VSE V. Comfort to the people of God. (1) to VSE V. Comfort to the people of God. (3)

VSE V. Comfort to the people of God. (1)

1. In all their Sufferings. The true Saint is as Luther saith, Haeres Crucis, heir to the Cross, Affliction is his Dyet drink, but here is that may be as Bezoar-stone to keep him from fainting; these sufferings bring a Kingdom. The hope of the Kingdom of Heaven, saith Basil, should indulcorate and sweeten all our troubles; 2 Tim. 2.12. If we suffer we shall reign with him: 'Tis but a short fight, but an eternal triumph; this light suffering produceth an eternal weight of Glory; 2 Cor. 4.17. 1. A weight of Glory, [gap]: Things which are precious, the more weighty, the more they are worth; the more weight is in a Crown of Gold the more it is worth 'Tis a weight of Glory. 2. [gap], An eternal weight of Glory: Did this Glory last but a while it would much abate and imbitter the Joyes of Heaven, but the Glory of that Kingdom runs parallel with Eternity; God will be as a deep Sea of Blessedness, and the Glorified Saints shall for ever bathe themselves in that Ocean. One dayes wearing the Crown will abundantly pay for all the Saints sufferings, how much more then, when they shall reign for ever and ever; Rev. 22.5. O let this support under all the Calamities and Suffering in this Life: What a vast difference is there between a Believers Sufferings and his Reward; Rom. 8.18. The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory which shall be revealed in us. For a few Tears, Rivers of Pleasure; for Mourning, white Robes: This made the Primitive Christians laugh at Imprisonment, and snatch up Torments as so many Crowns: Though now we drink in a Worm-wood Cup, here is Sugar in the bottom to sweeten it; 'Tis your Fathers good pleasure to give you a Kingdom.

2. Comfort in Death: Here is that which may take away from Gods Children the terrour of Death, they are now entring into the Kingdom. Indeed no wonder if wicked Men be appal'd and terrified at the approach of Death, they dye unpardoned, Death carries them to the Goal, where they must lye for ever without [gap]ail or Mainprize: But why should any of Gods Children be so scared and half-dead with the thoughts of Death? What hurt doth Death do to them, but lead them to a Glorious Kingdom? Faith gives a Title to Heaven, Death a Possession; let this be a Gospel-antidote to expel the fear of Death. Hilarion that blessed Man, cryed out, Egredere Anima, egredere, quid times? Go forth my Soul, go forth, what fearest thou? Let them fear Death, who do not fear Sin: But let not Gods Children be over-much troubled at the grim Face of that Messenger which brings them to the end of their Sorrow, and the beginning of their Joy. Death is yours, 1 Cor. 3.22. it is part of a Believers inventory. Is a Prince afraid to cross a narrow Sea, who shall be Crowned when he comes to Land? Death to the Saints shall be an usher, to bring them into the Presence of the King of Glory: This puts Lilies and Roses into the ghastly face of Death, and makes it look amiable. Death brings us to a Crown of Glory which fades not away. The day of Death is better to a Believer than the day of his Birth. Death is aditus ad Gloriam, an entrance into a blessed Eternity. Fear not Death, but rather let your Hearts revive when you think these ratling wheels of Deaths Chariot are but to carry you home to an everlasting Kingdom.

MATTH. vi.10. Thy Will be done in Earth, as it is in Heaven.

WE come next to the Third Petition, Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven.

This Petition consists of Two Parts.

• I. The Matter, Doing of Gods Will.

• II. The Manner, As it is in Heaven.

I. The Matter of this Petition is, The doing of Gods Will. Thy Will be done.

Quest. 1. What is meant by the Will of God?

Answ. There is a twofold Will: 1. Voluntas decreti, Gods secret Will, or the Will of his Decree: We pray not that Gods secret Will may be done by us. This secret Will cannot be known, it is locked up in Gods own breast, and neither Man or Angel hath Key to open it. 2. Voluntas revelata, Gods revealed Will. This revealed Will is written in the Book of Scripture; the Scripture is a declaration of Gods Will, it discovers what he would have us do in order to our Salvation.

Quest. 2. What do we pray for in these words, Thy Will be done?

