25. 4. IT is their manner to hate the religious as all carnall men hate the members of Christ Matth. 10.22 thus Ahab hated Eliah as himselfe confessed 1 King 22.8 Yea so inveterately that there was not one Kingdome or Nation where he had not sent to take away his life 1 King 18.10 and Haman Mordecai which was so deadly that he thought it too little to lay hands on Mordecai only wherefore he sought to destroy all the Iewes the people of Mordecai that were throughout the whole Kingdome of Abashuerus Hest. 3-5 6. For the effecting of which he obtained that bloody Edict ver 6.9 And lest it should want successe he offered ten thousand Talents of silver into the Kings Treasury to have it effected Hest. 3.9.13 And such another was cruell Arundel sometime Arch-bishop of Canterbury who vowed and swore he would not leave a slip of Professors in this Land For you must know That their hatred extendeth not to this or that person alone but to the whole generation of Gods Children and people As what saith the wicked in Davids time Come let us cut them off from being a Nation let the name of Israel be no more in remembrance Let us take for our possessions the habitations of God Psa. 83.4.12 And the World is no changling for this age wants not many such Hamans and Arundels who so hate the Children of God that they wish as Caligula once did of the Romans That they had all but one neck that so they might cut it off at a blow where it in their power Mic. 3.2 Ps. 83.4 But our comfort is they have not so much authority as malice resembling the Serpent Porphyrus which abounds with poyson but can hurt none for want of teeth Though their punishment shall be never the lesse For as the will to doe God acceptable service is accepted as if it were service indeed so the intent and offer of wrong shall be judged for wrong in that Court of justice Good and evill thoughts and desires in Gods account are good and evill workes And so much touching the Mentall properties of this enmity SECT 26. Quest. WHat are their Verball properties Ans. They are Eleven in number And are manifested 1. In murmuring against the persons of the Godly 2. In misconstruing of their actions and intentions 3. In carrying tales of them to others 4. In perswading others against them 5. In scoffing at them 6. In nicknaming them 7. In

multiplying glasses That subtil Syren with Orphean aâ—ers and dexterous warbles leads us to the flames of hell and then derides us with contempt and triumph Like a cunning courtezan that dallies the Ruffian to undoe himselfe and then paies him with a fleere and scorne SECT 73. BUT I hope I have said enough and that thou art convinc'd in thine own Conscience that hitherto thou hast been a meer Atheist and that through Atheisme thou hast hated reviled and persecuted the godly If not Truth is as much Truth when it is not acknowledged as when it is Now if thou dost confidently and without peradventure beleeve what the Scripture speaks of God Heaven Hell c. If thou beleevest the threatnings and precepts as well as the promises and if thou bearest any love to thine owne soule Break off thy sins by repentance and oppose the good no longer give no credit to the flesh or the Devill which propheâ—â—e prosperity to sinne but beleeve God and the Scripture which manifestly proves that every man shall bee judged according to his works Revel 12.13 22.12 Make not Christ a boulster for sin nor Gods mercy a warrant for thy continuance in an evill course Bee not therefore evill because hee is good least like the foolish builder thou commest short of thy reckoning for Christ came to destroy the workes of the Devill Iohn 3.3.8 9 10. And not to be a Patron of sin and there is mercy with God that hee might be feared not that he might be despised blasphemed c. Psalm 130.4 Yea know this and write it in the Table-booke of thy memory and on the table of thine heart that if God's bountifullnesse and long suffering towards thee does not leade thee to repentance it will double thy doome and increase the pile of thy torments for every day which does not abate of thy reckoning will increase it Qui numerat dotes numerat dies and thou by thy hardnesse and impenitency shalt but treasure up unto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and the declaration of the â—ust judgement of God Romans 2 4 5 6. And so much of the third Cause SECT 74. THere are Eight other Causes as they make them why they thus hate and persecute us The first is Speaking of Truth for which see 1 King 22.8.17.23 24.26.27 Ier. 11.19 and 26.8 9.11 and 36.23.26 and 38.4 5 6. Amos 5.10 Mark 6.16 to 29. Act. 16.19 to 25. and 17.5.6.7.13 and 18.11.12 13. and 19.26 to 34. and 21.27 28.30.31 and 22.22 23. and 23.1 2.12 13.14 Gal. 4.16 The second is Misprision for which see Act. 24.14 and 26.9.10.11.24 1 King 18.17 18. Psalm 14. 