CONFIRMED CHRISTIAN. 493 are much more languid in him ; and he hath too much patience and reconciledness to some of his sins, and sometimes taketh them to be sweet; so that his enmity to his pride, or covetousness, or pas- sion, is much abated, and suffereth his sin to waste his grace, and wound his conscience, and hinder much of his communion with Gad. He seethnot the odiousness of sin, nor the beauty of holi- ness, with so clear a sight as the confirmed Christian doth : he hateth sin more for the ill effects of it, than for its malignant, hate- ful nature : tie seeth not clearly the intrinsic evil that is in sin, which maketh it deserve, the pains of hell ; nor doth be discern the difference between a holy and unholy soul, so clearly as the strong- er Christian Both ; 1 Cor. iii. 2, 3. Heb. xii. 1. 3. And as for the seeming Christian, though he may approve of perfect holiness in another, and may wish for it himself, when he thinketh of it but in the general, and not as it is exclusive and destructiveof his beloved sin ; yet, when it cometh to particulars, he cannotaway with 'it: he is so far from desiring it, that he will not endure it. Thename of holiness he ]iketh ; and that preser- vation from hell which is the consequent 6f it; but.when he under- standeth what it is, he hath no mind of it. That holiness which should oure his ambition and pride,'and make him contented with a low condition, he doth not like; he loveth not that holiness which would deprive himof his covetousness, his intemperance in pleasant meats and drinks, his fleshly lusts, and inordinate pleasures; nor doth he desire that holiness should employ his soul in the love of God, and in daily prayer, and meditating on his word, and raise him to a heavenly life on earth. XIII. 1. A Christian indeed is one that, maketh God and heaven the end, reward, aiid' motive of his :life ; and liveth not in the world for any thing in the world, but for that endless happi- ness which the next world only can afford. The reasons which actuate his thoughts, and choice, and all his life, are fetched from heaven. The interest of God and his soul as to *eternity is the ruling interest in him. As atraveler.goeth all the way, and bear- eth all the difficulties of it, for the sake of the end or place that he is going to, (however he may talk of many other matters by the way,) so is it with a Christian ; he knoweth nothing worthy of his life and labors, but that which he hopeth for hereafter. This world is too sinful, and too vile and short to be his felicity. His very trade andwork in the world is to lay up a treasure inheaven, (Matt. vi. 20.) " and to layup a. good foundation against the time to come, and to lay bold on eternal life; " (1 Tim. vi. 19.) and there- fore his very heart is there, (Matt. vi. 21.) and he is employed. in seeking and setting his affections on the things above ; (Col. iii. 1--3.) and his conversation and traffic are in heaven ; (Phil. iii.
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