_Direct._ IV. Mortify the flesh, and the vices of sensuality: pride and curiosity, gluttony and drunkenness, are insatiable gulfs, and will devour all, and leave but little for the poor: though there be never so many poor families which want bread and clothing, the proud person must first have the other silk gown, or the other ornaments which may set them out with the forwardest in the mode and fashion; and this house must first be handsomer built, and these rooms must first be neatlier furnished; and these children must first have finer clothes: let Lazarus lie never so miserable at the door, the sensualist must be clothed in purple and silk, and fare deliciously and sumptuously daily, Luke xvi. The glutton must have the dish and cup which pleaseth his appetite, and must keep a full table for the entertainment of his companions that have no need. These insatiable vices are like swine and dogs, that devour all the children's bread. Even vain recreations and gaming shall have more bestowed on them, than church or poor (as to any voluntary gift). Kill your greedy vices once, and then a little will serve your turns, and you may have wherewith to relieve the needy, and do that which will be better to you at your reckoning day.
_Direct._ V. Let not selfishness make your children the inordinate objects of your charity and provision, to take up that which should be otherwise employed. Carnal and worldly persons would perpetuate their vice, and when they can live no longer themselves, they seem to be half alive in their posterity, and what they can no longer keep themselves, they think is best laid up for their children to feed them as full, and make them as sensual and unhappy as themselves. So that just and moderate provisions will not satisfy them; but their children's portions must be as much as they can get, and almost all their estates are _sibi et suis_, for themselves and theirs: and this pernicious vice is as destructive to good works, as almost any in the world. That God who hath said that he is worse than an infidel who provideth not for his own family, will judge many thousands to be worse than christians, and than any that will be saved must be, who make their families the devourers of all which should be expended upon other works of charity.
_Direct._ VI. Take it as the chiefest extrinsical part of your religion to do good; and make it the trade or business of your lives, and not as a matter to be done on the by. James i. 27, "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." "If we are created for good works," Eph. ii. 10; "and redeemed and purified to be zealous of good works," Tit. ii. 14; and must be judged according to such works, Matt. xxv.; then certainly it should be our chiefest daily care and diligence, to do them with all our hearts and abilities. And as we keep a daily account of our own and our servants' business in our particular callings, so should we much more of our employment of our Master's talents in his service; and if a heathen prince could say with lamentation, Alas, I have lost a day! if a day had passed in which he had done no one good, how much more should a christian, who is better instructed to know the comforts and rewards of doing good!
_Direct._ VII. Give not only out of your superfluities, when the flesh is glutted with as much as it desireth; but labour hard in your callings, and be thrifty and saving from all unnecessary expenses, and deny the desires of ease and fulness, and pride and curiosity, that you may have the more to do good with. Thriftiness for works of charity is a great and necessary duty, though covetous thriftiness for the love of riches be a great sin. He that wasteth one half of his master's goods through slothfulness or excesses, and then is charitable with the other half, will make but a bad account of his stewardship. Much more he that glutteth his own and his family's and retainers' fleshly desires first, and then giveth to the poor only the leavings of luxury, and so much as their fleshly lusts can spare. It is a dearer, a laborious and a thrifty charity, that God doth expect of faithful stewards.