fo Thegreat Power and Prevalenci of felflihnefs difeovered. themfelves. Not that any godlyman is felfilh in a predominant fenfe ; or that fell is higher or more powerful in his heart then God : for that's a contradiction : Inch a man cannot be godly man ( without Converfion :) But yet the very remnants of conquered Self, what a fmoak do they make in our Afiemblies, and what noifom fcent in the lives of many godly men ? what a fir have we fornetime with thofe that we hope are godly, be- fore we can get them to an impartial judgement ; to lament their own fowl words, or other rnifcarriages, and to humble themfelves, or freely to forgive another that bath wronged them ! efpecially to confefs difgraceful fins in any felf-denying manner ? How clofe flick they to their own conceits? how lamentably do they improve them,to the contempt of Miniflers, and trouble and divifion of the Church ? How wife are they in , their own eyes, and how hardly yield they to any ad vile that croffeth Self? How hardly arc they brought to any dear and cofily duty ? How much do they indulge their appetites and paffions ? and how cheap a Religion do many think to come to heaven with ? we can fcarce pleafe fome of them, they are fo felp: either becaufe we crofs them in their opinions,or in their wages ; or becaufe we allow them not fo much fpecial counte- nance and refped as felf would have : or deny them fomewhat which feif defi-es. If they have any fe for us, if we leave not more publickor greater workwhich God hath let us .on, and allow them not that part in our time or is bouts, or other helps, which God and Confcience will not allow them, they are offended and take it ill, that felf is not preferred before God and the publick fervice. Their [elves are fo dear to them- felves, that they think we fhould negled all to ferve them. Let the moil ufeful Miniver live in a place that bath the plague,or other contagious mortal ficknefs ; and moll that are vifited, will take it ill if the Minifter come not to them, though they know that his life is hazarded by it, and that his lofs to the whole Church is more to be regarded then the content or benefit of particular perfons ; and it is not thepleafingof them, mar their benefit by km then, that will countervail the Churches lofs of hiaeWhat is this but too much preferring felf (1 hopenot habitually, hut) in that ad, before the Church andhonour -of God Let
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