Twenty Sermons, Sermon 16
CHRIST'S True Diſciples, ARE Doers of Gods VVill.
JOHN VII. 17.
If any man will do his will, he ſhall know of the Doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I ſpeak of my ſelf.
THeſe words are the words of our Saviour, uttered at that great feaſt, the feaſt of Tabernacles: the occaſion of theſe words was this: The Jews marvelled at our Saviour, as you may read Verſe 15, How knoweth this man Letters, having never learned? That is, how comes he to be ſo skilful in the Scriptures, ſeeing he was never taught by man? Our bleſſed Saviour to this Query anſwers two things:
Firſt, He tells them in the foregoing Verſe, the 16th verſe, that his Doctrine was not his own, but was taught him of the Father.
Secondly, He ſhews them an excellent way or means, whereby they may diſcern truth from falſhood, true Doctrine from corrupt Doctrine: namely, by obedience to the will of God; for, If any man will do his will, he ſhall know of the Doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I ſpeak of my ſelf. So then in the Text, you may take notice of two particulars:
Firſt, An Invitation to a Duty.
Secondly, An Encouragement to that Duty.
Firſt, An Invitation to a Duty, in theſe words: If any man will do his will, that is, that will do the will of God my Father.
Secondly, The Encouragement to it, in theſe words: He ſhall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God, or whether I ſpeak of my ſelf, that is, he ſhall know which is true Doctrine, and which is falſe; which is the Doctoctrine according to God and Godlineſs, or what is ſpoken for popular applauſe, and ſpoke of a mans own head: and according to theſe two parts of the Text, there are theſe two Doctrines that may be raiſed from the words:
Doct. 1. That the true Diſciples of Chriſt are Doers of the will of God.
Doct. 2. That they that do the will of God, ſhall know more of it, and ſhall be more confirmed in their knowledg.
I begin with the firſt, That the true Diſciples of Chriſt, or true Chriſtians, are ſuch as are Doers of the will of God. For the proof of this Doctrine, take two or three places of Scripture, Matth. 7.21, Not every one that ſaith to me, Lord, Lord, ſhall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven. A true Child of God, a true Profeſſor of the Goſpel, is deſcribed by this, he is a Doer of the will of God, Rom 2.13, For not the hearers of the Law are juſt before God, but the doers of the Law ſhall be juſtified: that is, ſhall be owned and accepted of God the Father. So James 1.22, But be ye Doers of the Word, and not Hearers only, deceiving your own ſouls: cozening your ſelves with falſe Syllogiſms, as the word foreign there ſignifies. If a man be a Hearer of the Word only, and not a Doer of it, he cozens himſelf with falſe arguments: and the like you have in the 25 verſe of the ſame Chapter; But whoſo looketh into the perfect Law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful Hearer, but a Doer of the Word, this man ſhall be bleſſed in his deed: the man is a bleſſed Diſciple of Jeſus Chriſt. But for the better Explication of this Point, there are three things I ſhall open to you:
Firſt, What is meant by the Will of God?
Seconly, How the Will of God muſt be done by thoſe that are the Diſciples of Chriſt?
Thirdly, Why the Diſciples of Chriſt muſt be Doers of the Will of God?
Firſt, What the will of God is? Not to trouble you with the various diſtinctions of the Schoolmen; briefly, there is a twofold will of God mentioned in Scripture: the one is called a Secret will, the other is called a Revealed will; you have them both mentioned in one Verſe, Deut. 29.29, The ſecret things belong unto the Lord our God, but thoſe things which are revealed, belong unto us, and to our Children for ever, that we may do all the words of the Law. Now our Saviour ſpeaks here in the Text of the Revealed will of God, and it is called a Revealed will, becauſe it is made known to us in three Books:
In the Book of Nature.
In the Book of the Creature
In the Book of the Scripture.
