of man; yea, rivers of joy and pleasure forevermore!-Lord, if thou give but the wisdom ' to obtain these; I shall very soon cease to lament the non-attainment of every other knowledge beside!

CHAP. XII.

UPON INDEPENDENCE.

MEN desire what is called independent fortunes, through their natural arrogance, and fond indulgence to their flesh: And because believers are flesh as well as spirit, therefore, in proportion as that flesh is spiritually uncircumcised and unsubdued, even do these require this meat of the world for their lust. It is very irksome to a believer's carnal nature, that he lives in his spirit the life of faith; and it will be more and more irksome to nature, as this life grows in him and is proved by trials, which tend to deny or abridge his earthly desires. The flesh cannot, delight in any thing, that may not gratify its senses; but the life of the spirit consists greatly in crucifying the flesh, with its affections and lusts, in trusting God through a naked promise for what is yet unseen, and in giving up will, hope, desire, and every thing within and without, to his disposal. This is all horrid and dismal, yea, death itself, to the natural man. He hates, and abhors, and scoffs, and sets all his wits and passions at work to cry

down a life so strange and peculiar, that he must even die to himself and all he loves, before he can live it. But whosoever will save this life of the carnal mind shall lose it; and whosoever would lose it, shall, by the mercy of God, find a better, even a life of confi dence and communion with Jesus Christ.

This principle of independence, or aversion to live in simple trust upon God, is the secret cause why many professors hasten to be rich, or will be rich in this world, though by it they fall into a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in ruin and perdition. "If I can get such and such a fortune, I will do so and so (say they,) and then serve God without distraction." But the flesh is not to be laid asleep by indulgence, nor the fire to be put out by heaping up fuel. Experience shows, that large possessions do much oftener damp any little life or zeal for God, than quicken the christian's hope and concern for a better world.

The spirit of faith teaches another lesson. It bids a man commit all his way to the Lord, and rather to fear than to court great riches; knowing what mischiefs and wretchedness. they have brought upon many, who once seemed to run well; and knowing also the natural desire of the carnal mind to covet these things merely for its own food and feasting.

The goodness of God, therefore, providen

tially keeps his children, for the most part, poor in this world, that they might live in the fuller trust and dependence upon himself. He that doth not expect much from this world, cannot be much disappointed by it. When a man also hath little or nothing before him, he looks to the best-help: So the poor christian sees, that God is his best help, and therefore lives humbly upon his bounty. In this way of continual trust and daily dependence, and not by fulness of bread or independence, he is made rich in faith through additional experiences, and walks with more and more strength and sweetness of spirit as an heir of the kingdom.

On the other hand, how many rich professors are there, who plead their very situations in life, as so many false reasons why they should be gay and splendid, why they should see all sorts of fine company, no matter of whom, why they should have pompous equipage and luxurious tables, and why, in short, they should have every thing in dress, manner, and custom, which their poor, vain, foolish, unmortified flesh can desire to have? They seem not to see, that in all this they are living to themselves or to earth, and not to God or his glory among men. How it is, that they support faith at any rate, with every indulgence and ease to the flesh, with full conformity to the world, and with the entire good opinion of the world I know not; but this I know, that

if the true life be supported amidst so much contagion and disease, it is because all things are possible with God, though with men this, among others, is impossible. I speak not against rank and station, for these are providential appointments and necessary in themselves; but against the abuse of these to pride, sloth, vanity, and all the common evils and excesses of a polluted world. And I believe also, that I do not speak from envy or chagrin; for I really know not the man in this world, with whom I should wish or dare to wish an exchange of situation.

Lord, let me have what is best for my true life and welfare, and that only. Make me contented in thy allotment. I have often been otherwise, and am still prone to desire unnecessary and dangerous things: O forgive me this errorand bundness, and correct the madness of my proud and rebellious heart by the fervent faithful life of thy Holy Spirit. So shall I desire only what will please thee, and be content in my soul either with what thou givest or when thou deniest, however my Besh may strive to murmur and repine. hear me, and let my whole trust, my God, de in thee!

CHAP. XIII.

ON WORLDLY GRANDEUR.

To a Christian, living and walking as becomes his heavenly calling, how poor and creeping, how idle and vain, how foolish and wretched, is the common eager pursuit after high distinctions in the world! They not only come up, and are cut down, like the grass, withering into dust and oblivion; but, while they appear, they are empty and fleeting shadows, or (if it can be conceived) the very "shadows of a shade." If viewed at a distance, they seem solid as a mountain; if embraced closely, they are found but a cloud, Their possessors are poor, because ever in want. One blast of honor will not serve him, that wishes for twò: nor a thousand him, that can hope for more. The dominion of Europe would make a natural man pant for Asia; and he, that cannot be satisfied without an additional province or river, would not be satisfied with this whole world if he had it, but (like Alexander) would grasp after and lament for another. Whatever a natural man hath, it is no matter: He never hath enough; he always wants more. Consequently, he is poor; and he is wretched, because he perpetually feels himself poor. He hath miseries from his poverty, and tor-. ments from his pride.

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