128 Ifa. 5I 20, 2. Si eteri ue pro ee de ecelef i fede defcendit, tu propter ip- fete fige ter- rena. Aug. How mull we make Religion our bufinefs ? Senn. a 3 who is devoted to thy fear ; as a Scho'lar who devotes him lfe f to his fludie-s, makes Learning his bufinefs : a godly man may fume_ times run hirtifelf through præcipitancy, and incogitancy upon than which is evil ; theres no man fo bad but he may doe Tome good aâìons, and theres no man fo good but he may doe fom . bad a. dions, but the courfe and tenour of a godly mans life is religious; when he Both deviate to finne, yet he doth devote hitnfelf to God. 'Tis with a Chriliian as it is with a company of mariners at fea, they are bound for fuch a coat}, now while they are failing they may meet with fuch a cross wind as may turn them back and drive them a quite contrary way, but as fooza as the form is over, and theft% calm, they recover themfelves again, and get into the right way where they fayled before ; fo it is with a Chriflian, Heaven is the haven he is bound for, the Scripture is the compafs he fayls by, yet a contrary wind of tentation blowing, he may be driven back into a finfull action, but he recovers himfelf again by repentance, and fayls on conliantly to the heavenly Port. This is to make Religion our bufinefs, when notwithilanding fome escurfions through hu. mane frailty, we are devoted to Gods fear, and dedicate our 7i Snr to God. 2. We make Religion our bufinefs, when we intend the bufinefs of Religion chiefly ; it loth principatum obtinere ; klatch. 6. 33. Seelye fir; the Kingdom of God. Fir}}, in time, before all things, and firft, in affe&tion, above all things. We mull give Religion the præ_ cedency, making all other things either fubfervient, or jubordinate to it. We are to provide for our families, but chiefly tier our fouls : this is to make Religion our bufinefs. iota, put the cattel before, and made his wives and children lag after Gen. 32.16. 'Tis un- worthy to make Religion come behind in the rear, it mull lead the van, and all other things muff (loop and vail to it : he never had Re- igion in his heart, who faith to any worldly thing, in the throne those }halt be greater. 3. We make Religion our bufinefs, when our thoughts are moil ufied about Religion : while others are thinking how they (hall do o get a living, our thoughts are, how we íhall do to be faved. David id mute upon God, Pfal. t 35).3. While I was muting the fire burn - el. Thoughts are as paffengers in the foul, when we travel' every ay to the City of God, and are contemplating glory and eternity, this s to make Religion our bufinefs. Theopbilati calls holy contempla- on, the gate and portail by which we enter into Heaven; a Chri- flian
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