Firſt, The will of God is made known unto us partly in the Book of Nature. Thus many of the better ſort of Heathens, that had nothing but the light of Nature, by the dictates of their own Conſcience, knew what the will of God was, as appears by that, Rom. 2.14, 15, For when the Gentiles which have not the Law, do by Nature the things contained in the Law, theſe having not the Law, are a Law to themſelves, which ſhew the work of the Law written in their hearts, their Conſcience alſo bearing witneſs, and their thoughts the mean while accuſing, or elſe excuſing one another. Mark, the Gentiles which had not the Law; that is, they had not the Law of Scripture, yet did by Nature the things contained in the Law. The Gentiles which had not the Law of the Scripture, yet by the Law of Nature did thoſe things that were agreeable to the will of God, and by the dictates of their own Conſciences, did ſome things that were agreeable to the will of God; and although this light of Nature was not ſufficient to bring them to Heaven, yet it was ſufficient to leave them without excuſe.
Secondly, This will of God is revealed in the Book of the Creature, viz. by the works of Gods Creation and Providence, as the Apoſtle tells us, Rom. 1.20, For the inviſible things of him, from the Creation of the world, are clearly ſeen, being underſtood by the things that are made, even his Eternal Power and Godhead; ſo that they are without excuſe. So that the light a man may have by Gods works in the Creation, and by his works of Providence, which the Heathen had, this Book of the Creature, is enough to leave him without excuſe; much of Gods will may be read in this Book.
Thirdly, It is called a revealed will, becauſe it is made known to us in the Book of the Scripture; of this ſpeaks the Apoſtle, Heb. 13.21. Saith he, make you perfect: he prays that God would make them perfect in every good work to do his will, that is, his will revealed in the Word of God, for there doth the will of God moſt clearly appear; therefore when our Saviour ſaith here in the Text, He that doth his will: that is, he that obeys his Word, and he that makes the Word of God to be the Rule of his walking, Gal. 6.16, To as many as walk according to this Rule, peace be upon them, and upon the Iſrael of God. The Word of God, that is the Rule we ſhould walk by; this is the Pattern or Preſcript of Gods revealed will. That's the firſt Particular.
Secondly, It may be demanded, How, or in what manner muſt the will of God be done?
For anſwer to this, for the right manner of doing the will of God, there are theſe ſeven things required:
Firſt, The will of God muſt be done knowingly. Solomon ſaith expreſly, Prov. 19.2, Alſo that the Soul be without knowledg, it is not good. All the Services that a man doth, either out of Will-Worſhip, or out of blind Devotion, it is but like the cutting off of a Dogs neck, as the Prophet ſpeaks, Iſa. 66.3 And therefore the Apoſtle bids the Romans firſt to prove, and know, what is that good and acceptable, and perfect will of God, Rom. 12.2.
Secondly, The will of God muſt be done believingly: By Faith, it is ſaid, that Abel offered unto God a more excellent Sacrifice than Cain, Heb. 11.4. It may be Cain offered the very ſame Sacrifice that Abel did, yet Abel's was accepted, and Cain's was rejected, becauſe Abel offered in Faith, and Cain did not; For without Faith it is impoſſile to pleaſe God, Heb. 11.6. You cannot do the will of God without Faith; becauſe it is Faith that brings Jeſus Chriſt in its arms, and ſo makes both our Perſons and Prayers accepted: No man can come to the Father, but by me, ſaith our Saviour, John 14.6. And we are ſaid to offer up ſpiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God, (how?) by Jeſus Chriſt; they are acceptable only by Chriſt, 1 Pet. 2.5. Therefore a man muſt do the will of God believingly.
Thirdly, The will of God muſt be done graciouſly, from a principle of grace, from that which is called an inward Principle, as the Apoſtle ſhews expreſly, Circumciſion avails nothing: no outward priviledg can make us acceptable with God, but a new Creature, Gal. 6.15, The carnal mind is enmity againſt God, for it is not ſubject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be: ſo then they that are in the fleſh cannot pleaſe Gtd, Rom. 8.7, 8. A man that is not yet in the ſtate of grace, cannot do the will of God acceptably; the will of God muſt be done graciouſly, from a gracious principle.
Fourthly, The will of God muſt be done cordially, it muſt be done with the heart, Prov. 23.26, My Son, give me thy heart. What is not done with the heart, God reckons as not done at all; therefore the firſt and great Commandment is this, Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy ſoul, with all thy ſtrength; and whatever ye do in word or deed, do it heartily as to the Lord, Col. 3.16, 17. And the Apoſtle exciting Servants, he bids them Obey their Maſters, not with eye-ſervice, but as doing the will of God from the heart, Epheſ. 6.6.
