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<DATE>2009-06-25</DATE>
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<NAME>Lauren Proux</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
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<DIV1 TYPE="to the reader">
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<OPENER><SALUTE>Courteous Reader,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>If the&s;e Arguments are &s;o weak and frivolous, that you judg it not worth laying out &s;o &s;mall a matter of Money, notwith&s;tanding you are wellcome to read it <HI>gratis;</HI> only de&s;ired not to daub it, in order to return it in an hour.</P>
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<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
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<P>A NEW LETTER, TO ALL <HI>Drunkards, Whoremongers, Thieves, Di&s;obedience to Parents, Swea|rers, Lyers,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>Containing a Serious and Earne&s;t EXHORTATION, THAT They would for&s;ake their <HI>Evil Ways.</HI></P>
<P>SHEWING ALSO,</P>
<P>How many Inconveniences the Practice of the&s;e Vices brings upon them, as impairation of good Name, de&s;truction of Health, ruin in E&s;tate, making them&s;elves wor&s;e than Bea&s;ts, rendring then &s;even Clowns and Fools, and edious to God and all good Men, bringing them&s;elves to untimely Ends, and ma|ny more Inconveniences; but, what is wor&s;t of all ruin both of Soul and Body in the World to come unle&s;s repented of.</P>
<P><HI>To which is added,</HI> Some Rules how to lay the Founda|tion of Repentance aright, and how, by the Grace of God, to perfect the &s;ame.</P>
<P><HI>With Exhortations to put all in Practice.</HI></P>
<P>By <HI>J. F.</HI></P>
<P>Licens'd, <HI>April</HI> 15. 1695. <HI>D. Poplar.</HI> And Entred according to Order.</P>
<P><HI>London,</HI> Printed by <HI>J. Bradford,</HI> 1696.</P>
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<DIV1 TYPE="text">
<PB N="4" REF="3">
<HEAD>To all Drunkards, Di&s;obedient to Parents, Whoremongers, Thieves, Swearers, Lyers, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></HEAD>
<P>THE Grace of our Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t, dear|ly beloved Son of God, who was mani|fe&s;t in the fle&s;h, and who &s;uffered &s;uch <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">olorous pangs upon the Cro&s;s, on purpo&s;e that <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">inners might find remi&s;&s;ion through his Blood; <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">hat Grace and Mercy light upon you abundantly, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">nd reclaim you from all &s;uch &s;ins, and from every evil way.</P>
<P>My Brethren, what pity it is? nay further, what <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> &s;hame it is? That men who profe&s;s &s;o holy a Re|ligion, &s;hould live &s;uch mon&s;trous wicked lives?</P>
<P>You who profe&s;s the be&s;t of Religions, do pro|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">nce the wor&s;t of lives, and render your &s;elves <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">or&s;e than Men of the wor&s;t Profe&s;&s;ion.</P>
<P>But this is not all. For,</P>
<P>In many things you render your &s;elves more <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">ile than the vile&s;t of Bea&s;ts.</P>
<P>And now I earne&s;tly exhort you, that you <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">ould diligently and reverently hear, what God him&s;elf &s;ays unto you out of his Word, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">hich is his revealed Will unto us.</P>
<P>Why it &s;ays plainly, <HI>You &s;hall not inherit the Kingdom of God.</HI></P>
<P>Look into 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 6.9, 10. and there you will find <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">hat terrible Word directly pointing you out, and <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">hich (if your Hearts were not as the Adamant
<PB N="5" REF="3">&s;tone) &s;hould &s;trike you into horrible Amazemen<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"></P>
<P>For thus it &s;ays, <HI>ver.</HI> 9. <HI>Know ye not that the un|righteous &s;hall not inherit the Kingdom of God? <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> not deceived, neither Fornicators, nor Idolater <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> not Adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abu&s;ers of them|&s;elves with mankind.</HI></P>
<P>Ver. 10. <HI>Nor Thieves, nor Covetous, n<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"> Drunkards, nor Revilers, nor Extortioners, &s;h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> inherit the Kingdom of God.</HI></P>
<P>Again, <HI>Gal.</HI> 5.19, 20, 21.</P>
<P>Ver. 19. <HI>Now the works of the fle&s;h are manife<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"> which are the&s;e, Adultery, Fornication, &V;nclea|ne&s;s, La&s;civiou&s;ne&s;s.</HI></P>