Answ. We pray for two things. 1. For Active Obedience; that we may do Gods Will actively in what he commands. 2. For Passive; that we may submit to Gods Will patiently in what he inflicts. We pray that we may do Gods Will actively, subscribe to all his commands, believe in Jesus the cardinal Grace, lead holy lives. So Austin upon the Petition, Nobis a Deo precamur Obedientiam, we pray that we may actively obey Gods Will. This is the summe of all Religion, the two Tables epitomized, The doing of Gods Will. Thy Will be done. We must know Gods Will before we can do it; knowledge is the eye which must direct the foot of Obedience. At Athens there was an Altar set up [gap], To the unknown God, Acts 17.23. It is as bad to offer the blind to God as the dead. Knowledge is the Pillar of Fire to give light to practise; but though knowledge is requisite, yet the knowing of Gods Will is not enough without doing of his Will: Thy Will be done. If one had a System of Divinity in his head, if he had [gap], all knowledge, 1 Cor. 13.2. yet if Obedience were wanting, his knowledge were lame, and would not carry him to Heaven. Knowing Gods Will may make a Man admired, but it is doing Gods Will that makes him blessed; knowing Gods Will without doing it, will not crown us with happiness.

1. The bare knowledge of Gods Will is inefficacious, it doth not better the heart. Knowledge alone is like a Winter-Sun which hath no heat or influence; it doth not warm the Affections, or purifie the Conscience. Iudas was a great Luminary, he knew Gods Will, but he was a Traytor.

2. Knowing without doing Gods Will will make ones case worse, 'twill heat Hell the hotter; Luke 12.47. The servant which knew his Lords will, and did not according to his will shall be beaten with maeny stripes. Many a Mans knowledge is a torch to light him to Hell. Thou who hast knowledge of Gods Will but dost not do it, wherein dost thou excel an Hypocrite? Nay, wherein dost thou excel the Devil? who transforms himself into an Angel of light? 'Tis improper to call such Christians who are knowers of Gods Will, but not doers of it. 'Tis improper to call him a Tradesman who never wrought in his Trade; so to call him a Christian who never wrought in the Trade of Religion. Let us not rest in the knowing of Gods Will. Let it not be said of us as Plutarch speaks of the Grecians, They knew what was just but did it not. Let us set upon this, the doing of Gods Will. Thy Will be done.

Quest. 3. Why is the doing of Gods Will so requisite?

Answ. 1. Out of Equity. God may justly claim a right to our Obedience; he is our founder; we have our being from him; and 'tis but equal that we should do his Will at whose word we were Created. God is our Benefactor; 'tis just that if God give us our Allowance we should give him our Allegiance.

2. The great design of God in the World is to make us doers of his Will. 1. All Gods Royal Edicts and Precepts are to bring us to this, to be doers of his Will; what needed God been at the pains to give us the copy of his Law, and write it out with his own Finger else. The Word is not only a Rule of Knowledge, but of Duty;

Deut. 13.4. Deut. 26.16. This day the Lord thy God hath commanded thee to do these statutes, thou shalt therefore keep and do them. If you tell your Children what is your mind, it is not only that they may know your Will, but do it. God gives us his Word as a Master gives a Scholar a Copy to write after it; he gives it as his Will and Testament, that we should be the Executors to see it performed. 2. This is the end of all Gods Promises to draw us to do Gods Will; the Promises are loadstones to Obedience, Deut. 11.27. A blessing if ye obey; as a Father gives his Son Money to bribe him to Obedience. Deut. 28.1. If thou shalt hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and do all his commandments, the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all the nations of the earth; Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and in the field. The Promises are a Royal Charter settled upon Obedience. 3. The Minatory part of the Word, the threatnings of God stand as the Angel with a Flaming Sword to deter us from Sin, and make us doers of Gods Will; Deut. 11.28. A curse if ye will not obey. Psal. 68.21. God shall wound the hairy scalp of every one that goes on still in his trespasses. These threatnings do often take hold of Men in this Life; they are made examples, and hung up in chains to scare others from Disobedience. 4. All Gods Providences are to m[gap]ke us doers of his Will. As God makes use of all the seasons of the Year for Harvest, so all his various Providences are to bring on the Harvest of Obedience.

1. Afflictions are to make us do Gods Will; 2 Chron. 33.12. When Manasseh was in affliction, he besought the Lord, and humbled himself greatly. The Rod hath this voice, Be doers of Gods Will. Affliction is called a Furnace; Isa. 48.10. The furnace melts the metal, and then it is cast into a new mould. Gods Furnace is to melt us and mould us into Obedience.