Fifthly, The will of God muſt be done ſincerely, without any ſiniſter or ſelf-reſpect; a man muſt have upright ends and aims in doing the will of God; for God look at our aims, as well as at our actions, 2 Kings 10: Jehu did the will of God in deſtroying the Worſhippers of Baal, and deſtroying the Children of Ahab, God commended Jehu for doing his will; but yet notwithſtanding, becauſe he aimed at the ſetling of himſelf in the Kingdom, more than ſeeking the glory of God, therefore God looked upon it but as murther: and ſaid, he would avenge the blood of Jezerel on the houſe of Jehu, Hoſ. 1. A man may do that thing that God would have him do, and yet be puniſhed for the doing of it, if his aims and ends be not upright: Whatever ye do, whether ye eat, or drink, or whatever ye do, do all to the glory of God, 1 Cor. 10.31. The Phariſees faſted and prayed, but it was for vain-glory, and it was but to cloak their wickedneſs and iniquity, by a fair colour or pretence of piety; they made long Prayers, and in the mean time devoured Widows houſes, Matth. 23.14.
Sixthly, The will of God muſt be done fully, Numb. 14.24, And my Servant Caleb, becauſe he had another ſpirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the Land.
But may be you will ſay, When doth a man do the will of God fully, or follow God fully? I anſwer,
Firſt, When he doth not do it with a divided heart, Hoſea 10.2, Their heart is divided, now ſhall they be found faulty. When a mans heart is divided, partly for God, and partly for the world, then he doth not follow God fully.
Secondly, Then a man follows God fully, when he hath reſpect to every Command of God, as well as to one Command, Pſalm 119.6, Then ſhall I not be aſhamed, when I have reſpect unto all thy Commandments.
Thirdly, When he doth not retain any one ſin, in the love, liking, and approbation of it, but he hates every falſe way, Pſal 119.104. You read that God was weary of their New Moons, and their ſolemn Feaſts: My Soul hates them, ſaith God, Iſa. 1.14. Yet theſe New Moons, and Solemn Feaſts were of Gods own inſtitution and appointment: But why doth God hate them then? the reaſon is this: ſaith God, Becauſe your hands are full of blood, full of cruelty and oppreſſion, verſ. 15. Therefore they do not do the will of God truly, that retain the love of ſin in their hearts, and this makes their Services rejected.
Seventhly, The will of God muſt be done conſtantly, Pſalm 119.20, My Soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy Judgments at all times. So here, a man muſt have reſpect unto the will of God at all times; but there are three times eſpecially, wherein God calls us to do his will.
Firſt, In a time of proſperity, when the World with the luſts and vanity of it, are ready to draw away our hearts to it; O then have a care to do Gods will, Deut. 6.11, 12, When thou haſt eaten and art full, (when thou art in a proſperous condition) then beware leſt thou forget the Lord which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt, &c. The Apoſtle Saint Paul had learnt a great Leſſon, when he ſaid, I have learnt in whatſoever ſtate I am in, therewith to be content: I know how to be abaſed, and I know how to abound, Phil. 4.11, 12. There is more danger in proſperity, than in adverſity: as in a croud, a man is in danger to loſe his Purſe; ſo in a croud of worldly buſineſſes and proſperity, a man is in greateſt danger to loſe his God.
Secondly, In a time of danger, then God calls you to do his will, that you ſhould not decline Duty for danger ſake; that you ſhould not break a Hedg, to miſs a foul way. See a ſingular example of this in Daniel; when he knew the doing of his duty would be the hazard of his life, when he knew the writing was ſealed, and that ſnares were laid for his life, yet he would not omit duty for the ſaving of his life; he prayed three times a day, as he was wont to do, his Window being open in his Chamber towards Jeruſalem, Dan. 6.10. So thoſe three Noble Worthies, who were ſo highly honoured by God, as to be miraculouſly preſerved, they would not deeline duty for dangers ſake; Be it known unto thee, O King, our God whom we ſerve, is able to deliver us from this burning Furnace: but if not, we will not ſerve thy gods, nor worſhip the golden Image which thou haſt ſet up, Dan. 3.17, 18. So ſingular was the courage of Saint Peter and Saint John, Acts 4.20, We cannot but ſpeak the things that we have ſeen, and heard: Threaten, or not threaten, impriſon, or not impriſon, we cannot but ſpeak the things that we have ſeen and heard.
