Advice to an Only Child, Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII. How to live in a Proſperous Condition.
1. LIve above withering Vanities, above all the ſmiles and blandiſhments of the World; let not your heart be glued to any creature comforts; look on them all as withered flowers, as dead things; let your heart be crucified to the World, and the World to it, looking upon it as a dead carcaſs, that hath no beauty or lovelineſs in it. If you profeſs your ſelf a Chriſtian, live at a higher rate than others. How unbecoming is it a Child of God to be puzling her ſelf about the World? A ſenſe of the Love of God would lift up your Soul above the ſweeteſt flowers and delights upon Earth, in all which there will be found nothing but Wormwood and Gall in the latter end, nothing but vanity and vexation of ſpirit. It's only the Roſe of Sharon that is without prickles.
2. Proportion your duties according to your mercies; the greater Receivings or Incomes you have from God, the greater muſt your Diſburſments and Layings out for him be. Your Accounts muſt be according to the number and weight of your Talents, Matth. 25. The Servant ſhould proportion his work according to his wages. The Tree brings forth fruit proportionable to the juyce and nouriſhment that the root ſucks from the Earth, and to the coſt that is beſtowed upon it. In the Ceremonial Law God required more coſtly Sacrifices from the Rich than from the Poor: A pair of Turtle Doves or two young Pigeons would have been accepted from the Poor, but not from the Rich. God was diſpleaſed with Hezekiah, becauſe he rendred not according to the benefits received, 2 Chron. 23.25.
3. Improve all your proſperity and lawful pleaſures to the furthering of your delight in God. If that a proſperous condition ſhould afford you all the variety of Objects, which might be moſt delectable to the ſeveral ſenſes, uſe them only, as Stirrops, or as the advantage of a higher ground, to raiſe up your ſelf by to the thoughts of Heaven, and the delights thereof. Let your Soul take occaſion and advantage thence, to carry it ſelf up to the delightful thoughts of God, the giver of all theſe; as the Bird from the Tree takes the further flight: And ſo far as you can, make uſe of all your delight in creature comforts to promote your delight in the Lord, and to drive away thoſe black Clouds of carnal fears and ſadneſſes of ſpirits, which are Enemies to your ſpiritual joy and delight. Thus you will prove your ſelf a good Chymical Chriſti…, extracting a ſpiritual Quinteſſence out of theſe earthly and droſſy things; thus you turn Dung and Droſs into Gold and Pearls, mean and contemptible matters into high and glorious things, and gain to your ſelf ſuch an Elixir as will refreſh the Soul, and fill it with Cordial Spirits. When you perceive and taſt the ſweetneſs and pleaſantneſs of theſe outward mercies, think ſeriouſly, if theſe be ſo ſweet and delightſom, how much more ſweet is God himſelf, who put all that ſweetneſs and pleaſantneſs therein?
4. As you love your Soul, let not your life be a life of pleaſure and vanity. If the Devil can but take you up with one pleaſure one day, and another vanity another, till the Hourglaſs of your time be run out, he hath his end, and you are ruin'd for ever. Remember Dives, his life was a continual feaſt of pleaſure, (Luk. 16.19.) but death ſoon brought the Voider, and the Devil took away. O do not ride to Hell upon the back of pleaſure! Can any think to dance with the Devil all day, and to ſup with Chriſt at night? Quies, which ſignifies Reſt, wants the plural number: Flatter not your ſelf with dreams of having a Reſt in carnal pleaſures here, and everlaſting Reſt hereafter alſo.