A Help to Holy Walking, Treatise · Chapter 1
CHAP. I. Motives to holy Dutyes.
HAving in a former, Treatiſe handled the Doctrine of holy walking, and ſhewed the excellency and neceſſity of it, and given you Marks and Motives to perſwade you to it, and Directions in it, and anſwered the Objections that are made againſt it; I ſhall come now to treat of it in particular, and ſhew you how to demean your ſelves towards God, in the ſeveral parts of his Worſhip, wherein conſiſts the main, though not the whole of holy walking: And in every part of Gods worſhip, I ſhall give you Directions for the right performance. But Reader, wilt thou reſolve to follow thoſe Directions? For otherwiſe 'tis in vain for me to write, or thee to read, it will but make thee ſin with a Candle in thy hand, What good will Meat do if not eaten and digeſted? Or Phyſick do if not taken? Or a Plaiſter if not applyed? So what good will Directions do, if not followed? It is not enough to read thy duty, but thou muſt do it, nay 'tis not enough to do it, but thou muſt do it well: Thoſe that worſhip God, muſt worſhip him in Spirit and in Truth, 'tis not a little lip labour, or knee ſervice will ſerve his turn without the Heart, and the Heart rightly qualified, he regards it not, he will have none of it, for there is none holy as the Lord, 1 Sam, 22. And the Lord admits of none into his ſervice that are not holy, Lev. 10.3. I will be ſanctifyed by thoſe that draw near to me, Lev. 20.7. Be ye holy, for I am holy, He is a living God, and requires living Sacrifice, and will not take up with a dead heart: There muſt be a principle of life in thee, or thou art nor fit to come into his preſence, for he is a conſuming fire unto his Enemies, there muſt be Regeneration, or there can be no Salvation, John 3.5. And without faith 'tis impoſſible to pleaſe him. Heb. 11.6. 'tis not enough to worſhip him, but it muſt be in ſincerity and truth, Joſh. 24.14 What is thy Reſolution, wilt thou worſhip him or wilt thou not? there are few in plain words will deny it, but in actions they do, either they worſhip him not at all, or give him that he requires not, or do it in a manner he regards not: They are like the Son that ſaid to his Father, I go Sir, but went not, Mat. 21.30. But ſhall we take it for granted that thou wilt worſhip him? but wilt thou do it in truth and ſincerity? otherwiſe God will not regard it. I fear we may ſay of many, as Joſhua of Iſrael Joſh. 24.19. You cannot ſerve the Lord, for he is an holy God, but is it your Reſolution as theirs was in the verſes following, Nay, but we will ſerve the Lord, and that you will chooſe the Lord to ſerve him, conſider what you do, you muſt take him to be your God, and be willing to have your Souls cleanſed from all your ſins, and muſt be willing to take the Lord Jeſus Chriſt as he is offered in the Goſpel, to be your Lord and Husband, and be as willing to be ruled by him, as ſaved by him, and muſt reſolve to obey his Laws, and do his will, and live in the performance of thoſe ſpiritual duties he requires at at thy hand. Yea, thou muſt have a ſetled Reſolution to cleave to Chriſt, and obey him even in the moſt deſpiſed, diſgraceful, dangerous, difficult and coſtly part of duty: Though it be to the loſs of thy worldly enjoyments, yea, and life it ſelf: I know many would pick of chooſe their duties, this they would do, but that they would not; they ſcum of the Fat and ſweet of duty, but leave that which is difficult, or dangerous, but God will have no ſuch Servants: obey him thou muſt, though thy Father, Mother, and all thy Friends become thine Enemies upon the account; yea, in ſome caſes thou muſt not only leave, but hate Father and Mother, &c. yea, thy own life for his ſake yea, though thou looſe thy credit and eſteem in the World, and be made a ſcorn and a reproach for his ſake; though thou looſe thy pleaſure, and never ſee merry day whilſt thou liveſt; though it endanger thy Eſtate, and bring thee to Poverty; though thou looſe thy Liberty, and be caſt into a Priſon; yea, though thou looſe thy life, and be brought to a Stake to ſuffer; yea, though thou ſeeſt few or none walk that ſame way with thee: Noah muſt obey God, though the whole World diſobey him; yea, thou muſt obey him, though his commands be never ſo contrary to thy carnal intereſt, or never ſo oppoſite to fleſh and blood, and though they are never ſo hard or difficult, or dangerous, or coſtly, before ever thou take upon thee the profeſſion of Religion, ſit down firſt and reckon the charges, leſt like many thou begin to build, and be unable to finiſh it; and not like many, put their hands to the Plow, and then look back: or like the ſtony ground when perſecution ariſeth, preſently are offended: reſolve to give him thy heart with thy hand, or he will have none of thee, he knows the heart, and trie the reins, and thou canſt not deceive him with a diſſembling ſhew, when Nadab and Abihu offered ſtrange fire, he ſlew them. When Ananias and Saphira played the Hypocrite, he ſtruck them dead. Cleanſe thy heart therefore if thou wilt ſerve him, and ſerve him thou muſt, or do worſe: Thou canſt never err on that hand, in ſerving him too well; he deſerves more and better than thou canſt give him, his wages will be beyond thy work: now that I may prevail with thee to ſerve God, take theſe following Motives.