Thirdly, A third Seaſon when God calls us to do his will, is this: when he puts an opportunity into our hands of doing ſome ſpecial piece of ſervice for him; now is a price put into your hands, now a man ſhould do the will of God eſpecially. This is that which Mordecai told Eſther, Eſther 4, Who knows whether thou art come to the Kingdom for ſuch a time as this? It is as if he ſhould ſay, It may be, God hath put an opportunity into thy hand, to help his Church at this time.
The third thing by way of Explication, is this: But why muſt the Diſciples of Chriſt be Doers of Gods will? The Reaſons are theſe:
Firſt, Becauſe the whole Body of Religion (as I may ſay (conſiſts in theſe two things: namely, in Believing and Obeying; take away one of theſe, and Religion is a lame Religion.
Secondly, By doing the will of our Father, we ſhew our ſelves to be Diſciples of Chriſt indeed, becauſe we now imitate our Lord and Maſter, for thus did he; ſee that remarkable Scripture, John 6.38, I came from Heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that ſent me.
Thirdly, Becauſe if we do not do the will of God, we ſhall certainly do the will of a worſe Maſter; if we do not work in Gods ſervice, we ſhall do the Devils drudgery; if we be not workers of righteouſneſs, we ſhall be workers of iniquity; as appears by that in Matth. 7.21, 23, He that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven, he ſhall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: compare it with verſe 23, And then will I ſay unto them, I never knew you, depart from me ye workers of iniquity. It is as if our Saviour ſhould ſay, Becauſe you would not be workers of righteouſneſs, to do the will of my Father, therefore it is that you are workers of iniquity.
Fourthly, Chriſtians muſt do the will of God, becauſe this is that which makes for the honour of God, John 15.8, Herein is my Father glorified, if ye bring forth much fruit. Look as by believing, we give honour to the Truth of God; ſo by obeying, we give God the honour of his Soveraignty. As obedient Children, we ſhall ſhew forth the praiſes of him, who hath called you out of darkneſs into his marvellous light, 1 Pet. 2.9.
Before I come to the Application, there are two or three Objections that lie in the way, which I ſhall endeavour to remove.
Object. 1. It may be, ſome will ſay, You do ſo cry up Duty, and doing the will of God, that you infringe or eclipſe the Free grace of God; this is not Preaching Free grace.
Anſw. I anſwer, This is not an infringing, or an eclipſing of the free-grace of God. becauſe you muſt know, Faith and good Works are not oppoſite one to another, but they are ſubordinate, they are conſiſtent, and may ſtand one with another very well.
Secondly, I anſwer, The grace of God doth not exclude all works, but it excludes thoſe works only that are meritorious; Good works therefore (we may ſay truly) are Cauſes, without which we cannot be ſaved: though they are not Efficient Cauſes, nor inſtrumental Cauſes, yet they are Cauſes without which we cannot be ſaved; as the Apoſtle ſaith, Without holineſs no man ſhall ſee the Lord, Heb. 12.14; So may I ſay here, Though we be not ſaved for our good works, yet we ſhall never be ſaved without good works: I would have you to remember this: Good works, though they are not neceſſary to our Juſtification, yet they are neceſſary to our Salvation; there is a great deal of difference between theſe two; to be ſaved by faith, and ſaved for faith: this is certain, we are not ſaved for our faith; this is the errour of the Socinians, that ſay, The Act of believing is our righteouſneſs. Though we are not ſaved for faith, yet the Apoſtle ſaith, We are ſaved by faith: So here, we are not ſaved for our good works, yet we are not ſaved without good works, as the Apoſtle ſaith, He that is a Doer of the Word, ſhall be bleſſed in his deed, James 1.25; He doth not ſay for his deed: ſo you may be bleſſed in your good works, though not for your good works.
Thirdly, I anſwer; Although faith alone doth juſtifie, yet that faith that is alone doth not juſtifie; though no man is juſtified for his works, yet that faith that is a juſtifying faith, is a working faith.
Secondly, It may be objected: But why do you preſs us to do the will of God, when of our ſelves we are not able to do it; we cannot of our ſelves think a good thought, nor ſpeak a good word: much leſs do the will of God in that manner as you have laid down how it muſt be done?
