The Crucifying of the world, to be feen ? What felf Peeking and unprofitable fervants are they ?. Theywill confefs that theyhave all from God, and that all is due to him again but it is but a felf-condemningCon- feflion. How many charitable and pious ufes docall aloud for much of t heir eiiates ? but how little of it is fo.expended. Now and then two pence or a groat to the poor is a great matter with them, and the wealthy can come off with the quantity of the widows mite., Let God call, and Minifters call, and the poor call and cry for it, all cannot extort their Idol out of their purfes : So fart do they hold their money, that fcarce any thing but thieves, or fouldiers, or death can wring itout of their hands. But fo loofe do they hold fpiritual good which they feem to mind, that if a Seducer cannot eafily tice them from it, or ade- rifion fhame them from it , yet-at leaf} a good bargain for the world can hire them from it, and the frowns of men in power, or thechange of the times can affright them from it. Long will it be ere they will go from houle tol<ioufe through the Pardh and fee what poor want cloathing what childrenwant means to fet them to trades, and what families want Bibles and other Books that may promote their falvation and go as far as they are able in procuring them, and fet their friends awork where their own ability is too fhort. O the difproportion that there is between theverb2ll fervice, and the moreco¡fly fervice of worldly Iypo- criticallprofellors. How far do theirformal duties exceed their charitable communications and diftributions ! Mott commonly the world dothcut short even thefe their Religiousá&ions.They can fcarce find time to beconfiant in worfhippingGod in their families, or in fecret ; in inftrut`3;ing and exhorting their children and fervants ; there is force bufinefs to be done or forcegain to be got ; or while they feem to be deepeft in their devotions their thoughts runafter their covetoufnels , and it is one God that bath their tongues, and another that bath their hearts. So that they pray as if they prayed not , atil hear as if they heard not, and poffefs Gods Ordinances as not poffefling them , and ufe them meetly as abuing them, as apprehending no great be- nefit to come by them, but the fruit of them were nothing but meer conceits, or all Gods Ordinances were but (as :he Scottifh Sacrilegious Lord called their Book of Difcipline ` `Devout. Imaginations. But yet for all the fhortnefs of their Devotions their.
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