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adverfity, he expreffed himself thus: "What "is man, that thou shouldst magnify him? " and that thou fhouldft fet thine heart upon "him? and that thou shouldft vifit him eve

ry morning, and try him every moment?" David, fpeaking of the divine beneficence, calls it a being mindful" of man, "taking "knowledge" of man, and "making ac"count" of him: but when Job fpeaks of correction and chaftifement, he raifeth his style, and calls it God's "magnifying man," and "fetting his heart" upon him. He wonders that God fhould bestow fuch attention upon a finful creature; that he should stoop fo low as to become his physician; nay, that he should vifit him every morning, to adminifter medicine for the recovery of his fpiritual health, afflicting his body for the good of his foul. In this light will the true difciple of Jefus Chrift view the most distressful events of divine Providence. Convinced that his Lord knows what is good for him, better than he doth, he will kifs the rod, and make every difpenfation welcome: and though nature may fhrink a little, and even wish that the bitter cup

might pafs from him, yet grace will teach him to confent, and difpofe him to fay, "Nevertheless not my will, but thine be "done." Once more,

5thly, To live unto the Lord, is to be fo thoroughly devoted to him, as to account that we live not at all, but in so far as we serve him, and fhow forth his praife.

This, I appprehend, expreffeth the true fpirit of the Apostle's words. He reckoned nothing worthy to be called living that was not fubfervient to the great purpose for which life was bestowed. He measured his time, not by days, or months, or years; but by a fucceffion of fervices to his dear Master, by thofe acts of obedience he was enabled to perform. What portions of time were otherwife employed, he did not esteem to be living at all; these he reckoned among the vacancies of life, like the hours that pass away in fleep, which is the image of death. The true Chriftian prefers one day in the courts of the Lord to a thousand any where else, and would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of his God, than dwell in the tents of wickednefs.

VOL. II.

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Thus

Thus have I told you what is included in living unto the Lord, I fhall now proceed,

II. In the fecond place, To apply this defcription of genuine Christianity as a meafure or standard for helping us to judge of our fpiritual condition. For this end, I muft beg your attention, and the answer of a true confcience, to the following queftions.

st, Of what weight is the authority of God in your hearts?

I am not enquiring, whether the things you do are commanded by God. I formerly obferved, that there may be a deception here. God enjoins many things as duty, to which human nature, even in its prefent ftate, feeleth no averfi n for our apoftafy was chiefly from God himself; and though fome fierce and unfocial paffions have fprung from this bitter root, yet, in the main, we are not naturally difaffected to our fellow-men, but rather difpofed to with them well, and even to do them good, provided our perfonal interest be not

hurt

hurt by it. And therefore no man can be faid with certainty to live unto the Lord, merely because he performs the common offices of justice, humanity, and beneficence, towards others with whom he is connected: for these things have a comeliness in them that is obvious to the dimmest eye; they are of good report among all men; and in most cafes a man cannot ferve himfelf more effectually than by practising them. But if he practise them merely, or even principally, to promote his own intereft, he must not pretend that he liveth unto the Lord: he only ferves himself, and must therefore be left to reward himself as he can. If he do not mean to ferve the Lord, if he do not act from love and loyalty to his Sovereign, he can have no ground to expect any reward at his hand.

2dly, Whom do you feek to please, and whofe approbation do you principally covet? If you only, or even chiefly, court the applause of men, it is plain that you do not live unto the Lord. "We labour," faith the Apostle Paul, in name of all true believers, "that whether prefent of abfent, we may "be

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"be accepted of Chrift;" 2 Cor. v. 9.The Pharifees gave much alms; they were frequent, and loud, and long in their pray ers: but they did all " to be feen of men;" and therefore our Lord ftyled them hypocrites, and denounced many awful woes against them. I am fenfible that this species of hypocrify is not the discase of the present age: there are few that make much noise about their prayers, or their alms; and there are still fewer, I fuppose, that can justly be charged with excefs in either: fo that a caution against being righteous overmuch feems quite fuperfluous. But can you discover nothing in yourselves that is akin to this hypocrify? Are you as ready to perform the most self-denying duties, as those that are accompanied with immediate pleasure or advantage? Are you the fame in fecret that you appear, or wish to appear, in public? Or rather, do you not fuit your behaviour to the humour of the times? Can Can you charge yourselves with no inftances of a timid compliance with the prevailing maxims and manners of the world? Hath not fafhion fome weight with

you,

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