274 General diredionsfar a - 01- ---.............M.01..a, . hardheartedneffe , unmercifulneffe ; whereas themfelves, meeremen of this world, are as covetous as the skinne will hold ; Ea nailed and gluedunto the eatth ; never in their life lift up a joyfull thought towards heaven, neithcr dare thinke ferioufly upon the world to come, without a great deale of flavifh fadneffe and fecret terrour. And in their grafping of worldly goods, they care not a button for confcience, make no account at all of that molt certaine ftria account at Gods clrea,lfull Tribunal! : but onely how to carry matters fmoothlyand plaufibly in the eyes of men, and dawbe over their unjuft dealings, with clofeconveyances, and trickes of wit. I goe not about heere to Apologize for any uncharitable counterfeits, or thofe molt odious outfide,.Chriftians, who put on the glory of an Angell in outward profeffion, that they may play the devils more unobfervedly , in Vfurious pratlifes, oppreflions, and unconfcionable griping ; weare a cloakeof zeale,inconformity to the externall formes of obe- dience to the firft Table, upon purpofe to cover their cruelty and inhumanity, in undercmining and over-reaching their brethren, and toprey the more invitibly upon the fimplicity of thofe whom they deceive bySeeming. But yet I mull tell you, that many times, even Ionic of Gods owne beft children are full falfly and foulely charged, by foule-mouthed worldlings themfelves, withworldlineffe, covetoufneffe, and imputations of that nature; who byGods mercy, are fo farre from doting upon earth, and the fading glory thereof, that in their retired and advifed thoughts, they would not loofe the love and light of Gods counte- nance, and teftimony of 'a good confcience, to winne the whole world : they would not exchange their comforts of godlineffe, and inter& in a Crowneof life,for ten thonfand worlds, were they all turned into one invaluable Park They feele themfelves incomparably more comforted and kindly refrefhed at the heart roote, with one thought of heaven, and that endleffe joyfullreft above, through all eter. nity, then witha world of earthly contemplations; though all
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