The Epifile Dedicatory. then ft and with them, and have the terror of looking down. Had not profeffors been intoxicated by pro- fperity, they had not believed and lived fo giddily. I have often Peen mens reafon marr'd with a cup or two, too much, but feldom by too little. And too many I have known, that have wounded confcience and fold their fouls for the love of profperity and wealth; but none that ever did it for poverty. For a rich man to be faved is impollible to man, though all things are pop jible with God, MAtti. 19. 26. Luk 18. 27. For my own part, I blefs God that hath kept me from great- ners in the world, and I take it as the principal ad of frieridjhip that ever you did for me that you provoked me to this fweet, though flefh-difPleafing life, of the Miniftry, in which I have chofen to abide. I had rather, lye in health on the hardeft bed, then be fick upon the fofteft. And I fee that a fether-bed maketh not a fick man well. The fleep of the labouring man is fweet Theplow-mans brown bread and c heefe, is more fa,- voury to him, andbreedeth fewer fickneffes, then the fulnels and variety of the rich. This country dyet doth not cherithvoluptuoufnefs,arrogancy,vain-glory, earthlymindednefs , uncharitablenefs, andother felfilly, difeafes, fo much as worldly greatnefs doth. Experience tells us that moft men are bell in a low elate infornuch that a bad man in fickneCs will fpeak better, and feemmore penitent and mortified,then ma- nybetter' men in health, Its a wonderful hard thing to live like a Chriftian in full profperity and to be above this world, and have lively apprehenhons of the invifible things, and live a heavenly converfation, in health and wealth, when our flefh hath fo muchprovi- on at hand, to accommodate and pleafe it, Profperity cloth
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