1 Ier. 44.17 18 19. Wisd. 5.4 Matth. 7.14 and 13.55 56 57. and 28 15. Mark 5.39.40 and 7 5 8.9 Iohn 2.19 20.21 and 3.3.4 and 7.15.23 24. and 8.15.57 58 59. 9.16 16.2 Act. 2.13 2 Thess. 2.10.11 12 Rom. 8.5 6 7 8. 1 Corinth 1.18 to 29. and 2.7 8 10 11.12 13 14 15 16. and 3.18 19 20. 2 Timothy 2.26 1 Pet. 2.7 8. Revel 3.17 The third is Example of the multitude touching which read Gen. 19.4 to 12. Numb 14.2 3 10. and 16.1 to 4. Matth. 27.20.25 27 39 49. Act. 19.24 to 30. The fourth is Separation for which looke Gen. 39.12 to 21. Psal. 26.4.5 and 101.7 and 119.63.115 Prov. 5.8 and 23.20 Ier. 15.19 Wisd. 2.16 Ioh 15.19 1 Cor. 5.11 2 Cor. 6.17 Ephes. 5.7 2 Thess. 3.6.14 1 Pet. 4.4 Rev. 18.4 The fifth is The preaching of some Ministers for which see Ier. 5.31 and 8.11 and 23.13.14 15 16 17.21 22 26 27.31 32. Ezek. 22.25 26 28. Mat. 9.34 Mar. 13.22 Ioh. 5.43 Act. 13.8 and 20.29.30 Romans 16.17 18. 2 Cor. 2.17 and 11.13.14.15 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3. 2 Tim. 3.8 2 Pet. 2. ch and 3.3 The sixth is The scandalous lives of some Professors for which see Gen. 9.21.22 and 12 18 19. and 19.33 35 36. and 20.2.12.16 and 34.13 14 15 16.25 26. to 31. 1 Sam. 2.12 to 18. 2 Sam. 12.14 Mat. 7.15 and 18.7 and 23.3.14 23 24 25 27. and 26.14 15 16.70.72.74 and 27.5 The seventh is Flocking after Sermons for which looke Ioh. 11.48 and 12.19 and 6 2. Acts 13.45 Matth. 4.24 25. and 15 30. Mar. 3.10 and 8.1 and 10.1 2. Luke 5.15 and 6.17 18 19. Eightly the finall Cause is that they may have more company here in sinne and hereafter in torments For which turne to Psal. 35.4 7 12. 40.14 56.6 59.2 3. Matth. 23.13 15. Luke 11.52 Iohn 11.48 and 12 10 11. and 15.19 Act. 26.11 1 Pet 4.4 Revel 12.17 and 13 15. But they are all so prolix and yet so unmeete to be abbreviated that if I should handle them and make of all but one Volume they would so swel the heape that not a few would bee deprived of the whole Hee will buy a Manuall or Enchiridion that will not buy a Commentary and hee will read a Curranto that will not reade a Chronicle History Yea it may happen to meet with Patients so desperate that although they acknowledge it is of absolute necessity for them to be informed touching these things yet having Queasie stomacks if they see their Potion bigge aswell as bitter will resolve to suffer yea to dye rather than take it That will bee swallowed by morsells and easily disgested which being taken all at once will not only cloy but surfeit Wherefore I have devided the whole into parts of which five are already published Viz. The Cure of Misprision Compleat Armory against evill society Characters of the kinds of Preaching Sin Stigmatized The Victory of Patience FINIS Imprimatur John Downeham * of Gen. 3.15 what chiefly concerns our selves we apply to others and this makes all meanes to prove ineffectuall Sufficient hath beene spoken to convince the most malitious The reason why so few are converted Al scoffers as bad as Cain Ishmael c. No expecting a voice from heaven as Saul had and yet if so it would not pâ—evail with them The worst think well of themselves The most prophane can apply the promises which belong not to thâ—m hard to say whether their applying the promises or not applying the precepts and threats most occasions their impenitency Salvation not more promised to the penitent then damnation threatned to the impenitent If we will not heare Christ now he will not heare us hereafter Christ came not to be a patron for sin but to sanctifie as well as to save us If Christians we wil imitate Christ if Gods servants we will obey him But scoffers are Satans servants The great evill that scoffers do Satan the god king and father of all unbelievers Satan speakes in and by scoffers but they know it not Of which many examples 1 Tim. 6. â—4 Five main reasons why they fight under Sathans banner and yet thinke themselves Gods servants 1 Their ignorance of spirituall things 2 the

THE Cause and Cure of Ignorance Error Enmity Atheisme Prophanesse c. OR A most Hopefull and Speedy way to grace and salvation by plucking up impediments by the roote Reduced to Explication Confirmation Application tending to Illumination sanctification devotion By R. YOUNGE of Roxwell in ESSEX They call evill good and good evill c. They justifie the wicked and take away the righteousnesse of the righteous from him Isai. 5.20.23 Wherefore slew Cain his brother but because his own works were evill and his brothers good 1 Joh. 3.12 I was before a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbeliefe 1 Tim. 1.13 Printed at London by R.I. for N. Brook at the signe of the Angel in Cornhill MDCXLVIII Courteous Reader HAving perused this Cause and Cure of Enmity Prophanesse c. we finde it to containe a