136 Improvèment of `1ime,or Obfervat: Opened: Abeliever is tobe to the world as a svorly Iran to the things ofheaven, ly bufineffes, the things we are cxereifed about : do them as not abt fing them, as not letting your hearts be fet too much upon them : but be temperate and moderate in all, that we may ever be fit for that great fervice that God hath co itnploy us in. Now, out of all thefe put togethert the main Leffon that I would fp;tak of is this; That the true fereaats ofGod, true believers : all the bleJTngs dad crapes they Meet with is this world, tbe7mall home them, ae if theyhad them not. This is the point I would open to you. That in wife, children, profperity,, croffes, think what you can, a believer mutt be in them, as if not t as if he were not in that condition. To give you for the proof of this any other Scripture than my Text, I fuppofe I need not : the Apofile Saint Paul (you fee) layes it down in fomany words. Ycc, foram betterconfimation ofthe point, I will addeto that, two or three ocher plain places. Only fira, I would a little explain to you, "what, it is for a man to ale all thefe things, as if nor, And I cannot for my life, better lay it open to you, than by fuch a comparifon as this. Look howworldly men ufe the things ofheaven : fo a heavenly anutt the things ofthe world. To infl:ance in a few duties that I will but name. Suppofe it be the dgty of pray. er. Bring the out a true believer, and a worldling, let them both, be put upon this duty of prayer. The true believer, his heart, before he goes to prayer, is fc full of care, that hemay pray aright : fo full of fear, left his heart (hould notcarry it fell as it (hould,`whenhe is in the duty : his heart is fo violently bentto it it fo ftrugleth andecriveth, that he maydo it, asmay pteafeGod. When he hath done, he bath much j ,y and comfort, -if he have carried it well : andmuch forrowand grief, ifhe have carried it ill. Thus a religious heart carrieth is fell in this duty. Now a worldly man doth-the duty too: but how? as if not: that is, he bath none of obis care before he cometh to it ; he hathnone of this trouble when he is at is he bath none of this perplexity, when he hach done, if he have mifcarried -in it,'. .f he be able to come off, it is well enough, though it be performed innever fo ill'I manner : Why / his mind is after other things, he intends greater matters, as he thinks. The Minifter bath taught him to pray, and he cart fay his prayers, and fo he doch the duty, but (till, as if nor. Or again, fuppofe a man whole heart is let upon Mammon, put this man to re- creation; he may perhaps find time to play at Bowles, or Cards, or Tables with! a friend : but haw ? he cares not whether he wins or lofes ; he whiles away the time, hot this is not the thing his heart isfetupon,that giveth him contentment ; bu: that which his mind is bn, is hiscommodities, his trade, his merchandizeshisbu(inel> in the world. . J:,ft thus ( beloved) it muff be with every true believer in the ufing ofall the things of this life, that is, without care, without fear, without perplexity, with- out diflri'tion, andif they come on, fo ; if they go, fo he.muft be pleated if hr have them, and content if he want them ; and howfoever, Lis thoughts muff be :anted higher and better. To think thus, I am the fervant of God, I have a, Calling, here, I will follow it inobedience toGod, I have aWife, I willufe her as a wife should be tiled ; I" havechildren,. I will have a care of their education. Bu i mutt not come to be diftra6tee , about my,calling, about my wife, and children, and fcrvanrs,n and good name, or any thing that is here below. I am here to day, it may pleafe God, I may be gone to morrow; my hearts delire mutt be, to be content with this, that God is my all.fufìcient portion ; if I be in profperiry, to be, as ifnot ; if in affli5fion, to carry my fell fo, that in the midft of forrowand trouble, to be as if God freed me front all, remembring (till that my portion is in another life. Thus you have teenboth the leffon ruling from the Text, and what that is, that in it isrequired of every true believer. And
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