tliee, and all the blessings of the lower springs shall be blessed unto thee ; and all the blessings of the throne shall be blessed unto thee, and all the blessings of the footstool shall be blessed unto thee.i And as all thy blessings shall be blessed unto thee, so every estate and every condition shall be blessed unto thee ; thou shalt be blessed in health, and blessed in sickness; blessed in strength, and blessed in weakness; blessed in wealth, and blessed in want ; blessed in honour, and blessed in dis- honour ; blessed in life, and blessed in death ; thou shalt be blessed at home, and blessed abroad ; blessed at board, and blessed at bed ; blessed lying down, and blessed rising up; blessed in liberty, and blessed in bonds. Look, as all the blessings of a wicked man are cursed unto him ; and as all the relations of a wicked man are cursed unto him, and as all estates and conditions that are incident to a wicked man are cursed unto him; so all the blessings of a holy man are blessed unto him, and all the relations of a holy man are blessed unto him, and all estates and conditions that are incident to a holy man are blessed unto him.2 Isaac tills the ground, and sows his seed, and God blesses him with a hundredfold. Gen, xxvi. 12 ; and Cain tills the ground, and sows his seed, but the earth is cursed to him, and commanded not to yield to him her strength. Gen. iv. 12. But,
[5.] Fifthly, If thou art a holy person, if thou art one that hast that real holiness, without which there is no happiness, then know for thy comfort, that thy holiness is a glorious witness and evidence of thy effectual vocation: 1 Pet. i. 15, 'As he who hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.' Many are exter- nally called that are not internally called, and many are ineffectually called that are not effectually called, 1 Pet. ii. 9. But now, real holi- ness, that speaks out an internal call, an effectual call, a call out of darkness into marvellous light, it speaks out such a call as makes sinners saints, slaves sons, enemies friends, and strangers favourites. As Joseph, a stranger, was called out of a prison, a dungeon, and made a very great favourite in Pharaoh's court, Gen. xli. ; so real holiness is a glorious witness and evidence that you are effectually called out of the prison of sin, and the dungeon of wrath, and made a favourite to the King of glory, 2 Tim. i. 9 ; 1 Pet. v. 10 ; Gal. iv. 6. The author of this call is a holy God. Our holy calling depends upon the pur- pose of God, the power of God, and the grace and good pleasure of God. The means of our holy calling are the Spirit of God and the word of God ; and the ends of our calling are holiness and the glory of God. 0 sirs, you are not called upon the account of your parents' faith or nobility, nor upon the account of any intrinsecal virtues in you, nor upon the account of any extrinsecal services done by you, but upon the account of God's peculiar election and particular vocation ; and therefore by holiness make good the honour of your high calling. And if any should object against you the meanness of your birth and outward calling, put them in mind of your high and holy calling, and ask them what they think of Lazarus, that is now asleep in Abraham's
* A little blest is better than a world enjoyed. If thou art a holy man, the God of all mercies, and all the mercies of God, the God of all comforts, and all the comforts of God, are thine, and what wouldst thou have more ?
* Prov. iii. 33 ; Mai. ii. 1-3 j Lev. xxvi.; Deut. xxviii.
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bosom. And if others should object against you your former wicked- ness, and cast your sins as dirt. and dung in your faces, let them know- that St Paul can tell them from heaven, that though once he was a wretched blasphemer, and a bloody persecutor, that yet now he is a glorious saint in heaven. But,
[6.] Sixthly, If thou art a holy person, if thou art one that hast this real holiness, without which there is no happiness, then know for thy comfort, that thy holiness is a blessed evidence of thy adoption and sonship, John i. 12 ; Kom. viii. 17. If thou art a holy person, then of a child of wrath thou art become a child of God, a child of love ; and of an heir of hell thou art become an heir of heaven ; and of a slave thou art become a son: Gal. iv. 4, 5, 7, ' But when the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons, wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son : ' Kom. viii. 14, ' For as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.' The leadings of the Spirit are all holy leadings, and there are none that are the sons of God but such as are under the holy leadings of the Spirit of God : Phil. ii. 15, ' That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.' There are none worthy of this title of honour — viz., the sons of God— but such who in the main of their lives and conversations are blameless and harmless, without rebuke, and that are as shining lights in the world.