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THE
CHRISTIAN'$
TREASIAE.
[BERM,
XXXVIBD.
instruct
us
to
think ourselves
rich,
because
we
are
heirs"
of
the kingdom,
while
we
are poor
and destitute
in
this
lower world
;
James
ii.
5.
It
is
the spirit
of
faith that
taught
the
apostle
Paul
to
triumph under all his
infirmi-
ties,
in
such
language
as
this
:
"
As
dying and
behold
we live;
as
sorrowful, and
yet
always rejoicing
;
as poor,
and
yet making many
rich;
as having.
nothing, and
yet
possessing all things,"
2,
Cor.
vi.
9,
10.
And
if
we
have
the
same
spirit
of
faith
we
may believe
and
speak
the
same
language.
Fifth Use. This
doctrine
forbids
all
murmuring at
the
band of God, though
his
dispensations
may have
some-
thing painful and
severe in
thefn.
He
has
given
ns all
things indeed,
by
the promise
of
the
gospel,
but
he has
not put
this
treasure
into
our
own
hands, lest
we
should
abuse
and
forfeit
it;
but he
has
put it
into the
hands
of
Christ
for us; and
it
is
Christ our Lord
who
distributes
out
such
parcels and
portions of our estate to
us
daily,
as
his
perfect
wisdom sees
most
proper
to promote
our
real
interest.
The
christian
under
sickness,
perhaps
will say,
Is not
life
and
health writ
down in the
inventory
of
my
inherit-
ance?
Yes,
but
sickness
and death
are written
down
there
toó, and thy Saviour knows
that
sickness
is
better
for
thee
at
this
season
than health.
Do not. murmur
at
his hand, for
God
the
Father
has
intrusted
him to ma-
nage and
govern
all
his own
vast dominions;
and canst
not
thou
intrust
him
to manage thy estate, to dispose of
concerns, and
to
allot thy
daily
portion to thee?
The saint surrounded
with distress
and
poverty, or
naked,
and
hungry,
will say,
"
Is
not
food, andJ
rai-
ment,
and peace
specified in
the articles
of
the
cove-
nant, and numbered among
m'i
treasures?"
Yes,
but
poverty, and hunger, and
cold,
and
nakedness,
are
there
also: And
thy
heavenly
Father
sees
it
best to
with-hold
peace and plenty
from thee
át
present, or to
give thee
thy
food and
raiment
but
in
a scanty
measure,
to mortify
thy
flesh,
to humble
thy
pride,
to wean thee
from
the
creatures,
to
teach thee immediate
dependance
on
him-
self;
and to
fit
thee for
a
departure
to
the
heavenly
world.
When thou
art
deprived
therefore
of
one earthly
com-
fort
alter
another, and
the
remaining
good things
of
this
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