Christian must labor to have his speech as contracted as can be, in the things of this earth; and even in divine things, our words should be few and wary. In speaking of the greatest things, it is a great point of wisdom not to speak much. That is David's resolution, to keep silence, especially before the wicked, who came to visit him, probably, when he was sick while they were there, he held a watch before his lips, to speak nothing of God's hand on him, lest, they should have mistaken him. And a man may have some thoughts of divine things, that it were very impertinent to speak out indifferently to all sorts even of good persons. This is a talkative age, and people contract a faculty to speak much in matters of religion, though their words for the most part be only the productions of their own brain; little of these things in their hearts. Surely, speeches of this kind are as bad as any, when holy things are spoken of with a notional freedom, where there is nothing but empty words. They who take themselves to solitude, choose the best and easiest part, if they have a warrant so to do; for this world is a tempestuous sea, in which there are many rocks, and a great difficulty it is to steer this little helm aright amidst them. However the Apostle James makes it a great character of a Christian's perfection: If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man. But where is that man? Seeing we find men generally, and most of all ourselves, so far from this, it can not choose but work this, to stir up ardent desires in us, to be removed to that blessed society where there shall be never a word amiss, nor a word too much.

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth.-Col. iii. 1, 2.

IN the duties now to be considered, we are required to fix our thoughts and love on things above, and to withdraw them from things on the earth.

First. Set your affections on things above. The Greek word, phroneite, rendered in our translation set your affection, embraces two acts; the act of the mind or of the understanding reflecting about any thing; and the act of the will and affections approving

and loving any thing. Therefore, the apostle would have us raise our minds to heaven, and perpetually have those things above at heart; neither that alone, but that we should ardently love those things, and fix our affection upon them. Unless we join these two, no one will prepare to seek heavenly things; for there is no desire of a thing unknown. It is, therefore, necessary to know, and frequently to revolve in mind, these heavenly things; for no one seeks that about which he thinks not. But neither is it sufficient to think, unless it is done with love and affection; for nothing is sought by us except that which is desired and loved. Bernard truly observed, "The understanding and the affection in men are sometimes opposed to each other, so that the one knows and approves the things which are above, although the other is found to desire the things on earth." When that happens, the mind is distracted and torn away, not excited to seek. Hence it is that Paul exhorts us not only to know, but to savor the things which are above. Hence we learn:

1. That it is the duty of a pious and Christian man, always to have in mind that heavenly kingdom, and those heavenly good things which relate to the attainment of it. We observe this in Abraham, the father of the faithful, of whom the apostle testifies, that he looked for a city which hath foundations. This we read of the Christians of the primitive church, who had this kingdom above so frequently in their minds and discourse, that from thence they fell under the suspicion, among the heathen, of aiming at the sovereignty.

2. It is also their duty who hope they shall obtain eternal blessedness, to order the course of their life according to heavenly considerations; and to judge of all matters with a constant reference to these supernal things: for this is effectually to savor the things above, to be so affected by their excellency and sweetness, as to thirst for them with an insatiable desire, and refer all things to the attainment of them. The psalmist felt this love in his heart, and well expressed it, As the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. Hence we may conclude, that all they who promise themselves the happiness above, when, in the mean while, they do not at all savor the things above, are delighted by a certain pleasing dream, and never will be satisfied with those things, because they were never

wont to thirst or hunger for them at heart. The last branch of this exhortation remains.

Secondly. Set not your affection on things on the earth. The apostle calls all those things, in which the kingdom of God does not consist, things on the earth; as riches, pleasures, honors; and I add, in fine, those ceremonies and observances which centre in things earthly and corporeal: for this exhortation being drawn from our death and resurrection with Christ, it shows all those things to be of no esteem. But now they are said to savor of or seek earthly things, who place their happiness in these things, who by these earthly blessings, as they are called, are influenced in all their judgments and decisions. These sensualities are well depicted by the apostle, in Phil. iii. 18, 19: Many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is their shame: who mind earthly things. They were men of this kind whom our Saviour censured in his parable, Luke xiv., because, while they regarded fields, oxen, and wives, altogether neglected the call of salvation.