1. Motive, We ſhould worſhip and ſerve the Lord our God, becauſe he hath commanded us ſo to do, and his command makes it our duty; we are his Creatures, and we owe our ſelves, and all that we have to him for our Creation. He made us, and therefore hath moſt right to us; He made us for his ſervice, and therefore 'tis all the reaſon in the World that we ſhould ſerve him; for who is the Pot, but the Potters? and this is the ſervice he requires of us, to worſhip him according to his will, and praiſe him for his benefits, this is all he requires at our hands, even this Tribute of praiſe, and ſhall we be ſo ingrateful to our great Benefactour, to deny him this? Nay, we are his alſo by right of Redemption, for we had ſold our ſelves unto ſlavery, even to Sathan, and were become Bond-ſlaves to this helliſh Pharaoh, who exerciſed more cruelty to our Souls, than ever Pharaoh did to the Bodies of the Iſraelites; and in the ſlavery had remained for ever, had not God ſent his own Son to ranſome us with the loſs of his life, and the ſhedding of his pretious blood: Satan was the ſtrong man armed that kept his houſe in peace, till Chriſt a ſtronger than he diſarmed him, and took away his weapons wherein he boaſted. And now being bought with a price, we ſhould glorifie God with our Bodies, and with our Souls which are Gods. The end he aimed at in our Redemption, was his own glory as well as our liberty; and this he expects from our hands, is, we being delivered from the fear of our Enemies, might ſerve him without fear, in Holineſs and Righteouſneſs before him all the days of our Lives, Luk. 2.74,75. Nay, we are alſo his by Covenant, under our Hand and Seal in our Baptiſme, we were dedicated to his ſervice, which Covenant ſince we have often ratified at the Sacrament of the Supper, and how can we deny our own act and deed? He is our Lord, and we ſhould worſhip him, Pſal, 45.1…. Now that worſhip and ſervice is required of us is evident, Scripture and Reaſon ſpeaks as much, 2 Kings 17.36. You ſhall not fear other Gods, nor bow your ſelves to them, nor ſerve them, nor ſacrifice to them, but the Lord who brought you out of the Land of Egypt with great power, and a ſtretched out arm, him ſhall ye fear, ond him ſhall ye worſhip, and to him you ſhall do ſacrifice, and his ſtatutes, and his ordinances ye ſhall obſerve. Exod. 34.4. You ſhall worſhip no other God but him, the like we have, Exod. 20.50. 1 Chron. 16.29. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his Name, bring an Offering and an Oblation before him, worſhip him in the beauty of holineſs. Yea, Chriſt himſelf preacheth this doctrine, when the Divil tempted him to fall down and worſhip him; he anſwered, It is written thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy God, and him only ſhalt thou ſerve. Mat. 4.8. Yea, he directs us with what worſhip to worſhip him, John 4.23,24. The true worſhippers worſhip him in Spirit and in Truth, God is a Spirit, and thoſe that worſhip him, must worſhip him in Spirit; and of this ſpiritual worſhip we may alſo read, Phil. 3.3. Or will you hear the counſel of an Angel from Heaven, you have it, Rev. 19.10. Worſhip God, yea, this is the practice of the Angels, the work they do, and the work that the Angels, and gloryfied Saints ſhall do through all Eternity, Heb. 1.6. But what are Teſtimonies in ſo plain a caſe? few deny it, though few practice it as they ought, we might bring you examples from the beginning of the World to this day, of the godly in all Ages that have thus worſhipped, thus ſerved God, though many in all Ages, the more is the pity, have given that to the Divel, which is due to God alone; many have ſacrificed to Devils, and worſhiped and ſerved the Creature more than the Creator bleſsed for ever, Rom. 1.25. To prove that 'tis ſo, now, I need not inſtance in the Indians, that know no better, nor in the Papiſts that worſhip ſtocks and ſtones, and the works of their own hands, which iS forbidden, Exod. 20.5.6. Iſa. 2.8. And ſwear by God and our Lady, as the Iſraelites did by God and Malchon, and ſome other Mediators with Chriſt, but how many may we find ſerve the Devil, the World, and the Fleſh; though they covenanted to fight againſt them in their Baptiſm: if the Devil bid them ſweaty they will ſwear, if he bid them be drunk, they will be drunk; or if he bid them lye, or ſteal, or decieve, they will obey; let God ſay what he will to the contrary: Yea, though he ſet them upon the hardeſt, difficulteſt, dangerous work they will do it, though they venture life and limb in his ſervice; but let them at the end brag of their wages, that ſo love the work, but as with Paul, Acts 24.14. In the way which men call Hereſie, ſo worſhip the God of your Fathers.
