and abillity he makes Gods will the rule of his and his word the rule of his life God puts every godly man into a general and particular calling and teacheth him how to behave himself in these callings this makes him a man after Gods own heart as David for this cause was so called Acts 13.22 4. Because every godly man is Gods factour he lies ligier for God as Merchants have their factors beyond sea to lie ligier for them to truck and barter for them so doth every godly man for God he trades for him all he can Rom. 14.8 For whether we live we live unto the Lord and whether we die we die unto the Lord Phillip 1.21 For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain that is the end and scope of my life is to honour and exalt Christ 5. Because a godly man is best fitted and prepared for Gods work and service he is one of Gods peculiar people zealous of good works Titus 2.14 Gods work is a pure and cleanly work and should be done with pure hearts and clean hands in the time of Moses Law the Priests onely might offer sacrifice and before they did it they might wash their bodies so a godly man is washt with the bloud of Christ and the grace of the holy Ghost by vertue whereof he is the fittest to do Gods work it is not for slovenly clowns to wait upon great men the work of the devil is filthy nasty and beastly wicked men delight in it and are the fittest for it 6. Because onely the heart of a godly man will bow and bend to Gods work it is a work requiring much labour and self-deniall one must stoop low to take up this burden he that loves God truly loves him with all his heart and strength onely the godly man doth this he that serves God truly is fervent in spirit serving the Lord onely the godly man doth this he that keeps Gods Commandements aright hath respect to all his Commandements and Gods Commandements are not grievous to him onely the godly man doth this The Jews say there be three hundred sixty five negative precepts in the Law according to the number of dayes in the year and two hundred forty eight affirmative commanding precepts according to the number of bones in a mans body whereby they would signifie that we must no day do those things which God hath forbidden and that with all the bones and members of our body we must do all those things which God hath commanded onely the godly man endeavours and desires to do this 7. Because God can trust none but the godly man for the godly man is the faithful man let an hypocrite have excellent parts of knowledge he will set up himself and seek his own ends as the Pharisees Mat. 6. gave almes prayed and fasted but did all to be seen of men like an idle unfaithful servant that works one hour for his master and two for himself but the godly man resolves to defend Gods cause to the utmost of his power and to bring all the glory he can to God Numb 12.7 Moses was said to be faithful in all Gods house the Martyrs would not for fear or favour of the world betray Gods cause but parted with their lives liberties and estates to glorifie Jesus Christ 8. Because none will doe Gods work so well as the godly man none have so much care to please God as he hypocrites slubber over the Lords work in prayer they draw near to God with their lips but their hearts are far from him when they hear his Word their hearts goe after their covetousness in receiving the Lords Supper they discern not the Lords body but receive onely the outward signs but a godly man prayes in prayer as Elias did James 5 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his heart is fixed with David trusting in the Lord in hearing the Word his heart burnes with holy zeal in him he will be careful and studious both to hear the Word and do it in receiving the Lords Supper he will examine himself before he eat of that bread and drink of that cup he will doe Gods work according to Gods will Vse The Uses I shall spin out of the Reasons the first reason is Because every godly man is a god-like man the first Use springing out of this Reason will be for consolation to all that be truly godly its ground of great comfort to thee that thou art like to God now thou mayest be assured of Gods dear love that he hath loved thee with an everlasting love which is better than life likeness is the cause of love this godliness is an infallible fruit of thine election and once elected alwayes beloved as earthly parents most affect those children which resemble them most so will thy heavenly Father exceedingly love thee for being so like to him the world derides and hates thee for godliness but be not dejected for godliness will be thine eternal honour and comfort 2. It may serve for admonition take heed of despising any man for being like to God for in despising him for godliness you despise God because godliness is his image Many excuse themselves and say they hate not a godly man for his godliness but for his hypocrisie I answer 1. Why doest thou not hate hypocrisie in thy self and in others who make no shew of godliness but live in hypocrisie and openly declare it 2. Godliness with some hypocrisie is better than hypocrisie without any godliness at all as corn with chaffe is better than chaffe without corn gold with dross is better than dross without gold you have more reason to love and honour them for their godliness than to hate them for hypocrisie because they hate hypocrisie and strive against it but they love godliness and labour to grow in it 3. It may serve to exhort