Background Image
Table of Contents Table of Contents
Previous Page  167 / 514 Next Page
Basic version Information
Show Menu
Previous Page 167 / 514 Next Page
Page Background

SERZI.

IX.1

THE HIDDEN

LIFE

OF

A

CHRÍSTIÁN.

150

enquiries after

an

absent God, and

a

hidden

Saviour;

and

least

of

all do they

knew the

holy

joys, and

retired

pleasures of

a

christian, because these are things which

are

seldom-

communicated

to

others

;

and therefore

the

world

grows

bold to

callreligion amelancholy

thing,

and

the

chrfstian

a

mere

mope.

But

the soul

who

lives above;

who

lives

within sight

Of

the world

of

ir:visibles,

can

de-

spise

the

reproach of

sinners.

III.

Inference.

See

the

reason

why

christians have

not

their

passions

so

much engaged

in

things

of

this

life,

as

other

men have, because

their

chief

concern

is

about

their better

life,

which

is

hidden and

unseen.

They

can

Took

upon

fine

equipages,

gay

clothes, and

rich

appear-

ances

in

the

world,

without

envy

;

they can survey large

estates, and

see

many

thousands gotten

in

haste

by

those

that

resolve

to

be

rich, and

yet not let

loose one

covetous

wish

upon

them;

they have a

God

whom they

worship

in secret, and

trust

his

blessing

to make them

suffici-

ently rich

in

the

way

of

diligence

in

their stations: they

hope they shall have

blessings

mingled with

their

mean

estate,

and

no

sorrows added

to

their

wealth.

They can

find

themselves exalted

by

providence to

high

stations

in

the

world,

and not

be puffed up in

coun-

tenance,

nor

swell

at heart.

If

they are

but

watchful

to keep their

divine

life

vigorous

they

will

distinguish

themselves

as

christians, even

in

scarlet and

gold,

and

that

by

a-

glorious

humility.

They know

that

all

their

advancements

on

earth are but

mean and despicable

things

in

'comparison

of

their

highest

hopes;

and

their

promised crown

in

heaven.' They

can

meet

threatening

dangers, diseases, and deaths,

without

those

terrors

that

overwhelm the

carnal

sinner;'

for

their

better

life

shall

never die. They can sustain

losses,

and sink

in

the

world, when

it

comes

by

the mere providence

of

God,'

without their

-own

culpable

folly,

and

bear it

with a

liuin-

bie

resignation

of

'spirit,

and with

much 'inward

serenity

and peace

;

for the things which

they

have lost,

Were

not their life;

all

these

Were

visible;

but their

life

is

hid

--

den;

Phil.

iv.

12.

I

know how to

be

abased, and how

to

be

exalted

;

I

know how

to

abound,

and to suffer'

want;

I

can do

all

these things

through Christ

strength-

ening

me

:

Christ,

who

is

the principle

of

my

inward

life.