The Life of Faith. 43 tt much/in/elf the foul to God, that it makerh us like feevants and children, that ufe not their Mailers or Parents goods at their own pleafure ; but ask him Cult, how he would have us Life them, Lord, what wouldrt thou bave me to do? is one of the firft words of aconverted foul, Ac`is 9. 6. In a word, Faith writeth out that charge upon the heart, r John 2. 15. Love not the world, nor the things that are in the world (the !lift of the fl,fh, the luit ofthe eyes, andpride of life.) For ifanyman love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. re cannot f rve God and Mammon. Bat on this fubjet Mr..11eine hath Paid fo much in his ex- cellent Book ofthe rrlìory ofFaith' the world, that I thall at this time fay no more. The Direaions which I" would give you in general, for pre- fervation from the danger ofprofperity by Faith; are theft that follow. Dirc4. r. Remember ffiE that the common caufe° of -wens damnation it their Love of obit world more than Godand Heaven; and-that the world cannot undo you any other way, but by tempting you to ovsr,loveit, and to undervalue higher things :. And there- fore that is the molt dangerous condition, which maketh the world Item molt pleafing, and moltlovely to us: And can you believe this, and yet be fo eager to be humoured, and tohave all things fitted to your pleafureand deliires ? Mark here what a task Faith hath ? and markwhat the work of Pelf- denyal is ? The worldling mutt be pleafed; the Believer mutt be Paved. The worldling mutt have his fírfh and fancy gratified : the Believer mull have Heaven.fecured, and God obeyed. Men fell -not their fouls for furrow, but for. mirth : They forfake not Heaven for poverty, but for riches : they turn not away from God for -the love of fuferings and difhonour,butfor the love ofpleafure, preferments, dignities and cftimation in the world. And is that r ttatc betterand more defrable, for which all that Ferifh. turn from God, and fell their fouls, and are befooled and undone for ever? Orthat which noman ever tinned for, nor forfook God for, or was undone for ? Read over this queftion. once and:again,and tnark.what anfwcr your hearts give to ,it; if you
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=