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.