2. Gods Mercies are to make us do his Will; Rom. 12.1. I beseech you by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice. Body is by a Synecdoche put for the whole Man. If the Soul should not be presented to God as well as the Body, it could not be a reasonable service. Now saith the Apostle, I beseech you by the mercies of God present your selves a living sacrifice. Mercies are the strongest obligations to Duty. Hos. 11.4. I drew them with the cords of a man; that is, with the golden cords of my Mercy. In a word, all that is written in Law or Gospel, tends to this, that we should be doers of Gods Will, Thy Will be done.

3. By doing the Will of God we evidence Sincerity; as Christ said in another sense, Iohn 10.25. The works which I do, bear witness of me: So it is not all our golden words, if we could speak like Angels, but our works, our doing of Gods Will, which bears witness of our Sincerity. We judge not of the health of a Mans Body by his high Colour, but by the Pulse of the Arm, where the Blood chiefly stirs; so a Christians soundness is not to be judged by his Profession; what is this high Colour? but the estimate of a Christian is to be taken by his Obediential acting, his doing the Will of God; this is the best Certificate and Letters Testimonial to shew for Heaven.

4. Doing Gods Will much propagates the Gospel; this is the Diamond that sparkles in Religion. Others cannot see what Faith is in the Heart, but when they see we do Gods Will on Earth, this makes them have a venerable opinion of Religion, and become Proselites to it. Iulian in one of his Epistles writing to Arsatius, saith, That the Christian Religion did much flourish by the Sanctity and Obedience of them that professed it.

5. By doing Gods Will we show our Love to Christ; Iohn 14.21. He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me. What greater Love to Christ than to do his Will, though it cross our own. Every one would be thought to love Christ; but how shall that be known but by this, do you do his Will on Earth? Ne

que principem veneramur si odio ejus Leges habemus, Isid. 'Tis a vain thing for a Man to say he loves Christs Person, when he slights his Commands. Not to do Gods Will on Earth is a great evil, 'tis,

• (1.) Sinful.

• (2.) Foolish.

• (3.) Dangerous.

(1.) It is Sinful. 1. We go against our Prayers; we pray, Fiat voluntas tua, thy will be done, and yet we do not obey his will, we confute our own Prayer. 2. VVe go against our Vow in Baptism; we have vowed to fight under the Lords Banner, to obey his Scepter, and this Vow we have oft renewed in the Lords Supper; if we do not Gods will on Earth we are forsworn, and God will indite us of Perjury.

(2.) Not to do Gods will on Earth is Foolish; 1. Because there is no standing it out against God. If we do not obey him we cannot resist him: 1 Cor. 10.[gap]2 Are we stronger than he? Iob. 40.9. Hast thou an arm like God? Canst thou measure Armes with him? To oppose God is as if a Child should fight with an Arch-Angel; as if an

heap of Bryars should put themselves into a battalia against the Flame. 2. Not to do Gods will is foolish, because if we do not Gods will we do the Devils will. Is it not folly to gratifie an enemy? To do his will that seeks our ruine?

Quest. But are any so wicked as to do the Devils will?

Answ. Yes; Iohn 8.44. Ye are of your Father the Devil, and the lusts of your Father ye will do. VVhen a Man tells a lye doth he not do the Devils will? Acts 5.3. Ananias, Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lye to the Holy Ghost?

(3.) Not to do Gods Will is dangerous; it brings a Spiritual Praemunire. If Gods Will be not done by us, he will have his will upon us; if we obey not Gods will in commanding, we shall obey his will in punishing, 2 Thess. 1.7. The Lord Iesus shall be revealed with his mighty Angels in flames of fire, taking vengeance on them that obey not his gospel. Either we must do Gods will, or suffer it.

6. VVhatever God wills us to do is for our benefit: Behold here self-interest. As if a King commands his Subject to dig in a Mine of Gold, and then gives him all the Gold he hath digged. God bids us do his will, and this is for our good; Deut. 10.13. And now O Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, and keep the commandments of the Lord, which I command thee this day for thy good. It is Gods will that we should repent, and this is for our good; Repentance ushers in remission; Acts 3.9. Repent that your sins may be blotted out. It is Gods will that we should believe; and why is it but that we should be crowned with Salvation; Mark 16.16. He that believes shall be saved. VVhat God wills is not so much our Duty as our Priviledge; he bids us obey his voice, and it is greatly for our good; Ier. 7.23. Obey my voice and I will be your God. I will not only give you my Angels to be your guard, but my self to be your portion; my Spirit shall be yours to sanctifie you, my Love shall be yours to comfort you, my Mercy shall be yours to save you. I will be your God.