you all to endeavour to be like to God in godliness both in heart and life Consider 1. what an honour it will be to you it will make your memories blessed when the names of the wicked shall rot very honourable and precious to this day are the names of Abraham for faith Moses for meekness Joseph for chastity Job for patience David for zeal Daniel for integrity of life Paul for love to Christ Peter and Magdalen for godly sorrow 2. Consider what a comfort it will be to your consciences when you follow God as dear children so that God is in you of a truth it was a greater comfort to blessed Hezekiah that he had walked before God in truth with a perfect heart than that he was honourable and wealthy none have so much cause to rejoyce and to be of good chear as the godly man for he is the friend of God his sins are pardoned Christ is his treasure the holy Ghost is his Comforter and heaven is his inheritance Psalm 32.11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoyce ye righteous and shout for joy all ye that are upright in
heart Vse 2. I told you the second reason was because every godly man sets his heart upon God The Uses arising out of this Reason serve first for information to let us see the reason why Gods children enjoy such precious peace of conscience and rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory namely because they set their hearts on God and their entire love to him will assure them of his eternal love to them Prov. 8.17 I love them that love me now this is the principal ground of true peace and joy worldly favour makes carnal people merry outwardly and feeds them with vain hopes it makes them build Castles in the air and puts them into a fooles paradise but the assurance of Gods love fills the heart of the upright with such joy as no man can take from them John 16.22 wicked men may take their lives from them their estates from them their liberty from them but true peace and joy they cannot take from them for they set their hearts on the God of hope who fills them with joy and peace 2. It may inform us one reason why Gods children will not be drawn away from him and his wayes because their hearts are set upon God and they account it their best way to draw near to God all the wealth and honour of Egypt could not draw Moses from God and his People the King of Babylon with all his power terrour and pollicy could not make the three Children worship his Idol nor restrain Daniel from praying to God 3. It serves to exhort you all to get your hearts fixed on God let out all your love to him in as ample a manner as you can let your love be so hot as many waters cannot never quench it nor flouds drown it To move you to it consider first how infinitely amiable and perfect God is when you understand that from everlasting to everlasting he is God without beginning mutation and end strive to love this eternal God when you consider that God fils heaven and earth yea inhabiteth eternity no place can comprehend his incomprehensible essence set your selves to love this omni-present God when you see how easily powerfully and wisely God made heaven and earth with all things else strive to love this omnipotent God when you see how God pitties releives and succours his people in their misery and gives them help in their time of need O set your heartiest love upon this merciful God 2. Consider how eternally and unchangeably he hath loved thee Jerem. 31.3 I have loved thee with an everlasting love before thou wast born he loved thee yea when thou wast his enemy he loved thee and he will love thee for ever nothing in this world nor in the world to come shall separate thee from his love 3. Consider what comfort thou shalt have by loving God 1 John 4.16 God is love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him happy is that soul that hath such a guest for God will make any place a heaven to it Prov. 8.17 I love them that love me thy true love to him will assure thee of his love to thee which worldly wealth and honour cannot do Psalm 91.14 Because he hath set his love upon me therefore will I deliver him God will be thy defence against danger he will be a wall of fire about thee Rom. 8.28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God nothing shall fall out amiss to thee but God by his wisdom and power will give thee an holy comfortable use of all mercies with an holy use of and a comfortable issue out of all miseries Vse 3 I told you the third Reason was because the godly man indeavours to do every thing that God commands him The Uses springing out of this reason serve first to inform us the reason why the godly man is a man after Gods own heart namely because he sets himself to do all Gods will for this cause David was so called Acts 13.22 I have found David the son of Jesse a man after mine own heart which shall fulfil all my will O that every one of us had an heart to do all Gods will then we should be such as God would have us to be a hypocrite doth but some part of Gods commands therefore he is not a man after Gods own heart 2. It informes us one Reason is why God so willingly heares and grants the prayers of his people that is because they indeavour to do all Gods commands 1 John 3.22 And whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his commandement and do those things which are pleasing in his sight Humanity teacheth friends to grant one anothers suits when they please one another much more will the God of nature grace and