Baxter - HP BV4647 .S4 B39 1660

The Prevalencyof Selfihnefs in all Relation,. them ? ( unlefs they have hopes that the Lawwill not be exe- cuted) And judge nowwhetherfeifor Godhave greater ince- reit in thefe mens hearts. I fee but one piece of fe/f-della among this fort of people in this Town, and chats this : Though the officers are to give the money to the poor which they have from (wearers, drun. kards, unheeded and abufive Ale-fellers , prophaners of the loordsday,&c.yet that fort of the poor themfelves do hate thole officers that are zealous in their duties. This is flrange, that the love of money doth not change them. But whether it be that theycan deny their fiefh for the Devil,thoughnot for God; and in enmity to godlinefs,though not tofurther it; or whether it be that the officers do ufe to give their moray to an ho; nefter fort of poor, and thefe have none of it, I cannot well tell. Andhaving given fo many fad inflances of the power of felf and fcarcity offeif-denyai in others, I hope the MagiPcrates will not 'take it ill if we help them to difcern this enemy in themfelves, nor be offended that they come fall, unlefs it were in a more honourable caufe. I hear the belt and wifeft men that I can meet with, complain that inmolt places, Ale houfes flourifh under the Magiftrates Nofes;and that whoredom,fwear. ing, prophaning the Lords dayes, fhall feldom be punned , but when they are very much urged to it, nor then neither if it will but difpleafe a neighbour, or friend; efpecially if it be a wor7, fbipfull (wearer or drunkard that is to be punifbed. We fee in moll places that its more then the Juftice can do' to put down one Ale-houfeof many that they confefs should be fuppreffed ; and I doubt butfew can keep them from is:creating:Men fay that t ere is fo much ado before they can haveJuftice from many of t em,and thole that leek it are counted but or bufie troublefome fe lows, that many are ready to let all alone And whence is all this, that men in Power can do fo little againft thole that have no power to refifl them ? Whyalas the caufe is plain : Self is againft it : They have nonebut God and Minifters, and a few precife fellows to perfwade them to it : and they have DOgreater motives, then what is fetcht from Heaven and Hell to move them to it : and thefe are but fm all matters with them ( 1 (peak F z of 35

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