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296 to 382

Chap. XX.

The Doctrine and

Practice of the bleffed Lord Jefus and his Apostles, the primitive Christians, and thofe of more modern Times, in Favour of the Difcourfe

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• 382 to 422

Chap. XXI.-The ferious Appre-
henfions and Expreffions of feve-
ral aged and dying Men of Fame
and Learning
Chap. XXII.-An Exhortation to

all, profeffing Chriftianity, to
embrace the foregoing Reafons.
and Examples

422 to 466

466. to.477

NO CROSS, NO CROWN.

PART I,

CHAP. I.

S. 1. Of the neceffity of the Crofs of Chrift in general; yet the little regard Chriftians have to it. §. 2. The degeneracy of Christendom from purity to luft, and moderation to excess. S. 3. That worldly lufts and pleasures are become the care and study of Chriftians, fo that they have advanced upon the impiety of infidels. §. 4. This defection a fecond part to the Jewish tragedy, and worse than the first: the fcorn Chriftians have caft on their Saviour. S. 5. Sin is of one nature all the world over; finners are of the fame church, the devil's children: profeffion of religion in wicked men makes them but the worse. §. 6. A wolf is not a lamb; a finner cannot be, whilst fuch, a faint. S. 7. The wicked will perfecute the good; this, falfe Chriftians have done to the true, for non-compliance with their superstitions: the ftrange carnal measures falfe Chrif tians have taken of Christianity; the danger of that felf-feduction. §. 8. The fenfe of that has obliged me to make this difcourfe for a dif

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"fuafive against the world's lufts, and an invitation to take up the daily cross of Christ, as the way left us by him to blefedness. §. 9. Of. the felf-condemnation of the wicked; that religion and worship are comprised in doing the will of God. The advantage good men have upon bad men in the last judgment. §. 10. A Supplication for Christendom, that he may not be rejected in that great affize of the world. She is exhorted to confider, what relation fhe bears to Chrift; if her Saviour, how faved, and from what: what her experience is of that great work. That Chrift came to fave from fin, and wrath by confequence: not to fave men in fin, but from it, and fo from the wages of it.

5. I. THOUGH the knowledge and obedience of the doctrine of the crofs of Christ be of infinite moment to the fouls of men, for that is the only door to true Chriftianity, and that path the ancients ever trod to bleffedness; yet, with extreme affliction let me fay, it is fo little understood, fo much neglected, and what is worfe, fo bitterly contradicted by the vanity, fuperftition, and intemperance of profeffed Christians, that we must either renounce to believe what the Lord Jefus hath told us, Luke xiv. 27. That whofoever doth not bear his crofs, and come after him, cannot be his disciple: or, admitting that for truth, conclude, that the generality of Chriftendom do mifesadly deceive and difappoint themselves in the

great bufinefs of Chriftianity, and their own falvation.

§. II. For, let us be never fo tender and charitable in the furvey of those nations, that intitle themselves to any intereft in the holy name of Christ, if we will but be just too, we must needs acknowledge, that after all the gracious advantages of light, and obligations to fidelity, which these latter ages of the world have received by the coming, life, doctrine, miracles, death, refurrection, and afcenfion of Christ, with the gifts of his Holy Spirit; to which add the writings, labours, and martyrdom of his dear followers in all times, there feems very little left of Christianity but the name; which being now ufurped by the old heathen nature and life, makes the profeffors of it but true heathens in difguife. For though they worship not the fame idols, they worship Chrift with the fame heart and they can never do otherwife, whilst they live in the fame lufts. So that the unmortified Christian and the heathen are of the fame religion. For though they have different objects, to which they do direct their prayers, that adoration in both is but forced and cere monious, and the deity they truly worship, is the god of the world, the great lord of lufts: to him they bow with the whole powers of foul and fenfe. What fhall we eat? What fhall we drink? What fhall we wear? And how fhall we pass away our time? Which way may we gather wealth, increase our power, enlarge our territories, and dignify and per

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