PART t. SERMON IX. 131 signs and wonders to the age they live in ; Is. viii. 18. compared with Heb. ii. 13. Themen of this world wonder what a christian can have to say to God in so many retiring hours as he appoints for that end ; what strangebusiness hecan employhimself in ; hew he can lay out so much time in affairs, which the carnal mind has no notion of. On the other hand, the saint, when he is in a lively frame; thinks that all the intervals of his . civil life, and all the vacant seasons that he can find between the necessary duties of his worldly station, are all little enough to transact affairs of such awful importance as he has to do with God, and little enough to enjoy those secret pleasures, which the stranger is unacquainted with. The children of God pray to their heavenly Father in secret, and they feel unknown refreshment and delight in it ; and they are well assured, that their Ì ather who seeth in secret will hereafter reward them openly ;; Mat. vi. 6. It is nowonder, thatthe profane world reproaches true Chris- tians as dull,lifeless creatures, animals that have neither soul nor spirit in them, because they do not see them run to the same excessin things of the lower life. Alas ! they know not that the lifeof a christian is on high ; they see it not, forit is hidden ; and therefore they wonder we are not busily engaged in the same practices and pursuits as they are; 1 Pet. iv. 4. They think it strange that we run not to the same excess of riot. The world sees nothing of our inward labour and strife against flesh and self, our sacred contest for the prize of glory ' they know nothing of our earnest enquiries after an absent God, and a hidden Sa- viour ; and least of all do they know the holy joys, and retired pleasures of a christian,.beeause these are things which are sel-. dom communicated . to others ; and therefore the world grows bold to call religion a melancholy thing, and the christian a mere mope.. But the soul who lives above, who lives within sight of the world of invisibles, can despise the reproach of sinners. III: Inference. See the reason why Christians have not their passions so much engaged in things of this life asother men have, because their chief concern is about their better life; which is hidden and unseen. They can look upon fine equipages, gay clothes, and rich appearances 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 sufficiently rich in theway 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 themselvesexalted by provident tohighstá- u 2
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