7. To do Gods will is our Honour. A Person thinks it an Honour to have a King speak to him to do such a thing; the Angels count it their highest Honour in Heaven to do Gods will; Servire Deo regnare est, To serve God is to reign. Non onerant nos sed ornant, Salvian. How chearfully did the Rowers row the Barge that carried Caesar; to be imployed in his Barge was an Honour, to be imployed in doing Gods will, is insigne Honoris, the highest ensign of Honour that a Mortal Creature is capable of. Christs Precepts do not burden us but adorn us.

8. To do Gods Will on Earth makes us like Christ, and akin to Christ. 1. It makes us like Christ: Is it not our Prayer that we may be like Christ. Jesus Christ did his Fathers will; Iohn 6.38. I came down from Heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me. God the Father and Christ, as they have but one Essence, so but one VVill; Christs will was melted into his Fathers; Iohn 4.34. My meat is to do the will of him that sent me. By our doing Gods will on Earth, we resemble Christ; nay, we are akin to Christ, and are of the Blood-Royal of Heaven. Alexander called himself Couzen to the Gods; what Honour is it to be akin to Christ. Matth. 12.50. Whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in Heaven, the same is my Brother, and Sister, and Mother. Did King Solomon arise off his Throne to meet his Mother, and set her on a Throne by him, 1 Kings 3.19. such Honour will Christ bestow on such as are doers of Gods will, he will salute them as his Kindred, and set them on a Glorious Throne in the Amphitheatre of Heaven.

VSE V. Comfort to the people of God. (2)

9. Doing Gods will on Earth, brings Peace in Life and Death. 1. In Life; Psal. 19.11. In keeping thy precepts there is great reward; not only after keeping them but in keeping them; when we walk closely with God in Obedience, there is a secret Joy let into the Soul, and how swiftly and chearfully do the wheels of the Soul move when they are oyled with the Oyl of Gladness. 2. Peace in Death. VVhen Hezekiah thought he was about to dye, what gave him Comfort? this, that he had done the will of God: Isa. 38.3. Remember, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth, and have done that which is good in thy sight. 'Twas Augustus his wish, that he might have an [gap], an easie Death without much pain. If any thing make our pillow easie at Death, it will be this, we have endeavoured to do Gods will on Earth. Did you ever hear any cry out on their Death-bed, that they have done Gods will too much; no, hath it not been that they have done his will no more, that they come so short in their Obedience. Doing Gods will will be both your Comfort, and your Crown.

10. If we are not doers of Gods will, we shall be looked upon as contemners of Gods will: Let God say what he will, yet Men will go on in Sin, this is to contemn God; Psal. 10.13. Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? To contemn God is worse than to rebel. The Tribes of Israel rebelled against Rehoboam because he made

their Yoak heavier, 1 King. 12.16. But to contemn God is worse, 'tis to slight him; to contemn God is to put a Scorn upon him, and affront him to his Face, and an Affront will make God draw his Sword. Thus I have answered that Question why doing Gods will on Earth, is so requisite: 'Tis as necessary as Salvation.

4. Quest. In what manner are we to do Gods will that we may find acceptance?

The manner of doing Gods Will is the chief thing; the Schoolmen say well, Modus rei cadit sub praecepto, the manner of a thing is as well required as the thing it self: If a Man build an House, if he doth not do it according to the mind of the Owner, he likes it not, but thinks all his Charges lost; so if we do not Gods will in the right manner, it is not accepted; we must not only do what God appoints, but as God appoints; here lies the very Life-blood of Religion. So I come to answer this great Question, in what manner are we to do Gods will that we may find acceptance.

