Fifthly, Be in God's vallcs and ordinances in a course of doinrj good, in our Christian or civil calling, sanctified by prayer and a holy dependence upon God for strength, wisdom, and success. Go not out of those ways wherem he gives his angels charge of our persons and actions, and what- ever we do. Labour to do it with perfection, as our Father in heaven is perfect.
_ Sixthly, Observe God's deallnf/s uith the chnrch, both formerly and now in these days, and how he dealeth and hath formerly dealt with ourselves, that from experience of his faithfulness to us wo may gather confidence to approach mgh him at any occasion. God's works and words do answer one another : ' Hath he said, and shall he not do it ? ' He is always good to Israel. Observe therefore hov all things work together for thy parti- cular drawing nigh unto him; for if aU do work together for thy good,
THE SAINT S HAPPINESS.
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then it must be of necessity for thy drawing near to Goil, and drawing thee away from this present world ; and observe how thy soul answereth the purpose of God, how thy affections are bent, and so how all comes out for thy benefit at last. See God in atliictions embittering ill courses in thee; in thy success in thy affairs, encouraging thee; and thus walk with God. But evermore think of him as of a Father in covenant with thee.
Seventhly, Labour to maintain humility, having evermore a sense of thy unworthiness, and wants, and continual dependence on God, and thus humble thyself to walk with him. Hence the saints in God's presence call themselves 'dust and ashes,' as Abraham, Gen. xviii. 27; ' and less than the least of God's mercies,' as Jacob, Gen. xxxii. 10. God is 'a consuming fire,' Heb. xii. 29, and will be sanctified in all that come nigh unto him. He will give grace to the humble, but beholdeth the proud afar off, as they look on others : James iv. 8, ' Draw near to the Lord, and he will draw near to you.' Humble yourselves under ' the mighty hand of God,' and he will fift you up. He that lifteth himself up, maketh himself a god; and God -will endure no co-rivals. Contrarily, he dwelleth in the heart of the humble, Isa. Ixvi. 2; and in the Psalms, 'An humble and a contrite heart, 0 God, thou wilt not despise.' But pride he abhorreth as an abomination of desolation.
Eighthly, Labour for sinceritij in all our actions. "Whatever we do to God or man, do it with a single eye, resolute to please God. Let men say what they will, ' a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways,' James i. 8; and what is a double-minded man, but one that hath one eye on God, another on a by-respect ? If religion fail him, he will have favour of men, or wealth, yet would fain have both, for credit sake. Such are gross temporisers ; and in time, of temporisers [it] will appear that their religion serves but for a cloak to their vile hypocrisy. This God loathes, and will ' spue them out,' Eev. iii. 16.
Ninthly, Observe the first motions of GocVs Spirit; and give diligent heed to them, for by these God^knocks for entrance into the heart: Rev. iii. 20, ' Behold, I stand at the door and knock.' God is near when he knocks, when he putteth inclinations into the heart, and sharpeneth them with afflictions. If, then, we stop our ears, we may say ' the kingdom of God was near unto us ;' but if he once ceaseth knocking, our mouths shall for ever be stopped; and for this reason it is that so many hve daily under the means, and yet live in vile courses, as if God had determined their doom. They resisted the first motions, and close with their lusts, and so God pronounceth a curse : * Make this people's heart fat,' Isa. vi. 10. On the contrary, those that will open to God while he continues knocking, God will come in and make an everlasting tabernacle in them, and sup with them. Rev. iii. 20.
Lastly, Take up daily controversies that do arise in us, through the incon- stancy of our deceivable hearts. Repentance must be every day's work, renewing our covenant, especially every morning and evening ; repair breaches by confession ; and considering the crossness of our hearts, commit them to God by prayer : ' Knit my heart to thee, that I may fear thy name,' Ps. Ixxxvi. 11.
A third use of this doctrine is of instruction ; and, first, to teach us that a Christian that thus draweth near to God is the wisest man. He hath God's word, reason, and experience to justify his course. He is the wisest man that is wise for himself. The Christian feels it and knows it, and can justify himself, 2 Tim. i. 12. Paul suffered, and was not ashamed.
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"\Yhy ? ' I know,' saitb he, ' whom I have believed.' Let men scorn, I pass * not for man's censure. Thev shall never scorn me out of my reli- gion; and for them, the Scripture, 'that can best judge, calls those wicked men fools ; for they refuse God, who is the chiefest good, and seek for con- tent where none is to be found. Contrarily, if we do affect honour, or riches, or pleasure, God is so gracious as in religion he gives us abundance of these. In God is all fulness; in Christ are unsearchable riches; in God everlasting strength, ' and his favour is better than the life itself,' Ps. Ixiii. 3. Ahithophel was wise, but it was to hang himself; Saul a mighty man, but to shed his own blood; Haman's honour ended in shame.