DireEiions againft fin(ul 'Dejigns and 'Difcontents. madnefs is it for one that is condemned in Law to endlefs torments, and lhall be quickly there, if he be"" regenerate and jujrified by Chrift, to be thirfting fo eagerly for thi< or that thing or per[on upon earth, when he fhould prefemly bcfiir him .with all his might to fave his foul from endlefs mifery! m How incongruous arc thtfc Defi,w to the good and bad l . ~ . 5· DireCt. 3· Lrt m ry fi•iful Dcjire humble you, for the worldlinrjj •nd flejhlimjj n:hich it difco- DmCI. 3• cot·ereth to be )'ft tmmortificd in )'OU: and turnyour Vrfira trJ the mortifying of that jle(h and Cfmcupi/cence which if the caufo. If you did not yet love the rl.'orld, and tbe thing I th.2t ;:re in tbe world, you would not 1 Job. :. t ~. br.: fo eager for them. If you were not too carnal, and did not mind too much the thing1 of the fitjh, you would not be fo earneft forthem as you are. It lhould be a grievous thing to your hearts to con!.der, what world!inejj a~rd f/efhlinejj this 01eweth to be yet there. Thi! you fhould fer fo much by the creature, as to be unable to bear the want of it : Is this n:muncing the world 11nd flejh? The · thing you need is not that which you fo muchdejire; but a better heurt, to" know the Van it)! of the Cre,;ture, to be d,ead to the world, and to be able to bear the wane or lofs of any thing in it; and a t~lltr mortification of theJltjh: mortifying and nor {atiJfying it, is your work. · 9· 6. DireCt. 4· As!(. your hearts frriorrfly whttber God in Chrijl be enougb ["'them, or 11ot? lfDire11·4• they f.zy 1t0 ; they rmottJtce him and aU their bope of Heaven : FQr no man tak,_e.r God far bi-1 God that t.J.l\!J him not fvr hiJ portion, and M enough for him: If they fay, )t.J; then you h3ve e;wugh to jiop the mottlb of )'Our flefhly dejiru, while your beart1 confefs tb.;t they l~ave enough in God. Should that foul that hath a filial inrerdt in God, and an inheritance: in eternal life, be eager for any conveniences and contentments to the fldh ? If God be not enough for you, you will never have enough. Turn to himmore, and k,.1Jow him better, if you would have a fatistied mind. . ~· 7· DireCt. 5· Remember that every jinful D~(rre if a rebe/Jing of your "'iUt againft the wiU o[DtreCI. 5• God ; and that it i4 his wiU tlut muft govern· and di{pofc of aY, and ymr wiU1 mujf be conform to his; ye"' th3t you m1tft talts plea[ure and reft in the wiU of God. Reafon the ~afe with your hearcs 1 and fay; who is it that is rhe Governour of the World? and w o is to rule me, and difpofe of my affairs, Is it 1or God ? whofe wiU is it that mufi lead, and whofe rnufi follow ? whofe wiU is better guided ? Gods or mine? either it is his wiU that 1 fi1all have what 1 defire, or not: If it be, I need not be fo eager, for I fh.all have it in his time and way: If it be not his will, is it tit for me to murmur and flriv~ agalnfi him ? Remember that your difoontents and carnal dcfira are fo many accu{a.tiont brought in again!\ God: As if you faid, Thou hall not dealt wcY,or wifcly or.mercifuUy by me: I mull have it better: I will not fland tO thy will and government: I muH have it as 1 will : and have the difpo!al of my felf. . ~· 8. DireCt. 6. obfer1'e bowyour eager Defiru are condemned ~y your felvu in your daily pr~yer1, Direfr.6. or elfe they ma"-e your pr.1.ytrJ thun{tlvtJ condemnable: If )QU pray tbat the A'iU of God may be d'me, wby do your wills reheY againjt it, and }'OUr defiru contradili yrmr prayerJ ? And if y(lu aJ"- 110 nwre thalt )rottr dJily bread; why thirjl you afttr more? But if JDN. pray M you defire, Lord let my wiU be done, and my [t/fijh carnal defire bt fulfil'ed, for I muft netdJ have thiJ or that, then wbat an abominable Prayer iJ thi1? Defite iJf yott muji Pr.-y. · · · 9· 9• Direct. 7· Remember what Covmant you ·h.Jvt madt with God, that you reno1mced the A?IJt/d Dirrll. jt. alzdthefiefo, and toolzhim fur yourLord,.andKing (md FtJther,andyielded up yoHr [elvu M biJ own, ar his SubjeCI and"' his Child, t' be di[pofed oj; Ruled, and provided for by him : A11d this Cot'enant it tffwtial not only to your Chriftianity but tQ y 1ur takjng bim for your God. And do you fepent of it> or will you break it,and forfeit all the ben<tits of the Covenant? Ifyou will needs have the di{pofol ofyour [tl>es, you difcharge God of his Covenant and fatherly care for you: and t~cn what will become of you, if he fo fcrfake you? §. 10. Diret:f. 8. Bethinl{yo14 how unmeet you arc to be the chooferJ of your own condition. You Dirdl. 8. fortfee not what that perfon or thil4g or place will prove tO you, which you fo eagerly defire : For ought you know it may be your undoing, or the: greatefi rnifery that ever befell you : Many a one hath cryed :"ith .Rachel; Give me Children or <lfe I dye, that harh dyed by the wickcdncfs and unkind- Geo; 3 ,. r. nefs of thetr Chtldren. Many a one hath been Vtolent tn thc1r defircs of a Husband or a Wife that · afterwards have broken their hearts, or proved a great~r affiitl:ion to them, than any enemy rh;y had ' in the world: many a one hath been eager for richeJ andprr{perity and prtftrmeHt, that hath been en.. fnared by them, to the damnation of his foul. Many a one hath been earnel\ for fome office, dignity or place of tru!l, which hath made it a great increafer of his fin and mifery. And it is flcjh and felf that JS the eager dejirer of things that are agai11!\ the will of God, ar.d nothi11g is fo blmd and partial as {elf andjlejb. You think not your Child a competent judge of wh~t is bell for him, and make not hif dejiru but yc~u own underfianding> the guide and rule of your dealings with him, or di!pof~ls. of him.. And are yoN fitter choo[ers for your [elves in comparifon of God, than your Chtld_ IS m companfon of you? Etther you take God for ytJUr Father, or you du not. If you. da nat, call htm not Father'·and hope not for Mercy and Salvation from him : If you do, is he not wife- •and good enough to dilpofe of you, and to determine what is bell for you, and to choofe for you ? 9· II. Dirt:d.9. Remember that it i!one oftiJe J!.reateft plagutJ on thU fide Htll, to be given up -ro Dirrl1.9. '"" trtvn. Defiru, and that by your eagernefs 11nd di{contentJ.JOU provok,_e God tbJH to give you up, Pfal. 8r. J 2, [o I gave•them up to their own hearts luft, and they walk!d in their own Cmn[tl1 : 0 that my pe 11 ple bad hearJte,ed to me, &c. Rom.t.24,26. wherefore God alfo gave them up touncleaHnefi, through tbelufts of:beirownheartJ,&c. ForthiJ caufeGod gave them uptovile affeliions-- verf. zS. And even M ~ ...... ,~ .. the;y did _not li~ to retai!t God in their k.,norf!ledge, God gavt them.over to 11 reprobate mind, tV do 1ho[e thmgJ wh1cb are not convemcm. 2 Thef. 2· xo, 1I, 12. God may gtve you that which you fo eagerly defire,
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