2. Motive, Thou ſhouldeſt ſerve God, for he is the beſt Maſters; yea, there is no other that deſerves thy beſt ſervice but him: The tongue of Men, nor Angels cannot expreſs the excellency that is in God, our Cockle ſhells cannot comprehend this Ocean; what qualifications canſt thou deſire in a Maſter? that are not to be found in God as the abſtract? for all the excellency that is to be found among the Creatures, is but as a drop of this Ocean, a ray of this Sun, and a ſpark of this fire. Wouldſt thou have one that is able to defend thee, and ſee that thou art not wronged? Here is Omnipotency it ſelf, if he ſet thee on work he can bear thee out. The Devil may ſhake his chain, and wicked Men may gnaſh their teeth at thee, hurt thee they cannot, all the powers of darkneſs can do thee no wrong. The Devil could not touch one of Jobs cattel without Commiſſion ſealed in Heaven; and if thou faithfully ſerve him, he will never grant any Commiſſion, but what ſhall be for thy good, Rom. 8.28. He is El Shaddai, a God able to deſtroy, or remove all rubs out of his way: But no other Maſter can defend thee againſt him, Or wouldſt thou have a merciful, loving, or tender hearted Maſter? the World cannot afford thee ſuch another; never was there indulgent Father, or tender hearted Mother, more careful over their only child, than God is over all his ſervants, Iſa. 49.15. Can a Woman forget her ſucking child, that ſhe ſhall not have compaſſion on the Son of her Womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee ſaith the Lord. Behold I have engraven thee upon the palms of my hand thy walls are continually before me. Never was Goldſmith more careful of his gold, that it ſhall not be in the Furnace longer than need is, than God is of his People, they ſhall be no longer in the Furnace of affliction, then neceſſity requires, till their droſs is conſumed, and they refined: Or wouldſt thou ſerve a wiſe Maſter? One able to direct thee and inſtruct thee in thy work? One able to counſel thee what to do, and what to forbear? Here is one that is Wiſdom it ſelf, yea the Fountain of Wiſdom. The fooliſhneſs of God ſaith the Apoſtle is wiſer than the wiſdom of Man. 1 Cor. 1.25. That is that which in the eyes of the World is fooliſhneſs, he can over wit, and over work all his Enemies, and thou canſt not be in ſuch a ſtrait, but he can help thee, nor in ſo much danger but he can deliver thee, as he did Iſrael at the Red Sea; Daniel in the Lions Den, the three Children out of the fiery Furnace, Jonah out of the Whales belly, and Peter out of Priſon. Or wouldſt thou ſerve a Maſter that is faithful and juſt, that will make good his word, and fulfil his promiſe? God is ſuch a one, he is more faithful than the Sun and Moon in their courſes, Hath he ſaid it, and ſhall he not do it, hath he ſpoken it, and ſhall he not bring it to paſs? Heaven and Earth ſhall fail, before one tittle of his word ſhall fail, till all be fulfilled. The experience of five Thouſand years cannot produce one example when God hath falſified his word. Or wouldſt thou ſerve ſome honorable Perſon, God hath the higheſt titles of honor, he is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, and the Ruler of Princes, he is the Lord of Heaven and Earth, the Caſtles of a thouſand hills are his, yea, all the Beaſts of the Forreſts, all Nations to him are but as a drop of a Bucket, or the ſmall duſt of the Ballance. Never fear then, he is able to pay thee thy wages. David delighted more in being his ſervant, than in being King of Iſrael, never any loſt by his ſervice; wouldſt thou ſerve one that is loving and kind? why he is love it ſelf, ſee one act of his love, John 3.16. God ſo loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoſoever believed in him ſhould not dye, but have everlaſting life. See the love of the Father in giving, and the love of the Son in dying; and wouldſt thou ſerve a patient Maſter? He is infinite in Patie…ce, if thy heart be right, he will bear with much: Now what Maſter in the World wilt thou compare to him? if none, why wilt not ſerve him, and yet alas, moſt men ſerve the Devil his ſworn Enemy: one of theſe two thou muſt, thou doſt ſerve, for theſe are the two grand Commanders, and the one or the other all Men obey. The Devil is thy ſworn Enemy, and ſeeks thy Soul to deſtroy it, 1 Pet. 5.8. He offers much indeed, but cannot pay thee, he hath nothing of his own, but his vitious qualities; what he ſhews thee is but what he baits his hook with, or with the Fowler his ſnares, not to feed thee, but to entrap thee; he hunts for thy Soul like a blood hound, and nothing will ſerve him but thy diſhonor. The World alſo will deceive thee, and promiſe pleaſure, and pay pain, it will never pay thee thy wages, and wilt forſake ſuch a Maſter as God is, and commit thy ſelf to ſuch known cheats? Heaven and Earth may ſtand amazed at thy folly: well, remember thy wages they will give thee.
