82 The Life of GOD may be a worm at the root of the fairell gourd; fome fecret and undifcerned grief which n13y make a perfon deferve the pity of thofe who perhaps do admire or envy their fup_pofed felicity. If any earthly comforts have got too much of your heart, I think they have been your relations and friends: and the dearefl: of thofe are re– moved out of the world: fo that you mufl: raife your mind towards heaven, when you would think upon then1. Thus God bath provided, that your heart may be loafed from the world; and that he n1ay not have any rival in your affeCtion, which I have always obfcrved to be fo large and unbounded, fo noble and difinterefted~ that no inferior ob}cCl: can anfwer or de- . ferve it. When we have got our corruptions re-· \Ve mufl do firained and our natural appe– thofe outward tites and inclinations towards aCtions that are worldly th:ngs in fon1e n1ca– commanded. fure fubdued, we muft proceed to fuch exercifes as have a more itn– Jnediate tendency to excite and awaken the divine life. And, firft, let us endeavour confcientioufiy to perform thofe duties which religion cloth require, and where– unto it would incline us if it did prevail in our fouls. If we cannot get our inward difpof1tion
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