222 DIRECTIONS I1OW TO LEAD A of employments, till they are so loaded with labours, and clogged with cares, that their souls are as unfit to converse with God, as a man to walk with a mountain on his back ; and as unapt to soar in meditation, as their bodies to leap above the sun. And when they have lost that heaven upon earth, which they might have had, they take up with a few rotten arguments to prove it lawful; though indeed they cannot. I ad- vise thee Christian, who hast tasted the pleasures of a heavenly life, as ever thou wouldst taste of them any more, avoid this devouring gulph of an earthly mind. If once thou come to this, that "thou wilt be rich, thou fallest into temptation, and a snare, and into many fool- ish and hurtful lusts. "(o) Keep these things loose about thee, like thy upper garments, that thou may est lay them by whenever there is need ; but let God and glory be next thy heart. Ever remember, " that the friendship of the world is enmity with God. Whoso- ever, therefore, will be a friend of the world, is the en- emy of God. "'p) " Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. "(g) This is plain dealing ; and happy he that faithfully re- ceives it ! § 4. (3) Beware of the company of the ungodly. Not that I would dissuade thee from necessary converse, or from doing them any office of love ; 'especially not from endeavouring the good of their souls, as long as thou hast any opportunity or hope nor would I have thee to conclude them to be dogs and swine, in order to evade the duty of reproof: nor even to judge them such at all, as long as there is any hope for the better : much less can I approve of their practice, who conclude men dogs and swine, before ever they faithfully and lovingly admonish them, or perhaps before they have known them, or spoke with them. But it is the unne- cessary society of ungodly men, and too much famili- arity with unprofitable companions, that I dissuade you from. Not only the open profane, the swearer, the drunkard, and the enemies of godliness, will prove hurt- (o) 3. Tim, vi, 9. (p) James iv. 4. (q) 1 John ii. 15.
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