3. Motive, As he is the beſt Maſter, ſo he ſets his ſervants about the beſt work, when the Devil ſets his about the baſeſt drugery: A wiſe ſervant before he is hired, would know his work, that he may demand anſwerable wages: Now the work which God ſets his ſervants upon is reaſonable, and eaſie, and pleaſant, and delightful, 'tis the works of Piety and Charity that he requires, to love God above all, and our Neighbours as our ſelves: Theſe are the two great commands, and upon theſe hang all the Law and the Prophets, Mat. 22.37. &c. Love is the fulfilling of the Law. Rom 13.10. And is not this a pleaſant and delightful duty, and is it not reaſonable that we ſhould love God our great Benefactor, in whom we live, and move, and have our being; and our Brethren that are of the ſame fleſh and blood: To believe in him alſo is our duty, and is it not reaſonable when we can never prove that ever he deceived any. To praiſe him alſo is our work, this is an Angelical work, fit for Heaven, and Heaven-born Souls, and will be the work of Eternity, where Saints and Angels ſhall make up one quire, to Trumpet out the prayſes of God: To hold communion with him, this is a Chriſtians happineſs here, and to converſe with him in Glory is Heaven it ſelf. 'Tis no wonder then that the Service of God is called perfect Freedom, and his Servants are called his Free-men, 1 Cor. 7.21. 'Tis no wonder that Chriſt tells us, his Yoak is eaſie, and his Burthen is light, Mat. 11.30. for all thoſe that feel it find it ſo, through Divine Aſſiſtance. I know, to a Carnal Heart, and unſanctified Soul it appears otherwiſe; but 'tis the Galls, Sores, and Putrified Corruption of Nature that makes it ſo; the eaſieſt Yoak upon a galled Neck ſeems uneaſie: Learn but this one Leſſon, get but this one Qualification, to love God above all, and all the reſt will prove eaſie; Love makes Labour light: the Love of Chriſt conſtrained the Apoſtle Paul, and made him willing, not only to be bound, but to dye for Chriſt; then Prayer would be no difficult Duty, for who would not willingly go to him he Loves, and pour out his requeſts into his Boſom? when he knows he ſhall have a ſupply, and hath ſuch promiſes as thoſe; ask, and you ſhall have; ſeek, and you ſhall find; knock, and it ſhall be opened to you, Pſal. 50.15. Praiſe alſo then will be a delightful Duty; how apt are we to Commend thoſe we Love, and ſpeak well of them? Hence it is, that the Saints and Angels in Heaven are not weary of this work, even to Eternity; Communion with God is no toylful, but delightful Duty, for Union, and Communion with God is the Souls Happineſs; nay, 'tis here a Heaven upon Earth, and will be their Heaven for ever, which is ſweet here, though much interrupted; what will it be then when we enjoy him Face to Face, and ſee him as he is? here it fills the Heart full of ſuch Joy, as no Stranger ſhall ever meddle with, Prov. 14.10. I know the world brags of their pleaſures in the Devils Service, and are afraid to be Chriſtians for fear of loſing them, but this is but one of the Devils Lime-twigs, in which he fetters them, and one of the deceits of the Father of Lyes: a true Chriſtian finds by Experience more true Joy, more raviſhing delight in one days Communion with Chriſt, than ever he did in the Service of ſin; for, in the midſt of laughter the ſinners heart is ſorrowful, and the end of that mirth is Heavineſs. But a Believer may eat his Meat with Joy, and drink his Wine with a merry Heart, for God accepteth his Work, Eccl. 9.7. And with joy they can draw waters out of theſe Wells of Salvation, Iſa. 12.3. Yea, ſhout for joy if he be of an upright Heart, Pſal. 32.11. There is none in the world that has more true Cauſe of Joy than they have; here they are under the Divine Protection of God, and are ſure to want nothing that is good; and when this Earthly Tabernacle ſhall be diſſolved, they have a Kingdom prepared for them. But what is the Devils work which he imploys his Servants about? 'Tis the baſeſt drudgery, the moſt ſervile Slavery, the moſt ſordid, unreaſonable, Dangerous work in the world; he ſets them to hate God, who is the chiefeſt good, to hold up weapons of defiance againſt him, from whom they have their Life and Breath, and Being; to Blaſpheme his Name, abuſe his Creatures, break his Commandments, Perſecute his Children, both by Hand and Tongue; pluck the Stars out of his Right Hand, the Signet of his Finger, the Apple of his Eye, his Jewels, thoſe whom his Soul Loveth; yea, to de-throne him, and ſet up the Devil in his place; yea, he makes them ſo mad upon it, that they will venture Life and Limb in the Proſecution; yea, Liberty and Eſtate, and Ruine their own Souls, and as many more as they are able; and will not be perſwaded by Miniſters, Parents, or their Godly Friends, from ſuch Courſes; when the Devil enters into theſe Swine, they run headlong till they Ruine themſelves.
