-- Grand Direct. XVI. For Heavenlymindedness
unreasonable and wicked men." The silencing the ministers, and suppressing the interest of Christ and souls, are the most grievous tidings to them: therefore they "pray for kings, and all in authority," not for any carnal ends, but that "we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honestyd." Thus God must be glorified by our lives.
Grand Direct. XVI.
'Let your life on earth be a conversation in heaven, by the constant work of faith and love: even such a faith as maketh things future as now present, and the unseen world as if it were continually open to your sight: and such a love as makes you long to see the glorious face of God, and the glory of your dear
Redeemer, and to be taken up with blessed spirits in his perfect, endless love and praise.'
My Treatise of "The Life of Faith," and the fourth part of "The Saints'
Rest," being written wholly or mostly to this use, I must refer the reader to them, and say no more of it in this Direction.
Grand Direct. XVII.
'As the soul must be carried up to God, and devoted to him, according to all the foregoing Directions, so must it be delivered from carnal selfishness, or flesh-pleasing, which is the grand enemy to God and godliness in the world: and from the three great branches of this idolatry, viz. the love of sensual pleasures, the love of worldly wealth, and the proud desire and love of worldly honour and esteem: and the mortifying of these must be much of the labour of your lives.'
Of this also I have written so much in a "Treatise of Self-denial," and in another called "The Crucifying of the World by the Cross of Christ," that I shall now pass by all, save what will be more seasonable anon under the more particular Directions, in the Fourth
Part, when I come to speak of Selfishness, as opposed to the love of others.
I have now given you the General Grand Directions, containing the very Being and Life of Godliness and Christianity, with those
Particular Sub-directions which are needful to the performance of them. And I must tell you, that as your life, and strength, and comfort principally depend on these, so doth your success in resisting all your particular sins: and therefore if you first obey not these General Directions, the more particular ones that follow, will be almost useless to you, even as branches cut off from the stock of the tree, which are deprived thereby of their support and life. But upon supposition that first you will maintain these vital parts of your religion, I shall proceed to direct you, first in some particulars most nearly subordinate to the forementioned Duties, and then to the remoter branches.