<P>Ver. 20. <HI>Idolatry, Witchcraft, Hatred, Varian<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"> Emulations, Wrath, Strife, Sedition, Here&s;ies.</HI></P>
<P>Ver. 21. <HI>Envying, Murders, Drunkenne&s;s, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">|velling, and &s;uch like; of which I tell you before, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> have told you in times pa&s;t, that they that do <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> things &s;hall not inherit the Kingdom of God.</HI></P>
<P>Where I pray you <HI>&s;eriou&s;ly con&s;ider</HI> what is &s;ai<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"></P>
<P>And fir&s;t of all, the Apo&s;tle expo&s;tulates w<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> them thus, <HI>Know ye not?</HI></P>
<P>And what is it he inquires if they knew not? why it is, That</P>
<P><HI>The unrighteous &s;hall not inherit the Kingdom of Go<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI></P>
<P>Form whence I do infer.</P>
<P>That they were not ignorant, that the c<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">|mi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">ting &s;uch &s;ins (unle&s;s repented of) was d<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">|nation, by his wri<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">ing to them, <HI>Know ye<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI> and as it were in an angry Tone too.</P>
<P>And now I be&s;eech you bear with me, alth<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="4 letters"> apply it nearer, and I pray God for his So<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">
<PB N="6" REF="4"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">s Chri&s;t's &s;ake, that what I am now writing <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> you, may have its de&s;ired effect.</P>
<P>And to the end it may,</P>
<P>I pray you &s;eriou&s;ly to con&s;ider and examine <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">ur &s;elves, as though you were to appear be|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">re God this very moment, even before you <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">uld have time to read two lines, the&s;e four <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">lowing particulars:</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, <HI>Whether of the&s;e Mens ca&s;e be not your ca&s;e? <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">ether you can &s;afely and confidently tell God, (if you <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">e to breath no more till you were to appear before <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word">) that you did not know that the unrighteous &s;hall <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> inherit the Kingdom of Heaven? I doubt not: <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> take it for granted, that mo&s;t of you know it well <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">gh, only I rather believe, that your Hearts are <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">d in &s;in, and &s;o you do not con&s;ider it.</HI></P>
<P>Secondly, <HI>Con&s;ider whether or no in your own Judg|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="3 letters">t, that that &s;ervant that knows his Lords will, and <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> not do it, doth not de&s;erve to be beat with many <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">es?</HI></P>
<P>Thirdly, <HI>Con&s;ider if you were now at the Tribunal <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">od, if you could alledge any thing in excu&s;e for <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> &s;ins, that may in any probability bring you off; <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">dering al&s;o, that you were not ignorant that you <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> not to have done them?</HI></P>
<P>Fourthly, <HI>Con&s;ider whether you are able to bear Wrath that &s;hall be poured out on you for the&s;e <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">s?</HI></P>
<P><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> the next place, the Apo&s;tle exhorts them to be mi&s;taken, &s;aying, <HI>Be not deceived,</HI> &amp; then <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">vely affirms, that <HI>neither Fornicators nor Ido|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">, nor Adulterers,</HI> &amp;c. <HI>&s;hall inherit the Kingdom</HI>
<PB N="7" REF="4">Oh that the &s;erious con&s;ideration of the&s;e things <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">ight make you walk circum&s;pectly! Oh that I could tell what to write to make you leave off the&s;e things! that I could terrifie you, to rather, that I could win you by love from the<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">; and that I may, <HI>I</HI> will write &s;omething concerning each &s;in in particular; and I earne&s;tly beg your dili|gent attention to my Advice, though a poor weak frail Creature.</P>