lively description of the worlds envy and hatred to the godly Together with a perspicuous discovery of the originall Continuance Properties and Causes of the same In which also the Ignorance Atheisme and Prophannesse of most men are pithily pathetically painted out the remedies of either prescribed with many forcible inducements to a pious life and religious conversation saving knowledge and true wisdome soundly described and distinguished from their counterfiets with the meanes to attain both The necessity of repentance c. prest home All which is laid down pithily orderly and ellegantly with much both sinuous strength of argument and variety of gracefull and delightfull illustration which may draw on the Reader to his no small benefit and through Gods blessing prove of much use to all sorts that shall reade the same whether for information or direction diswasion from evill or confirmation in good as tending much to the comforting of beleevers in their sufferings and to the reclayming or at least the convincing of such as any way oppose the way of truth So that whatsoever time labour or dilligence thou shalt spend in often reading the same we doubt not but the profit wil recompence thy paines abundantly George VValker Edm. Calamy Joseph Caryll An Advertisement to all such as speake evill of the way of truth and of the things which they understand not 2 Pet. 2.12 MY brethren many of you to my knowledge have read this Cure and highly approvâ—d of it but for want of acquaintance with your owne hearts you thinke it concernes others not you As David thought of Nathans parable 2 Sam. 12.1 to 8. And Ahab of the Prophets 1 King 20.39 to 43. when it concerned no lesse then his owne life So that these lines to you for want of application are but as so many characters written in the water which leave no impression behind them For you are the same men â—till as bitter malignants to the power of godlinesse and as much forestalled with prejudice against the religious as you were before Though I did hope better things both of you and it that upon good probability For it cannot be denyed but I have said sufficient in this and the succeeding parts which sundry of you have read also if not to convert yet at least to convince all gainsayers and consequently to stop the mouth of iniquity which is set so wide-open To quench those tongues which are set on fire from hell And to charm the mouth of the most envious Momus that ever hell did hatch from barking at professors and practisers of piety Which makes mee feare that what this will not effect no ordinary meanes are like to doe As what can bee further expected No glasse can more lively represent your faces than this booke does your hearts Onely this is the misery as when a child beholds his owne face in a glasse hee thinkes hee sees another child's face and not his owne So fares it with you Which is the sole cause that in the middest of so much means so few are converted for otherwise the word of God is so powerfull and the Gospel so ravishing that the World could not stand before it without submitting to it Whereas for want of applying it to their owne consciences every one can evade whatsoever their Ministers can speak to them out of the word I have shewne you what God in his word speakes and proved that your condition is no whit better then the condition of Caine and Ishmael and Hamman and Eliab aâ—d Goliah and Michal and Doeg and Shemei and Rabshekah and Tobia and Sandballat and Pashur and Zedekiah and Herod and Saint Paul before his conversion and Ananias the high Preist and Demetrius the Silver-smith and Alexander the Copper-smith and Elimas the Sorcerer What doe you looke that Christ Iesus himselfe from Heaven should call to you severally by name as he did to Saul and say ho Ishmael such an one Or ho Elimas such an one Why doest thou persecute me I am Jesus whom thou persecutest Acts 9.4 5. And this booke is an Epistle which I have caused to be writ unto thee therefore see thou bee warned by it and perswaded to repent or I will come against thee shortly and will fight against thee with the sword of my mouth except thou amend Rev. 2.6 3.20 And yet if Christ himselfe should doe so I question whether you would bee any more warned or reclaimed by it than Hazaell was when the Prophet told him what abominable wickednesse hee should commit 2 Kings 8.12 13. c. Abraham tels Dives as much in effect Lu. 13.31 I know you thinke well of your selves and so did Hazaell which made him answer the Prophet what is thy servant a Dog that I should doe this great evill though hee afterward did it and was worse then any Dogge Yea you call your selves Christians and will face us downe that you are the servants of God and that the word may prove your baine the prophanest of you can