glory graciously answer the prayers of his people that study to please him 2. It serves to exhort us to endeavour to do all that God requires us to do Motives 1. All his commands are holy just and good Rom. 7.12 Prov. 30 5. Every word of God is pure though carnal nature may cavil against some of Gods commands because they crosse it yet there is no defect in them but the Law of the Lord is perfect 2. To do all Gods will is the ready way to prosperity Job 36.11 If they obey and serve him they shall spend their dayes in prosperity and their yeares in pleasures God is the best Master to serve his work is the best and his pay is the best And above all Gods commandements I exhort you all to keep the Lords day holy because he in the fourth Commandement bids us remember to keep it holy 2. Because in Isaiah 58.13 14. he makes it an excellent way of honouring him and promiseth spiritual and temporal prosperity to such as do it but if that place be meant of an extraordinary Sabbath that is a fast appointed by man then doubtless the Lord would have us much more keep holy the ordinary Sabbath appointed by God If any object Col. 2.16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of an holy day or of the new moon or of the Sabbath dayes verse 17. which are a shadow of things to come c. I answer he meanes he would not have them observe the Jewish ceremonial Sabbaths of dayes as the three great feasts Passover Pentecost and Tabernacles and the feast of blowing the trumpets and the feast of expiation he would not have them observe the Sabbath of yeares which was every seventh year Levit. 25,4 5 6. nor the Sabbath of sevens of years the Jubile verse 8 9 10 11. which returned every fiftieth year but he speaks not here of the Sabbath day that is morall 1. Because the word is in the plural number Sabbaths 2. If he had meant the moral Sabbath and consequently the Lords day now observed then it would follow that it is unlawful to observe the
like to flames of fire and will espie out your naughtiness for he is of purer eyes than to behold evil and cannot look on iniquity though you foolish Atheists say in your hearts there is no God and therefore are corrupt and do abominably yet the Lord looks down from heaven upon you and will reward you accordingly 3. I told you in the third place that a Christian walks with God by referring all his actions to Gods glory This Use still serves to reprove such as walk not thus with God very few aim at this most noble end though they were made for it the most look at their own ends at their own profit own pleasure at their own credit and honour to be seen of men and to be commended by others doubtless this is one reason why there is so much hypocrisie and so little sincerity if all men would earnestly seek the glory of God in all their wayes and actions there would be no hypocrites for this is a sure mark of an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile doubtless this disrepect of Gods glory is the cheif cause of so much contention and division about Religion and worldly matters this is it that hinders reformation every where if Gods glory were dearer to all of us we should agree better in points of godliness we should not so easily rush into such frivolous sutes and quarrels about a little white and yellow earth Consider this you self-seeking hypocrites who look onely at your own ends because you seek not now to glorifie God he will except you amend curse your posterity he will cause your name and memory to rot you shall have no solid comfort here nor eternal peace hereafter Remember Jeroboam the Son of Nebat who made Israel to sin he sought his own ends in setting up Calves at Dan and Bethel but this renderd him odious ever after Remember John in throwing down Baals Idolatry he sought his own ends he aimed not at Gods glory his hypocrisie was at last detected and accordingly rewarded Remember Balaam went with Balacks Messengers nay he went in pretended obedience to Gods Command but he aimed at his own ends he went for the wages of unrighteousness then the Lords anger was kindled against him and afterwards he perished by the sword Remember Judas served Christ but it was for his own ends to get money he repined at Mary when she annointed Christs feet pretending that ointment might have been sold for much and be given to the poor not that he cared for the poor but because he was a theif and bare the bag but his hypocrisie could not long lurk in secret at last he sold his Master for thirty silverlings which amounts to three pounds and fifteen shillings then fell into despair and hanged himself and his belly burst and his bowels fell out signifying that such a wretched miscreant was unworthy to be born into this world and because he had no bowels of love to his Master his bowels burst and fell out Now all these things happened unto them for examples and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed least he fall 4. I told you in the fourth place that a Christian walkes with God by an exact imitation of God according to the rules of his Word This Use still serves to reprove all such as walk not with God this way the most follow the multitude to do evil but alas how few follow God the vain customs of the countrey and the idle traditions of many of our ancestors are in greater request with many than the Scripture reprove divers people for notorious vices out of the Scripture yet they alledge they do but as the most and according to