Religious modesty.

readiness to suffer persecution and death for their Lord, and to go somewhere else, instead of this world, fully 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 by great human helps in the world.

They are strong in their animal passions, bring these into religious matters, make a vast noise and agitation 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 from themselves by getting more true life in Christ, they are found to be more and more mild, humble, patient, gentle, not intruding themselves into things which they have not seen, nor vainly puffed up by their fleshly mind.-Then Christ be comes all in all to them; and they themselves nothing at all without him. Then it is that they lose their own lives, and find them again 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 hinderances in our communion with him. This is our great happiness, and the true life of God in the soul of man.

Carnal men.

CHAP. 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 prin ciples of God's conduct towards them?

And ught 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 mutable reason, which is but 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 Saviour was. He indeed deserved no scorn, but thou much more than thou canst have. If they call the Master of the house Belzebub; shall those, who are of the household, think to escape a hard name?—No;

Esteem of good men.

let them bear it for his sake: it will never disgrace them in heaven.

CHAP. XXIII.

ON THE ESTEEM OF GOOD MEN.

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

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 too fond a 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 opinions of mortals, but on the love and just judgment of an unerring Redeemer. The opinion of others can never make nor unmake thee, as a Christian. But if their disesteem should 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

Real humility.

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 love.

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 and unknown to thy soul. 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 overmuch 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 in

Impatient weakness.

dignation; 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 answers these ends, how great is his reason to be thankful!

When gracious men see all this work upon thee, they will honour 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 forbearance to those, who need it from thee.

CHAP. XXIV.

WEAKNESS IS IMPATIENT.

Ir is not strength, but weakness, which complains. He, that is strong, can well bear the infirmities of the weak: He, that is weak, cannot bear at all, but is overwhelmed with his own. A father in Christ can put up with the frowardness and indiscretion of the babe in Christ; but the latter, having his mind but little exercised, is full of dislikes, and always wants his own will and way: Otherwise, he complains.

This weakness is commonly captious; fonder of finding errors than healing them, and more able to discover the grounds of difference than