<P>And fir&s;t concerning Drunkenne&s;s.</P>
<P>I be&s;eech you &s;o many as are addicted to this Vice, con&s;ider, that you render your &s;elves Bea&s;ts, &s;o far are you from being Men, but much more Chri&s;tians.</P>
<P>A Man differs from a Bea&s;t, in that he is endu|ed with Rea&s;on; but when that is depraved with Drink, pray what is he then?</P>
<P>Secondly, You are wor&s;e than Bea&s;ts; a Bea&s;t may ri&s;e in Judgment again&s;t you and condemn you, for an Ox or A&s;s, turn him to ever &s;o much Meat or Drink, and he &s;hall not Eat or Drink to any intemperance: now you that are indued with Rea&s;on how will you an&s;wer that?</P>
<P>Thirdly, you become a Fool and a laughing Stock; for how many, (even his own company too) deride a Man in Drink.</P>
<P>And here I will take occa&s;ion to reprove all tho&s;e, of what degree &s;oever, that delight t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> make Men Drunk, and care not what trouble the<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> are at, or what money they &s;pend, &s;o they do bu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> do it: This is the very Picture of the Devil.</P>
<P>Is it not &s;ufficient, that you have your own &s;i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">
<PB N="8" REF="5">to an&s;wer for, but that you mu&s;t draw upon you other Mens al&s;o? <HI>I</HI> pray God you get well off of your own. <HI>I</HI> pray refrain from &s;uch impiety. How much better were it to give that mony to the Poor, &amp; &s;o lay up for your &s;elves <HI>Trea&s;ure</HI> in <HI>Hea|ven,</HI> than thus to purcha&s;e a Place with it in Hell?</P>
<P>Fourthly, You bring your &s;elves into di&s;grace; for unle&s;s it be your own mad Crew, no body el&s;e e&s;teems you. A Drunkard is a Clown, and his practice is rude and ill bread, not agreeable to that good Manners that is u&s;ed in Conver&s;ation.</P>
<P>For if a drunken Man were to go make a Vi&s;it with Company, would not his Company be a&s;hamed of him? Yes they would, though per|haps they could not in Civility get rid of him: Or if a Man were at a Fea&s;t, or at a publick A&s;&s;embly either of Church or State, and were Drunk; is this good Manners? Why then as <HI>I</HI> &s;aid before, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> Drunkard is a rude, ill-bred Clown.</P>
<P>Fifthly, You bring Sickne&s;s on your &s;elves; How many hereby have de&s;troyed their Healths! Tho&s;e good Creatures which we ought to receive <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">ith thank&s;giving, are ba&s;ely abu&s;ed to the di&s;|honour of God, and the de&s;truction of our &s;elves.</P>
<P>Sixthly, You ruin your E&s;tates, what it may <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">e your Parents have painfully got; and in get|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">ng it too, may be, have done many good <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">orks; you u&s;e it to bear your Charges on the <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">ay to Hell, and it may be u&s;e great endeavours, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">at it may la&s;t to your Journeys end, Men that <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">rhaps are void of the grace of God, yet com|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">on Frugality teaches them others things.</P>
<PB N="9" REF="5">
<P>Seventhly, That which is wor&s;t of all, You de&s;troy y<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"> Souls; for be not deceived, you &s;hall not inherit the Kingd<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"> of God. For nothing that doth not bear his image &s;h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="4 letters"> come there, and I am &s;ure, to be Drunk doth not. It is <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> ugly deformed Image, the very Image of the Devil. A Pa<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">|ter cannot a&s;&s;ume a better humane &s;haps for the Devil th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> the&s;e two, to wit, a drunken Man, and a malicious furi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> Man. A Whoremonger, or any thing el&s;e, will not make h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"> &s;o bad a Picture; be&s;ides it is an in-let to many other &s;ins.</P>
<P>I pray God incline you to leave it.</P>
<P>And now a word or two to all di&s;obedient to Parents.</P>
<P>Though I am very brief, pray give never the le&s;s heed it; but rather it being &s;hort, you may with more ea&s;e <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">|member it, and put it into practice.</P>
