12q. The Chriflians Center, or, rage my felt in outward thing.. Here now 1 say the Qucf+ on is what a man dotti. If I refolveto cleave to my outward advantages, and leave God, and leave the ways of God; I live to my felf. . A man that liveth to God, you (hallfee it is otherwife with him : As for infiance, &mid, when hemight have had the Kingdom of T free! fomewhat fooner, by fin, he . would not do it : His heart fmote him, for cutting off the lap of Small Garment ; though he might have gained the Kingdom of Iftad by it, ha would not lay his hands on the Lords Anoynted : And what was the reafonof it ? Becaufe he would not advantage himfelf by Difobedience Co God ; he would rather want him- Celf. What was the reafon that David,whenhe fairy be was in an apparent hazard, not only of the lofs of honour,butofhis life,and that forthe performance but ofone duty, prayer, and that but for a fhort time: Yet would not omit it, nonot for aIhort time, though hemight by that not only have faved his life, but kept his honour in the Court ; he prayed to God, even at that time, when he was forbidden t Why fo ? becaufe he lived to God, and not to himfelf. Had Daniel lived co, and fought himfelf more than God, he would have difpenfed with this, and faved both his life and honour, though he had offended God in that particular of omiilion. But this is the difpofctionof a heart that is faithful and upright wich God ; it will not dii- honourGod for the greaceft advantage that can cone to it fell: It will not negletb; a duty to God, whatfoever lofs it have in the world. Thirdly, Take another inflance,whereby we may fee what we intend in this try- al. Let the will of God, and the bent of a mans own will come in competition to- gether. God will have me leave this ; I will hold it. Godwill.have me forfake this : I will keep it ; It is a comfort, a worldly benefit t I lofe my comfort if I pare with ir. He that now liveth tohimlelf,he will pleafe his own will,andbe difquieted and vexed againft Gods will chat croffeth his. But he that livech to God, will be content that God Ihould cross him in his will: Becaufehe would glorifie God inhis own will, in his Soveraigncy, in his Purity, in his Holinefs,andJuftíce,Qrc, See it in the cafe of Abraham. Abraham had a ftrong love to Ifaac, and good caule ; yet neverthelefsthough he could fee a comfort to himfelf in this Son, when God celleth hin , chou mull faerifrce thy Son Ifaac, when he had the revealed will of God:, Abrahamnow refolvech to (hew that he lived to God, and not to himfelf: There- fore he would part with any comfort of his life for God, when he required ir. So Daì id a If the Lordwill (faithhe) he can bringme bosek,that t (hallfee the Taber- nacle, and the Ark; if nor: if hefay l have no pleafare in thee, lee here t am, let the Lord do withme, asfeemethgood ìn his eraneyes. \,then the cafe isthis, when the will of Geaod,croffeth thy will; what now prevaileth? Doth the delire of having chy own will prevail againft the delire of fubmiccing to Gods will? Doth it raile murmuring, and impatiency of Spirit? So fat thou liven to thyfelf, Therefore confider this. Here is an occafon now for a Luft, and a fnful affection to (hew it elf; either a manmay advantage himfelf in an evil courbe, or he cannot but difad- vantage himfelf in a good courbe: Or when God croffeth a man in that he defireth, tnddelights in, in chi world. That isthe firfb tryal whereby a manmay knowwhe- ther he liveth to himfelf. Secondly, another cryal will be this; Confider if their be any part of the truth of God,rof his revealed will, that for.felf-refpeóts thou art willing to be ignc- rant of, !call the knowledge of it, Ihould make thee do fowewhat to thy own dif- advantage; in this chou liveft to thy fell. See this co be trur,in all that live to them- felves. Balaam, though heprofeft, that feat a houle full ofgold, he would not go beyond theword of the Lord, yet notwithftanding he was willing not to take noticeof Gods will, but to go on rather to curie. 3ohanan in Pr. 42. profef echdeeply, that he would obey the will of che Lord ; but when he underflood the will of the Lord, when it croft his will : Thin faith he to Jeremy; It is not the Lord that bath bid theefey chie, heBaruch. When men cavil againft anypart of Gods word, orhide any truth from them- felves, In unce 3. Rule 2. Rom. 1.
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