Let us examine all our actions whether they are according to God's will. The will of God is the rule and standard, — it is the sun-dial by which we must set all our ac- tions; he is no good workman, that doth not work by rule ; he can be no good Chris- tian who goes not according to the rule of God's will. Let us examine our actions whether they do quadrare, agree to the will of God. Are your speeches according to God's will? Are our words savoury, being seasoned with grace ? Is our apparel accor- ding to God's will ? 1 Tim. ii, 9., " In like manner, also that women adorn themselves with modest aj)parel ;" not wanton and ga- rish to invite comers. Our diet, is it ac- cording to God's will ? Do we hold the gol- den bridal of temperance, and only take so much as may rather satisfy nature than sur- feit it? Too much oil chokes the lamp: is our whole carriage and behaviour according to (lod's will ? Are we patterns of prudence and piety ? Do we keep up the credit of re- ligion, and shine as lights in the world? ^^ e ])ray " Thy will be done as it is \n hea- ven ;" are we like our ])attern ; would the angels do this if they were on earth ? would Jesus Christ do this? This is to christian- ize, this is to bo saints of degrees, when we live our prayer and our actions are the counter-part of (Jod's will.
Une -\th. Of Exhortation.
492
OF THE THIRD PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER.
Let us be doers of the will of God, " Thy will be done."
1. It is our wisdom to do God's will, Deut. iv. 6., Keep and do these statutes, " for this is your wisdom."
2. It is our safety. Hath not misery al- ways attended the doing of our own will, and happiness the doing of God's will ?
( 1.) Misery hath always attended tlie do- ing of our own wilh Our first parents left God's will to fulfil their own, " in eating the forbidden fruit." And what came of it ? The apple had a bitter core in it ; they purchased a curse for themselves and all their posterity. King Saul left God's will to do his own ; he spares Agag, and the best of the sheep, and what was the issue, but the loss of his kingdom ?
(2.) Happiness hath always attended the doing of God's will. Joseph obeyed God's will, in refusing the embrace of his mis- tress; and was not this his preferment? God raised him to be the second man in the kingdom. Daniel did God's will con- trary to the king's decree ; he bowed his knee in prayer to God, and did not God make all Persia bow their knees to Daniel ?
(3.) The way to have our will is to do God's will. Would we have a blessing in our estate? Then let us do God's will, Deut. xxviii. 1, 3., " If thou shalt hearken diligently to the voice of the Lord thy God, to do all his commandments, the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth : blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field." This is tlie way to have a good harvest. Would we have a blessing in our souls ? Then let us do God's will, Jer. vii. 23., " Obey my voice, and I will be your God ;" I will entail myself upon you, as an everlas- ting portion ; my grace shall be yours to sanctify you, my mercy shall be yours to save you. You see you lose nothing by do- ing God's will ; this is the way to have your will ; let God have his will in being obeyed, and you shall have your will in being saved.
Quest. How shall tie come to do God's will aright ?
Ans. 1. Get sound knowledge ; we must know God's will before we can do it ; know- ledge is the eye to direct the foot of obedi- ence. The papists make ignorance the mo-
ther of deA^otion, but Christ makes igno- rance the mother of error. Mat. xxii 29., " Ye do err, not knowing the scrij)ture." We must know God's will before we can do it aright. Affection without knowledge, is like a horse full of metal, but his eyes are out.
A. 2. If we would do God's will aright, let us labour for self-denial ; unless we de- ny our own will, we shall never do God's will ; God wills one thing, we will another, — God calls us to be crucified to the world, by nature we love the world, — God calls us to forgive our enemies, by nature wo bear malice in our hearts, — God's will and ours are contrary, like the wind and tide, and till we can cross our own will, we shall never fulfil God's.
A. 3. Let us get humble hearts. Pride is the spring of disobedience, Exod. v. 2., " Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice?" A proud man thinks it below him to stoop to God's will. Be humble ; the humble soul saitli, " Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" He puts, as it were, a blank paper into God's hand, and bids him wa'ite what he will, he will subscribe to it.