<P>You find it commanded not only from God by Men, whi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"> is Authority enough for it, but by his own mouth in the Mou<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"> &s;aying, <HI>Exod.</HI> 20.12. <HI>Honour thy Father and Mother, th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> thy days be long in the Land, the Lord thy God giveth thee.</HI></P>
<P>In the&s;e words, <HI>Honour thy Father and thy Mother,</HI> th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> Duty is po&s;itively commanded; and for thy encouragemen<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> Length of Days is promi&s;ed thee; and no doubt but all pro|&s;perity &s;hall attend thee,</P>
<P>But on the other hand, it is as po&s;itive in God's Word th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"> &s;halt be mi&s;erably cur&s;ed; for it &s;ays, <HI>Cur&s;ed be he that de&s;pi&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> his Father and Mother;</HI> wherefore look to it, for God's Wor<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> is as certainly true as him&s;elf is true, who is Truth it &s;elf.</P>
<P>And now concerning Fornication and Uncleanne&s;s, which ought not to be named, much more practi&s;ed among Chri&s;ti|ans. Your Bodies ought to be the Temple of the Holy Gho&s;t and not joyned to an Harlot.</P>
<P>If it were well con&s;idered, it were enough to con&s;ider the weight of that puni&s;hment God &s;ends for this &s;in. To perticu|larize in any of tho&s;e numerous and dolorous tortures, would hardly be mode&s;t If a Man were to apply him&s;elf to one who hath endured it, he may no doubt, receive &s;o good an Exhor|tation, as not to engage therein, except he hap to light on a very Mon&s;ter in Impudence and Villany.</P>
<P>But a further inconveniency is, it bla&s;ts the Reputation, &s;o tender whereof are many, that they would willingly &s;uffer much more &s;o they could but conceal it.</P>
<PB N="10" REF="6">
<P><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">d oh that all Men, would have &s;uch that act this, and <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">her Debauchery, in much more deri&s;ion, that they might <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;s incouraged to act it.</P>
<P><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> <HI>Paul</HI> advi&s;es, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 5.11. <HI>Not to keep Company with <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">an one, no, not to Eat.</HI></P>
<P><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">nd how in the next Chapter doth he argue and exhort from <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> <HI>Cor</HI> 6.15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. where he &s;ays, <HI>ver.</HI> 15. <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> ye not that your Bodies are Members of Chri&s;t?</HI> I doubt <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">ut many flatter your &s;elves ye are Members of Chri&s;t, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">h cannot be: He then proceeds, <HI>Shall I then take the Mem|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"> of Chri&s;t, and make them the Members of a Harlot? God <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">d.</HI> Here you may &s;ee, to do it is a horrible wickedne&s;s; <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">t cuts you off from being united to Chri&s;t.</P>
<P>Then it follows <HI>ver.</HI> 16. <HI>What, know ye not that he that is join <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 span"> a Harlot, is one Body? For two &s;aith he, &s;hall be one fle&s;h.</HI> Ver. 17. <HI>But he that is joined to the Lord, is one Spirit</HI> Then ver. 18. he exhorts, &s;aying, <HI>Flee Fornication;</HI> and <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> for many rea&s;ons; which follow to the end of the Chap|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"> which ought to be great Motives to you: The fir&s;t of <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">ich is, Every &s;in that a Man doth is without the Body; <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> he that commits Fornication, &s;ins again&s;t his own Body. Ver. 19. <HI>What, know ye not that your Body is the Temple the Holy Gho&s;t which is in you, which ye have of God, and are not your own?</HI></P>
<P>Ver. 20. <HI>For ye are bought with a Price, therefore glorifie <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">d in your-Body, and your Spirit, which are God's</HI></P>
