410 FORGIVENESS OF SIN. full of false representations of things in the midst of delusive appearances; so that he knows not what to choose or do aright, and therefore spends the most of his time and strength about things that are of no bene- fit to him. " Surely they are disquieted in vain ;" and he gives one special instance : "he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them," Psalm 39:6, which is but one example of the manifold frustrations that men meet with in the whole course of their lives, as not knowing what is good for them. We all profess to aim at one chief, principal end; namely, the enjoy- ment of God in Christ as our eternal reward; and'i'n Order thereto, to be carried on in the use of the means of faith and obedience tending to that end. Now, if this be so, the suitableness or unsuitableness of all other things, as good or evil to us, is to be measured by their tendency to this end. And what know we of thisl As to the things of this life, do we knowwhether it will be best for us to be rich or poor, to have houses or to be harborless, to abound or to want, to leave wealth and inheritance to our children, or leave them merely to the providence of God 1 Do we know what condition will most further our obedience, obviate our temptations, or call most on us to mortify our corruptions l And if we know nothing of these things, as indeed we'do not, were it not best for us to leave them quietly to God's dispo- sal l I doubt not but it will appear at the last day that a world of evil in the hearts of men was stifled by the destruction of their outward concerns ; that many were delivered from temptations by it, who otherwise would have been overtaken to their ruin and the scandal of the Gospel; that many a secret imposthume has been
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