snatch the comfort of every promise you hear as belonging to you witnesse my Sovereign Antedote in which there is not one word of comfort for or intended for you that are scoffers but for such as suffer reproach for the name of Christ and for well-doing Yet it is admirable to consider how you comment upon those comforts and apply every passage therein to your selves against the godly In which case it is hard to say whether your applying the promises in that and such like books and sermons or your not applying the threats and precepts in this and the like will most occasion your finall impenitency And whether it best pleases Satan that you thus read and heare Gods word or that you neither reade nor heare it at all Oh the many wayes that Satan hath to gull and delude carnall men and how willing and apt they are to gul delude themselves But consider Hath God made any promise to Scoffers Or can the Crosse of Christ save them that continue

flood before the law 41 After the law before Christ. ib. In the time of Christ and his Apostles 42 After the Apostles in the time of the ten persecutions 43 From the primitive times hitherto 44 In the times wherein we live 46 It will continue to the worlds end 50 Application of the point 52 Twenty two signes or properties of this enmity 53 Foure mentall ib. Eleven verball 62 Seven actuall 98 Eleven causes of this enmity 130 First cause is contrariety ibid. This enmity makes them forget all naturall affection 49 Severall uses of their enmity 124 125 To informe us whether we be children of the devill or members of Christ. 125 Application of the point 52.168 They envy the godly because better then themselves 139 Application of the point 142 And because they fare better 166 Application first to unhallowed Ministers 168. Secondly to the rabble 171 The good mans honour is the envious mans torment 168 Envy the devils cognizance as love is Christs 54 Example of the multitude 239 Some of their excuses 151 Genesis the 3.15 opened and explained 14 F. Triall of a Christian by the fruits of his faith Ad. Aa Bb Naturall men feare visible powers not the invisible God 210 Morall men count zeale madnesse and Religion foolishnesse Ad. Cc. To bee a Christian requires fortitude 160 G. Wicked men manifest their enmity against the religious by their gesture 98 As the tongue speaks to the ear so the gesture speaks to the eye 99 Gods goodnesse aggravates our wickednesse 234 No living for the godly if their enemies hands were allowed to be as bloody as their hearts 93 Nothing more contemned then goodnesse 143 H. All naturall men hate the religious 2.60 The best men most hated and spoken against 1 All the Saints have been hated and persecuted 11 They so hate holinesse that they will hate men for it Ad. Cc All hated for Religion or haters of Religion Ad. Dd Originall of this hatred 14 They will hate a man to the death for being holy 6. Look persecution None but the desperately wicked will malice his brother for goodnesse 165 They will hate us because they have hurt us 104 Causes of the worlds hatred eleven 127 Many wives children and servants hated for being religious 135 Hatred for Religion the most bitter implacable c. 136 Their hatred extends to the whole generation of the godly 60 But they have not so much authority as malice 61 Though their punishment shall be never the lesse ibid. They will neither heare themselves nor suffer others 104 They come not to be caught by a Minister but to catch him 109 But are taken in the snare they spread for others 110 As they belong to hell so they speak the language 89 A holy life cannot escape persecution 47 We may appeale to themselves who are the honester men 145 An humble man will never bee an heretique 102 see pride They will hurt and maime the godly 115 I. Ignorance a main cause of hatred and persecution 172 Proved by testimonies 173 By examples ib. By experience 176 Ignorance the cause of all sin 175 The more Ignorant the more malicious 177 Ignorance ever makes the worst construction of things 178 Ignorance causeth suspition suspition hatred c. ib. Look wisdome knowledge Objection that great Schollers and wise men doe the same answered 179 They have inlightned heads but darke hearts 179 Their deeds prove them ignorant 180 That Indifferent to one that is not so to another 58 To be scrupulous no ill signe 159 In cases of a doubtfull nature best to take the surest side ib. It is well for the innocent that the wicked cannot keep their own counsell 94 They judge others by themselves 67 Look censure Meanes to cleare our judgements touching the worlds hatred 8 Men may doubt but the Devils beleeve a judgement to come 219 The worst of men can justifie and think well of themselves Ad. D. Five main reasons why they fight under Sathans banner and yet thinke