I speak not of those who by Rapine, Deceit and Oppression, strive to enrich themselves; nor of those who ⟨p. 88⟩design nothing more than the Attainment of Greatness and Promotions in the world, though not by ways of open wickedness; least of all of them who make Religion and perhaps their Ministry therein, a Means for the attaining Secular ends and Preferments. No wise man can suppose such persons, any of them, to be spiritually minded, and it is most easy to disprove all their pretences. But I intend only those at present, whose ways and Means of attaining Riches, are lawful, honest and unblameable; who use them with some moderation, and do profess that their Portion lies in better things; so as it is hard to fasten a Conviction on them in matter of their conversation. Whatever may seem to reflect upon them, they esteem it to be that whose omission would make them foolish in their Affairs, or negligent in their Duty. But even among these also, there is oft times that inordinate Love unto present things, that esteem and valuation of them, that concernment in them, as are not consistent with their being Spiritually minded. With some their Relations, with some their Enjoyments, with most both in Conjunction, are an Idol which they set up in their hearts, and secretly bow down unto. About these are their Hopes and Fears exercised, on them is their Love, in them is their Delight. They are wholly taken up with their own concerns, count all lost that is not spent on them, and all time misspent that is not engaged about them. Yet the things which they do, they judge to be good in themselves, their hearts do not condemn them as to the Matter of them. The Valuation they have of their Relations and Enjoyments they suppose to be lawful, within the bounds which they have assigned unto it. Their care about them is in their own minds but their Duty. It is no easy matter, it requires much Spiritual Wisdom to fix right boundaries unto our Affections and their actings about Earthly things. But let men plead and pretend what ⟨p. 89⟩they please, I shall offer one Rule in this case which will not fail. And this is, that when men are so confident in the good State and measure of their affections and their Actings towards earthly things, as that they will oppose their engagements into them, unto known Duties of Religion, Piety and Charity, they are gone into a sinful excess.
I speak not of those who by Rapine, Deceit and Oppression, strive to enrich themselves; nor of those who ⟨p. 88⟩design nothing more than the Attainment of Greatness and Promotions in the world, though not by wayes of open wickedness; least of all of them who make Religion and perhaps their Ministry therein, a Means for the attaining Secular ends and Preferments. No wise man can suppose such persons, any of them, to be spiritually minded, and it is most easie to disprove all their pretences. But I intend only those at present, whose wayes and Means of attaining Riches, are lawfull, honest and unblameable; who use them with some moderation, and do profess that their Portion lyes in better things; so as it is hard to fasten a Conviction on them in matter of their conversation. Whatever may seem to reflect upon them, they esteem it to be that whose omission would make them foolish in their Affairs, or negligent in their Duty. But even among these also, there is oft times that inordinate Love unto present things, that esteem and valuation of them, that concernment in them, as are not consistent with their being Spiritually minded. With some their Relations, with some their Enjoyments, with most both in Conjunction, are an Idol which they set up in their hearts, and secretly bow down unto. About these are their Hopes and Fears exercised, on them is their Love, in them is their Delight. They are wholly taken up with their own concerns, count all lost that is not spent on them, and all time mispent that is not engaged about them. Yet the things which they do, they judge to be good in themselves, their hearts do not condemn them as to the Matter of them. The Valuation they have of their Relations and Enjoyments they suppose to be lawful, within the bounds which they have assigned unto it. Their care about them is in their own minds but their Duty. It is no easie matter, it requires much Spiritual Wisdom to fix right boundaries unto our Affections and their actings about Earthly things. But let men plead and pretend what ⟨p. 89⟩they please, I shall offer one Rule in this case which will not fail. And this is, that when men are so confident in the good State and measure of their affections and their Actings towards earthly things, as that they will oppose their ingagements into them, unto known Duties of Religion, Piety and Charity, they are gone into a sinfull excess.
