proceeds fuch Corruption of Manners? From the Corrupt Affections of Men, no doubt. For, if this Fountain be not fweet, the Action, which is but a Stream and Emanation from it, muft of neceffity be flat and bitter. For a pure Heart is the Ground-work of a holy Life; and as naturally fprings from it, as the Fruit from the Tree.

And herein we are much to blame, that fo little Regard is had to the Difpofitions of the Heart; without which no true Judgment can ever be made, either of our felves or others. But this, which is in truth of greatest Confequence, the very Point upon which a Man's whole Character turns, feems to be laid afide, as a thing too nice and fpeculative to be very curious in. We fix our Eyes upon the outward Action, confider what, or how much a Man hath done; but with what Sincerity, with what Zeal, with what honeft Intention he did it, or whether with none of all these Qualifications, we trouble not our felves to enquire. So again, for the Estimate we make of Perfons, they are all foreign from the true and proper Foundation of Merit and Refpect. The Riches, Valour, Beauty, Judgment, Wit, Eloquence, a good Style, or a fweet Voice, or a Knack of Management in Town or Country-Bufinefs, his Preferments, or his Profeffion, Thefe we immediately take care to be informed of, and proportion our Value and Refpects accordingly. But a Man's Humility and Poverty of Spirit, his Meekness and Patience, his Devotion and Piety, Thefe are feldom mentioned in the Character, or recommended as Motives to induce Regard. Thus Nature and Grace have their different Profpects and Affections. The former looks at the Outfide of a Man, and rates him according to things that are not his; the latter places all within, and fets not at all by external Örnaments and Advantages. The Former builds upon a

falle

false Bottom, seeks herself what fhe values in others, and is oftentimes deceived and disappointed: The latter reposes her whole Hope and Love in God, and is never mistaken, never deluded by falfe Expecta

tions.

С НА Р. XXXVII.

Of Self-denial.

Cbrift.]thou haft firft attained to fuch a MafteT ry, as entirely to fubdue, and deny thy felf. For covetous Perfons, and Lovers of themfelves, the Luftful, and Bufy, and unfettled Men, the Lovers of Pleafure more than Lovers of God, are all Slaves; Vile and Unprofitable Slaves; condemned to fruitless endlefs Toil; feeking what they cannot find, and contriving what they cannot compafs; or if they could, what they cannot long enjoy. For every thing, which is not of God, is foon brought to nought. Observe this short, but certain, Aphorifm: Forfake all, and thou shalt find all. Let go Defire, and thou fhalt lay hold on Peace. Confider this Rule diligently, and transcribe it into thy Practice, for Practice will explain and prove it to thee.

Hou canft not, Son, be entirely free, till

Difciple.] This, Lord, is not the Work of a fingle Day, a Maxim not fitted for weak Capacities, but fuch, as in one fhort Sentence contains the utmost Perfection of a pious and refigned Chriftian.

Chrift.] And why, my Son, fhould that Perfection affright or difcourage thee? Call up thy Zeal, aspire to true Greatnefs of Soul, and, the nobler the Virtue is, the more eager and generous Refolution do thou exprefs of attaining to it. Oh! that thou wert of that

happy

happy Difpofition, which utterly difcards all narrow and felfifh Confiderations, and fubmits itself entirely to the Obedience of my Commands, and the Disposals of my Providence! So fhould thy Perfon and thy Behaviour be acceptable to thy God; fo fhould't thou enjoy great Satisfaction, and Peace in thy own Breaft. Afas! there are still many things, which must be abandoned; Many, which till thou haft Sacrificed to me, the Happiness thou aimeft at can never be obtained. Buy therefore of me the pure refined Gold of a heavenly and refined Difpofition; for that fhall make thee Rich, above all the Treasures of this World. Caft off the Wisdom of this Generation, and do not footh thy felf with their foolish Imaginations: For they purfue Shadows, and take delight in Vanity and Nothing. Remember I have told thee, that the things which are lightly efteemed, muft be purchased at the Expence of thofe, which this World esteems most precious. For, what is more defpifed and mean in common Reputation, what more neglected and forgotten, than that true heavenly Wisdom, which renounces all Merit of its own, and is content to be difregarded by the Men of this World? This mortified and humble State of Mind is what indeed fome People profess, and in Words commend; but their Practice plainly condemns it, and gives the Lie to all their diffembled Praifes. And yet this Wisdom, poor and defpicable as it appears to common Eyes, is that Pearl of great Price, for which all other Poffeffions are wifely given in Exchange: That hidden Treasure which is always like to continue hid, fince it lies low, and few either do, or care to, find it.

Matth. xiii.

CHAP.

CHA P. XXXVIII.

The Changeableness of our Temper, and how to fix it.

Chrift.]

Do

O not, my Son, depend upon any prefent Difpofition of Mind, with which thou feeleft thy felf affected, for this is fickle and of fhort Duration. Variety and Change is. what Men must be subject to, fo long as they carry the Frailties of Flesh and Blood about them; and all their Endeavours cannot so fix their Hearts, as to keep them conftantly the fame. Sometimes they find themselves difpofed to Mirth, fometimes to Melancholy; now they are Even and Serene, by and by all over Disorder and Confufion; This Hour Fervent and Devout, the next Lukewarm and Cold; Studious and Industrious to Day, flothful and unfit for Bufinefs to-morrow; Serious and Grave, and Thoughtful now; and anon again, Gay and Trifling, light as Air. But the truly wife Man, who is acted by the Spirit of God, gets above this changeable Region of the lower World. He fuffers not himself to be carried about with every Blaft and Impulse of Inconftancy, but fettles upon the Bafis of the one Excellent End, which is always first and most in his Thoughts, the Port to which he makes, and the Compafs by which he steers all his Designs and Actions. For by this Method it is very poffible for a Man to continue unfhaken and unmoved, by any Guft of Inclination from within, or. Accident from without. The natural Changeableness of Human Affections, being yet more improved by Mens own voluntary Uncertainty, and propofing no conftant End or Rule to themfelves. Now that Intention, which fixes upon God as its only End, will keep Men fteady in their Purposes; and deliver them from

being the Jeft and Scorn of Fortune. And this in Scripture is ftiled a Single Eye, because it ever looks and aims but at one Object.

The more intent then that Eye is in this Profpect, the lefs diverted from its Mark, the firmer and more confiftent Men are with themfelves: And the lefs Impreffion does any Change of Wind or Weather make upon fuch diligent and wife Pilots. But ftill Infirmity. prevails in most: and, if fome Pleasure or Profit come betwixt, they retain fo much Tenderness for themfelves, and their temporal Advantages; as to be diverted from the fame vigorous purfuit of their first Prize, and allow this fresh one a part at least of their Endeavours and Defires. They love God, but they would love the World too; and in this State of divided Affections fomewhat refemble the John xii. 9. Jews; who, as the Evangelift obferves, came to vifit Martha and Mary at Bethany, not only that they might fee and hear Jefus, but that they might fatisfy their Curiofity in gazing upon Lazarus, whom he had raised from the Dead. It must therefore be your great Care and Bufinefs, to compofe this Distraction of Thought, to fix your Heart to one Purpofe, to seek one Good, one End, fo zealously, that nothing else may come into Competition or Partnership with it: to look upon every thing which diverts you from, or cools you in this Purfuit, with an Eye of Contempt; and conftantly to keep your Hope, and Defire, and Love (which are the Spring and Guide of all your Actions) upon Me alone.

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