<P>Con&s;ider what little has been &s;aid; I might have been <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">ger, as to &s;et down, that &s;in al&s;o de&s;troys your E&s;tate, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">d more Inconveniencies; but I &s;tudy to be Brief, and the <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">ord incline you to learn to po<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">iess your Bodies in Sanctifica|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">on and Honour, not as the Heathen which know not God, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">t as Chri&s;tians: And as you profe&s;s that holy Name, &s;o I <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;eech you walk worthy of that holy Calling, free from &s;pot <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">nd defilement here, that you may be made meet to enter <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">nto that pure and undefiled place hereafter, into which <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">o unclean thing &s;hall enter.</P>
<P>Come I now to Swearers, that belch out and dart up Oaths <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">gain&s;t Heaven; but in effect, pull down a Cur&s;e upon <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">hem&s;elves from Heaven.</P>
<P>It is madne&s;s and folly; For, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 span"></P>
<PB N="11" REF="6">
<P>It is di&s;graceful and ill-manners, as I &s;aid before of a Drunkard, &s;o I may &s;ay of this too, were you at a Vi&s;it, and there Swear, and Cur&s;e, and Ban, in common Di&s;cour&s;e, (if they were &s;ober People) would they not think you to be mad and ill-bred? Or an A&s;&s;embly, or in any other Com|pany that loves Sobriety, is it not de&s;pi&s;able? But in conver|&s;ing with your own Helli&s;h Crew, nothing is more glorious; a goodly glorying indeed! or which ought rather to be your &s;hame.</P>
<P>It is mo&s;t unaccountable al&s;o. For,</P>
<P>A Whoremonger may alledge, he was drawn away by De|light, (though when he has done, it will not excu&s;e him) but the Swearer, what can he &s;ay? The Drunkard may &s;ay, the Delight of Ta&s;te entic'd him and prevail'd: the World|ing may &s;ay, the De&s;ire of Riches overcame him: the am|bitious Man may alledge, the golden Bait of Honour: But the Swearer can plead no excu&s;e.</P>
<P>He does it, becau&s;e he will be like the Devil. He mu&s;t not expect Mercy at the Bar of God, nor indeed &s;o much as crave it, but go to Hell directly from thence. For if the&s;e Men fall &s;hort of Mercy there, how much more &s;hall he?</P>
<P>Furthermore, it is mon&s;trous wicked:</P>
<P>It is the very Language of Hell: Hell abounds with it: It is full of Cur&s;ings and Execrations for very Torture and Pain: tho&s;e that delight in it here, &s;hall have enough of it hereafter: there is no prai&s;ing God, bur bla&s;pheming there.</P>
<P>The Tongue was made to prai&s;e God.</P>
<P>To celebrate and &s;hew forth God's great Wi&s;dom in his Works, in &s;o wi&s;ely contriving and making them: and when made, &s;o wi&s;ely ordering and di&s;po&s;ing them, and not to Bla&s;pheme and Di&s;honour him.</P>
<P>Secondly, The Tongue was made to Prai&s;e God for his great and Almighty Power after they were &s;o wi&s;ely contri|ved and ordered, that it was able &s;o powerfully to make and &s;u&s;tain them.</P>
<P>But above all, abundantly, we ought to Prai&s;e God for his goodne&s;s and mercy. God's goodne&s;s to us, claims a double Portion of Prai&s;e: His goodne&s;s in &s;o plentifully &s;eeding both Man and Bea&s;t. But above all, abundantly, his goodne&s;s in the Redemption of the World <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 span">
<PB N="12" REF="7">means of Grace, and hope of Glory we have in him, and through him, of which the Swearer &s;hall never ta&s;te, unle&s;s he leave that practice.</P>
<P>If fooli&s;h Je&s;ting (which is not altogether &s;o illegal) be not convenient, but rather giving Thanks: how inconve|nient is Swearing? Here is abundant matter of Prai&s;e, but no obligation to Bla&s;pheme &s;o Wi&s;e, &s;o Powerful, but a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">ove all, &s;o good a God.</P>
<P>I verily believe, that if God in the Creation had given to the Bea&s;t the u&s;e of the Tongue, that they would not &s;o u&s;e it and abu&s;e it.</P>
<P>And now with re&s;pect to Thieves:</P>
<P>Tho&s;e that ar &s;o mon&s;trou&s;ly wicked, as to become High|way-men, Hou&s;e-breakers, Pick-pockets, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></P>
<P>I rather pray for them, than offer them any Exhortation: for it is much if it be not in vain.</P>
<P>Oh! that God by his holy Spirit infu&s;ed into them would turn their Hearts from Darkne&s;s to Light, and from this power of Satan to God; that tho&s;e that are now hurtful and injurious to their Neighbours, not only in their Goods, but many times in their Lives, might &s;ee the Error of their Ways, and now become &s;ociable Creatures; and learn to do to all Men as they would they &s;hould do to them. That it would plea&s;e God for the &s;ake of Je&s;us Chri&s;t, to reclaim them from their Lu&s;t, the &s;atisfying whereof induces them to act &s;uch Inju&s;tices and Cruelties, that he that hath &s;tole, may &s;teal no more, but rather live hone&s;tly, that they may have &s;omething to give them that need, and &s;o e&s;cape the Ju&s;tice of Man, that in this World brings imparation of Name, and untimely End; and the Ju&s;tice of God in the other World, that will bring Eternal De&s;truction both of Body and Soul.</P>
