his eye, is ruled by heaven's kuv ; he dares not stej) out of heaven's road to take up a crown, as we see in David's carriage towards Saul. Indeed, in so doing, he should cross himself in his own grand design, which is the glory of God, and the happiness of his own soul in enjoying of him; upon these very terms the servants of God have refused to be rich and great in the world, when either of these lay at stake : Moses threw his court-preferment at his heels, ' refusing to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter.' Abraham scorned to be made rich by the king of Sodom, Gen. xiv. 22, that he might avoid the suspicion of covetousness and self-seeking ; it shall not be said another day, that he came to enrich himself with the spoil, more than to rescue his kinsmen. Nehemiah would not take the tax and tribute to maintain his state, when he knew they were a poor peeled people, ' because of the fear of the Lord.' Dost thou walk bj' this I'ule ? woiddst tliou gather no more estate or honour than thou maj'est have with God's leave, and will stand with thy hopes of heaven ?
Secondly, Dost thou discover a heavenly spirit in using these things ?
First, The saint improves his earthly things for an heavenly end. Where laj'est thou up thj- treasure ? Dost thou bestow it on thy voluptuous appetite, thy hawks and thy hounds ; or lockest thou it up in the bosom of Clu-ist's poor nrembers ? What use makest thou of thy honour and greatness ? To strengthen the hands of the godly or the wicked? And so of all thy other temporal en- joyments. A gracious heart improves them for God ; when a saint prays for these things, he hath an eye to some heavenly end. If David prays for life, it is not that he may live, but * live and praise God,' Psal. cxix. 175. When he was driven from his regal throne by the rebellious arms of Absalom, see what his desire was and hope, 2 Sam. xv. 25 : * The king said to Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city : if I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again, and show me both it and his habitation.' Mark, not show me my crown, my palace, but the ark, the house of God.
Secondly, A gracious heart pursues earthly things with a holy indifference, saving the violence and zeal of his spirit for the things of heaven : he useth the former as if he used them not, with a kind of non-attendance ; his head and heart is taken up with higher matters, how he may please God, thrive in his grace, enjoy more intimate communion with Christ in his ordinances; in these he spreads all his sails, plies all his oars, strains every part and power. Thus we find David upoai his full speed : ' My soul pressed hard after thee,' Psa. Ixiii. And before the ark we find him dancing with all his might. Now a carnal heart is clean contrary : his zeal is for the world, and his indifference in the things of God : he prays as if he did not pray, &c. ; he sweats in his shop, but chills and grows cold in his closet. Oh how hard to pulley him up to a duty of God's wor- ship, or to get him out to an ordinance ! No weather shall keep him from the market ; rain, blow or snow, he goes thither ; but if the chin-ch-path be but a little wet, or the air somewhat cold, it is apology enough for him if his pew be empty. When he is about any worldly business, he is earnest at it, as the idolatrous smith in hammering of his image, ' who (the prophet saith) worketh it with the strength of his arms, yea, he is hungi-y and his strength faileth, he drinketh not, and is faint,' Isa. xliv. 12. So zealous is tlie muckworm in his worldly employments, that he will pinch his carcase, and deny himself his repast in due season, to pursue that ; the kitchen there shall wait on the shop : but in the worship of God, it is enough to make him sick of the sermon, and angry with the preacher, if he be kept beyond his hour ; here the sermon must give place to the kitchen ; so the man for his pleasures and carnal pastime, he tells no clock at his sports, and knows not how the day goes ; when night comes, he is angry that it takes him off: but at any heavenly work, O how is the man punished ! time now hath got leaden heels, he thinks; all he does at a sermon is to tell the clock, and see how the glass runs. If men were not willing to deceive themselves, surely they might know which way their heart goes by the swift motion, or the hard tugging and slow pace it stirs, as well as they know in a boat whether they row against the tide or with it.
Thirdly, The Christian useth these things with a holy fear, lest earth should rob heaven, and his outward enjoyments prejudice his heavenly interest; he eats in fear, works in fear, rejoiceth in his abundance with fear : as Job sancti- fied his children by offering a sacrifice, out of a fear lest they had sinned ; so
158 IN HIGH PLACES; OR,
the Christian is continually sanctifying his earthly enjoyments by prayer, that so he may be delivered from the snare of them.