48g The Crucifying of the world, 4 ; SECT. XVI. truly Brethren, it is oneof the mytteries'of fin and felfscle- ceit, that fuch a multitude of people yea feemingly Reh- gious, can think fo well of themfelves as they do , and bear it out with fuch audacious confidence, as if they were the real fervents of Chrift, when it is apparent even to the eyes ofothers, that they are not Crucified to the world, but live to it , and ferve it day by day. How anxioufly are they contriving for it, while their care to pleafe God is foexceeding Bender, that it takesup but little of their time and thoughts ? How Tweet are their thoughts ofa plentiful dare? To have the world at will, houles, and lands, and full provilions for themfelves and theirs, that they .ee maybe cloathedwith the beft, and fare of the belt , and fit with "kite thehigheft, and be honoured and reverenced of all, how fine a life doth this feem to them. 1f they havebut a fair opportunity to rife, how little tender are they of the lawfulnefs of the Means at leaft where they are not fo wicked as to difhonour them ! They can believe that tobe the truth which befriendeth their wOrldly intereft ; and that to be falfe and erroneous which is againft-it. The world choofeth manyof their opinions for them, and much of their Religion, and telierh them what party they (honk' fide with, and what not : It telleth them how far they fhall tolerate other wens fin, and how far not ; how far they fhall make profellion of their faith , and how far they Amid conceal it from the knowledgeof the world : And, fo as . Paid faith, they account Gin to be Gedrne( , iTim. 6. 5. not only deeming it better then down-right Godlinefs., but mea- figing out their Godlinefs by their Gain ; making that to fecal Religious which fitteth their carnal! ends ; and eafily believing that which is for their worldly intereft. Howweek and filly rea- fons will perfwade them that the point is true, the caufe is good, themeans is lawful, which terveth their turns for worldly ends ? And the cleareft unqueflionable Evidences are nothing to them that are brought for the contrary. So potent a perfwaer is woridy Intereft, that any thing will ferve where it takes part,and nothing prevail that it doth contradift. A powerful difputant, thatmoil commonly bath hebeff, whatever fide it takes, and the
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