4. Motive. Thou ſhouldſt ſerve the Lord, becauſe he beſt deſerves thy Service; he hath done more for thee than all the World beſides, and that which all the World cannot do. It was he that Created thee, and gave thee a Being when thou waſt nothing. It was not long ſince there was nothing heard of thee, and God had no need of thee; he was Infinite in his Perfection, and Glory before thou waſt, and thou haſt added nothing to his Happineſs, and wilt not own him for thy Creator? Yea, he hath made thee a Rational Creature, when he might have made thee a bruit Beaſt; he made thee capable of Communion with himſelf, yea, in his own Image, when he might have made thee a Dog, or Toad, or Serpent, or the moſt deſpicable Worm that crawls under thy Feet: what Excellent Faculties hath he beſtowed upon thee? As Undeſtranding, Will, Affections, Memory, Conſcience, and ſuch like. Yea, he hath made thee Little lower than the Angels, Pſal. 8.4,5. Thou waſt the Clay, and he was the Potter; he might have made thee a Veſſel of diſhonour, and ſhall the thing formed ſay to him that formed it, why haſt thou made me thus? Not only ſo, but he hath given thee thy Limbs, and thy Senſes, when thou mighteſt have been Blind or Lame, or Deaf or Dumb; and is not this a Mercy, thou haſt the uſe of Reaſon, when others run raging in the ſtreet, Mad, Frantick, or Lunatick? Yea, 'tis he that maintains thee at his own Coſt and Charges; 'tis his Corn, and his Wine that feeds thee; his Wool, and his Flax that Cloaths thee; 'tis his Silver, and his Gold that inriches thee; all is his, and all is his free-gift; thou deſerveſt not the Crumbs that fall under thy Table; and is all this nothing? Hoſ. 2.5. &c. Yea, hadſt thou theſe things of thy own, they could do thee no good, without his Bleſſing; Food could not nouriſh, nor Cloaths keep thee warm; he gives thee Peace, when thou mighteſt have been in bloody War; Health, when thou migheſt have been on thy ſick Bed; and Plenty when thou migheſt have been in pinching want; and is all this nothing? Why now doth he do this for thee, but that thou mighteſt Serve him? Haſt thou now a better Friend, or greater Benefactor to beſtow thy Service upon? Can the Devil, or the World, or thy Friends, or thy Wealth do thus for thee? I know they cannot; why then are they preferred before him? Nay, this is not all; when thou hadſt Revolted from God, and ſold thy ſelf a Slave to Satan; when thou waſt in thy Bloud, and no Eye pityed thee; when thou couldſt not help thy ſelf, and waſt unworthy to be helpt; he ſent his own Son to Redeem thee out of thy Slavery, to ſuffer what was due for thy ſins, even the pains of Hell, and the curſed Death upon the Croſs, and that when thou waſt his Enemy, and all to free thee from the guilt and filth of ſin, and from the puniſhment due for ſin, from the Curſe of the Law, the wrath of God, the Slavery of Satan, and from everlaſting damnation; and is all this nothing? Yea, all this was done that thou mighteſt Serve him in Holineſs and Righteouſneſs all the days of thy Life, Luke 1.75. Nay, further, he beſtows upon thee many helps and furtherances; he gives thee his Word, his Ordinance, his Sacraments, his Miniſters, the motions of his Spirit, the checks of thine own Conſcience, and the Example of his People; Promiſes, Threatnings, Mercies, Judgments, and all to this End; and yet doth he not deſerve thee? Hath the Devil, or the World done more for thee than he hath? Why then wilt thou ſerve them? Did they Create thee, or art thou theirs by right of Redemption? Do they preſerve, or maintain thee? Do they Feed, or Cloath thee? Or pay thee Wages? No, no, all thy Friends in the World, nor all the Angels in Heaven could not ſatisfie for our ſin; did they Love thee better than he that laid down his Life for thee? Or, will they make better Proviſion for thee than God will? Or pay thee better Wages? Then Serve them and ſpare not; but deceive not thy ſelf, they cannot do it; what canſt want if thou be God's Servant? He is every way furniſhed to help thee; art thou ten thouſand Talents indebted, and canſt not pay a farthing? Chriſt will be thy Surety, and diſcharge thy debt; haſt thou Scarlet ſins lying upon thy Conſcience? Here is Blood to waſh them away, 'tis he, and he alone that can forgive ſins. Here is the Bread of Life to feed thee, and the Water of Life to refreſh thee, the Spiritual Manna, fit Food for thy Soul; the true Nectar and Ambroſia: he that eats of this, ſhall never Hunger; and he that drinks of this, ſhall never Thirſt. Here is Rich Robes to Cloath thee, and Eye ſalve to make thee ſee; and Gold tryed in the Fire, to make thee Rich, Rev. 3.17,18. Here are Graces as Jewels to adorn thee, the Wedding-Garment to make thee a welcom Gueſt; he is, Mecor Majim Chajim, A Fountain of Living Water, Jer. 2.13. Tzur gnolanim, a Rock of Ages, Iſa. 26.4. All the water of Conſolation is in this Sea, all the Light is in this Sun, and all Comfort in this God; Canſt find ſuch another Maſter that hath done, and will do for thee, as he hath, and will do? the Devil and the World will deceive thee, if they promiſe to do it.
