5. The evil things of this world, which are not good in themselves, he turneth to good : Eom. viii. 28, ' All things shall work together for good to them that love God.' He is able to bring light out of darkness, or give light in darkness, or turn darkness into light ; to give inward joy and comfort under all calamities, to support and sustain under all heavy pressures, and to deliver out of all distresses.
6. He doth give them so much of the good things of the world as is convenient for them : Ps. xxxiv. 9, ' Oh, fear the Lord, ye his saints, for there is no want to them that fear him ; ' Ps. Ixxxiv. 11,
* The Lord God is a sun and a shield ; the Lord will give grace and glory, and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk up- rightly.' He giveth protection when it is necessary : Nahum i. 7,
* The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and he knoweth those that trust in him ; ' Ezra vi. 22, ' The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him.' He hath a great inclination to diffuse his benefits.
7. His doing good is chiefly in the world to come : John xii. 26, ' If any man serve me, let him follow me, and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father
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liononr.' Here lie is with them in troubles, there they shall be with him in glory ; here he can put marks of favour upon them, and dis- tinguish between those that serve him and those that serve him not : Mai. iii. 17, ' They shall be mine, saith the Lord, in that day when I make up my jewels, and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him ;' there he will manifest his favour in the face of all the world.
Use 2. To persuade you to become the servants of God : you will have a good master if you be what you profess to be. Every Christian should say, as Paul did, Acts xxvii. 23, ' The God whose I am, and whom I serve.' He is God's, and serveth God. (1.) He is God's by creation, for he made him out of nothing : Ps. c. 3, ' Know ye that the Lord he is God ; it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves ; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture;' Col. i. 16, 'AH things were created by him and for him.' By redemption ; 1 Cor. vi. 20, ' Ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body and your spirit, which is God's.' By covenant ; Isa. xliv. 5, 'One shall say, I am the Lord's, and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob, and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel;' Ezek. xvi. 8, 'I sware unto thee, and entered into covenant with thee, saith the Lord, and thou becamest mine;' and so voluntarily he is God's. AVicked men are God's in right, but against their wills ; the godly are willingly God's. A man will never be hearty in his obedience and subjection till he look upon himself as God's. See an instance in the wicked, whose ungodliness and rebellion against God cometh from looking upon themselves as their own : Ps. xii. 4, ' Who have said. With our tongues will we prevail ; oar lips are our own ; who is lord over us ?' Their time their own, wealth their own, interest their own, bodies their own, souls their own, and therefore think they may employ all these things as they please. On the other side, take an instance of self-denial. Why so careful to serve and glorify God ? Rom. xiv. 8, ' For whether we live, we live unto the Lord, and whether we die, we die unto the Lord ; whether we live therefore, or die, Ave are the Lord's ;' they have given up themselves to be employed at his command. (2.) Him they serve. How do they serve him ? (1st.) They must serve God with the spirit as well as the body : Eom. i. 9, * God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son.' So Phil. iii. 3, * We are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit ; ' Eom. xii. 11, ' Fervent in spirit, serving the Lord ; ' Eom. vii. 6, ' That we should serve in newness of spirit.' When the heart is renewed, disposed, and fitted for his fear and service, there is an honest purpose and endeavour to serve him. (2d.) You must serve him faithfully, devoting yourselves to do his will, and to seek his glory. Your intention, trade, and study must be to honour God and please him, that if it be asked for whom are you at work? lor whom speaking or spending your time? whose business are you doing ? you may answer. All is for God. If the pleasing of the flesh be their work or scope, they are said to serve their own bellies : Eom. xvi. 18, ' They that are such serve not the Lord Jesus, but their own belly.' (3d.) Cheerfully ; having so good a master, let us take pleasure in our work. Here is all good — good