1r90 The Crucifying of the world, common eye- falves cure him that is wilfully blind : He alwaies an unprofitable Scholar that hateth his book. If God had fpo- ken but the hundreth part as much infavour of their worldlinefs and tenacity, as he he bath done againft it they could loon have heard, and eafilyunderftood it : If Paul do but tell forme cove- tous perlons, that calf their poor widdows on the Church for maintenance, that were of their near kindred, That [ they are worfe then Infidels,i f they will not providefor their ownfamilies , or kindred J i Ti,r5.8. there worldlings can find an excufe for their tenacity from fuch a Text as this, which was meant to rebuke it : and when they have driven on a tradeof worldlinefs, and fcraped for themfelves and children all their lives , and never doneany confiderable works of charity , they can quiet their confciencas by the mil-application and abufe of fuch a Text. They that have money to feed their pride, and revenge, and lulls , have little for God, in any good work. They will fooner fpend fix pence in an Ale-houle, then givea groat to the poor. They that have ten, or twenty, or an hundred pound to fpend in a Law- fuit for revenge or covetoufnefs, have not half fomuch to give to charitable ufes. They will fee all fuppofed conveniences provided for themfelves, before they will fupply the Neceflìties of others. And what thanks is it to them to fhew their poor Brethren the charity of a fwin ,e, that will leavethat to otherswhich he cannot eat himfelf. And yet there are multitudes that will not ufe this beflial charity, becaufe their own flefh and their poflerity are an infatiable gulf, that fwallowup all : And what they cannot ufe , they will lay up for Provifion, tell their tuft fhould be extinguifhed for wane of fewel and when their flefh bath had its fill they may leave the rail behind them, that their children may live in golden fet. ters, andbegull'd of their falvation and ticed fromGod as well as they. Is not that mans belly his God that will beflow a more oftly facrificeonhis belly then he will do on God ? If God command, andhis Miniftersrequelt, they are molt frequently de- nyed : If Chrift require it, and his Members need,and perhaps ,crave it, they are denyed ; but if theback and thebelly crave they arefeldom denyed.Godfaith,[To dogoodand tocommunicate forget ,not ; for with fuckfacrifives I am well pleatedJ Heb. 13 .16. and he cannot be heard, nor will they pleafe him at fuch rates. The flefh faith, [Topamper andprovidefor me , forget not : for. with
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