Religion & morality > Human nature in its fourfold state

2c6 The Change fhines forth State III.
• deftroy others, I Cor. viii. 13. Wherefore if meat make
my brother to offend^ I vjW eat no fiefe ■while the world
Jiatideth, left 1 make my brother to offend.
5. In their ufe of lawful comforts, there is a great
change. They relt not in them as their end ; but
ufe them, as means to help them in their way. They
draw their fatisfa£lion from the higher fprings, even
while the lower fprings are running. Thus Hannah
having obtained a fon, rejoiced not fo much in the gift
as in the giver, 1 Sam. ii. 1 rfnd Hannah prayed^ arid (
fiid. My heart rejoiceth in the Lord. Ye,a when the
comforts of life are gone, they can fubfilt without
them, and rejoice in the Lord, altho’ the fig-tree do
not bloflbm, Hab. iii. 17, 18. Grace teacheth to ufe
the conveniences of a prefent life paflingly ; and to
fhew a holy moderation in all things. The heart,
which formerly immerfed itfelf in thefe things without 1
fear, is now ihy of being over-much pleafed with them j
and being apiprehenfive of danger, ufes them warily ;
as the dogs of Egypt run while they lap their water
out of the river Nile, for-fear of the crocodiles that
are in it.
Lajily. This change fhines forth in the man’s per¬
formance of religious duties. He who lived in the
negleft of them, will do f> no more, if once the grace
of God enter into his heart. If a man be new born,
he will defire the fincere milk of the word, 1 Pet. ii.
Whenever the prayerlefs perfon gets the Spirit of]
grace, he will be in him a Spirit of fupplication,
Zech. xii. 10 It is as natural for one that is born
again to fall a-praytng, as for the new hont babe to fall
a-crying, Adds ix. 11. Behold he prayeth. His heart
will be a temple for God, and his houfe a church. His
devotion, which before was fuperficial and formal, is
now fpiritual and lively; forafmuch as heart and
tongue are touched with a live coal from heaven ; and!
he reds not in the mere performing of duties, as care«
fu! only to get his t, fk done; but in every duty feek-
ing communion with God in Chrift, jufily confnlering
them as means apgbinted of God for that end, anti
reckon-