5 66 The True tIccountant. Iljzlcing. 2. at. i Apes.S. ;. O.ferw. . .i;, Typal-es symb. Yrinc. nóm.1. by the preaching ofthe Word ? Is it not becaufe wedo no pray to God to open our hearts, and make it ufeful tous, that wemay attend to the word of.Truth, and obtain Salvation by it? The people, before the Lawwas publilhed to them, were cleanfed and fan&ified by J4lofes to receive it, Exod.t9.14.. So ought we to Sandi.. fieour hearts by prayer,aud delire ofGod to purge our Soulsof the many pollutions of our fins, that we may gain a blefling by the Word of God, and return with joy and comfort from the houfe ofGod. It is prayer that makesthe word ofGod profitable to our Souls; it islike the Salt which Elifha threw into the waters toheal them : So does prayer, make the word ofGod beneficial to us, and caufethus to relilh the fweetnefs and comfort ofit: The heart is like that book fealedwith (even Seals, which;no man canopen but God himfelf : Therefore let us pray. to God to open our hearts, that we may re -. ceive inftru&ion from the Word of God. There isno mast can teach.us effe&ually. but Gad alone ; noman can.lhew us the rightway to heavenbut God. Therefore let uspray, So teach ul,&c: We now come to the end,whereforee..Nofes begs ofGod to our days; That we may apply, &c. In which we`meet with three particulars T. Thekind andnature of this wifdome, wherein it confifts the heft provilion we can for the eternal welfare of our Souls. z. The subje&ofit, our Hearts, 3. The means of obtaining this wifdome, and that is by Death teach usto number and itis in making the meditation of T. Of the kind and nature of this wifdome, wherein it chiefly cónfifts ; that is , in having an eye to heaven, in looking after the eternal welfare of our Souls. Our next Concluuon'isthis Iristhe only true wifdomof a Chriftianto providà for his Soul. Then are we wife indeed, when we are wifeuntoSaivation,whenwe know how toprovide for Eternity. Truewifdom confiftsnot ingathering riches; ' but in living in the fear of God, and ordering our fteps fo,' as that we maymake -lure ofheaven another day. It is our obedience toGods Commandments, which cries us up for vvife Chriftians in the repute of God and man, Deist. 4. 6. Keep therefore and do them ; for this is your wifdome and your underflanding in the light of the Nations, which /ball hear all thefeflatates, and fay, Surely this great Nati- on is a wife andunderffanding people. What is it for a man to he vvifefor thevvorld and a fool for Heaven ? vvhat's the vvealth atad honour of the vvorld, to thehap.. pinefs of the Soul? vvhat's a man the better for being rich and honourable in this vvorld, if in the end his Soul be loll:? Mat. r6. z6. "'that is a manprofited, ifhe fhallgain the whole world, and lofe his own Soul O What the people Paid ofDavid, z Sam. IS. 3. Thou are worth ten thoufand of sis ; the like 1 fay of the Soul, his more vvorth than a thoufand vvorlds ;, and the Salvation ofthy Soul is more to thee than the gainingofmany vvorlds. What the manpleaded to joab for not flaying of Abfalom, z Sam, rS. sa. 7hough I fhould receive a thoufand fhekles of silver in my hand, yet would Inot put forth myhand againfl the Kings Son : The likemaid thou reafon vvithin thy ovvnUrea%, Though i might purchafe the riches of a thoufand vvorlds,y etvvould I not feek the deftru&ton of my Soul : vvhatfoever thoudo !Lail! have an eye to thy Soul, that that perifh not in another vvorld: vvhat ifall other things go amifs vvith thee in this life, if thy Soul he in fafety ? It is vvifdom, i con- fefs, to p*ovidefor the vvorld, for the body, but the main vvifdom iato provide for the Souk Be careful of the outvvard man, but be fure thou dolt not negle& the in- vvard man. Provide for both, the body and Soul, but let thy chiefcare be for the Soul, vvhich is thy betterpart. It was the Symbol. ofAódolpué the fecond, Emperor of 9i;,me, who gave an Eagle vvith a double Head,vvith the one helookt upvvards to the Sun,andvvith the other dovv.uvvards uponthe Earth,vviththis Motto,Vtrumque,I have aneye to both. Thus it is Lavvfulfora Cliriftian to look dovvnvvardsto theEarth,& provide for the body;
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