OP SPIRITUAL MINDEDNESS. 23;9 rupt inclinations, and discover the folly of those rea- sonings, whereby we deceive ourselves into the loveof earthly things, or justify ourselves therein, and bring to light the secret principle of self love, which is the root of all this evil. Thirdly. If you would be able to make a right judgment in this case, be sure that you have another object for your affections, which hath a predominant interest inyour minds, and which will evidence itself so to have on all occasions. Let a man be never so ob. servant of himself, as to all outward duties required of him, with respect to these earthly things ; let him be liberal in the disposal of them on all occasions ; let him be watchful against all intemperance and excesses in the use ofthem ; yet if he hath not another object for his affections, which bath a prevailing influence upon them ; if they are not set upon the things that are above ; one way or other, it is the world that hath the possession of his heart. For the affections of our minds will and must be placed, in chief, on things be- low or things above; there will be a predominant love in us ; and therefore, although all our actions should testify another frame, yet if God, and the things of God, be not the principal object of our affections; by one way or other, unto the world we do belong; this is that which is taught us so expressly by our Saviour, Luke xvi. 9 -13. ' And I say unto you, make to your- selves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, that when you fail, they may receive you into ever- lasting habitations. He that is faithful in that which is the least, is faithful also in much ; and he that is unjust in the least, is unjust also in much. If therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches ? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another
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