deed, more coldly, than that Kingdom and its Righteoufnefs. As if the Lord had bid, feek firft a Kingdom of this World, and its falfe Tricks; and then the Kingdom of Heaven fhall come in as a Supplement. But let us not think it fo Contemptible, to be Obtruded upon fuch as thus Poft-pone its Acquifition to every Trifle. For ftill Righteousness must be the Preparative for Bleffeḍnefs.

And would we Learn fome ready and eafy way to that Righteoufnefs which shall help us into the Bleffedness? Let us hear what our Lord fays again, Mat. 5. 6. Bleffed are they that hunger and Thirst after Righteonfnefs for they shall be filled. And is it fo Lord? Doft thou make it fuch an easy matter to obtain Righteousness, as only to Thirst after it? How Bleffed would the Poor think themselves, could they, upon fuch low Terms, prefently fo abound in Wealth, as to Furnish themselves with all things to which they had a Mind!

But the Craving humour after Money is one thing; and this Hungring and Thirfting after Righteoufnefs quite another. For whoever are thus Eager and greedy, like them that be ready to choak for want of Drink, or to Famifh for want of Meat They cannot but evermore be Thinking of thofe Supplies, and Longing after 'em, and even with unuitterable Groans, beg of God C 5

for

for 'em. And whoever thus Ardently do Covet the Holy Good, God will hear 'em, and fo fill 'em with Gifts of Righteoufnefs; That out of the abundance of their Hearts fhall flow the Words and Deeds which are Righteous. But no fuch Good is Money, that fuch as defire and ask it of God, should prefently Speed. When this is the thing which fo many do moft wickedly Abuse; as None does, or ever can put the Righte oufnefs to any bad purpofe. This is like that Wisdom, which the Apoftle tells us, Any man that Lacks, may Ask of God, and Receive at his hands, fam. i. 5. Such is the truly kind Bounty of our Lord, who more readily and freely beftows the Good things upon us, most needful for us, than we can Ask or defire 'em.

He then, that here is Indigent and Needy, of that which must be had, to help him into the Kingdom of God,Let him but Ask of God as he ought, i. e. with all his Heart, feriously; and with Groans and Importunity: And he may affure himself to Receive: Because God imparts to all that fo. Ask, and gives no Repulfe; Nor difpenfes out his Gifts fparingly; but Liberally, and 'abundantly. Neither does he Upbraid any; as if he took it ill, that they Askt too oft, or too much.

O then, what fhall we fay to this? Who will find an Excufe in the day of Judgment,

for

for his Ignorance, or for his Unrighteousness? When 'tis but Hunger and Thirft after the Contrary, and Cry to God for it, and thou fhalt be fatisfy'd with it; So as not to continue Greedy after the Baits of Sinful Flesh, nor drawn away with the Lure of vain Honour, or Sick for any earthly Goods; But Live (and love to Live,) fo Godly, Soberly, and Righteoufly in this World, that thou may'st come to Live moft richly, fweetly, and Gloriouflly for ever in the World to

come:

3

CHAP. VIII.

The Second Path to the Kingdom of God.

Nother Path of Righteoufnefs which our Bleffed Guide has defcrib'd to us,. is Mat. 5. 3. Bleffed are the Poor in Spirit; For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. In which Place he does not fo oblige us to empty our.. Chefts or our Purfes, as to put our felves in the cafe of thatPoor body,who needs our Charity: But altogether to rid and empty our Hearts of the Inordinate Affection and Covetous Craving of this World's Good. For tho' he offers us infinite Riches, He will not Give 'em, unless we offer him the bofom of our Heart, Open and empty to receive

'em:

A

'em. Seeing Covetousness is the Root of all Evil, 1 Tim. 6. 10. What the Original there charges with all the Wickedness, (Philargury,) is the Love of Silver: And the Root of all Good is the Heavenly Grace of Charity: Which two can never dwell togegether. So that, unless a Man be made truly Poor in Spirit, Till, whether he have much or little of the World, He has not a Heart fo fet upon it, but he can diftribute readily to the Needy; and is not for converting to his own Ufe any more than's Neceffary: He cannot fulfill the Righteoufness of the Kingdom of Heaven, so as thereby to Enfure the Kingdom it self.

This is that fame Path to Life Eternal, wherein Christ our Lord firft went himself; who for our Sakes made himself Poor; that thro' his Poverty we might be made Rich, 2 Cor. 8. 9. And tho he wanted not Supplies; Yet he gave up the Bag to Judas, whom he knew to be a Thief, John 12. 6. Giving us to understand, how clear was his Mind from any Bent to the World. In the fame Path alfo follow'd him his Apoftles; For whom it had been no hard matter, to increase in Wealth, and heap up the greatest Treasures; When fo Confpicuous they were, for the Signs and Wonders which they wrought; and fpake in the Language of all Nations, and were admifed throughout the World, for their prodigious Wifdem. But

they

they who once had faid, Lord we have Left all to follow thee, Mat. 19. 27. and had tafted the heavenly Sweets of Freedom from the Birdlime and bewitching Enchantment of Riches, were content with Food and Raiment, and reckoned Godliness and the Righteousness of God's Kingdom great

Gain.

After them followed Kings and many Great ones of the World, Men and Women who stript themselves of their Wealth, to embrace a voluntary Want: Tenderhearted, and open-handed to all that were Needy and Parfimonious and hard only to Themselves. And we never hear of their Throwing away their Money in Gauds and Vanities, in Pomp and Gallantry, in Plays and Banquets, in Pride and Luft, in Riot and Extravagancy; But only, of their Profufenefs in Alms, and the purposes of Charity. While they went Plain, and far'd bard, and Liv'd mean: as if they Grudg'd all to Themfelves, and were Niggards only for their own proper Ufes. Shewing how they spent their great Wealth, and what little or no Regard they had for the Fulness of the World. And no wonder if Perfons fo Poor in Spirit, and divefted of all Secular Cares, made large Strides, and quick Expedition to the Kingdom of Heaven.

But if this be one fenfe of the Poverty of Spirit; yet I am fatisfy'd, that it has a

'nother