it is not all our golden words, if we could speak like angels, but our works, our doing of God's will which bears witness of our sincerity. We judge not of the health of a man's body by his high colour, but by the pulse of the arm, where the blood chiefly stirs ; so a Christian's soundness is not to be judged by his profession ; what is this high colour, but the estimate of a Christian is to be taken by his obediential acting, his doing the will of God; this is the best cer- tificate, and letters testimonial to shew for heaven.
4. Doing God's will much propagates the gospel ; this is the diamond that sparkles in reljofion. Others cannot see what faith is in the heart ; but when they see we do God's will on earth, this makes thein have a ve- nerable opinion of religion, and become proselytes to it. Julian, in one of his e- pistles, writing to Arsatius, saith, " that the Christian religion did much flourish, by the sanctity and obedience of them that professed it."
5. By doing God's will, we shew our love to Christ, John xiv. 21., " He that hath my commandments, and kcepeth them, he it is that loveth me." What greater love to Christ, than to do his will, though it cross our own? Every one would be thongl)t to love Christ ; but, how shall that be known but by this ? Do you do his will on earth ? Neque principem veneramur, si odio ejus hges hahemus, IsiD. It is a vain thing for a man to say he loves Christ's ])orson, when he slio-hts his commands. jSot to do God's will on earth, is a great evil. It is (1.) Sinful. (2.) Foolish. (3.) Dangerous.
(1.) It is sinful. 1. We go against our prayers ; we pray, fiat volvntas lua, ' thy will be done,' and yet we do not obey his will ; we confute our own prayer. 2. We go against our vow in baptism ; wc have vowed to fight under the Lord's banner, to obey his sceptre, and this vow we have of- ten renewed in the Lord's supper: if we do not God's will on earth, we are forsworn, and God will indict us of perjury.
(2.) Not to do God's will on earth, is foolish : 1. Because there is no standing it out against God. If we do not obey him, we cannot resist him, 1 Cor. x. 22., " Are we stronger than he ?" Job xl. 9., " Ilast
OF THE THIRD PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER.
485 ,,.
thou an arm like God ?" Canst tliou mea- sure arms with him ? To oppose God, is, as if a child sliould fi^ht with an archan- gel ; as if an heap of hriars sliould put them- selves into a hattalia a<j^ainst the flame. 2. Not to do God's will is foolish ; because, if we do not God's will, we do the devil's will. Is it not folly to gratify an enemy ? To do his will that seeks our ruin ?
Quest. But are any so zvicked as to do the devifs will ?
Ans. Yes ; John viii. 41., " Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ve will do." M^ien a man tells a lie, doth he not do the devil's will ? Acts .v. 3., " A- nanias, why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Ghost ?"
(3.) Not to do God's will is dangerous; it brings a spiritual premimire. If God's will be not done by us ; he will have his will upon us ; if we obey not God's will in com- manding, we shall obey his will in punish- ing, 2 Thess. i. 7, 8., " The Lord Jesus shall be revealed with his mighty angels in flames of fire, taking vengeance on them that obey not his gospel." Either we must do God's will, or suffer it.
6. Whatever God wills us to do, is for our benefit ; behold here self-intei'cst. As if a king commands his subject to dig in a mine of gold, and then gives him all the gold he had digged : God bids us do his will, and this is for our good, Deut. x. 12, 13., " And no'w, O Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, and keep the commandments of the Lord, which I command thee this day for thy good ?" It is God's will that we should repent, and this is for our good, repentance ushers in remission. Acts iii. 19., " Repent, and be converted that your sins may be blotted out." It is God's will that we should believe ; and why is it, but that we should be crowned with salvation? Mark xvi. 16., " He that believes and is baptized shall be saved." What (lod wills is not so much our duty, as our privilege ; he bids us obey his voice, and it is greatly for our good, Jer. vii. 23., " Obey my voice, and I will be your God." I will not only give you my angels to be your guard, but myself to be your portion ; my Spirit shall be yours to sancti- fy you, my love shall be yours to comfort
you, my mercy shall be yours to save you, " I will be your God."