[1.] Inquire diligently into his mind and will, that you may know his paths, and be acquainted with his statutes. I dare say, no temptation in the world presses with more co- lour and violence upon men under mercies, than that to a neglect of walking; and holdino; communion with God in his
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ordinances : the devil thinks thus, to revenge himself of the Lord Jesus : his own yoke being broken, he thinks to prevail to the casting away of his : Christ hath a yoke though it be gentle and easy.
[2.] You that do enjoy holy ordinances, labour to have holy hearts answerable thereunto : you have heavenly insti- tutions, 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 ; shew out the power and efficacy of all gos- pel institutions, in a frame of spirit, course of life, and equa- bility 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 family, such will the fruit be in the church and commonwealth : if your spirits are not well manured there, you will be utterly baiTen elsewhere : that is done most clearly to God, which is done within doors.
(3.) Meet him in the way 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 ho- liness. ^Rev. vi. 10. ' How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that
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dwell on the earth ?' And in their rendering praises to him, they still make mention of his holiness and righteousness in all his ways. Though the ways of God are commonly tra- duced as unequal 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 deliverance, the day wherein he hath wrought such great and wonderful alterations.
This use the Holy Ghost maketh upon such like dispen- sations, 2 Pet. iii. 11. * Seeing that all these things,' &,c. and so also, Heb. xii. 27, 28. ' And this word. Yet once more, signifieth the removing of these things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that these things which cannot be shaken, may remain. Wherefore we receiving 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 holy one, holy in his nature, holy in his word, and holy in all his works; and he requires that his people be a holy 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 mercies into impure and unclean vessels they will to us be defiled. Let us take heed of prostrating 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 pros- perity laid up for some years ; soul, take thy ease, eat, drink, and be merry, grow 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 abomina- tions, 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 serve our lusts and our- selves 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 victories,
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and successes, and returns of prayers, that we have received; that we give up ourselves to the Lord in all manner of holi- ness ; this is that which the Lord's voice calls us unto : let not now him that is filthy 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 himself, 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, ruling in the fear of the Lord, that you may be as the light of the morning 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 labouring to carry on the kingdom of the Prince of peace, even every 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 unto you, that it was the remnant of Jacob, God's secret and holy ones, lying 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.