Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v10

Chap. 33 An E.wpofttion upan the Boolt,of J o B. Yerf.'zi. 3$ careful! tomake provifionfor your fiefh,to fatisfie the neceflities ofit ; for 'tis but a perifhing thing. Benot careful! what you !hall tate and drinke, and Wherewith you (hall be clothed, as Chrif1 himfelfe advifeth (Math: 6.) The flefh that you prepare for your flefh, is not more perifhing then the flefh for which it is prepared. Meatesfor the belly and the belly for meates, but God (hall dcfiroy both it and then' (i Cor: 6. i 3. ) It will not be long before there {ballbe an end both of the meate that is eaten, and of eating meate. Fourthly , If the flefh may foone be fo confirmed by the hand of God that it cannot be feene, thenbe not unwilling towail and confume your flefh which is feen inworking for God,or.in doins, good worke, which is the worke of God:your flefhmay confume uponworke termes quickly, then working for God , why then lhould you be unwillingto confume it inGods worke ? Are not fume fo tender of their carkaffe , and their skin that they are a- fraid ( though that feare be their fhame and fin) of taking toe much paines. in the worke of God, left they .thoulddammage their bodyes, endanger their health, and confume their flefh ? This flefhwill wall with idlenefs, is it not better to waft it by induftry in ufefull fervices ? The Apoftle was willing tofpend and befpent in the ferviceof the Corinthian; ; That is, he was willing to fpend not only his purfe and his paines,butto be fpent as tohis bodyly ftrength, health and life. He cared not for his owne flefh, fo he might be ferviceable to their fpirits, andpromote their fpi- ritual! good, (zCor: t a. r g. ) Fifthly, Be not unwilling towalk and confume your flefh in duty with God ; as the flefh confumesin workfor God, fo in du- ty withGod, in prayer and failing and felfe-humbling , thefe are duties with God. Some are afraid of taking too much pairies in thefe foule-workes withGod , left they hurt their bodies, Their flefh. We can never lay out our ftrength, or bring our flefh to -a better market,we cannever put it oft at ahigher rate (if it mutt be put off) then in wayes of communionwith God.Yet let us re- member we have a promife, that our bodyes !hall thrive aswell as our foules,even in thofe duties of communion withGod,which are molt expenfive and fevere to our fleth, prayer with falling. (Ifa: 58, 6i. ) And theLord (hall guide theecontinually, andfa- tisfe thy Pule in drought, kidmakefat thy bones. Which though Z a y át

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