the fashions of the times but know that if you will do as the most you are like to be hereafter where the most must be and that is not in heaven I am sure exhort divers to necessary duties of godliness with Scripture Arguments tell them they must be followers of God as dear children in these and these graces they alledge that this is not in request with many there are but few that take this way they think they may save all this pains and yet do well enough Oh what enemies are the most to themselves they follow the devil and know it not he leads them hoodwinkt to destruction Look about you notorious sinners many of you have followed Satan forty fifty or sixty yeares by living in ignorance and all manner of prophaneness you cry God forbid But I say whom do you serve and follow when you swear lie steal are drunk prophane the Sabbath prate against godliness I appeal to your consciences do you think you serve God and imitate him where did the Lord ever teach you these sins flatter not your selves you follow Satan and to him you must go at last if you repent not in time 5. I told you in the fifth place that a Christian walks with God by daily observing the passages of his providence to him whether of mercy or justice this Use still serves to reprove all such as walk not with God this way when the hand of God is lifted up they will not see neither will they behold the Majesty of the Lord if he send them many blessings they sacrifice to their net and burn incense to their drag they thank their own wit strength industry and care if God afflict them with miseries they impute all to luck chance and fortune this Atheistical blockishness keeps them from true repentance for they turn not to him that smites them understand ye brutish among the people and ye fools when will ye be wise If now ye will not take notice of divine providence you shall hereafter be forced to acknowledge the hand of his justice when you shall lie perpetually under the weight of his wrath I told you in the sixt place that a Christian walks with God by having his conversation in heaven This Use still serves to reprove all such as walk not with God this way many men have some cold lazy wishes after heaven desiring to be thereafter death but they have no heart after heavenly things now in their life it s to be feared they have no treasure in heaven because their hearts are not there for where their treasures are their hearts will be there also they desire heaven for the happiness of it but if they were there a while they could not long endure to be there for the extraordinary holiness of it a unworthy are many to be men and women to have reasonable soules because they pitch their thoughts daily upon this worldly pelfe the world ingrosseth their thoughts worde and deeds they have no leasure to meditate on Gods Law nor to discourse about spirituall things how skilful are they to drive a trade and how eager are they in pursuit of worldly profit but in heavenly matters they
are as silly as little Infants such as these are penny wise and pound foolish and if they look not to it in time they will one day lament their folly in that they had no more care over their soules when they come to find this true by their own experience that it will be no profit to gain the world and to loose ones soul 7. I told you in the seventh place that a Christian walks with God by frequent and servent prayer expecting an answer to it This Use still serves to reprove all such as call not upon the Lord they performe some lip-labour uttering some cold wishes but they know not how to pour out their soules in zealous suites it seems their hearts were never broken with greif and sorrow for sin because they never had the Spirit of grace and supplication poured upon them if they draw neer God with their lips their heart is farre from him oh how weary are they of prayer and other holy duties Certainly they will never indure to be in heaven for there is everlasting singing of Hallelujah without ceasing if the Lords service here tire them out in two or three houres much more will they be weary of being in heaven so holy a place Consider this you ungodly wretches who have opened your mouths in swearing and cursing and ungodly talking against the way of holiness and blaspheming of God but could never to this day pour out a fervent prayer to God doubtless God will not hold you guiltless for these sins but in the day that he visits he will visit these sins upon you you hypocrites you generation of vipers how hard will it be for you to escape the damnation of hell you are quickly weary of the Lords service and cry what a weariness is it but you are not weary of your sins look to it betime and have a care to amend or else these great sinnes will burden your soules and lie very heavy upon them when you die 8. I told you in the eighth place that a Christian walks with God by the life of faith This Use still serves to reprove all such as walk not with God this way this life of faith is a riddle and a mystery to the most few understand and practise it the most men live by their wits shifts and policy but to live by faith in God they know not they say they beleived ever since they could remember but that was not in God for if God deprive them of his blessings and afflict them with miseries they presently distrust repine and run to unlawful meanes they can trust God no farther than they see him helping them with second meanes but if outward meanes be gone