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come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.' Tim. vi. 18, 19.
The wicked may be in the same prosperity, but with another behaviour. The worse they are, the more they will be tempted and insnared; they who were proud and vain before, will be insensibly led away into more pride and more vanity, forgetful of him who made the difference; easily abused into monstrous conceits of themselves, and the most unjust comparisons of themselves with others, softened so much with delight, that they will be able to endure nothing that is cross to their will and humour, setting no bounds to their enjoyments, impatient of having their present pleasures allayed with consideration of the future, with the fear of God, or the remembrance of death; which, notwithstanding, comes on apace, somewhat the faster it may be, by reason of their pleasures, and if they take no better care, will surprise them altogether unprepared for the change of their pleasant life (if it were granted to be so) into sickness and languishing, and the expectation of death, and the day of judgment.
The difference is no less in the afflictions that befall the ⟨righteous⟩ and the wicked together: for the wicked, if ⟨they⟩ continue impenitent, will grow worse and worse, ⟨envious⟩, and malicious, and sullen, and farther from ⟨seeking⟩ to God than in their prosperity: but the same ⟨condition⟩ shall be to the good a monitor to examine themselves; ⟨to⟩ search and try their ways, and be very exact in their ⟨reformation⟩; to inquire out and amend their smallest ⟨faults⟩, of which in their better estate they took little ⟨notice⟩, and contented themselves with being kept back ⟨from⟩ presumptuous sins; to renew, and confirm, and ⟨strengthen⟩ their good resolutions, which even lawful ⟨delight⟩ had made too loose and slack: And whereas in ⟨their⟩ sorrows, many of the wicked renounce God, and ⟨dishonour⟩ him with pride, and stubbornness, and ⟨infidelity⟩, and blasphemy, and impatience; these own God's ⟨dominion⟩, and humble themselves under his mighty ⟨hand⟩ and acknowledge his justice, and honour him ⟨before⟩ men with confession of sin, and repentance, aud ⟨submissions⟩, and prayers, and thanksgiving.
