People not attending church:
Many men come to church to save or gain a
reputation; or because they will not be singular, but comply with an
established custom; yet, all the while, they are loaded with the guilt of old
rooted sins. These men can expect to hear of nothing but terrors and
threatenings, their sins laid open in true colours, and eternal misery the
reward of them; therefore, no wonder they stop their ears, and divert their
thoughts, and seek any amusement rather than stir the hell within them.
On doing good:
Under the title of our neighbour, there is yet
a duty of a more large, extensive nature incumbent on us – our love to our
neighbour is his public capacity, as he is a member of that greatly body, the
Commonwealth, under the same government with ourselves, and this is usually
called love of the public, and is a duty to which we are more strictly obliged
than even that of loving ourselves, because wherein ourselves are also
contained – as well as all our neighbours – is one great body
On the wretched condition of Ireland:
...to found a school in every parish of the
kingdom, for teaching the meaner and poorer sort of children to speak and read
the English tongue, and to provide a reasonable maintenance for the teachers.
This would, in time, abolish that part of barbarity and ignorance, for which
our natives are so despised by all foreigners: this would bring them to think
and act according to the rules of reason, by which a spirit of industry, and thrift,
and honesty would be introduced among them. And, indeed, considering how small
a tax would suffice for such a work, it is a public scandal that such a thing
should never have been endeavoured, or, perhaps, so much as thought on
On the poor man’s contentment:
Since our blessed Lord, instead of a rich and
honourable station in this world, was pleased to choose his lot among men of
the lower condition; let not those, on whom the bounty of Providence hath
bestowed wealth and honours, despise the men who are placed in a humble and
inferior station; but rather, with their utmost power, by their countenance, by
their protection, by just payment of their honest labour, encourage their daily
endeavours for the support of themselves and their families. On the other hand,
let the poor labour to provide things honest in the sight of all men; and so,
with diligence in their several employments, live soberly, righteously, and
godlily in this present world, that they may obtain that glorious reward
promised in the Gospel to the poor, I mean the kingdom of Heaven
On false witness:
Such witnesses are those who cannot hear an
idle intemperate expression, but they must immediately run to the magistrate to
inform; or perhaps wrangling in their cups over night, when they were not able
to speak or apprehend three words of common sense, will pretend to remember
everything the next morning, and think themselves very properly qualified to be
accusers of their brethren. God be thanked, the throne of our King is too firmly
settled to be shaken by the folly and rashness of every sottish companion
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