their faith is gone also so they trust not God but the meanes these do much offend God by distrust and unbeleif as the Israelites did in Psal 78. Vse The next Use is for comfort to all such as walk with God 1. I told you in the first place that a Christian walks with God by acquainting himself with God and being at peace with him This Use serves to comfort all such as walk thus with God happy are you in any condition God shall lead you into you may look upward with joy for though men frown at you yet the Lord from heaven smiles upon you you having peace with God shall have peace in your own consciences which will do you more good than millions of gold you shall have peace with the blessed Angels they shall pitch their Tents about you for your safety as when one is at peace with the Master of a family his servants are ready to do him good you shall have peace with other creatures Job 5.23 Thou shalt 〈◊〉 in league with the stones of the field and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee 〈◊〉 is the portion of all such as are at peace with God this honour have all the Saints 2. I told you in the second place that a Christian walkes with God by doing all his actions as in Gods sight and presence This Use still serves for consolation to all such as walk thus with God two priviledges belong to all such Psalm 16.9 11. The first is in verse 9. Therefore mine heart is glad and my glory that is my tongue rejoyceth This will be a matter of great joy unto thee to have God thy dearest freind ever in thine eye Jacob had enough when he saw Joseph thou hast enough in seeing thy heavenly father thou livest as do the glorious Angels for they continually behold the face of our Father in heaven God is ever within the sight of your faith and within the cry of your prayers Jacob having seen Christ and wrastled with him was filled with joy saying I have seen God face to face and my life is preserved he had special assurance of protection against Esau his fury by the clear sight of Christ which made him exceeding joyful The next priviledge is verse 11. Thou wilt shew me the path of life God is the good mans guide the closer you walk with him the surer he will guide you to glory as the Star led the wise men to Christ and as the Cloud conducted the Israelites from Egypt to Canaan so God will never leave thee untill he hath brought thee to heaven the wicked wander in the darkness and stumble but you that walk with God walk uprightly and surely you avoid many sins and punishments which others run into blessed are you dear souls that ever God inclined your hearts to walk with him 3. I told you in the third place that a Christian walks with God by doing all his actions to Gods glory This Use still serves to comfort all such as walk with him after this manner you blessed Christians who look at this noble end you may confidently expect a noble end of your lives even glory honour and immortal life in another world so did our blessed Saviour John 17.45 I have glorified thee on the earth and now O Father glorfie thou me with thine own self God will honour you that honour him both here but chiefly hereafter the men of this world will speak all manner of evill of you falsly but God with whom you walk will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your judgement as the noon day you are here defamed and reputed as the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things yet by advancing the glory of God your memory shall be blessed when the name of your enemies shall rot 4. I told you in the fourth place that a Christian walks with God by a strict imitation of God according to his word This Use still serves to comfort all such as walk with God this way herein lies your happiness in that you resemble God the most perfect example which will move him to love you most dearly for likeness is the cause of love this is the reason why the righteous is more excellent than
his neighbour as Solomon speaks Prov. 12.26 because he is so like to God he is made a partaker of the divine nature which is the highest priviledge in the world by vertue whereof a godly man being a god-like man is worth ten thousand reprobates Christ would not part with such an one for all the wealth in the world You heaven-born Saints who walk with God by imitating him his heart stands most to you and he will own you for his at the last day when others shall be rejected and condemned 5. I told you in the fifth place that a Christian walks with God by his daily observing the passages of divine providence whether of mercy or justice This Use still serves to comfort all such as walk with God this way happy are you that are thus qualified God hath opened your eyes to see the holy One of Israel you may see many tokens of Gods favour to you which will confirm your faith in his promise and providence Isai 26.8 In the way of thy judgements have we waited for thee you wait for God in the way of his judgements therefore he will meet you in every cross and sanctifie it to you that it shall leave you better than it found you he will mitigate the smart of his rods to you and enable you to bear them and at last he will give a gracious issue out of all crosses Psalm 123.2 So our eyes wait upon the Lord our God untill that he have mercy upon us you gracious Christians wait for the Lord in the way of his mercies likewise doubtless mercies shall be mercies indeed to you you may see love in a little you may perceive the love of