5. Motive. Thou ſhouldſt ſerve God, for as he hath the beſt work, ſo he gives the beſt Wages, and Servants uſually ſeek for ſuch Maſters; ſomething he gives in hand, as earneſt of the Bargain, and incouragement in the work; and reſerves moſt to the Years end, when he will plenteouſly recompence all thy pains, and remove all cauſe of repining; in hand he gives his Servants his Spirit, this is the mark he knows them by, thoſe that have not the Spirit of God are none of his, Rom. 8.9. This is called, the Spirit of Adoption, Rom. 8.15. Ye have received the ſpirit of Adoption, whereby we cry, Abba Father; 'tis called the earneſt of the Spirit in our Hearts; this is called the Comforter, John 15.27. and 'tis given to inſtruct us, and to lead us into all Truth, John 18.13. And doubtleſs thoſe cannot want Comfort that have ſuch a Comforter, they cannot loſe their way, that have ſuch a Guide; he it is that dictates their Prayers for them, for they know not what to ask; yea, God for the Comfort and Conſolation of his Servants here in the World, gives them an Intereſt in the Promiſes Recorded in the Word of God, which are more worth than the World; the greateſt King on Earth cannot make and perform ſuch Promiſes to his greateſt Favourite, they are well called great and precious Promiſes, 2 Pet. 1.4. For great things are promiſed in them that believe, that apprehends an intereſt in them, may live upon his faith, and his hope in the abſence of all Creature enjoyments; theſe are his Fathers Legacy: 'tis true, Believers have but little in hand, yet much in a Promiſe; but little in Poſſeſſion, yet much in Reverſion; they have Heaven and Earth in a Promiſe; here they have a Promiſe they ſhall not lack, but at Death they ſhall receive their Inheritance; yea, Eye hath not ſeen, nor Ear heard, neither is entred into the heart of Man, to conceive what God hath provided for thoſe that love him, 1 Cor. 2.9. Here they have a Promiſe, and God hath put his hand to it, they ſhall not want protection, nor proviſion, God hath promiſed he will never leave them nor forſake them, Heb. 13.5. And if God be for us, who can be againſt us, yea, that they ſhall want nothing that is good, Pſal. 34.9. The young Lions lack and ſuffer hunger, but thoſe that fear the Lord ſhall want no good thing. Pſal. 84.11. The Lord is a Sun and a Shield, he giveth Grace and Glory; and no good thing will he withold from them that live uprightly: If we have ſincere hearts, if wealth be good for us, we ſhall have it; and if poverty be good, why ſhould we not be content? ſomtimes Phyſick is as neceſſary as food. They have a Promiſe of Deliverance out of Trouble, Many are the Troubles of the Righteous, but the Lord delivers them out of all, Pſal. 34.19. and 50.15. Take one place for all; Rom. 8.28. All things ſhall work together for good to thoſe that love God. What matter then is it what our ſufferings are, when we are ſure we ſhall get by them? God that brought Light out of Darkneſs, and Order out of Confuſion, can work Good to us out of Evil, there is no Condition a ſervant of God can be in, but in the Scripture he may find Comfort, or Company, or both; yea, God beſtows his graces upon his ſervants, which are better than the moſt Orient Pearls, or coſtly Jewels; theſe they are adorned with, and no other did ever wear them: they have the rich Robes of Chriſts Righteouſneſs, the Garments of Holyneſs, this is Gods Livery, and all his ſervants wear it; yea, he adopts them, and makes them not only his ſervants, but his children, 1 John 12.2 2 Cor. 6.18. I will be a Father to you, and you ſhall be my Sons and Daughters, ſaith the Lord Almighty, he makes them not only Sons, but Heirs, Heirs of God, and joint Heirs with Chriſt, Rom. 8.17. Gives them the Wedding Garment, Mat. 22.12. Yea, marries them to his Son, Cant. 6.3. Thus we ſee there is good wages if there were no more, but they have much more in Reverſion, a Kingdom, a Kingdom of glory, they ſhall enter into their Maſters joy, Mat. 25.24. Yea, into a Kingdom prepared for them, from the foundation of the World; yea, into life eternal, Mat. 25.34.46. See now if thou canſt meet with a Maſter that gives better wages, the Devil indeed promiſeth much, but performeth little; all this ſaith he will I give thee, when he can give juſt nothing: but ſuppoſe he had the World at his diſpoſe, what good would it do thee? it cannot give co…tent, and make thee happy. Indeed there was one dream't of happineſs in a proſperous Eſtate, but when he wak't it was but a Dream, Luk. 12.16. &c. Content grows not in the Worlds Garden, theſe outward things bear no proportion to an immortal Soul; they are of too baſe a birth and breeding to give it content, but if it could ſatisfie at preſent, what wilt thou do at Death? then they muſt down to the Chambers of Death, to Hell it ſelf, there to remain for ever and ever; this is the Devils wages which he will certainly give all thoſe that ſerve him.
6. Motive, To ſerve God in the ſincerity of our Hearts, is the only way to true happineſs; and to ſerve any other Maſter but him, or to ſerve him Superſtitiouſly, or Hypocritically, is the certain way to Ruine and Deſtruction; all thoſe that have ſerved God in ſincerity, not one of them have miſcarried; and of all other, there is not one that ever attained Heaven and Happineſs; the way of Holineſs is the only Road to true Happineſs; and how can the end be attained, if the means be not uſed? 'tis Godlineſs that hath the Promiſe of this Life and that to come; Happineſs is that which all men ſeek, but few men find, becauſe few ſought it in a way of Holyneſs.
