§. Sect. 4 Of the mani∣fold and dan∣gerous abuses of Conferen∣ces in these daies; and the causes of them.
And these are the duties which are to bee obserued in our society and conuersation one with another, in respect of our speeches and conferences. The which in these dayes, are all for the most part lamentably neglected, to the great dishonour of God, and our owne exceeding hindrance in our Christian progresse. And contrariwise, as wee finde by daily and wofull experience, all our time at our meetings, is wholly spent about earthly trifles, and things of no value. Of which neglect of the one, and too much vse of the other, there are diuers causes. As first, the malice and subtilty of the deuill, who knowing how much religious conferences doe weaken his kingdome, and build vs vp in all spirituall graces, and how much they strengthen vs vnto all Christian duties, doth vse all his Art and skill to hin∣der and interrupt them, by putting into mens minds matters of no vse and profit, earthly vanities, and things vtterly impertinent to our persons, states, and callings. Or if we will needs talke of Religion, he is ready to propound vnto vs by some of his instruments, captious questions, or wrangling controuersies about trifles of no value, which tend not to the vse of edifying, but to cause heart-burning, and alienation of affections, strife, and contention, that so for the present he may keepe out all profita∣ble conferences, about sanctification and the maine points of Christian Religion, and at length may breake off all such meetings, when as men finde by experience, that little or no good commeth of them. And with him ioyneth the world and worldly men to hinder these conferences, not onely by offering earthly things vnto vs, for the subiect of our speech, but also by interrupting vs, when wee haue entred into any good conference, by speaking of worldly matters, that so they may diuert our speech from going on in any Christian discourse. Vnto both which our enemies, our corrupt flesh is ready to betray vs, which is soone weary of spirituall and heauenly things, because it findeth no taste or sauour in them, and is neuer satisfied in thinking and speaking of things worldly, carnall, and sensuall, as best rellishing to our corrupt and fleshly appetite. A second cause is, because we are not mortified in our loue to the world, nor haue our hearts and affections weaned from it. For if they, like good instruments, were well in tune, they would vtter by our tongues heauenly harmony; but do∣ting as they doe vpon worldly vanities, it is no maruaile, if out of the a∣bundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, and if the chiefe fountaine being defiled, there issue from it the polluted streames of vnprofitable dis∣courses. A third cause, is our too little loue of spirituall & heauenly things; for if our hearts were set vpon them, as our chiefe treasure, we would take delight to be still talking of them. If they were our chiefe comforts and