God in small favours because the mercies of God come to you by the merit of Christs bloud and through the conduit pipe of divine promises you walking so exactly with God he sends you many blessings in his special providence to maintain you in your journey until you come to heaven where you shall have enough 6. I told you in the sixth place that a Christian walks with God by having his conversation in heaven This Use still serves to comfort such as have their conversation there you sweet soules you may expect your Saviour confidently to come from thence to change your vile bodies and to make them like to his glorious body oh blessed are you that ever you were born but especially that ever you were born again you shall flourish like the tree planted by the water side you shall bring forth fruit in season your leaf shall not wither and whatever you do it shall prosper you live more like blessed Angels than men upon earth your life must needs be the sweetest life of all for you converse with Christ and are most inward with God you taste those sweet comforts and have a glimpse of those glorious joyes which the earth-worms of this world never see I am perswaded you would not change conditions with the wealthiest worldling upon earth I honour your holiness I admire your happiness 7. I told you in the seventh place that a Christian walks with God by fervent and frequent prayer expecting an answer This Use still serves to comfort all such as walk thus with God you may take much comfort to your selves in that God hath given you the spirit of supplication your prayers are sweet musick and delightful melody in Gods eares so Christ speaks to his Church Cant. 2.14 O my dove that art in the clefts of the rock in the secret places of the staires let me see thy countenance let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely A father delights more to hear the pratling of his little child than the bawling of many beggars at the door God regards not the howling of hypocrites but for you that walk with God your prayers are as sweet incense in his nostrils though you chatter like a Swallow and cruttle like a Turtle yet the Spirit helps your infirmities and God who knows the meaning of the Spirit accepts of your desires though you can utter but non-sense in words and broken English yet God will make good sense of your suits because he delights in them Prayer is a corner of heaven to you your petitions shall not come weeping home for want of answer but God will fulfill the desire of them that fear him he will hear their cry and will save them for he is nigh unto them that call upon him in truth 8. I told you in the eighth place that a Christian walks with God by the life of faith This Use still serves to comfort all such as walk with God after this manner You blessed Christians that live by trust and confidence in God you live the surest life for comfort of all people in the world you are seated upon the Rock of eternity let the world be changed and turned upside down yet you stand safe you may see the rising and falling of many but you shall hold your hold for you have the surest hand hold by the hand of faith upon Gods all-sufficiency that is in the world when the creature is drawn dry and these broken cisterns can hold no water of consolation for you then shall your faith find super-abundant comfort in God the fountain of living waters Habak 3.17.18 Although the fig-tree shall not blossome neither shall fruit be in the vines the labour of the olive shall fail and the fields shall yeild no meat the stock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no heard in the stals yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation the holy Prophet foreseeing by the Spirit the fearful desolation that the Babylonians should make in the Jews Nation comforts himself and other true beleivers in this that when all livelihood is wasted and outward maintenance perished when the Babylonian had plundered their Nation had not left them an house to dwell in nor any provision to nourish and releive them yet by the strength of his faith he assures both himself and others of comfort provision and nourishment enough in God The life of faith is a most secure life when a man by reason of want is ready to sink then faith holds the head above water and makes one to see contraries in contraries as fulness in want health in sickness life in death vivitur ingenio is the life of worldly men but vivitur fide is the life of righteous Saints Vse The last Use serves for exhortation to stir us up to walk with God as Enoch did 1. I told you that a Christian walks with God by acquainting himself with God and being at peace with him This life serves to exhort us all to walk with God this way consider the pathetical motives the Holy Ghost useth in Job 22.24 c. Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brook Ophir was a
