SEEM. IX.] THE H1DDE1d LIFE OP1A CHRISTIAN. 153 Jesus did on earth, for it is his meat and his drink todo the will of his Father which is in heaven. This is afeast to the christian, which the world knows not of; John iv. 32, 34. II: The springs and principles of this life are hidden' and unknown to the world ; and therefore the world esteems many of the actions of a true 'christian: very strange and unaccountable things, aswe shall shew af- terward, because they see not the springs of them. The word of God, or the gospel, with all the hidden treasures of it, is the chief instrument, or means, where- by this divine life is wrought and supported in the soul. The true christian beholds the purity of God in the pre- cepts; he reads grace, heaven, and glory in the pro- mises ; he sees the words of the bible in a divine light, and feeds sweetly on the hidden blessings of scripture,, deriving life, and nourishment, and joy from it; whereas` the carnal world go not far beyond the letters and sylla- bles. The gospel, which is all light and glory to a saint,' is hidden to them that and lost, 2 Cor. iv. 3, This same gospel is written in the heart ofa christian, and is the principle ofhis life there. This is immortal and incorruptible, the seed of the word abiding in the heart; the image of the eternal God, drawn out in such characters- as our nature can bear : For the written word is a trans- cript of God's holiness ; and when it is inwrought into' all the powers of a believing soul, it becomes a vital prin- ciple within him for ever. A believer is, as it were, cast in the 'very mould of the gospel ; so the word signi- fies ; Rom. vi. 17. This is the word hidden in the heart, that secures the saint from sin ; Ps. cxix. 1]. The motives and springs that awaken a christian to keep up; and maintain this spiritual life, are things hid- den from the eyes of the world ; things eternal and invi- sible ; 2 Cor. iv. 18. While we look not at the things that are seen, that are temporal ; but at things that are unseen, and eternal; we then count thejoys or sorrows of this world, things of little importance then we live like christians, and the life of our Lord Jesus is 'mani- Tested, or copied out, in our lives ; as ver. 'l 0. 11. The habits ofgrace and holiness in the hearts of be -. lievers, whence all the actions of the spiritual life pro- ceed, are secret and hidden. Who knows how they were
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=