282 óer,erall c#ireilions for a and fcaridalous and bepleating to Almighty God; though the parties fromwhence they proceed, be pollutedwithferret impurities andraigmng fumes. Sith therefore they perfwade their hearts, that charitabledevotions and diftributions have tome power, as it were, fomewhat to appeafe divine wrath, and to fastifie for other finfull exorbicancies and aberrations ; and fee plainely that it is the moil compendious way to pur- chafe a great Beale of credit in thefe cold and compaf ionleffe times; and the onely objeEt to divert the eyes of the greater from the obfervation of their other faults : I fay therefore, they open their hearts.the more liberally, and enlarge their bowels to greater bountifulneffe ; which otherwife theirco- vetoufneffewould keepe ¡hut. Thus, many, to dimini(h the horrour and markeableneffe of their unmortified Tads and open lewdneffa, exercifeagood art withouta good heart. Occafionsfrom theparties slandered, are suchas thefe Is Chriftians, of all men in the world, are the fpeciall markes and ordinary objeEts, upon which are difchargedand exercifed all kindes ofmalice and mifchiefe : not onely the empoyfoned arrowes of fpitefull tongues, the fwordof Ty- rants, the flames of crueltie ; but alto many lesser and leffe® markt vexations,andwrongs,opprefl'ions &mercilefnefl'e, and many unconfcionable ufages. Prophane men being seated inhigh roomes, or befotted withthe worlds favoursand flat- teries, doe many times, out of their pride and malice,ver, contemptuouslyrowie down as fromaloft, indignities,in tölencies, many hard andheavie inhumanities, and injuftices uponGods.Children, as a number of negle&ed underlings. So that as the Prophet fpeakes ; Hee that refraineth from swill, mkt') himfelfe a prey, Hee that by the mercies of Godbreakes out of the bounds of Satan, into the bleflings andble(ied estate of grace, (hall for ever after, not onely be furiously persecuted by the rage ofhell, and malice ofpro- phaneneffe;but alfo lie moreopen to theinfultations,wrongs, and oppreflions ofhisadversaries, and treacherous infinuati- ons offalfe friends. Sith therefore Chriftians,by reafonoftheir patience, the worlds discountenance, difaffeEtion ofgreat Ones,
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