themselves Gods servants Ad. N. 1 Their Ignorance of spirituall things ib. 2 Long custome of this sin hath taken away the sense of it Ad. O. 3 They reject all meanes of being bettered Ad. P. 4 Because they will not receive the truth they are given up to beleeve lies ib. 5 Sathan the Prince of darkenesse blindes them Ad. Q K. What knowledge is peculiar to the godly and what common to them with hypocrites 188 No attaining supernaturall knowledge by any naturall meanes 190 Saving knowledge such a jewell that God gives it to none but his children ib. Of which many instances 191 The same further amplified 192 See more of this in Wisdome and in Ignorance L. Were it not for the Law there were no living among wicked men 49 The first part of conversion is to love them that love God 180 Nothing hath proved more successefull to Sathan than lyes 79 Wicked men lye when they speak the truth 88 Look slander M. Carnall men think us mad but wee know them so 76 Malignants as witlesse as wicked 175 Wicked mens malice makes them like beasts or stocks 116 Their malice a good signe wee belong to God 13. Look hatred Mercy salvation not more promised to the repentant than damnation is threatned to the impenitent Ad. E Christ came not to be a patron for sin but to destroy sin in us and to sanctifie as well as to save us Ad. G. If we will not hear Christ now he will not hear us hereafter ib. A powerfull Ministery most opposed 101 Nor will they be appeased 103 Of Misprisson 239 Men mistake good for evill and evill for good Ad. R. Most men will doe as the most doe 163 They murmure against the godly 62 And against God himself ib. For being better than themselves 63 They would murther the Saints 117 Look cruelty Instead of arguments they take up armes ib. Are exceeding salvage and bloody 118 Of which five Reasons 119 N. Naturall men want both the light of the spirit and the eye of faith 189 All naturall men the devils chidren 131 Their manner is to nickname the godly 78 Number few compared with the multitude shall be saved Ad. X. The difficulty of entring the straite gate Ad. Y. Most men live as if they had no soules ib. O. We must obey God rather then great ones 153 But this they call great disorder ib. How far we fall short of primative Christians in our obedience 333 Occasion of writing upon this subject Ad. Gg. Where Christ comes there will be opposition 143 Order and distribution of the whole Book 37 Originall sin the originall cause of all discord 23 P. No peace to be expected between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman 21 Wicked men persecute the godly for being better than they 139 Of which many examples 140 And further amplified 142 Formall Christians the greatest persecuters of true Christians 145 Yet none think better of themselves 155 Tongue-taunts

tremble they have both faith and feare whereas thou hast neither feare nor faith If you be Christians there is an hell in your Creed if there be an hell How dare you teare Heaven with your blaâ—phemies and bandie the dreadfull Name of God in your impure mouthes by your bloody oâ—thes and execrations How dare you exâ—rcise your saucy wits in prophane sâ—offes at religion and disgrace that blood whereof hereafter you would give a thousand worlds for one drop It is no light or sleight offence to contemne the brethren of the Son of God but thou fightest against the very graces of Gods Spirit where-ever they appeare and notwithstanding thou didst vow in thy baptisme to fight under Christs banner against the world the flâ—sh and the Devill and to continue his faithâ—ull souldier and servant unto thy lives end as good reason since he laid downe his life to redeeme thee and hath ever since protected and provided for thee for a very Dog will fight for his master that feeds him thou contrarily takest part with the world the flesh and the Devill his mortall enemies and takest up armes to fight against Christ. Againe if there be an hell and but a tithe of them Christians who call themselves so what meanes our grinding of faces like edged tooles and our spilling of blood like water What meanes our racking of rents our detention of wages our incredible cruelty to servants our inclosing of Commons ingrossing of commodities our griping exactions with streining the advantages of greatnesse our inequall levies of legal payments our spightfull suites griping usury our bouzing and quaffing our bribery perjury partiallity our sacriledge simonaicall contracts and soule-murther our scurrâ— prophanesse cousoning in bargaines breaking of promises perfidious underminings pride luxury wantonnesse contempt of Gods Messengers neglect of his Ordinances violation of his dayes c When if the Word of God be true we need no other ground of our last and heaviest doom than ye have not given