CHAPTER XXV.

On Retirement.

WHATEVER is a man's first great business in life, that he will pursue most, and desire to study with the least interruption and disorder. A man of this world hath his heart in the world; but a Christian gets as much as possible into heavenly things, because his heart and his treasure are in heaven.

The God of wisdom himself hath said, that no man can serve him and mammon. We have but one heart, which we cannot divide; and, if it were possible, 66 a heart, and a heart," or a heart divided, would be a hateful offering to the Most High.

There is no Christian but who feels and bewails how often his common affairs draw off his mind from his best affairs, and throw him into dulness and distraction. He feels and bewails this because he is a Christian, and because his best affections are somewhere else. His grief is not so much, that he must apply himself to social duties, which are indispensable to every one according to his place under Providence, but that he cannot carry more of the true spirit and unction of religion into them. Could they be more and more sanctified by the word of God and prayer,. and could his mind be more delivered from the worldliness both of them and of those with whom he must have to do, they would grow into a kind of holy ordinances to him, and, instead of hindering his

faith, would improve his joy. We forget to bring religion into our common course of life; and so that course is suffered to bring its own punishment and trouble upon us. A Christian, living like a Christian in his outward profession, is far more in the way of rendering glory to God, and of doing good to men, than a hermit, who doeth nothing in his wilderness but seek himself; or a monk, who, by the torture of his body, thinks to work out his own righteousness, by which to merit heaven. The true retirement is retiring from the sinful customs and spirit of this world, and giving up the soul to God in all things.

Having said this, it is also right to say, that there should be hours of secret retirement to every Christian, if possible; or, at least, as much time as possible, for prayer, meditation, and reading, upon the things of God. Where this time is through necessity short, as it often must be among the poor, who generally are God's own rich ones; still the retired believer, in the midst of any or of all his business, may now and then sweetly dart up his soul to God in fervent ejaculations, which will keep up the true frame of his mind, and draw down many comforts from above. These short and silent breathings will show a lover's heart, and prove, that, whatever may employ his hands, his mind is truly engaged for heaven.

Where circumstances of life, and the capacity of persons, will admit of farther separation from the world, it will be right, because advantageous, to use it. The retirement, however, must be for God, and

not for self; in the spirit of religion, and not of laziness; to be more quickened for heaven, and not to be more useless earth. Hence it will be seen, upon that all Christians are neither called to, nor fit for, an entire seclusion from the world: their habits, dispositions, abilities, and occupations of life, render it improper for them.

When a Christian can fill up all his retirement with the things of God, and for his glory, with no just demand upon him from secular affairs, it is certainly a most high and desirable privilege. Such a one may and ought to further himself in knowledge, and devote all he knows, through grace, to the glory of God, and the edification of men. Leisure is abused when employed in tattle and dissipation, as it often is; and the abuser had much better be engaged in some active calling and employment.

To retire indeed unto God, is the most severe and solemn, business in the world. It is a sort of middle state between heaven and earth, which no carnal mind can either understand or love. The froth and levity of the flesh must be subdued, else all the retirement will end in vanity. Humble and ardent prayer should begin the day, the study or the exercise of gracious things should carry it on; some intervals must be found for supplications and praise; strict watchfulness and trials must be continually made upon the heart; and growing meetness for death and heaven must appear in the life, and no rest be taken at night, but after humble prayer and surrender of all into the hands of God, for time and eternity. A true retired Christian is more careful

of his time than any other man, because he can spend it more preciously. He thinks it a sad loss to throw away hours, which might have been employed in the works or word of God.

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When the truly retired Christian is alone, he is, as one says, never less alone;" for God is with him, and in him of a truth. He not only goeth into his study or his closet, but gets within himself, into the closet of his heart, and watches all the motions of nature and grace. Thus in time he becomes truly learned in that most difficult subject-his own self.

When we talk much with others, it is hardly possible, in a nature so fallen and corrupt as ours, not to talk amiss. But when we commune with God, he speaketh so with us, as to give an increase of wisdom and grace, with much solid refreshment of mind. His word and will, become plain and familiar to our souls; we enter into the spirit of his and our ways; spirits feel many undoubted proofs, both of their own immortality, and of the great blessedness of approaching glory. This, wherever it abounds, deadens the affection of a Christian to the low and vain discourse of the world; renders him more happy in, and fit for, his retirement, and enlivens his hopes for God and heaven. What improvement thus to live! What blessedness thus to die!

Many retire, that they may see and hear more of the world, and be entertained with its novelties or news: but the believer would withdraw to dive more fully into himself, as into a subject deep and little known, and to be more acquainted with his Re

deemer in all the wonders and manifestations of his. grace. It is a day lost indeed, when he obtains no prospect of heaven, or hath made no steps to

wards it.

If a man doth not thus retire, he only opens a wide door to all sorts of temptations to rush in upon him. So very few are fitted for, or called to this kind of leisure, (though by abuse only it becomes leisure,) that God, in his wisdom, hath appointed so much corporeal employment in the world, even for his own children. As the earth would be more an Aceldama, or field of blood, than it is, but for necessary labours, which call away, in some respect or other, almost all men; so the church itself would be more defiled, and individuals more unholy, than they are already, if manual or active duties did not take up the greatest part of their time,

I have known many professors, and some of an order too, which should have engaged them entirely in things divine, who have wasted, in frivolous discourses, mean pursuits, idle engagements, and other sad dissipations, large portions of that time which should have been devoted to studious improvement, serious conversation, or active piety. Vessels thus ever running out, how and when can they be filled? And what have they for others, who lay up so little for themselves?

O Lord, help me to retire indeed, but yet chiefly for thee, and for greater communion with thee! When I find thee not in my heart, it is hard and darkened when thou art not in my closet, it is either full of confusion as a market, or it is desert