_Direct._ V. It much honoureth God, when the hopes of everlasting joys do cause believers to live much more joyfully than the most prosperous worldlings.--Not with their kind of doting mirth, in vain sports and pleasures, and foolish talking, and uncomely jests; but in that constant cheerfulness and gladness, which beseemeth the heirs of glory. Let it appear to the world, that indeed you hope to live with Christ, and to be equal with the angels. Do a dejected countenance, and a mournful, troubled, and complaining life, express such hopes? or rather tell men that your hopes are small, and that God is a hard master, and his service grievous? Do not thus dishonour him by your inordinate dejectedness; do not affright and discourage sinners from the pleasant service of the Lord.
_Direct._ VI. When christians live in a readiness to die, and can rejoice in the approach of death, and love and long for the day of judgment, when Christ shall justify them from the slanders of the world, and shall judge them to eternal joys: this is to the glory of God and our profession.--When death, which is the king of fears to others, appeareth as disarmed and conquered to believers; when judgment, which is the terror of others, is their desire; this showeth a triumphant faith, and that godliness is not in vain. It must be something above nature that can make a man "desire to depart and be with Christ, as best of all," and "to be absent from the body and present with the Lord," and to "comfort one another" with the mention of the glorious coming of their Lord, and the day when he shall judge the world in righteousness, Phil. i. 21; 2 Cor. v. 8; 1 Thess. iv. 18; 2 Thess. i. 10.
_Direct._ VII. The humility, and meekness, and patience of christians, much honour God and their holy faith; as pride, and passion, and impatience dishonour him.--Let men see that the Spirit of God doth cast down the devilish sin of pride, and maketh you like your Master, that humbled himself to assume our flesh, and to the "death of the cross," and to the contradiction and reproach of foolish sinners, and "made himself of no reputation," but "endured the shame" of being derided, spit upon, and crucified, Phil. ii. 7-9; Heb. xii. 2; and stooped to wash the feet of his disciples. It is not stoutness, and lifting up the head, and standing upon your terms, and upon your honour in the world, that is the honouring of God. When you are as little children, and as nothing in your own eyes, and seek not the honour that is of men, but say, "Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to thy name be the glory," Psal. cxv. 1; and are content that your honour decrease and be trodden into the dirt, that his may increase, and his name be magnified; this is the glorifying of God. So when you show the world, that you are above the impotent passions of men, not to be insensible, but to be "angry and sin not," and to "give place to wrath," and not to resist and "avenge yourselves," Rom. xii. 19; and to be "meek and lowly in heart," Matt. xi. 29. It will appear that you have the wisdom which is "from above," if you be "first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and hypocrisy," James iii. 17. "But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth," as if this were the wisdom from above which glorifieth God; for this "wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, and devilish," ver. 14, 15. "A meek and quiet spirit is of great price in the sight of God," 1 Pet. iii. 4; an ornament commended to women by the Scripture, which is amiable in the eyes of all.