of heaven gates to unlock them this is a sign of Gods great favour to you when he graciously heares and grants your suits it s a sure sign of an upright heart hating all sin Psalm 66.18 If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me verse 19. But verily God hath heard me therefore he might safely conclude he regarded not iniquity in his heart friends will say to one another you shall prevail with me sooner than others shall I will do more for you than for others doubtless its a sign you are good friends when you find good hearing and granting your prayers so our Saviour cals them friends Iohn 15.14 15. 2. You shall abide in the love of God Iohn 15.10 If ye keep my commandements ye shall abide in my love even as I have kept my Fathers commdements and abide in his love what greater happiness can you desire in this world you need not fear the malice and fury of devils and wicked men you need not fear famine sword pestilence poverty nor death it self whilest you abide in the love of God his loving kindness will be better to you than life for in his love is life yea it is better than wine his love will make every thing work together for your good it will sweeten crosses and want to you what if you loose your outward estate your liberty your favour with the world yea your bodily life for Christ yet your continuing in Gods love will make amends for all it will repair your losses renew your comforts establish your hearts in grace and promote you to glory you cannot be in a better condition than to abide in the love of God 3. Christ will present you glorious to God Ephes 5.26 27. That he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish as if he had said that he might sanctifie and cleanse it by his holy Spirit working in us by his Word and by his Sacrament of baptisme as the meanes thereof that he might present it to himself a glorious Church c. Christ presents his Church to God at three several times The first time was when he was upon the cross 1 Peter 2.24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree c. for he died for all the elect and the Lord said upon him the iniquities of them all the merit of his bloud then shed and the power of his death extends to all the elect from the beginning of the world to the end of it and God looks upon them washt with that bloud and reconciled to himself by his death The second time is from his death to the end of the world now he is interceding in heaven Rom. 8.34 Who also maketh intercession for us Christ is our intercessour four wayes 1. By appearing for us in the sight of God Hebr. 9.24 he is gone before us to prepare a place for us John 14.2 and Hebr. 6.20 Whether the fore-runner is for us entred even Jesus c. 2. By the force of his sacrifice once offered to make full satisfaction to Gods justice Hebr. 10 12 14. Christ presents his merits as a publick satisfaction for the debt of sin and as a publike price for the purchase of glory for the justice of God was not to be intreated or pacified without a satisfaction and therefore where Christ is called an Advocate he is called a propitiation too 1 Iohn 2.1 2. because he intercedes for us in the right and vertue of the price which he payed for the Lord spared not his Son Rom. 8.32 but dealt in the full rigour of his justice with him 3. By his constant will that for the merit of that sacrifice God would be pacified to wards the elect Hebr. 10.10 Iohn 17.24 4. By the assent and agreement of the Father resting in this will of his Son for us Iohn 11.42 Math. 17.5 The third time is at the day of judgement when he will say Behold I and the children which thou hast given me then the dead in Christ shall rise first then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord then Christ will say to his true Members Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world then shall true Christians have boldness in the day of judgement 1 Iohn 4.17 because as he is so are we in this world that is our hearts tell us that we desire to be every way conformable to his will labouring towards that holiness and perfection which it in him we are as Christ was in this world when by the mortification of our sins we represent Christ dying for us and by true brotherly love we come as neer to him as we can 3. I told you in the third place that Christ washeth us with his precious bloud This Use still serves to comfort all that be so washed these blessed priviledges belong to you First it s a sure sign that Jesus Christ hath loved you Revel 1.5 Vnto him that hath loved us and washed us in his own bloud If he had not loved thee he would not have washt thee this is thy great honour and comfort to be beloved of him it is a true proverb he is rich whom God loves and poor who God hates the love of Christ is better than wine it s the ground of all other comforts thou needest not fear the malice of devils and wicked men for the love of Christ can do more for thee than their malice can do against thee devils are mighty wicked men are mighty and sinnes are mighty but Christ is Almighty for he is God over all blessed for ever neither can any thing separate thee from his love Romans 8. last 2. A second priviledge is thou art a spiritual King and a Priest Revel 1.6 And hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father that is as he redeemed us by his bloud so he hath regenerated us by his Spirit 1 Iohn 5.6 and made us Kings to rule over the devil the world and the flesh and priests to offer up to God the personal sacrifice of our selves Rom. 12.1 the verbal sacrifice of praise and reall sacrifice of almes Hebr. 13.15 16. what though thy outward estate be mean and low thou art nothing set by yet thou art honourable because thou art precious in Gods sight Eccles 10.7 I have seen servants upon horses and Princes walking as servants upon the earth yet they are Princes still for the righteous though he be low and contemned is better than his rich neighbour that is wicked and leud though the world look upon thee with scorn and hatred yet God and his glorious