maintenance and support of all his graces. If Christ withdraw his hand, he must fall; for, in himself, the strongest, the wisest, the holiest christian, is confusion and wickedness, weakness and nothing. He feels himself void of all good, and so flies to Jesus to obtain it. When he doth not enjoy his Savior, he cannot enjoy himself. But when he hath him, he hath more than all things, because he hath him who possesses them all.

They who are great, and love to be great, in outward things, have commonly but little of this life within them. When the soul hath no feast within, it gads abroad for delight, and will put up with mean and carnal trash, unsuitable to its proper nature, rather than have nothing. Outward pomp and carnal show, in religion, commonly proclaim an inward emptiness and

want.

There is a carnal knowledge of spiritual things, which the apostle calls "a knowing Christ after the flesh," and which is very different from the divine knowledge of those things. The apostles appear to have been in the former state till the day of Pentecost, when they received power from on high. They indeed loved Christ, and sincerely followed him before; but their love and knowledge of the Savior had in it a large mixture of flesh and corruption. Hence, they were astonished to hear of his sufferings and death, and their own humiliation; when, it is plain enough, they expected great temporal advancement and honor for themselves, and a glorious temporal kingdom for him. Even after his resurrection, like the Jews at large, they thought of a kingdom to be restored unto Israel: But, when the true kingdom came into their hearts, we hear no more of these carnal expectations, but of joy and readiness to suffer persecution and death for their Lord, and to go somewhere else, instead of this world, to enjoy him.

So among us called christians, there is this carnal knowledge of Christ, consisting in outward profession and a natural understanding of the truths of the gospel, which is also mixed sometimes with degrees of grace and spiritual life. But persons, in this state, are much in outward things, are great outwardly, talk of religion outwardly, and of its great advancement in the world. They are strong in their animal passions, carry these into religious matters, make a great noise and bustle among men, are great rulers if possible, seek to carry all church affairs in their own way, and in short are never easy out of a bustle, and certainly never easy in it. When these people sink into themselves, by getting more true life in Christ, they are found to be more and more mild, humble, patient, gentle, not obtruding themselves into things which they have not seen, nor vainly puffed up by their fleshly mind. Then Christ is all in all to them; and they themselves nothing at all. Then it is that they lose their own lives, and find them with great interest and sweetness in Christ.

If the love and word of Christ dwell in us richly in all wisdom, we shall desire to be much with Christ in our spirits, and to shut out all possible interruptions and hindrances in our communion with him.

CHAPTER XXII.

ON THE OPINION OF CARNAL MEN.

THE judgment, which natural men form of spiritual life, is altogether wild and extravagant, gross and injurious. "The things of God [himself] are foolishness unto them, neither can they know them, because they

are spiritually discerned." And can those think rightly of the people of God, who have not the faculties to think rightly of the things, which render them distinct from other men, and which are the very grounds and principles of God's conduct towards them? And ought a Christian to be moved exceedingly at the judgment of ignorance and error?

This world's opinion of all divine things is indeed very foolish and vain. It condemns what it hath not seen, and despises what it doth not know. It laughs at the wisdom of God, which it is too weak to apprehend, and sets up its own perishing folly in its stead. A few years shall lay it low; and the wisest of the worldly wise will be the first to condemn themselves for the madmen and the fools. Wisd. v. 4.

Be satisfied then, fellow Christian, with the just judgment of God. Thou canst not be more despised than thy Savior. He indeed deserved no scorn, but thou much more than thou canst have. If they called the master of the house Beelzebub; shall those, who are of the household, think to escape a hard name ? No: let them bear it for his sake: It will never disgrace them in heaven.

CHAPTER XXIII.

ON THE ESTEEM OF GOOD MEN.

THOUGH a nice sense of honor, consistent with his profession, becomes a Christian; yet an over-nice care to get honor from any man is neither the duty nor practice of the Christian life.

But be not too anxious, my brother, for the good opinion even of the best of men, nor altogether judge

of thy state by so uncertain a rule. Concern of this kind seems to argue a too fond regard of thy carnal self, or of thy own state in the world. If they show disrespect, and if it arise from mistake; rejoice that thy true hidden life depends not on the opinion of mortals, but on the love and just judgment of an unerring Redeemer. The opinion of others can neither make nor unmake thee, as a Christian. But if their disesteem be founded in truth, fear not to dive to the bottom of thine own undeservings, and cease not to pray for grace to correct them. Be not offended with thy brethren, in either case; for this will lead to ruptures neither for their profit nor thine. The glory of God and of his truth is also concerned, which should fill thee with the greater forbearance and caution in all thy dealings with the household of faith. Pray for wisdom to examine thy cause faithfully, to know the worst that can be found of thyself, and to see into the truth or mistake of others. And if, in thine own conscience, the right be with thee; be thankful for the mercy, and cease not, because they need it, to pray for them who are in the wrong. Thy true charity should relieve, in this way, their spiritual necessity, and so rise, with that lawful triumph of a Christian, by an holy and inward superiority of meekness and of truth. Beware of anger and offence. The wrath of man cannot work the righteousness of God. Be humbled by every disesteem, whether just or unjust, within thyself. This is gaining a step in the great inward and spiritual progress of self-renunciation; for which end these means, though unpleasant to proud nature, may have been mercifully and providentially ordained. Fear not to see the worst of thine own infirmities: Tremble rather, lest they should be hidden from thee. When thou art made truly low in thine own eyes, the slights and contempts even of good men, proceeding as they usually do, not from grace but common infirmities, will

not over much vex thee. It is the fondness of self, and the pride of our hearts which render all outward insult and injury distressing and painful. He that thinks little of himself, can bear to be thought little of by others: But he, that is lifted up within, is grieved, when he cannot find that tribute of respect, which his own foolish fondness hath ordained for himself.

The best remedy for spiritual disorder is spiritual prayer. Corruption inflicts or feels pain; and grace should subdue corruption. It is the true wisdom of a Christian to set his faith, and not the passions of his unholy nature, at work upon evil. Grace will teach him not to huff, or snort, or resent, or speak great swelling words of carnal indignation; but to bear and forbear, and pray, and wait, and entreat, according to the occasion. When the rough north wind of trial rages and raves, then the graces of the Christian should more abundantly flow. All this is difficult without a doubt; but will not a gracious success be afterwards a comfort to the believer, both as it affords a real proof of the true life of Christ within him, and an occasion of glorifying God before men? And if it answer these ends, how great is his reason to be thankful?

When gracious men see all this work upon thee, they will honor God in his own gifts; but, if they do not, it is in no man's power to alter thy condition with him. Be deeply thankful that thou hast found mercy; and show tenderness to those, who need it from thee.