To this I anſwer; Our inability doth not nullifie or make void the Commands of God: God (for example) bids you believe, 1 John 3.23, And this is his Commandment, that we ſhould believe on the Name of his Son Jeſus Chriſt; and yet Faith it is the gift of God, Eph. 2.8, and you cannot of your ſelves believe. So Saint Peter, he bid Simon Magus pray, that his ſins may be forgiven him; and yet notwithſtanding, no man is able of himſelf to pray in an acceptable manner; ſaith the Apoſtle, We know not how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit helps our infirmities, Rom. 28.6. But the Arminians they ſtretch the Objection yet a little further, and argue thus:
Object. If God commands us to do what we are not able to perform, then this is cruelty in God; and they give you an inſtance. For example (ſay they) If you tie a mans hands and bid him work, or cut off his legs ard bid him walk, this is a great deal of cruelty; ſo ſay they, If God bid us do his will, and we have no freedom nor ability to do his will, then this is cruelty in God.
To this I anſwer, It is true indeed, if God ſhould tie our hands, or cut off our legs, then this Objection would be of ſome weight; but God doth not do ſo: God at firſt made man upright, he gave us ability to do his will; but if we have loſt that ability, we cannot blame God, but our ſelves: our deſtruction is from our ſelves, our inability to do Duty, is from our ſelves.
Secondly, I anſwer; Natural and unregenerate men, though they cannot work grace in their own hearts, yet they may do ſomething in a tendency to grace; they may wait on the means of grace, they may hear as they are able, and pray as they are able, and do Duties as they are able; they may wait upon God, as they did in Acts 2, when they cryed out, Men and Brethren, what ſhall we do to be ſaved? (1 Cor. 14.24, 25.) They may come to the Aſſemblies of Gods Saints, as that ignorant and Unbeliever did, though for the preſent he was in a ſtate of ignorance and unbelief, yet by hearing the Word preached, he was convinced and converted. Men are not damned for Can-nots, but for Will-nots; men are not damned becauſe they can do no better, but becauſe they will do no better.
Thirdly, I anſwer; Though we do not work with God, yet God will not work without us; God ſaves no man againſt his will, God carries no man to Heaven as a Sack is carried to the Market on Horſe-back; but God ſaves a man by bowing and bending his will, and of unwilling, making him willing. Saint Auſtin ſaith, Qui ſine auxilio tuo te Creavit, contra voluntatem tuam te non ſalvabit; He that made thee without thee, will not ſave thee without thee.
Fourthly, I anſwer this Objection of the Arminians thus: When our Saviour ſaith, He that doth the will of my Father, he ſhall know of the Doctrine; and he ſuppoſeth that ſuch a man hath grace in his heart, that doth enable him to do the will of God. Though it is true, an unregenerate man hath no freedom of will to do good; yet this is a certain truth, that the regenerate, ſo far as they are regenerate, have freedom of will to do good.
Now for the Uſe and Application of this Point, briefly.
Firſt, By way of Information: If the Diſciples of Chriſt are, or ſhould be Doers of Gods will, then it follows, he that would be a true Diſciple of Chriſt, muſt be a ſelf-denying Chriſtian; it was that I proved to you at large in many Sermons, upon Luke 9.23. He that will be a true Chriſtian, muſt be a ſelf-denyer; but why ſo? it appears plainly: If the Diſciple of Chriſt muſt be a Doer of Gods will; then
Firſt, He muſt not do his own will, but he muſt deny himſelf in that: he muſt not walk in his own way, he muſt not live by his own rule, he muſt not proſecute his own ends, but he muſt do all according to the will of his Lord and Maſter.
Secondly, If he muſt do Gods will; then he muſt not fulfil the will of the fleſh, and of the mind, Epheſ. 2.3, They that are Chriſts Diſciples, have crucified the fleſh, together with the affections and luſts of it, Gal. 5.24.
Thirdly, If he muſt do Gods will, then he muſt not do the will of men, he muſt not ſeek to pleaſe men, Gal. 1.10, Or do I ſeek to pleaſe men? for if I yet pleaſed men, I ſhould not be the ſervant of Chriſt.
Fourthly, If he muſt make the will of God his Rule, then he muſt not make Providence his Rule, nor the impulſe of the Spirit, as they are uſually called.
