doth it in these words, Luke 16. 19. [There was a certain rich man which was cloathed in purple and fine linnen, and fared fumptuously every day.] And Luk. 12, 16, 19. [The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully, &c.] And when he would defcribe a godly happy man, he doth it under the name of a Lazarus, Luke 16. 20. Judge now by the fuccefs, as it is difcovered in the Scriptures, what good profperity doth to fools?

I might turn you to Davids obfervations in Pfal.37. and 73. and mind you why it is that Chrift himfelf went before us in a ftate of chofen poverty, 2 Cor. 8. 9. and why his Difciples followed him in this tract, and why he called them fo much to deny and forfake the riches of the world, and tried them fo oft by felling all, and following him in hopes of a hea

venly reward. But the point is evident in what's faidin my text, and these annexed teftimonies.

2. But yet to make you more apprehenfive of it, I fhall adjoyn the teftimony of Experience. And tell me whether profperity be not. the deftruction of fouls, when you have noted the fruits of it in these few obfervations.

1. Where do you find less ferious care and Labour for falvation, then among the profperaus great ones of the world? what abundance of them are dead-hearted, fenflefs, difregarders of everlasting things? what abundance of them are of no Religion, but the custome of their Country, and the will of their fuperiours, which are their Bible, their Law, and Gofpel, and their Creed! what abundance of them are addicted to that worship which Chrift pronounceth vain, which is measured by the traditi

ons of men, and confifteth meerly in ceremonious fhews! How few of them are acquainted with the fpiritual worship of that God who being a Spirit can accept no worfhip but what is fpiritual! Alas. poor fouls, they drown their reafon in fenfuality, and are fed as for the flaughter, and think not feriously whither they are going, till profperity hath ceafed to deceive them, and Satan is content to let them fee that they have loft, and he hath won the game. They are of the Religion defcribed by the Apostle, 1 Tim. 6. 5. that taketh gain for godliness: But if godliness must go for gain, they will have none. To opprefs their tenants, and devour widdows houses, and cloak it with a long pharifaical lip-fervice, or wipe their mouths with fome cuftomary complemental prayers, and offer God to be a fharer in the prey,

this is the commoneft Religion of the rich. But they cannot endure to be fo pure, as to devote themfelves to God in that pure and undefiled Religion which vifiteth the fatherless and widdows in their affliction and keepeth men unspotted from the world,] Jam. 1. 27. What houfes or company can you go into, where Religion is more bitterly derided, more proudly vilified, more flanderously reproached, or more ingeniously abused and oppofed, then among the rich and full-fed worldlings?

And if there be here and there a perfon fearing God among them, he paffeth for a rarity or wonder! And a little Religion goes a great way, and is applauded and admired as eminent fanctity, in perfons of the higher rank. If a poor man or woman dwell as it were in heaven, and walk with God, and think, and speak, and

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live by rule, its fcarce regarded; poverty, or want of a voluble tongue, or the mixtures of unavoidable frailties, or fome imprudent paffages that come from the want of a more polishing culture and education, doth make their piety but matter of jeafting and reproach to the Dives'es of the world: But if a Lord, or Knight, or Lady have but half their piety, humility and obedience to God, how excellent are they in their Orbs! Nay, if they do but countenance Religion, and befriend the fervants of the Lord, and obferve a courfe of cold performances, with the mixture of fuch fins for which a poor man fhould be almoft excommunicate, what excellent religious perfons are they esteemed?

2. What families are worfe ordered, and have lefs of ferious piety then the rich? If our fplendid gallants