Serm. 23. Hors muff n'e make Religion our bufinefs ? 531 their buGnefs. Many of Chrifts Difciptes who faid, Lord evermore give ru this bread, yet foon after bafely deferted Chrift, and would follow John 6.34. him no longer. john 6.66. From tbat time many of his Difciples went back, and walked no more with him. 2. Others make the world their bufinefs , Phil. 3. 19. Who mind earthly things. The earth puts out the fire : So the love of earth- ly things puts out the fire of heavenly affe &ions, It was a judge- ment upon Korah and Dathan, Numb. i 6.22. the earth fwallowed them up. Thus it is with many; the world fwallows up their time, thoughts, difcourfe; they are {wallowed up alive in the earth. There is a lawful( ufe of thefe things, but the fin is in the excels. The Bee may fuck a little honey from the leaf, but put it in a Barrel! of honey e and it is drown'J. How many ingulph themfelves in the creature, and drive fuch a Trade in the Shop, that they quire break in their Trading for Heaven. The Farm and Oxen have kept millions awdá xi °raP> from Chrift. Thefe do not make Religion their bufinefs, but make the' w dam" world their bufinefs ; and what will all be at death, but as a dream, or fancy ? Hab. 2. 13. The people {bill labour in the fire , 4nd weary them - felves for very vanity. z. z. Branch. Hence fee how hard it is to be faved ! 'fis not fo 2. Branch. -carte as fome apprehend , Religion muff be our bufinefs. 'I is not enough to have a fmack of Religion , a touch and away, Canis ad nilssm -- but we mull make it our our bufinefs. How ma- ny precepts have- we to obey how many tentations to refill how many graces to treafure up ? Religion is the work of our whole lives, and all little enough; Lord then how hard is it to be faved ? Where will the firmer appear ? What will become of the Gallants of our times who make fin their bufinefs whole whole imployment Ruibus curs eft is to indulge and pamper the flab ? pt?ñ voi »a*.or ñ ptnó,torot. X11 utveller bere their care is (as Hierom fpeaks ) to crifp their hair , to fpark!e oleant, ut dig ti nnu their Diamonds ; in Read of lteeping their fouls in hrinilh tears, they eant, ql t .+ crraindeis bathe themfelves in perfumed waters, and ride to Hell upon the back calamiftro ro- of pleafure. rentur. Hier. Vfe 2. Let us deal impartially with our own fouls, and put our Vfe 2. felves upon a [!rid trial! before the Lord, whether we make Religion Triad our bufinefs ? And for our better progrefs herein, I íhali lay down ten Signs and Charafters Of a man that makes Religion his bufinefs, and by thefe, as by a Gofpel-Touchftone, we may try our felves. i. He who makes Religion his bufinefs, doth not place his R l.- i , Chart 2. gion only in externals. Rom, 2. z8. He is not a Sew who 'is one out - Y }' y wa.rdly.
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