Directions and persuasions to a sound conversion for prevention of that deceit and damnation…Directions and perswasions to a sound conversion for prevention of that deceit and damnation…

When the Christian pattern was set us by the Primitive Church, Acts 2. and 4. They sold all, and laid down the whole price at the Apostles feet, which was not distributed to their natural kindred only, but to all the poor Christians, that had no other relation to them, even as every one had need. And as it is the loving of our Spiritual Brethren in Christ, that is made the sign of our translation from death to life, so is it the relieving of Christ in these his Members, that is, the relieving them, because they are his Members, that is made the very matter of our Cause in the last Judgment, and the ground of the sentence of life, or death, Matth. 25. I must provide for my own body, and you must provide for your children, but that is (as I said ⟨p. 316⟩before) not as I am my own, nor as your children are your own; but as I am a Servant of Christ, that must be supported in his Service, or as your selves, and yours, are put under your care, and duty by God. So that I may give it to my self, or others, when I can truly say, I do but use it principally for God, and think that the principal Service I can do him by it: but I may neither take to my self, nor give to any that are nearest to me, any more then God commandeth, or his Service doth require. When you and yours have your daily bread, (which also must be used for him) you must not go to flesh and blood, but to God, to ask which way you shall dispose of the remainder. This is a strange Doctrine to the unsanctified world; but that is because they are unsanctified. And it is a Doctrine that a worldly Hypocrite is loath to believe, and understand; but that is because of Carnality, and Hypocrisy, that always deals with God, like Ananias and Sapphira, lying to the Holy Ghost, and giving God but half, (and few so much as half) when they daily confess that all is from him, and should be his, and pretend to be wholly devoted ⟨p. 317⟩to him. There are few men so bad, but will spare God something, rather then go to Hell: But indeed this is not to devote it to God, but to use it for themselves, thinking by their Sacrifices, to stop the mouth of Justice, and to please God by a part, when they have displeased him in the rest.

When the Christian pattern was set us by the Primitive Church,