ye have not visited c. Mat. 25.41 to 46 Certainely if the tythe of us be Christians which call our selvrs so there are abundance of Christians in hell For what eyes can but runne over to see for the most part what lives men leade There was a woman much spoken of in some parts of this Land that lived in a professed doubt of the Dâ—ity yea even after Illumination and Repentance she could hardly be comforted she often protested that the vicious and offencive life of a great learned man in the Towne where she dwelt did occasion those damned doubts in her minde And we reade that Linacre reading upon the New Testament the fifâ—h sixth and seaventh Chapters of Saint Matthews Gospell and comparing those rules with Christians lives hee threw downe the booke and burst forth into this protestation Either this is not God's Gospell or we are not Christians Let any man looke upon the lives of most men and then say whether the argument be not without all exceptions Or let any compare Christians that live now under Christian Governours with those that lived formerly under Heathan Persecutors and it will force them to confesse the same Athenagoras told the Emperor in the Primitive times that there was not one of the Christians evill manured unlesse it were such as dissembled themselves Christians for some by and sinister ends And Tertullian saith of the Christians in his time non aliunde noscibiles quam de emendatione vitiorum And Chrisostome speaketh of many in his daies whose lives were angelicall they so walked up to their principles It is the abstract of Religion to imitate him whom we worship neither are we worthy to be called Christians except wee be like him in workes Wee are not like Christ except we doe whatsoever God commands and suffer whatsoever he inflicts Now we are naught at doing but when it comes to suffering we are gone it is the happinesse of these cold times that wee are not put to the hot fire for tryall of our faith and love if the Wheele should turne which the mercy of God forbid how many would turne from Christ rather than burne for him Alasse the greatest number are like Orbilius the Grammarian who not onely forgot the Letters of his Book but even his own name for they not only forget what is written in Christ's Gospell but they forget also that they are Christians can be of any religioÌ„ for a need which shewes their hearts are truely of none True Gods seede is sowne but the Devills fruit comes up and like the Iewes we bring Christ Vinegar when he thirsts for Wine But what a shame What a prodigy is this We are bound to praise GOD above any Nation whatsoever for what Nation under Heaven inâ—oyes so much light or so many blessings as we above any creature for all the creatures were ordained for our sakes and yet Heaven Earth and Sea all the Elements all the Creatures obey the Word of God onely men for whom they were all made ingratefully rebell against it The which as it mightily aggravates our unthankfulnesse so when time comes it will gall our Consciences to death Yea when we shall consider that Christ hath removed so many evils from us and conferred so many good things upon us that they are beyond thought or imagination and that our recompence of his love hath been onely to do that which he hates and hate those whom he loves it will make us speechlesse like him in the Gospel who wanted his wedding Garment as neither expecting mercy nor daring to aske it for know this that thy own Conscience will once sting thee like an Adder to thinke what Christ hath given and what he would have forgiven thee if thou would'st but have repented to thinke how often thou hast been invited to Heaven how easily thou mightest have escaped Hell how often Christ by his Embassadours offered thee remission of sinnes and the Kingdom of Heaven freely if thou wouldest but believe and repent and how easily thou mightest have obtained mercy in those dayes how near thou wast many times to have repented and yet didst suffer the Devil and the World to keep thee still impenitent and how the day of mercy is then past and will never dawn again For the same Devil that now shuts your eyes and labours to keep you blinde during the presumption of your Life will open them in the desperation that shall wait on you at death or in Hell as it fared with the rich man who when he was in Hell lift up his eyes to Heaven but never before Luke 16.23 Those scorching flames opened them to purpose sinne shuts up mens eyes but punishment opens them Satan seldome lets us see our folly till we be plunged into some deep extremity but then he writes it in capital Letters and pines it on our foreheads like one riding to the Pillory especially on our death-beds hee shewes us all our sinnes in

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