<P>Oh that they would hereunto &s;ay Amen, and do accord|ingly</P>
<P>And as to others that are not openly profe&s;&s;ed Thieves, but private ones, &s;uch as Servants that wrong their Ma&s;ters, and the like, perhaps a word of Advice may reach them; and I hope it may.</P>
<P>Be advi&s;ed and refrain: For</P>
<P>You are in the Devil's Road, he never brought any to that height of Impiety they are at, at once; but by degrees: It
<PB N="13" REF="7">is an old &s;aying, and very true, <HI>fir&s;t begin to &s;teal a Penny, then afterwards a Pound.</HI> Should he tempt them to com|mit the greate&s;t Crimes, before they were fitted for it fir&s;t by the &s;maller, I believe many would re&s;i&s;t, &amp; not perform them.</P>
<P>Al&s;o I believe you would think it hard if God &s;hould &s;end you &s;uch purloining Servants; which if he does, he is very Ju&s;t in it.</P>
<P>Neither let the thoughts of privacy encourage you to it many of you, it may be, for all the World would not be known; let the&s;e Con&s;iderations move you who &s;tand upon your Re|putation, to forbear.</P>
<P><HI>Fir&s;t,</HI> Though you think you are private, how do you know you are not mi&s;taken, the &s;malle&s;t Chink, or one unad|vi&s;ed word you have let drop and have forgot, or an hundred things more may di&s;cover you, and then perhaps for a &s;mall trifle, you fall into that di&s;grace with your Parents or Friends, that your whole Fortune is ruin'd.</P>
<P><HI>Secondly,</HI> I believe the Devil is mo&s;t apt to di&s;cover tho&s;e that &s;tand mo&s;t on Reputation, that &s;o through &s;hame they may make away them&s;elves, or commit other wickedne&s;s.</P>
<P>But above all, forbear out of a due &s;en&s;e of the Wrath of God again&s;t you, both in this Life and the World to come; for though you e&s;cape the Eye of Man, you cannot e&s;cape his All-&s;eeing Eye; and be not deceived, for Thieves among o|ther &s;inners, &s;hall not inherit the Kingdom of God.</P>
<P><HI>La&s;tly,</HI> To all Murderers, Lyars, and all that are addicted to Envy, Hatred, Strife, Covetou&s;ne&s;s, or the like; for I mu&s;t be large: Therefore I will conclude with a Word of Exhortation to all in general.</P>
<P>You ought all of you to put away the&s;e &s;ins, and be &s;orry for the &s;ame; and I &s;peak it for your comfort, God will free|ly forgive you, though your &s;ins are as Scarlet, he will make them whiter than Snow, through the mo&s;t precious Blood of our Lord and Saviour Je&s;us Chri&s;t. And be renewed in your Minds, re&s;olving never to do the like again; for to be &s;orry for Sin only, is but the one half of Repentance.</P>
<P>Now this being a Work that &s;ome may not under&s;tand to go about rightly, and &s;o after &s;ome finall endeavours in a wrong way, &s;ome may let it fall again, I will give you &s;ome &s;mall direction therefore that you may go through with it; and</P>
<PB N="14" REF="8">
<P>Therefore, Fir&s;t, <HI>De&s;cend down into you &s;elf, &s;eriou&s;ly re|flect upon your cour&s;e of Life, and examine it by the Law and Word of God, if it be not the High-way to Hell, if you do not Repent. Labour I &s;ay, fir&s;t to &s;ee your &s;ins; for if you do not &s;ee them, it will be but to little purpo&s;e.</HI></P>
<P>This is the fir&s;t Step, and a good Step</P>
<P>Secondly, <HI>From the con&s;ideration of the di&s;plea&s;ure of God again&s;t it: Labour to be &s;orry for it, you may find matter e|nough of Sorrow too, if you diligently &s;earch God's Word for it.</HI></P>
<P>Thirdly, <HI>Confe&s;s your Sins to God, though he knew them well enough; and be as particular in your Confe&s;&s;ion as you can: It is of great u&s;e and benefit.</HI></P>
<P>Fourthly, <HI>So much of it as hath been again&s;t Men, make what &s;atisfaction for it you can. The&s;e two la&s;t will give you great Ea&s;e of Mind, and Peace of Con&s;cience.</HI></P>
<P>Fifthly, <HI>Forgive freely all Injuries others have done unto you; and be in perfect Love and Charity with all Men: For if you forgive not Men their Tre&s;pa&s;&s;es, how can you expect God &s;hould forgive you?</HI></P>
<P>Sixthly, <HI>Re&s;olve by the Grace of God never to do the &s;ame again, without which all the former is not worth one Farhting, being but half Repentance.</HI></P>
<P>Having brought your &s;elf thus far, now you are prepared for the pardon of your &s;ins: To get which, ob&s;erve my fur|ther direction.</P>
<P>Seventhly, <HI>Approach to the Lords Table; for in this State you are throughly fitted for it, and there receive the Body and Blood of our dear Lord and Redeemer, though under the Ele|ments of Bread and Wine; and receiving it thus fixed, you &s;hall with it mo&s;t a&s;&s;uredly receive a free Pardon for all your &s;ins, for his mo&s;t precious Blood &s;ake, and be at perfect Peace of Con&s;cience&punc; and have great Joy in the Holy Gho&s;t.</HI></P>
