· 'Dire8ions for t/Je rJQciJ. CHAP. XXIII. 'DireElions for the ([<JciJ. .; ! I Have faid fa much of _this already 1om. r. about Covct.ou_fnefs or. Worldlinefs, and about Good See ~ore in Works, and in my Book of Stlfdmyal, and that of Crucifyrng the World, that my Reafon corn- my. 1.1{1 •f mandeth me brevicy in this ph.ce. Faub. Dirtfl. I· Remember that Riches are no part of your Ftlicity: or that if you have no better, v· {I 1 ypu are undone men. Dare· you fay that they arc: fit ro make you happy? Due you fay, that sre · ' you will take them for your part ? and be.content to be turned off when they forfak~ you ? They reconcile not God. They fave not from bts wrath : T hty heal not a wounded ConfcJence : They may pleafe yourfltOl, and adorn your Funeral, but they neither delay, nor fanCI:ifie, nor fwceten death, nor make you either better or happier than the poor. Riches are nothing but plenriful provi~ fion, for tempting s:orruptible fte(h. When the flefh is in the dull, it is R!ch no more. All that abounded in wealeh fince Atl.Jmt dayes till now, are levelled with the lowefi m the dull. Direa. 2· Yea, remember that Ricbe.t arc not the fmalleft 1'tmptation and Dangrr to your fouls. DireQ. 2i Do they delight and pleafe you> By that way they may dcOroy you l If they be but Loved above God, 2nd make Earth feem beterr for·you than Heaven, they have undone you; and if God recover you not, it had been better for you to h:.we been Worms or Bruits, than fuch deceived mifeuble fouls. Jr is not for nothing that Chrift giveth you fo many terrible warnings about Riches, 2nd fo Qefcriberh rhe [ofy, the danger and the mi[ery ofthe worldly rich, Luf<! r::z. 17, 18, 19, 20. & 16. 19, 20,2 r, &c. & 1 8. 21, 22, 23, &c. and telleth you how hardly the Rich arc faved. bre burneth moll when it hath moO fcwcl. And Riches arethe fewel ofworldly L0ve, and 6efhly Lun, 1John •· 15, ;6. Rom. 13. 13, '4· Dire[i. 3· UnderOand what it is to Love and '!rufr in worldly profperity and wealth. Many Dirill. 3• here deceive themfdves to their defiruCHon. They perfw1de themfelves that they defire and ufe their Riches but for neceffi;y, but rhat they do not Love them, nor 1'ritft in rhem , becaufe they can fay that Heaven is better, and Wealth will leave us to a grave? But do you not Love that E1jt, that Greatmfi, that Domination, that Fulnefs, that SatisfaCtion of your appetite, eye and fancy, which you cannot hav.e without your weaith? It is ficjhly Luft, and WiU, and Plcafure, which carnal worldlings Love foi it· felf; and then they Love their wealth for. tbtft. And to 1'ruft in Riches, is nol to Trull that they will never leave you ; for every fool doth know the conrrary : Bur it is to Refi, and ~ier, and Comfort your minds in them, as rhat which mofi pleaftth you, and makcrh you w"tU, or to be as as you would be. Like him in Luke 12. 18, 19. that (Jjd, Soul tal<..e thy Eafe, Eat, drinJt and bt mer-i ry, tln1u botft enough laid up for many yearJ: 1'hi4 is to Love and 1rujf in Richts. ,.. Dire{!. 4· Above all the deceits and dangfrs of this world, take heed of a lecret hypocritical hope DrrelJ. 4 • of Reconciling the WorlJ to Heaven, fo _asto make you a felicity of both ; and. dreaming of a corn Hlb. 10. J"i• "pounded portion, or of fcrving God and MJmrnon: ''The true flare of the Hypocrites Heart and Lukc.J8 u. "Hope is, [To Love: his worldly profperity bell, and ddire to keep it as long as he can, for the ~1a~tn 1~' 10 , " enjoyment of his fidhly pleafures ; and when he mufl.leave this world againlt his will, he hoperh Att~ ,.,.,:,~~: "then to have Heaven as a reftrve; becaufc: he thinketh it better than Hdl; and his Tongue cm fay) If Af:..s 1, 4~. "is better lhan Earth, though his will and affeCtions fay the contrary. J If this be )'OUr 1=.:~fc, the Lord Luke 14 H• have mercy upon you, and give you a more btlieving fpiritual mind, or elfe you are_ loft, .and you and your trcafure will prriili together. . · Dirt[i. 5· Accordingly take heed IeO when you feem to ReC.gn your fdves and all that you .have to Direll. 5• God,thhe fhould be a fecrer purpofe at the heart,that you will never be undone in the world for Chrifl, nor for th.c hopes of a better world. A knowing hypocrite is not ignorant that the terms of Chrifi propofcd m the Gofpel are no lower than {CJrfakJng aU, and that in Baptifm, and our Covenant whh L!_ke t 4· 16. ChriH, all mufi be: refigned and devoted to him, and the Crofs taken up infiead of all, or elfe we '/iJ 1~,H~ arc no Chrifiians, as bung nor in' Covenant with Claill. Bur the hypocrites hope is, that though. Chrifi pur him upon thdC promifts, he will never put him to the tryal for performance, nor nevlr. cal_l him to forfake all indeed : And therefore if ever he be put to it, he will not perform the proInife which he hath made. He: is like a PJtienr that prornifeth to be wholly ruled by hisPhyficion~ as. hoping that he will pur him upon norhing which he cannot bt'ar. But when the bitter Potion or the Vomit corncrh, he faith , I cannot take it : I had hoped you would have given me gentler l'hyfick. · Dire[i. 6. And accordingly take hee~ left while you pretend to Live to God, and to ufe all that Dirlll• 6, you ha.vc as his Stewards for his fervice, you fhould deceitfully put him o(f with the leavings o( . Mmrnm your
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