of sins are reproved, and there is a sore punishment to be executed
on the committers of them; and all this made mention of in the
Scriptures. But for all this, how thick, and by heaps, do these
wretches walk up and down our streets? Do but go into the ale-houses,
and you shall see almost every room besprinkled with them, so
foaming out their own shame that it is enough to make the heart of
a saint to tremble.'[168] This was a true character of the great
masses of the labouring and trading portions of the commonwealth.
Let us hear his testimony also as to the most sacred profession,
the clergy, in 1654:--

'A reason why delusions do so easily take place in the hearts of
the ignorant, is, because those that pretend to be their teachers,
do behave themselves so basely among them. And indeed I may say
of these, as our Lord said of the Pharisees in another case, the
blood of the ignorant shall be laid to their charge. They that
pretend they are sent of the Lord, and come, saying, Thus saith
the Lord; we are the servants of the Lord, our commission is from
the Lord by succession; I say, these pretending themselves to be the
preachers of truth, but are not, do, by their loose conversation,
render the doctrine of God, and his Son Jesus Christ, by whom the
saints are saved, contemptible, and do give the adversary mighty
encouragement, to cry out against the truths of our Lord Jesus
Christ, because of their wicked waling. For the most part of them,
they are the men that at this day do so harden their hearers in
their sins by giving them such ill examples, that none goeth beyond
them for impiety. As, for example, would a parishioner learn to
be proud, he or she need look no farther than to the priest, his
wife, and family; for there is a notable pattern before them. Would
the people learn to be wanton? they may also see a pattern among