<P>Now are you a Chri&s;tian indeed, &amp; never till now; any thing le&s;s than this does but barely bear the name of a Chri&s;tian.</P>
<P>By partaking of this ble&s;&s;ed Sacrament thus, you &s;hall be united unto Chri&s;t, Chri&s;t &s;hall dwell in you, and you in h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">m; it entitles you to be a Son of God, a Member of Chri&s;t, and to an Inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven.</P>
<P>Stop not here neither, but make a thorow work of it; And therefore,</P>
<P>In the eight place, <HI>Receive this free Grace and Mercy and <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 span"> and being thus wa&s;hed
<PB N="15" REF="8">from &s;in being thus <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">ad to &s;in, ri&s;e to Righteou&s;ne&s;s an<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> Holine&s;s put tho&s;e Holy Re&s;olutions you had before you com<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">|rated, into practice, you ought now to produce good Wor<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> as meritorious, that &s;o you may have Reward, but out of a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> of Love and Gratitude to God, that hath &s;o freely pardone<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> for his Son Je&s;us Chri&s;t his &s;ake. Let good Works; I &s;ay, from you as a Stream of Love to God again, for his abu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> love &s;hewn to you.</HI></P>
<P>Ninthly, <HI>Daily pray for Grace to &s;tand and per&s;ev<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> this E&s;tate, and continue in Love and Charity with all Be Charitable to the Poor, freely forgive all Injuries, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> no body any, and a&s;&s;ure your &s;elves, if you &s;incerely de&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> he will give it, you, though he may deny you temporal t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> becau&s;e of his infinite Wi&s;dom he may not &s;ee it good fo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> but Grace he will never deny you, if really de&s;ired.</HI></P>
<P>Tenthly, <HI>As when all is done, we are &s;till &s;ubject to <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">|ty, and may &s;in through the &s;ame, though not as before w<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> and wickedly, therefore renew your Repentance and P<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> &s;o often as the Ble&s;&s;ed Sacrament &s;hall be admini&s;tred; a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">|ter the &s;ame, &s;trive to keep your &s;elves for the time to con<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> to per&s;evere unto your Lives end; and at your Lives en<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> &s;hall not fail to receive the Crown of Life that <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">s laid <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> all tho&s;e that &s;ince<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">ely love the Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t, and a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">|ient to him; you &s;hall not mi&s;s of Salvation by his mo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">|cious Blood: To which Salvation, the Lord grant that y<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> all come for his Son Je&s;us Chri&s;t his &s;ake: To whom with <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">|ther and the Holy Gho&s;t, be all Honour and Glory for eve<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI></P>
<P>And now, my Brethren, is not &s;uch a State as this than to be Drunk, to Whore, to Steal, to Swear, <HI>&amp;c</HI></P>
<P>And &s;o to Roar and Cry to all Eternity with the da<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> there to dwell in Everla&s;ting Pain and Torment, pr<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> for you, and the Devil and his Angels.</P>
<P>Con&s;ider what hath been &s;aid, and the Lord add his &s;ing to it; where I conclude, having been briefer t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> thought to have been; becau&s;e I &s;hould el<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">e have out<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> Sheet of Paper. I do de&s;ign further to excite you a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">|thers, (that it may be, may not be &s;o debauch) to the <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">|ctice of Holy and Religious Duties, as our keeping the bath, our Duties of Prayer, Prai&s;e, Faith. Charity Lord's-Supper, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> and therein <HI>I</HI> will u&s;e great Br<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> In the mean time Farewel.</P>
<PB REF="9">
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