438 The Life of Faith., Anf. So it is like the miferable Gentlemandid, in Luke 16, Or elfe why would Lazarus lie at his gates, if he ufed not t o give fomething to the poor? What worldling or hypocrite is there that will not drop now and then an Aims, while he pampereth his fiefh, and fatisfieth its deliires? Do you look to be lived for doing as a Swine will do, in leaving that which hecan neither ear, nor catty away with him ? The.queftion is, whether Godor the world haveyour hearts? and what it is that you moil delight in as your creature ? Objets. 8. 1 am fury fatisfi:d that Heaven is betttr than Earth, andGod than the creature, and holinefs than the pro.Qierity or perjureofthe firth? . Aufw. Thoufands ofrniferable worldlings, are fatisñcd in opinion that this is true : They con fay the tame words that a true Believer doth : And in difpute they can defend them, and call the contrary opinion blafphemy. But all this is but a dreaming (peculation : Their hearts never praelicaVy pre- ferred God, and Holinefs, and Heaven, as moll fitableand heft for them : Mark what you love heft, and mod- long after, and moll delight in, and what it is that you are lotheft to leave, and what it is that you moll eagerly labour for, and there you may fee what it is that bath your hearts ? Objeét. 9. Worldlirsefs is indeed a heinous fn,arid of all people, Imolt hate thecovetous ; and I ufe to preach or talk againft it, more than againft any fin. Anfw. So do many thoufands that are (laves to it them- Rives, and (hall be damned for it. It is eafier to talk agaiufl it, than to forfake ir. And it is cafe to hate covetoufnefs in another, becaufe it will coil younothing for another to forfake his fin; and perhaps the more covetous he is,thcmore he fland- eth in your way, and hindereth you from that which you would have your ¡elves. Of all the multitude ofcovetous Preachers that be in the world, is there any one that will not preach againtt covetoufnefa ? Read but the Lives of Cardinale, and Popes, and Popifh Prelates, and you will fee the moil odi- ous worldlinefs let forth without any kind of cloak or Drame Howfuch a one laid hisdeign at Court, and among the great ones for preferment?How fludioufly he profccuted it, and con- formed himfelfto the humours & interefl of thofe,from whom he
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