Firſt, He muſt not make Providence his Rule, 1 Sam. 26.7, 8, 9: David, he had opportunity of killing Saul, who was his deadly enemy; Saul was now aſleep in the Cave: he might have ſaid, Surely here is the Providence of God, he hath put my enemy into my hand; but David would not make Providence his Rule, becauſe he had not a Warrant from the Word of God to do any ſuch thing. I would have you to remember this Rule; To follow Providence without the Word is dangerous, to follow it againſt the Word is damnable; but to follow Providence with the Word, that is ſafe and warrantable.—Neither muſt the impulſe of the Spirit be the Rule of your walking. David had ſo ſtrong impulſe on his Spirit to deſtroy Nabal and his Family, for his churliſhneſs to his Soldiers being in diſtreſs, becauſe he would not ſpare them neceſſaries when he ſent unto him, that he ſaid, God do ſo to me, and more alſo, if I leave any of Nabals Family and not cut off all that piſſeth againſt the Wall, 1 Sam. 25. But upon the good counſel of Abigail, Nabals Wife, he recollected himſelf, and ſaw that it was not the will of God that he ſhould do ſo; but he bleſſed God that he had diverted him from his purpoſe.
Secondly, Learn another Leſſon by way of Inſerence, and that is this: The life of true Religion conſiſts not in ſaying, but in doing; it conſiſts not in profeſſion, but in practice: When a man hath the Word of life in his mouth, and the life of the Word in his Converſation, then he is a Chriſtian indeed. It's not the talking, but the walking Chriſtian; not he that talks of the way to Heaven, and that talks of Chriſtianity, but he that walks in the way that leads to Eternal life. This will prove you to be Chriſtians of a right ſtamp.
Thirdly, Learn this Leſſon, That the will of God is the perfect Rule of Righteouſneſs. A thing is therefore good becauſe God wills it, for God cannot will any thing that is not good; all his ways are equal, though our ways are unequal; all his paths are righteouſneſs: therefore whatever God commands, it muſt therefore needs be good, becauſe he wills it.
Fourthly, Learn this Leſſon: If Chriſtians muſt be Doers of Gods will, then it follows, that whoſoever is proud, ſtubborn, and diſobedient, willingly reſiſting the Commands of God, ſuch certainly cannot be the Diſciples of Chriſt: they that fulfil their own wills, and they that walk in their own ways, and after their own wills, and after the imaginations of their own hearts: and they that fulfil the luſts of the fleſh, and of the eye, thoſe are no Diſciples of Chriſt: for the Diſciples of Chriſt are Doers of the will of God. O hear, and fear, all you voluptuous ones, that deny your own hearts nothing: as it was ſaid of Adoniah, David denyed him nothing. You that pamper the fleſh, and you that ſtudy more to pleaſe men, than to pleaſe the great God of Heaven and Earth; Know aſſuredly, for the preſent you are no true Chriſtians, no Diſciples of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
A ſecond Uſe it is by way of Examination: (If time would give leave, I might preſs this Uſe home upon you) You may call your ſelves to account, whether you be in the number of thoſe that do the will of God, or no; whether you do it in a right manner; whether you do it knowingly: there is a great deal of knowledg, and yet there is but a little knowledg; there is a great deal of confuſed knowledg, but there is but little ſound, ſavoury, experimental, diſtinct knowledg of God. Do you do the will of God believingly? There is much talking of the grace of Faith, but little living the life of Faith.—Do you do the will of God graciouſly, from a principle of grace? It is one thing for a Jack or Clock that hath a conſtrained motion, to go: and another thing, for a man that walks and moves by a principle of life that is within. Do you duties from an inward principle of grace? And do you do the will of God cordially from the heart? And do you do the will of God ſincerely, aiming at the honour and glory of God? And do you do it fully and conſtantly? Do not theſe Queſtions puzzle many of you? What ſatisfactory anſwer can your Conſciences give to ſuch Interrogatories as theſe are? Happy is the man that with a good Conſcience can give anſwer to theſe Queſtions: that can ſay, It is the deſire of my heart in ſincerity, to do the will of God fully and conſtantly.
