spirit of every tradesman; he cannot stop short of these degrees of piety, whenever it is his _intention to please God in all his actions, as the best and happiest thing in the world_. 6. Again, let the _gentleman_ of fortune but have this _intention_, and it will carry him from every appearance of evil, to every instance of piety and goodness. He cannot live by _chance_, or as _humour_ or fancy carries him, because he knows that nothing can please God but a wise and regular course of life. He cannot live in _idleness_ and _indulgence_, in _sports_ and _gaming_, in vain expences and high living, because these things cannot be turned into means of holiness, or made so many parts of a wise and religious life. *As he thus removes from all appearance of evil, so he aspires after every instance of goodness. He does not ask what is _allowable_ and _pardonable_, but what is _commendable_ and _praise-worthy_. He does not ask whether God will forgive the _folly_ of our lives, the _madness_ of our pleasures, the _vanity_ of our expences, and the careless consumption of our _time_; but he asks whether God is pleased with these things; or whether these are the appointed ways of gaining his favour. He does not enquire, whether it be pardonable to hoard up money, to adorn ourselves with diamonds, and gild our chariots, whilst the _widow_ and the _orphan_, the _sick_ and the _prisoner_ want to be relieved; but he asks whether God has required these things at our hands; whether we shall be called to account at the last day for the neglect of them? Because it is not his intent to live in such ways as God may _perhaps_ pardon, but in such as we know God will _infallibly_ reward. He will not therefore look at the lives of Christians, to learn how he ought to spend his estate, but he will look into the scripture, and make every _doctrine_, _parable_, or _instruction_ that relates to rich men, a _law_ to himself in the use of it. He will have but _one rule_ for charity, and that will be, to spend all that he can that way; because the Judge of quick and dead hath said, all that is so given, is given to him. 7. Let not any one look upon this as an imaginary description, that looks fine in the notion, but cannot be put in practice. For it is so far from being impracticable, that it has been practised by great numbers of Christians in former ages, who were glad to turn their whole estates into a constant course of charity. And it is so far from being impossible now, that if we can find any Christians that sincerely _intend to please God in all their actions, as the best and happiest thing in the world_, whether they be young or old, single or married, men or women, it will be impossible for them to do otherwise. This one principle will infallibly carry them to this, and they will find themselves unable to stop short of it.