The Covetuous man thinks if he could get Riches, he ſhould attain Happineſs; and this makes him Moil and Toil, and Cark and Care; yea, make himſelf miſerable, that he may be happy; and yet never attains ſo much as content: and wounds his Conſcience to get an Eſtate, and is but like a Sumpter Horſe that goes loaden all the day with as much Treaſure as he can carry, and at night ſtript of all, and turned into a dirty ſtable, with his gall'd back; ſo after Death they ſhall be turned into Hell with their gall'd Conſciences.
The Voluptuous man that placeth his happineſs in pleaſure, thinks if he can but obtain his deſire, he ſhall be happy; but how little ſatisfaction can he find here? all his pleaſure ends in a ſnuff, and the end of his Mirth is Sadneſs; and all this while he deprives himſelf of true pleaſure.
The Ambitious man thinks to aſcend the ſteps of Honor, is to attain Happineſs; when alas this is the emptieſt of all Bubbles, and how oft do we ſee men break their necks from the top of Promotion?
Theſe men build the Fabrick of their Hopes and Happineſs upon a Sandy foundation; where one daſhing ſhower, or ſtormy tempeſt throws down their Babel: but a Chriſtian laies a ſure foundation in Holyneſs, and in the fear and ſervice of God; they build upon the Rock which never fails them, they ſeek Happineſs in Gods way, Pſal. 128.1. Bleſſed is every one that ſerveth the Lord, and walketh in his way; not every one that is Rich or Honorable, this is the Worlds language, and not Gods; Deut. 7.14. If thou walk in his way, thou ſhalt be bleſſed above all People; that is, if thou ſerve him according to his will, Pſal. 33.12. Bleſsed is the Nation whoſe God is the Lord; that is, they choſe God for their God, and ſerve him as God, Mat. 5.3,4. &c. We may ſee who it be that in Chriſts account are bleſſed; not thoſe that are Rich and Potent, Honorable, or Mighty, but the poor in Spirit, thoſe that mourn for their ſins, the Meek, the Merciful, the Pure in heart, thoſe that hunger and thirſt after Righteouſneſs, thoſe that are reviled and perſecuted for righteouſneſs ſake, &c. that is, thoſe that live holily towards God, and righteouſly towards Men, that make the word of God, the rule of their Lives; that ſervant that did his Maſters will in ſincerity, ſhall be bleſſed by him at his coming, Mat. 24.46. He that in his Maſters abſcence improved his Talents well, ſhall be made Ruler over much; and enter into his Maſters joy, Mat. 25.21. He that refreſhed the People of God according to the Will and Covenant of God, ſhall receive a Kingdom prepared for him by God, Mat. 25.34.46. Read Deut. 28. through out, And ſee there the Promiſes made to the obedient; and the Curſes denounced againſt the diſobedient, and ſee which are in the moſt hopeful way to happineſs; yet there are many that are apt to ſay with thoſe, Job. 21.15. Who is the Almighty that we ſhould ſerve him, or what profit is it to pray unto him? or as Pharaoh in the like words, Exod. 5.2. Who is the Lord that I ſhould obey him? I know not the Lord, neither will I obey him: but the Lord after made himſelf known in his deſtruction. There are many that have buſineſs they tell us to follow, and cannot live by the Scriptures, or hearing Sermons, neither have they time to pray in their Families, &c. But let theſe prayerleſs Families beware of the Curſe, Jer. 10.25. Pſal. 79.6. Haſt any greater buſineſs to do than to ſerve thy God, and ſecure thy Soul? as thou makeſt the world thy buſineſs, ſo 'tis like to be thy Portion; but it will leave thee ſhort of happineſs: the beſt of Saints, and the wiſeſt of Men, have taken another courſe, and have ſailed in a courſe of Holineſs, to the Port of Happineſs; for no other Wind blows thither. Enoch walked with God, and God took him. Gen. 5.24. That is, he walked in the waies of God and obeyed the command of God: the like we read of Noah, He was perfect in his Generation, and walked with God, Gen. 6.9. This courſe of life, Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob followed. David alſo, and Hezekiah, Johoſophat and Joſiah, and many more; 'tis ſaid of theſe they ſerved God with a perfect heart. Job, was a juſt man and one that feared God, Job 1.8. So was good Obadiah, 1 King. 18.3. thus Daniel and his fellows, Dan. 3.17. and 6.2. thus Paul, Cornelius, Zachary, and Elizabeth, Act. 27.23. and 10.22. Luk. 1.6. and thus was Chriſt himſelf, no guile was found in his mouth, 1 Pet. 2.22. All theſe walked in the way of Holineſs to Heaven, Read a Liſt of more, Heb. 11. But there is no word of encouragement to any other to expect Heaven; nay, God tells us in plain words, they ſhall never come there; 1 Cor. 6.9,10. Neither is there any one example of any that lived and dyed in their ſinful courſe, that ever was ſaved: what may we gather hence? but this, if ever you would attain to true happineſs, ſerve God with a ſincere heart.
