Serm. 23, flow rmufl we nuke Religion our bufinefs ? flian b divine dd folil©quies, and ejaculations, is in Heaven before his titre; he is wrapd up into Paradde, bis thoughts are all packd up and gone. 4. We make Religion our bufinefs, when our main end, and fcope is to serve God : he is faid to make the world his bufinefs, whole great deugn is to get the world. SC Pauls ultimate end was, that Chrifl might be magnified, and the Church edified : our aimes Phil. r.ao. mull be good as well as our actions. Many make ulè of Religion 2 Gor.12,19 for fìnifler ends ; like the Eagle while the flies aloft her eye is upon her prey : Hypocrites ferve God propter aliud; they love the rem- Mat. 23.17. pre for the gold, they court the Gofpell, not for its beauty, but for its Jewels : these do not make Religion their bufirefs, but a politick P(^4 ;Avzre.9Z4 trick, and artifice to get money ; but then we make Religion our ``v Yk41 d' bufinefs, when the glory of God is mainly in our eye, and the very S àv. Ch yC purport and intent of our life is, to live to him who bath died for na, 2 Cor. 5.15. God is the center, and all the lines of our ac`lions mutt be drawn to this center. 5. We make Religion our bufinefs, when we do trade with Ged 5. every day. Phil. 3.20. Our converfation ïs in Heaven. The greek word for converfation 7a4 utu4, lignifies commerce and tralEque our merchandize is in Heaven : a man may live in one place, and drive his trade in another : a Saint though he lives in the world, yet vt mmntciper he trades above the Moon, he is a merchant for the Pearl of price. cloruln nor ge- This is to make Religion our bufinefs, when we keep an holy inter- rimu,, courfe with God, theres a trade driven between us and Heaven, a 7oh. 1.3. Our fellowilip ù with the Father andwith hid Sonne ?efiu; God comes down to us upon the wing of his Spirit, and we go up to him upon the wing of prayer. 6. We make Religion our bufinefs, when we redeem time from 6. fecular things for the fervice of God : a good Chriflian is the great- eft monopolizer, he doth hoard up all the time be can for Religion, Pfal. 119.62. at midnight will I rire and praire thee. Thofe are the bell hours which are (pent with God, and David having called how fweet the Lord was, would borrow force time from his fleep, that he might take a turn in Heaven. It well becomes Chritlians to take tiare from worldly occafions, finfull dreffings, idle vifits, that they may be the more intent upon the matters of Religion. I have read of an holy man, who being tempted by his former evil companions to fin, he made this anfwer, I am fo bufie in reading in a little book . with three leaves, that I have, no leifure fo much as to mind my other 529
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