CONFIRMED CHRISTIAN. 533 2. The weak Christian is oC the same mind in the main : but when it cometh to particular practice, he is like aweak or a wëary traveler, that goethbut slowly, andmaketh many a stop. Though his face is still heavenwards, he gveth but a little way in a day : he is too easily tempted to idle, or talk, Or feast, or play away an hour unlawfully, so it be not his ordinary course, and he do it but seldom. He taketh not the loss of an hour for so great a loss as the confirmed Christian doth : he could sooner be persuaded to live (though not an idle and unprofitàl1le, yet) an easier, less prof- itable life. The world and the flesh have far more of his hours than they ought to pave.;- though his weakness tell him that he 'bath most need of diligence. 3. But the time of a seeming Christian is most at the service of his fleshly interest and for that it is principally employed. And for that he can redeem it, and grudge if it belost. But as he liv- eth not to Gbd, so he canndt redeem his time for God. He loseth it even when he seemeth to 'employ it hest ; when he is praying, or otherwise worshiping Gòd, and doing that good which feedeth his false hopes, he is not redeeming his time in all this. While he is sleeping in security, anddeluding his soul with a few formal words, and an image of religion, his time passeth oh, and he is hurried away to the dreadful day, and, his damnation 'slumbereth not ; 2 Pet. ii. 3. Prov. xx. 4. Matt. xxv. 6-8. XLI. 1. A Christian indeéd'is one whose'veryheart is set upon doing good; as one that is made to be profitable 'to others, accord- ing to his ability and pace ; even as the sdn is made to shine upon the world ; he could not be content to live idly, or to labor unprof- itably, or to 'get never so.much to himself, unless he some way contributed to the good of others. Not that he grudgeth at the smallness of his talents, and lowness or obscurity of his place, for he knoweth that God may dispose his creatures and .talents of lie please; and that where much is given, much is required; Matt. xxv. Luke xii. 48. xix. 23. But what his Lord bath trusted him with, he is, loath to hide, andwilling to improve to his Master's use. He, is so far from thinking that God is beholden to him for his good works, that he taketh it for one of his greatest mercies in, the world, that God will use him in doing any good ; and he would take itfor a very great suffering to be deprived of such opportuni- ties, or turned out of service, or called to less of that kind of duty. If he were a'physician, and.denied liberty to practice, or a minis- ter, anddenied liberty to preach, it would far more trouble him that he ishindered from doing good, than that heis 'deprived of any profits or honors to himself. He cloth not only comfort himself with foresight of the reward, but in the very doing of good he A
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