Hence we may observe,

1. That no one can savor of things heavenly and things of the earth at the same time. For if this could be done, there would have been no need of this clause denying and forbidding it; but it would have been sufficient to have said, set your affection on things above, without its being added, and not on things on the earth. But that saying of the Saviour is true, No man can serve two masters. If, therefore, we be slaves to our earthly desires, we shall never be watchful to promote our salvation. The poet therefore sang, Our bosoms do not admit two cares; and the apostle said, foolish and hurtful lusts drown men in perdition.

2. We must observe, that Paul forbids us to seek and savor earthly things, he does not forbid us to use earthly things, much less, indeed, to obtain them. We can not live without the use of earthly things; but they would not serve for necessary uses, unless they were before acquired. Therefore, to seek and effect them, means in this place, to desire them with the whole heart, with every labor and industry: and to acquiesce in those things as in the greatest good. This carnal and worldly men do, what

ever they pretend: this is evinced by their coveting these earthly things in every way and without measure. Now it is plain, that that is sought and proposed as their sole end, which is sought immeasurably for in that which is sought on account of some end, a measure is admitted in proportion to the end.

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3. We may add a reason why it is not fit to affect earthly things, but those alone which are above; and that twofold. One taken from the vanity of these things; for earthly things "can not impart satisfaction to him that hath them, nor support to him that rests upon them, nor profit to him who labors for them." What then shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? The other from their contrariety to true and heavenly pleasures. For, as the heavenly manna failed after the children of Israel had eaten of the fruits of the earth; so the sweetness of spiritual pleasure is not perceived by those who have a longing after these earthly things. Whence said Augustine, "If the mind hath delight from what is external, it will remain without delight from what is internal." The Christian pilgrim's home is there, where are the things above.

"His freed affections rise,

To fix on things above,

Where all his hope of glory lies,

Where all is perfect love.

"There we our treasure place;

There let our hearts be found;

That still, where sin abounded, grace
May more and more abound."

OCTOBER 22.

REYNOLDS.

Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ.-Phil. i. 27.

THE gospel of Christ is a sacred thing, and those who profess to have received the gospel, should honor it by a sacred conversation. All the principles of the gospel tend to holiness, and no life is such as becomes the gospel, which hath not on it the stamp of holiness. And if Christians would have the joy of the gospel, they must honor it by a suitable conversation. There are several weighty considerations, which should urge us to live worthy of the gospel of Christ :

First. In point of honor, we should learn to walk as becometh the gospel; for the gospel is a Christian's glory, and therefore ought to be preserved in his heart, as his chiefest privilege. The Spirit of God will not endure to have holy things profaned, as if they were common or unclean. Belshazzar converted the consecrated vessels of the temple into instruments of luxury and intemperance; but the Lord tempered his wine with dregs, and made them prove unto him as cups of trembling and astonishment. Herod polluted the sepulchres of the saints with a sacrilegious search of treasures, presumed to have been there hidden, and God made fire to rise there out of the earth, to devour the over-busy searchers. Antiochus ransacked the temple of the Lord; Heliodorus emptied the treasuries of their consecrated moneys; Pompey defiled the Sabbath and the sanctuary; Crassus robbed the house of God of ten thousand talents. But inquire into the event of these insolences; and we shall find that true then, of which later ages have given many examples, and are still likely to give more, that stolen bread hath gravel in it to choke those that devour it,-that ruin is ever the child of sacrilege, that mischief sets a period to the lives and designs of profane men. Now then, if the Lord were thus jealous for the types of his gospel, how, think ye, can he endure to see the gospel itself dishonored by an unsuitable profession, or the blood of the covenant trampled under foot, as if it were a common or unclean thing? In the contempt of the gospel, there is more dishonor done to every person of the blessed Trinity, than can be by any other sin. An undervaluing of the Father's wisdom, that great mystery and counsel of redemption, which was hidden from former ages: and what indignity is it to him, for a man to shut out the light of the sun, that so he may enjoy that pitiful benefit of darkness, to gaze upon the false glistering of rotten wood, or earthly slime, the deceit whereof would be by the true light discovered? An undervaluing of his wonderful love, as if he had put himself to a needless compassion, and might have kept it still in his own bosom ;-a scorn unto the Son of God, when we suffer him to stand at our doors, with his locks wet with the dew of heaven; to empty, to humble, to deny himself, to suffer the wrongs of men, and the wrath of God; and after all this, to have that precious blood, which was pressed out with such woful agonies, counted no other than the blood of a common