The real Christian, or, A treatise of effectual calling wherein the work of God…

Still we see, God and we part only upon inordinacy. So we may go on in any other Sin: Profit, Gain, Riches, are great things in mens eyes, and doth God deny these likewise to his people? It may be you will say, few of these Precisians, Puritans, Fanatics (as now called) thrive in the world; we must not look for Riches amongst them, in the way they take. And what, I pray, do profit and riches follow all those who are strangers to God, and follow after the world, that make Mammon their God? Do we not see the contrary? How many of those, who have kept close to God, hath the Lord blessed, and given them power to get wealth, Deut. 8.18. when others have sunk and come to nothing? If a mean condition be the common portion of his people, yet a little that a righteous man hath is better then the riches of many wicked, Psal. 37.16. Sure I am, The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich, and be addeth no sorrow with it, Prov. 10.22. This is your Bible, you say, which we little regard; we will believe our senses for all your Bible: and you may believe your senses, if you please, and see, if you do not feel the truth of what our Bible saith. There was one in London, a Broker, who was resolved for Gain, and had it seems a secret and sinful way in his Trade to attain his end: Coming under the ministry of one, with whom I was acquainted, and who told me the story, it seems the Word met with him, and set Conscience upon his back, which made the man so troubled, that he could not tell what to do to let go this secret way of gain, he could not yield to that; to follow it, he could not with ⟨p. 62⟩quiet, his Conscience did so gall him; he comes to the Minister oft-times, and talks with him; fain would he have found a way to conjure down his Conscience, that he might have gone on quietly, but could not for a long time; he would follow the Minister sometimes in the street, with these words, Good Sir, let me alone but one half year, and then I will give up this course, Friend, said the Minister, I meddle not with thee, I speak not to thee. But it seems the man found that true, that it was not the blessing of God made him rich, and he found sorrow with his Riches; and so have many hundreds more, while others have found Profit and Riches coming in, with the enjoyment of God with them. So that still God withholdeth no good thing from them that walk uprightly,