Book III. of J fi s u s C H R I s T. 195

other things are loofe and at a diftance^ and all things faften upon thee^ only according as the Degree of your own Love and Inclination for them gives op- portunity and advantage. If your Mind and its Af- fedions be pure, and fincere^ and moderate^ nothing fliall have the Power to enflave you.
And what Pretence can you have for fufFeringthem to be otherwife ? For who would fet his Love upon things, which cannot be obtained without Difficulty ^ oftentimes not with it ; or, if they be, cannot be en- joy'd without Danger ? Who would court Bonds and Captivity, and be fond of having that,which will ob- ftrud his weightieft concern, and Rob him of his Li- berty ? Were thefe Confiderations duly attended to, it muft appear prodigious Folly, for any Man not to refign himfelf up entirely to Mej to waft his Strength with unprofitable Vexations, and labour in the Fire for Vanity, and create Troubles which it is in his power to avoid. Obey my Will then, and fubmit a3i to my Difpofal, and then thou art out of the Reach of theWorld, and its Temptations. But, if Intereft and private Refpecl: ftill Govern in thy Fleart, all thy Ap- plication will be in vain. Thou runneft away from Troubles in one place to meet them in another j feeking Reft but finding none, becaufe thou always carrieft thy Torment about thee. For, even in thy moft fuccefsful Attempts, there will be fomewhat wanting to give thee compleat Satisfaction; and in thy moft private Retirements thou wilt be dogged and haunted by fome Crofles. The World and its Advan- tages can do thee no Service by being enjoyed, but by being (lighted, and defpifed. This is the Cafe, not of Riches only, but of Honour and Reputation too, for They alfo make themfelves Wings, and fly avvay^^ and thou canft never be fafe or happy, but by morti- fying thy Ambition and Vain-glciy,
Hew
194 gPf tlie limitation Book IIL
How many People pleafe themfelves with fond Ima- ginations of Eafe and Leifure to be Good^ in a Coun- try, or a College-life ? But Cloifters and Defarts fig- nify nothing, without the Zeal and Difpofition of a Hermit. The Convenience of Place is very little ^ and all its boafted Expectations vanifh, except the Man be changed, as well as his Refidence, and man- ner of Living. And this Change is not, cannot be efteded, unlefs his Mind be fixed in Me alone, as the proper, the only Center of all its AfFedions and De- fires. The Liberty Men enjoy otherwife, is very fliort and unfaithful; for freili Occafions of Sin and Trouble will quickly oifer themfelves ; and then, not only the old Inconveniences will return again, but new and greater, and fuch as are peculiar to that new State of Life upon which they have entred : And thus their very Refuge becomes a frefli Temptation.
Chap. XXXIL
A Prayer for Turity of Hearty and Heavenly Wifdom,
Difciple.] T75/^/*^///?7 me. Lord, -with thy free Spirit, XL that being ftrengthned in the Inner pfa . 1. ir. j^^j^^ J j^^y purge my Soul from all vain Anxiety, and banifli idle Fears, and get over theDif- couragements and diftrading Troubles of the World. Let not the wild and impatient DeHres of any thing here, though never fo alluring and feemingly valua- ble, perplex my Thoughts, and draw me off from Thee. Give ms Grace to confider my felf and all fcelow, as things full of Vanity, and of very fliort Continuance. For fuch indeed are all Things under the Sun, i;esat}on of Sprit, and altogether lighter thafi