Page:On the providence of God in the government of the world.pdf/11

 ires. The men to whom gain is better than godliness, would not be extortioners, if more were to be gotten by justice: They would not be cruel and without compassion to the poor, if they believed that their wealth would increase by what they gave away: They would not send their adventures to Arabia and India if they could have a better market at home; if building the temple, and giving liberally to the altar would return their stock with more profit. If religion were now become the only way for the proud to be advanced, and for the voluptuaries to be filled with sensual delights, vndand [sic] for the spiteful to be revenged, what change would there suddenly be in the manners of wicked men! How reformed would they seem! Very good in outward appearance, and yet as bad as ever; in a garb indeed of religion, but deceiving themselves as well as others with a disguise; 'having a form of godliness, but denying the power; being all the while in the gall of bitterness, and in the bonds of iniquity; lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God;' having their hearts full of all the abominations of pride, and the idolatry of covetousness.

Flatterers pretend to be, and sometimes think themselves, sincere and faithful friends; but when the man whom they love so passionately is falling, and they get as far off as they can from the ruins of his greatness, then at last they find out the mystery, if they know it not before; that all their fond and officious service was not respect to him, but themselves; that they did not love his person but his fortune, his gifts, and the benefits they hoped to receive from his power.

Such a discovery doth this way of Providence make. Since 'there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked:' since men are poor and despised notwithstanding their justice and religion, and, as it sometimes happens, the poorer and the more despised for their sake; the men, who care for nothing but this world's good, will be unjust and faithless, and unthankful, and perjured, if it will serve their turn better.