123 VIE CH1tIST1AN'S TItE.[SIIRFñ rSERM. 1C71Z7'f. may be stripped of all earthly possessions, but the loss of Ids temporal estate shall turn tohis real benefit, as well as the possession of it. Losses and crosses, as well as plenty and peace, are numbered among the items of his inventory, and make up his treasure ; so that though the outward scenes of things on earth are perpetually chang- ing his real and everlasting treasure is the same: for all things that appear in nature, that occur in present provi- dence, or shall arise in future ages, shall work for his ad- vantage : He may lose money or lands aswell as a sin- ner ; but that very loss shall turn to ':pis gain. This sort, of treasure he cannotbe dispossessed of by death itself, for when he quits his visible interest in all things in this lower world, he enters into anew world of spirits, which he has never seen: and yet all things in that world are his too :. All things in those unknown re- gions,. where the departing spirit goes, are made over to the saint, by the saine covenant as the things of this world ; they shall all administer some divine profit to him, and bea partof his happiness in the world to come. III. This treasure of a christian is ever growing, at least in the possession for the occurrences of everyday make someaddition to it; whereas the wealth ofsinners is impaired with using. The largest earthly estate may be wasted: Money decreases daily by procuring the . supports of life ; but a christian's treasure still improves.. IIe lives upon it every day, and yet it grows still. The providences of God here on earth, present us daily with some new affairs, new occurrence§ : Wheth they be pleasant or painful, still the spiritual man finds his interest in them; and when he reviews his 4ccount in, the evening, if his heart has been in a proper frame, be may write himself gainer. He has possessed and en- joyed all the crosses and sorrows of his former days : He has treasured up a store of divine experiences, in the midst of plenty and want, health and sickness: New scenes of life arise, new appearances of things ; he is still like the bee, ready to suck honey from every flower that blows : He gathers his food and his riches from weeds that are unsavoury, as well as from the blossoms . of pexfume ti If he is by this means adding daily to the numberand strengthof his graces and virtues) he is, as it were, treasuringup a good foundation for time to coma
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