C.iap. 21. ,n E.rpofition wpon the BoolZr, f J O B. Vprf. is, 701 f may profit them, and they will not doe ( which is all they can doe) fo much as the outfide ofany good, by which they can get no vifible profit. The Apofile Paul fpeaks of fuch-who fup- pofed that gaine aras Godlinefs, but they were faire from fup'po- fing that Godlines (as indeed it is, even bare Godlines) is great wine (t Tim. 6. 5, 6.) Whilewicked. men have a hope togain by a profeffionof Godlines (becaufegaine is favory to them, though it proceed from that which to them is moll unfavory ), they will be ,profeffórs , and' "condifcend to that which they tileeme no more in it felfe, then the dirt under their feete, the thing called godlines. But when once they fee theycannot gaine by it, or think theyhave gained enough by it, then they meddle with it no more ; offgoes their vifor, and they thew you (havingmade a (hewofwhat they were not) what they are. Many now receive the Gospel upon the fame argument, , by which theShicheoniteswere perfwaded to receive Circumci- fi on (Gen. 34.. 23.) Shall not their cattell,and their fubfiar<te,d, every beaft of theirsbe ours ?They are zealous for Chrift, upon the fame termes that Demetrius was zealous for the worfhipof `Diana among theEphe(ians (Aar 19.24 ) theymake or gain Silver- Shrines, and by this they get their living. As 7udas be- trayed Chrifl, fo they will pretend toadore him, If their que- flionbewell ánfwered, What will you give us ? or what than we get by it ? The needle ofthe compafle never refis nor is quiet, till it poynteth to the North, nor are they till they poynt at pròfit, and have carnal advantages in their eyc.What profit !hall we have if we Beare him or pray unto him ? Secondly, obferve; Trickedmen have an opinion that prayer and attendance upon God in holy duties are unprofitable. While they aske, What profit flail we have if We pray ? their meaning is, that prayer yeelds no profit, and that ferving God is a very poore trade. Such the Prophet Malachie at once difcovers and reproves (Ch. 3. 14.) re have laid, it is in vain toferve God, andwhat profit is it that are have kept his ordinances, and that we have walked mournfully before the LOrd ofHofs.And nowyet call ilTe proudhappy, yea, they that workwickednes are fee up, yea they tha tempt Godare even dentered.As if theyhadPaid ;we get no- tiri
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