comfortable walking with God. 4. Fourthly , though carnal! men bee fo covetous, and hold-faft of earthly contentments , that they would rather lode their precious foules cverlailingly , then !cane them yet if it might bee, if they were poflibly compatible, they would give any thing in the world ; both to ferve and fail: fie themfelves in the waies ofvanitie , and after to fave their foules in the day ofwrath ; both to partake ofthepleafures ofthe preterit, and to bee fecured from the vengeance that is to come. What would not the great Ones of the world give, topurchafe two Heavens ; one here, andanother in the other world ? What would not fenfuall worldlings part with , to redeeme their finnes, ifthey might have a difpenta- tion to continuein finne ? To live the life ofvanity and luft, and after to die the death of the Righteous , and to receive their Crownc ? In fuch cafes in their fober confiderations(fo that their preterit temporal! happineffe luflaine no hazard, or diminution ; nor the delights oftheir fweete finne, any di- flurbance) they would not fland upon any worldly good; though it were a themfandRarnmes, or ten thoufand Rivers of Oyle : Nay, they would give their frfl-borne for their tranf: greffions; even the fruit of their bodies, for the finne of their lottles. Many there are which may be eafilyperfwaded , and can well finde in their hearts, to give any thing towards the fervice ofGod, and falvation oftheir foules, lave themfelves; I meane their hearts and affe6tions , which the world and their darling-pleafures have principally poffefl. Hence now it is, that many rich Ones and men ofthe world, being other- wife veryguilty, and obnoxious in many refpeets , are very willing and well content many times to contribute bounti- fully to goodufes, and tomake good flew of liberalitie to- wards the poore ; that thereby lefle notice may bee taken of their other notorioulneff?; and with fome kind ofhope, fo to cover and conceale many groffe coruptions from the wrath ofGod, and the worlds cenfure. For I know not how there is an inbred opinion and conceit feated in the hearts of na- tural] men and Papifts, that almef:dcedes, and fuch workes of charitie make amends for other tnifcarriages , though Pule,. 4 and
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