[2.] You that do enjoy holy ordinances, labour to have holy hearts answerable thereunto. You have heavenly institutions, labour to have heavenly conversations. If we be like the world in our walking, it is no great matter if we be like the world in our worship. It is sad, walking contrary to God in his own paths. Show out the power and efficacy of all gospel institutions in a frame of spiiit, course of life, and equability of spiritual temper, all your days.
[3.] Keep up the power of private worship, both personal and family. I have seen many good laws for the Sabbath, and hope I shall see some good examples ! Look what the roots are in the fa- mily; such will the fruit be in the church and commonwealth. If your spirits are not well manured there, you will be utterly barren elsewhere. That is done most clearly to God which is done within doors.
(o.) Meet hint in the ivay of his holiness. In the cry of the saints unto the Lord for the execution of his judgments and vengeance, they in an especial manner invocate his holiness. Rev. vi. 10, " How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth ?" ^iid in then- rendering praises to him, they still make mention of his holiness and righteousness in all his ways. Though the ways of God are commonly traduced as un- equal and unholy ways, yet in the close there is no property of his that he will more vindicate in all his works than that of his holiness ; in this, then, we are also to meet the Lord in this day of our deliver- ance,— the day wherein he hath wrought such great and Avonderfid alterations.
This use the Holy Ghost maketh upon such like dispensations, 2 Pet. iii. 11, " Seeing that all these thmgs," &c.; and so also, Heb. xii. 27, 28, " And this word. Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore, we receiv- ing a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear." All things opposing removed, a freedom established, — therefore let us have grace. God is the thrice lioly one, — holy in his nature, holy in his word, and holy in all his works; and he requires that his people
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be a Loly people. To this he still urged his ancient people, from the argument of his presence amongst them. Oh, that the Spirit of the Lord would bring forth this one fruit of all his dealing with us, that we might be a holy people ! If we put God's pure and clean mer- cies into impure and unclean vessels, they will to us be defiled. Let us take heed of prostituting the mighty works of God to the service of our lusts; Should we now make such conclusions to ourselves as the rich fool in the gospel, and say, Well, we have now peace and prosperity laid up for some years; — soul, take thy ease, eat, drink, and be merry ; gTow rich and great ; follow after vanity, pride, folly, uncleanness; enjoy with delight the things which we have, and heap up thereto : — why, as this is to labour to draw the Lord God into a partnership with our abominations, and to enforce his mighty works to bear witness to our lusts, so certainly it is such a frame as he will surely and speedily revenge. The end why God delivers us from all our enemies is, not that we may sei-ve our lusts and ourselves without fear; but that we may serve him without fear, in righteousness and holiness, all the days of our lives. Let, then, this be the issue upon our hearts of all the victoiies, and successes, and returns of prayers that we have received, — that we give up ourselves to the Lord in all manner of holiness : this is that which the Lord's voice calls us unto. Let not now him that is fiJthy be filthy still; let not him that is worldly be worldly still; let not him that is loose, and hath cast off the yoke of Christ, be so still ; let not him that hath sought him- self do so still ; let not him who hath contemned the institutions of Christ do so still; let not him that hath been lifted up above his brethren be so still; — but let every one forsake his evil way, and the iniquity that is in his hand, that we who were not a people at all may be a people to the praise of the God of all ; that you who rule over men may be just, nding in the fear of the Lord, that you may be as the lisfht of the morninof when the sun is risen, even as a morn- ing without clouds, as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain ; — that we who are under rule may sit under our vines and fig-trees, speaking well of the name of God, and labour- ing to carry on the khigdom of the Prince of Peace, even eveiy one as we are called, and abiding therein with God; — that as, when you sought this mercy of God which we rejoice in, in solemn humbling of yourselves before the Lord, I made it appear imto you that it was the remnant of Jacob, God's secret and holy ones, Ipng in the bowels of the nation, that must be the rise of all our deliverances, so we would now every one strive to be of that number, — for they alone enjoy the sweetness of this and every mercy.