reward thee openly. 1 feeth the fecret Humiliati- fhall 19¶ In fumm, whatever you do, regard not fo much the appearances of this prefent World but in all your Actions have principally a refpect to that which is to come.. Be not overfolicitous to lay up a Treafure of Riches upon Earth, which a thonfand Accidents may easily rob you of :: 20. But be careful by good Works, proceeding from true Faith and Love, to lay up a Treafure of Rewards in Heaven, which no Power upon Earth, nor any Accident can poffibly deprive you of. 19Lay not up for your felves treafures upon earth, where moth and ruft doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and fteal. 20 But lay up for your felves treasures neither moth nor ruft doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and in heaven, where fteal. For 21 For where 21. For if your chief Defigns be to lay up a Trea- your treasure is,there fure here upon Earth, your will your heart be Heart and Affections will alfo. 4.2.1 be fixed upon these things; pode e and you will never be able to preferve that pious, trend ghi ch figned, and heavenly Temyiz bon 11979 per of Mind, which the shaidno dobow Christian Religion indispenfably requires: But if the principal Aim of your Life, o be to fecure a Treasure of Happiness in Heaven; then will your Heart, alfo and Affections be settled there. › 22. Above all things therefore be fure to preferve this true Judgment of the dif ference of Things; viz. That the Happiness of Heaven is the Treasure upon which your Hearts are to be fixed; and that the things of this World ought not to be too 22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine whole body fhall be full of light. eye be fingle, thy old eagerly defired, but to be fought with Moderation, and used with Simplicity and Liberality. For as the Eye, is to the Direction of the Body; fo is this True Fudgment of Things, to the State of the Soul. If the Eye be clear & pure,the whole body will be enlighten'd and well guided: In like manner, if this True Judgment of Things be kept pure and uncorrupted, the State of the Soul will be good and well ordered. 23. But as on the contrary, if the Eye be dim and cloudy, the whole Body will be in the dark and without guidance: Even fo if in this Matter your Judgment be vitiated and corrupted, the whole bent of the Soul will be erroneous and without direction: And how great is the Errour and Mifery of fuch a State! 2 24 No man can ferve two mafters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or elfe he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye can not ferve God and 24. The Judgment and Affections of the Heart and Soul, cannot at once be fix'd and fettled upon things of a different and contrary Nature. No Man can at the fame time serve two Masters of contrary Difpo- mammon. fitions, but he must obey the one and neglect the other. Ye cannot be truly Religious, and fincere Servants of God; while your Hearts and Affections are too intent upon the things of this prefent World? 25. Since therefore ye cannot attend wholly to to two contrary things at once; let your main and principal Intentions be always your body what ye fhall put on is not meat, and the body the life more then then raiment ? 26 Behold the fowls of the air for they fow not, neither do they reap, nor ga ther into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better then they? . fix'd upon your chief, which is your future, Happiness: And after you have used a reasonable Industry to attain the Neceffaries of this prefent Life, such as Meat and Drink, and Clothing; *be not any farther folicitous about them; but rely upon the Providence of God for a continual supply of them. For he that firft gave you Life and Being, without your caring or giving any Affiftance towards it, will much more beftow upon you things neceffary for the fvpport and preservation of that Life. 26. Confider the other Creatures of God, which are of a lower Rank than you; the Birds, Beafts, and Plants. Confider how God; without their foreseeing their own Wants, or being able to make any provision *This Precept to the Apoftles, who were to spend their Lives in travelling and propagating the Gospel, may be understood in its moft ftrict and literal Sence: But to other Chriftians it must be applied in a larger Sence, as I have paraphrafed it. for for themselves, preferves and 1 27. But however that be, your caring and folicitude cannot be of any advantage to you. 'Tis God, that without any Care of yours, gave you Bodies'; and 'tis God, that without your knowledge, nourishes them and caufes them to increase and grow, by fecret ways and imperceptible degrees. Ye cannot by any Care whatever, fo much as add one Inch to the growth of your Bodies, or one Moment to your Age. Rely word then upon the Providence xia fignifies indif- of God, (who will bless ferently, your ordinary Industry, but Stature or is difpleafed at your anxious folicitude,) to fupply you with things neceffary for the nourishment of your Body and the preservation your Life. + The Age. of |