"Do not your Ministers preach for to enjoy the earth? Do not
professing Lawyers, as well as others, buy and sell the Conquerer's
justice that they may enjoy the earth? Do not professing Soldiers
fight for the earth, and seat themselves in that Land which is the
birth-right of others, as well as theirs, shutting others out? Do
not all Professors strive to get earth, that they may live in
plenty by other men's labors? Do you not make the earth your very
rest? Doth not the enjoying of the earth please the spirit in you?
and then you say God is pleased with your ways and blesseth you. If
you want earth, and become poor, do you not say, God is angry with
you? Why do you heap up riches? why do you eat and drink, and wear
clothes? Are not all these carnal and low things of the earth? and
do you not live in them and covet them as much as any, nay more
than many which you call men of the world?
"It being thus with you, what other spiritual and heavenly things
do you seek after more than others? What is in you more than in
others? If you say there is, then surely you should leave these
earthly things alone to the men of the world, as you call them,
whose portions these are, and keep you within the compass of your
own sphere, that others seeing you live a life above the world in
peace and freedom, neither working yourselves, nor deceiving, nor
compelling others to work for you, they may be drawn to embrace the
same spiritual life by your single hearted conversation.
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