1general complaint of the Pre valency ofsdfl(hneffe gion and Charity ofthe world, a meet. lending God Come fcraps of the leavings of carnal felf if the flifh be full, or have enough,then God fhall have the crums that fail from its Table, or at moil fo much as it can (pare : but till the flab have done and be fatisfied,Godmutt flay even for thefe fcraps and crums! and if they can but fay,[brant it myfeIf,or have Hire for it myfell.] they think it a fufficient anfwerto all demands. One may fee by the irregularity of the motions ofthe world, the cwfufions,and croffings,and rnutabilities,and contradietions,the doing and un- doing again, the differences and fierce contendingq, that it is not God but felf that is the End and P, inciple of the motions. Nay moll men are fo dead to God, and alive only to themfelves, that they knownot what we mean when we tell them, and plainly tell them, what it is to live to God and what it is to ferve him in all their affairs,; and to eat, and drink, and do all things for his glory ; but they ask in their hearts as Pharaoh, Who is the Lord,that IAmidferve him? And when they read thefe pal- fages about felf-deval; and about referring all to God,t hey will not underhand them : for they are unacquainted with God,and know noother God indeed but [elf, though in name they do. Nay it were well ifPelfwere kept out of theChurch, and out of the Miniflcrs of the Gofpel, that mull teach the world tode- ny themfelves ; that it did not with too many choofe their ha- bitations,and give them their call,and limit them in their labours, and direct them in the manner and meafure ; It were well if fome Miniflcrs did not fludy for felf, and preach and difpute for felf,and live forPelf ; when they materially preach againflfelf, and teach menfeif-denps/. And then for our People,alas,it rules their families, it manageth their bufind§,it drives on their trades; it comes toChurch with them arid fights within them again(} the word, and pervesteth their judgement, and will let them relifh nothing,and receive nothing but what is conffilent withfdp interefl : in a word, it makes men ungodly, it keeps them un- godly, and it is their very ungodlinels it Pelf. 0 were it not for carnal felf,how eafily might wedeal with all forts of finners? but this is it that overcometh us. CHAP
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