Thirdly, For a cloſe of this firſt Point, with a word of Exhortation: I beſeech you, as you would be Diſciples of Chriſt, ſet upon this work of doing the will of God; and here let me ſhew you ſome Rules and Directions:
Firſt, Would you do the will of God? then ſhake off ſecurity, and ſlothfulneſs, and formality, and coldneſs in Religion; formality eats out the heart of Religion: Strive to enter in at the ſtrait gate, ſtrive as in an Agony, Luke 13.24. Whatever you do in the ſervice of God, do it with all your might. It was the great commendation of that good King Hezekiah, That in every work that he began in the ſervice of the Houſe of God, and in the Law, and in the Commandements, to ſeek his God, he did it with all his heart, 2 Chron. 31.21.
Secondly, Labour for a ſtrong Faith, for Faith is the Nurſe of Obedience, Heb. 11.8, By Faith Abraham obeyed God; and he obeyed him in as hard Commands as ever you heard of, which was to leave his Countrey, to leave his own Habitation, and all that he had, and to go into a ſtrange Land, into a place he knew not whither: another Command that he obeyed was in the ſacrificing of his deareſt and only Son Iſaac: By Faith he obeyed God. And you read of the Obedience of Faith, Rom. 16.26.
Thirdly, would you do the will of God? then ſet about it without delay; To day, if you will hear his voyce, harden not your hearts, Heb. 3.7. I made haſte, and delayed not to keep thy Commandments, Pſalm 119.60.
Fourthly, Study Self-denial: croſs your own wills, that Gods will may be fulfilled; all the controverſie between God and ſuch poor worms as we are, is this: Whether Gods will or ours ſhall be obeyed? Study Self-denial; for, if Gods will, and your will meet upon a narrow Bridg, and one muſt give way to the other, if you be not well ballaſted with ſelf-denial, you will croſs Gods will, to do your own.
Now let me lay before you ſome Motives to quicken you to do the will of God.
Firſt, I beſeech you to remember this: This doing of the will of God, will prove you to be the Children of God, that you have God to be your Father. O what an honour is it to have God to be your Father! It is more than if you had all the Kingdoms of the world in your poſſeſſion for ſo many thouſand years. This doing of the will of God, will ſhew you to be the true Children of God; for, how doth our Saviour prove thoſe ſtubborn Jews to be the children of the Devil? John 8.44, You are of your father the Devil, and the will of your father you will do; You do the Devils will, and therefore you are the Devils children. So here, if you do the will of your Heavenly Father, it is a plain token that you are his Children.
Secondly, Conſider what a high price and eſteem you ſhall be in with the Lord Chriſt himſelf, by doing the will of God; conſider what a high price the Lord Chriſt will put upon you; you ſhall be related to him, Matth. 12. ult. For whoſoever ſhall do the will of my Father which is in Heaven, the ſame is my Brother, and Siſter, and Mother. Chriſt looks upon ſuch a one in near relation to himſelf.
Thirdly, Conſider, this is that which will yield you Honey and ſweetneſs in all conditions, if you be eareful to do the will of your Heavenly Father, Pſalm 63.5, My Soul ſhall be ſatisfied as with Marrow and Fatneſs. And that is an excellent Scripture, Pſalm 119.56, This I had becauſe I kept thy Precepts: This I had, what is that? This comfort I had, this ſupportation I had in all my afflictions: this conſolation I had, this ſweet Communion with God I had; why? becauſe I kept thy Precepts, I obeyed thy will. Look how much Obedience is yielded to the Commands of God, ſo much Comfort doth flow into the Soul; God uſually gives in Comforts proportionably to our Obedience. Oh the ſweet Soul-ſatisfying Conſolation a Child of God finds in the ways of God, and in doing the will of God! eſpecially when he lies on his death-bed, then it will be ſweeter to him than the Hony & the Hony-comb: then will he ſay with good King Hezekiah, when he lay upon his death-bed; Lord, Remember how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which was good in thy ſight. Oh that ſweet ſatisfaction that a Soul ſhall find in God, when he comes to appear before God!
Then here is one Motive more in the Text, and that is the next Point I ſhall come unto, the great encouragement that he ſhall have in doing the will of God; for, ſaith our Saviour, He that doth the will of God, he ſhall know of the Doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I ſpeak of my ſelf. This is the Point I ſhall ſpeak to next time, They that are the Doers of the will of God, ſhall know more of his will, and ſhall be more aſſured of what his will is.