7. Motive, Thou ſhouldeſt ſerve the Lord, becauſe as he is beſt able to reward thee for thy obedience, and pay thee for thy work; ſo is he beſt able to puniſh thee for thy diſobedience: For as all his promiſes are yea and a men, faithful and true to his People, ſo are his threatnings to his Enemies: thou art not at liberty to chooſe thy own Maſter, who thou wilt ſerve, thou art ingaged to him, and ſerve him thou muſt or do worſe; thou art his by right of Creation, for whoſe is the Pot but the Potters? And by right of Redemption he paid a price for thee, and bought thee dear: So alſo by Covenant right, thou haſt devoted thy ſelf to his ſervice, and taken Preſs mony to fight his Battels, and if thou revolt, he will avenge the quarrel of his Covenant againſt thee: Hence it is, thou mayſt well fear his wrath, and expect his judgments, if thou perfidiouſly betrayeſt thy truſt, and revolteſt to the Enemy. Chriſt himſelf bids thee not to fear thoſe that can kill the Body and can do no more, but fear him that can caſt Body and Soul into Hell, Luk. 12.5. If he be not glorifyed by thee, he will be glorifyed upon thee; if he have not the glory of thy Salvation, he will have the glory of thy Deſtruction, Luk. 19.27. Thoſe mine Enemies that would not that I ſhould raign over them, bring them and ſlay them before my face: God takes thoſe for his Enemies that will not be ruled by him, and will prove a ſore Enemy to them: And didſt thou know what it is to be an Enemy unto God, and what it is to have God to be an Enemy unto thee, it would ſend thee trembling to thy grave: 'tis he that hath the keys of life and death at his girdle; He kills and he makes alive, he brings to the gates of death and back again, and there is none that can deliver out of his hand: He need not muſter an Army againſt thee, to deſtroy thee, the leaſt Fly, or Gnat, or Hair may end thy life, if it have a Commiſſion from God: thou art but a Worm, if he tread upon thee, he leaves the dead behind him; if he withhold thy breath thou returneſt to the duſt, for thou haſt no more breath than what he puts into thee; how then canſt thou grapple with the Almighty? or contend with God? were thy fleſh of Braſs, and thy Sinnews of Iron, were thy foundations as the Earth, or as the Pillars of Heaven, thou wert yet too weak: who ever hardned himſelf againſt God and proſpered? whilſt thou remaineſt his Enemy, well mayſt thou fear his heavy hand, there is no judgment that ever thou readeſt threatned, or ever executed upon ſinful wretch, that thou canſt be ſecure from; Thou knoweſt not but the Waters may drown thee, as they did the old World, or as the Red Sea did Pharaoh, or fire from Heaven may conſume thee as it did Sodom and Gomorrah; and alſo Nadab and Abihu, and the two Captains and their Fifties at the prayer of Elijah; thou knoweſt not but the Plagues which fell upon Egypt may fall upon thee and conſume thee, or that thy life may be ended by the Sword, the Famine, or the Peſtilence: thou knoweſt not but an Angel may ſmite thee as Herod, and thou mayſt be devoured with Worms; or that the Earth may open and ſwallow the quick, as it did Corah, Dathan, and Abiram: thou knoweſt not but thou mayſt be ſtruck dead for the next lye thou telleſt, as Ananias and Saphirah were; or whether Bears may not devour thee, as they did thoſe Children that mocked the Prophet; or whether thou mayſt not be ſtrucken with Leproſie as Gehazy; or thy houſe may not fall upon thy head as upon Jobs Children. In a word, whatever a man deſtitute of Grace and Divine Protection may be brought to ſuffer, thou haſt no aſſurance but it may be thy Portion, Read Deut. 28.15. &c. Where thou mayſt ſee thy own miſerable condition; but this is not all, thoſe ſpiritual judgments which are worſe than theſe are ſeized upon thee: Blindneſs of Mind, Hardneſs of Hart, Searedneſs of Conſcience, &c. And eternal judgements dog thee at the heels, and will certainly ſeize upon thee, except Repentance prevent it; as ſoon as Death makes a ſeparation between Soul and Body: never any Unregenerate, Unrepenting, Unrighteouſs, or Unclean Perſon ſhall ever go to Heaven, John 3.7. Luk. 13.3. 1 Cor. 6.9,10. Rev. 21.13. and there is no middle place, for the Scripture owns no Purgatory, Pſal. 9.17. The wicked ſhall be turned into Hell, and all the Nations that forget God. See the doom of the wicked ſervant, Mat, 24. laſt. He was cut in peices, and his Portion was appointed with the Hypocrites: and that unprofitable Servant that improved not his Talent, Mat. 25.30. He was bound hand and foot, and caſt into utter darkneſs; and all the wicked, ungracious ſervants that improve not their Talents as God appointed ſhall then be bid; Depart ye wicked into everlaſting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels, Mat. 25.41.48. This is Gods judgments to his Enemies, and this is the Devils wages to his friends and ſervants; who then would have ſuch an Enemy, or ſuch a Maſter? learn directions to ſerve God, as followeth in thoſe duties mentioned.