e . r By the Croft of Chriftc. 139 you Love God above all ; If you do fo, you will not Love the world above him': A nd then you will not labour and care more for ir, then for him : Your love will be feen in the bent of your lives : That which you Love belt , you will feek moil, and be moll careful anddiligent co obtain. As they that love money are molt careful to get ir ; fo they that Lose heaven will be more careful tomake lure of chat. As they that love their drink and luft will be much in the Alehoufe, and among thole that are the baitsand lewd of their lud ; So they chat Love the fruition of God, will bemuch in feeking him and enquiring after him , and much among thofe that are acquainted with fuel; Love and can further them any way in the accappllhrzent of their delires. If you Love God then , le,: it be feen in the Holy Ende,; ours of your lives, and let your affeEtiòns on things above, and not on the things that are on earth : For that which you molt look after, we mull think that you molt Love : Can you for flame commit Adultery with the world,and live with it in your bofoms, and yet fay that you love God ? 2. Al you Loveyour prefcnt peace andcarnfort, tisat you love not, but Oescific toe World. I't clothbut deludeyou Firft, and dif- quiet you afterward : Like wind inyour bowels, which can tear and torment you, but cannot nourifh you. And if God do love you with a fpecial Love he wia he lure to wean you from the world, though toyour ttsrrow. If you do provoke him to lay wormwood on the brea+ls, and to hedge uo your forbidden war with thorns , when you find the fmart and bitternefs , you may thank your felves. It is the remnant of our folly, and our back- Hiding nature that is Dill looking back to the world which we have -forfa n, that is the caufe of chofe fuccef-iveafflidions which we ergo. Did you Love the creature lefs,it would vex you lefs ; if you will needs_fet your minds upon them and be pleafn your worldly fenfual delires God will turn loofa chofeve creatures upon you , and make them his fcourges for the recovery fyour wits,& the reducingofyour mil; led revolt- ing fouls. Are you taken up with the hopes of amore plentifull. eftate ? and think you are got into a thriving way ? How foot can God bid( and break your expedarions ? By the death of your cattle, the decayof trading, the falfe- dealing of chofe you truft, the breaking and impovertlhtng of them, by contention" T z neighbours
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