fi 54 ,Hom to ?mkt: ufe of arg aEec. 5.18, t 9 is nothing to him that makes not ufe of Chrift : There it a price (faith Solomon) in the hand of a foole, but he bath no heart to ufe it : There is a tranfcendent fulneffe in Chrift, and he is the choyceft of all prices, and is even put into the hands of men ; but many have no heart to make ufe of him, and there- fore he doth not profit them. What is the fulneffe of the Sun to the blind that doth xot fee it ? the fulneffe of the fountaine to him that doth not drink of it ? the fulnefse of the feaft to hire that doth not feed upon it ? and what is the fulneffe of Chrift to him that makes no ufe of Chrift ? What is a man the better for a lock, if he bath not a key to ufe it withall ? It is not a trade, but a trade well followed ; it is not land, but land well tilled that maintaines men, that makes men rich : It is not Chrift, but Chrift well ufed that maintaines the foule, that makes the foule rich. a Behold (faith Solomon) that which I have jeen, it if good and comely for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all bis labour that be taketh under the Sun, all the dayes of his life which Godgiveth him, for it is his portion. Every man alfo to whom God bath given riches and wealth, and bath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his por- tion, and to rejoyce in his labour, this is the gift of God. Chrift is a rarer portion then all wealth, then all meat and drink ; it is a rarer gift of God to make ufe of Chrift, and to enjoy the good of Chrift, all thedayes of his life : this is the portion' of a chriftian, of a gracious and fan &ified foule indeed. As therefore the healthy man makes ufe of his meat and is ftrengthened ; the fick man makes ufe of his phyfick, and is healed ; the Souldier maketh ufe of his weapon, and over - commeth ; the Merchantmaketh ufe of his trade,and grows richby it : Thus let us make tile of Chrift that our foules may be healed, ftrengthened, made vi &orious, and fpiritual- ly enriched. Some men live by their wits, Come by their lands, and fome by their trades ; the Chriftian Iives by his Chrift. Of Chrift therefore let us make ufe in our Vnderftan- dings, to fill us with the knowledge of Gods will in all wif- dome, to receive all our dire &ion from him, as the traveller maketh ufe of the Sun to guide him. Of him let us make ufe in our Meditations, think upon him as the Bride in her thoughts
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