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TITE iTIDDE:N LTFE
-OF
A
CHR,:STIAIS.
151
bravery
of
it,
with all
the bustle
and
business,
the en-
tertainments and delights
of
it,
was
but a
mere dream,
a fancy, the
picture
of
life,
a
shadow
and emptiness,
and but little above the brutes
that
perish.
Now
lie
lives
a
real,
a
substantial,
a divine
life,
a-kin to
God
and
an-
gels,
and
quite
of
a different
nature
from
what
the men
of
this
world
live.
.
There
is
this difference
indeed
:
which
the scripture'
makes between the
spiritual
life
and the eternal.
The
first chiefly
respects
the
operations
of
the
soul,
for
the
life
of
the body
is
not immortal here
:
the second
includes
soul
and
body too, for both
shall
possess
immortality-
hereafter.
The
first
is
attended
with many difficulties
and
sorrows
;
the second
is
all ease
and pleasure.
The
first
is
represented
as
the
labour and
service
:
the last, as
the
great,
though unmerited,
reward:
Gal.
vi.
8.
He
that
soweth
to
the Spirit,
and
fulfils
the
duties
of
the
spiritual
life,
shall
of
the
Spirit
reap
life
everlasting.,
The
one
is
the
life
of
holiness
and
inward peace,
though
mingled with many defects, and
surrounded
with
a
thou-
sand disadvantages and
trials
:
the
other,,
is
the same
life
of
holiness
and
peace,
having
surmounted
every
dif-
ficulty,
shining
and exulting
in
full
joy
and glory
Secondly,
We
come to
consider,
in
what respects
this
life
may
be
called a
hidden
life:
And here
I
shall distinguish
that part of
it,
which
is
more usually called the
spiritual
life,
and
is
exercised in
this
world, from
that
which
is
more
frequently
called
life
eternal, and
belongs
rather
to
the world
to
come
:
and
then
I shall
make
distinct inferences
from the
considera-
tion of
each.
Now
let
us
consider wherein the
spiritual
life
is
said
to be
hidden.
I. The
acts and exercises
of it are secret and unknown
to the public world.
The
saint
is
much engaged
in
the
important
and hidden concerns
of
his
divine life;
and
his
converse
is
with
God
and Christ,
who
dwell in
the
world
of
invisibles.
Who
knows
the
secret
transactions
between
God and
the
soul
of
a
christian, when
he first
entered into
cove-
nant
with
God, through Christ
the
Mediator, and
be-
gan
this happy
life
?
Who
can tell the inward workings
L4