Answ. 1. We do Gods Will acceptably when we do Duties Spiritually, Phil. 3.3. We worship God, [gap], in the Spirit. To serve God spiritually is to do duties ab interno principio, from an inward Principle: The Pharisees were very exact about the external part of Gods worship; how zealous were they in the outward observation of the Sabbath, charging Christ with the breach of it; but all this was but outward Obedience, there was nothing of Spirituality in it; then we do Gods will acceptably, when we serve him from a renewed Principle of Grace; a Crab-tree may bear as well as a Pear-main, but it is not so good fruit as the other, because it doth not come from so sweet a Root: An unregenerate Person may do as much external obedience as a Child of God, he may pray as much, hear as much, but his Obedience is harsh and sowre, because it doth not come from the sweet and pleasant Root of Grace; the inward principle of Obedience is Faith, therefore it is called the Obedience of Faith, Rom. 16.26. But why must this silver thread of Faith run through the whole work of Obedience?

Answ. Because Faith looks at Christ in every Duty, it toucheth the Hem of his Garment, and through Christ both the Person and the Offering are accepted, Ephes. 1.6.

2. We do Gods Will acceptably when we prefer his Will before all other; if God wills one thing, and Man wills the contrary, we do obey Mans will rather than Gods, Act. 4.19. Whether it be right to hearken unto you more then unto God, judge ye. God saith, thou shalt not make a graven Image; King Nebuchadnezzar set up a Golden Image to be worshipped; but the three Children (or rather Champions) resolve Gods Will shall take place, and they would obey him, though with the loss of their Lives, Dan. 3.18. Be it known unto thee, O King, that we will not serve thy Gods, nor worship the Golden Image which thou hast set up.

3. We do Gods Will acceptably when we do Gods Will as it is done in Heaven, that is, as the Angels do it: To do Gods Will as the Angels, similitudinem notat non aequalitatem, Brugensis, denotes thus much, that we are to resemble them and make them our Pattern; though we cannot equal the Angels in doing Gods Will, yet we must imitate them; a Child cannot write so well as the Scrivener, yet he imitates the Copy in particular.

1. We do Gods VVill as the Angels do it in Heaven, when we do Gods Will Regularly, sine deflexu, we go according to divine Institutions, not Decrees of Councils, or Traditions, this is to do Gods Will as the Angels; they do it regularly, they do nothing but what is commanded; Angels are not for Ceremonies; as there are Statute-Laws in the Land, which bind; so the Scripture is Gods Statute-Law, which we must exactly observe; the Watch is set by the Dial: then our Obedience is right when it goes by the Sun-dial of the Word. If Obedience hath not the Word for its Rule, it is not doing Gods Will but our own, it is [gap], Will-worship, Deut. 12.32. The Lord would have Moses make the Tabernacle, [gap], according to the Pattern, Exod. 25.40. If Moses had left out any thing in the Pattern, or added any thing to it, it would have been very provoking; to mix any thing of our own devising in Gods worship, is to go beside, yea, contrary to the Pattern: Gods worship is the Apple of his Eye, that which he is most tender of, and there is nothing he hath more shewed his displeasure against, then the corrupting his worship. How severely did God punish Nadab and Abihu for offering up strange Fire, Lev. 10.2. that is, such Fire as God had not sanctified on the Altar; whatever is not divinely appointed, is offering up strange Fire: There is in many a strange itch after Superstition; they love a gawdy Religion, and are more for the Pomp of Worship then the Purity; this cannot be pleasing to God, for, as if God were not wise enough to appoint the manner how he will be served; Men will be so bold as to prescribe him. To thrust humane Inventions into sacred things, is a doing our own will not Gods, and he will say, quis quaesivit hoc? who hath required this at your hand? Isa. 1.12. Then we do Gods Will as it is done in Heaven▪

when we do it regularly we reverence Gods Institutions, and observe that Mode of Worship which hath the Stamp of divine Authority upon it.

2. We do Gods Will as it is done by the Angels in Heaven, when we do it intirely, sine mutilatione, we do all Gods Will; the Angels in Heaven do all that God commands, they leave nothing of his Will undone, Psal. 103.20. Ye his Angels that do his Commandments. If God send an Angel to the Virgin Mary, he goes on Gods Errand; if he gives his Angels a Charge to Minister for the Saints they obey, Heb. 1.14. It cannot stand with Angelical Obedience to leave the least Iota of Gods Will unfulfilled: This is to do Gods Will as the Angels, when we do all his Will, quicquid propter Deum fit aequaliter fit. This was Gods Charge to Israel, Numb. 15.40. Remember to do all my Commandments. And it was spoken of David, Act. 13.22. I have found David a Man after mine own heart, who shall perform all my Will, Greek, [gap], all my Wills. Every Command hath the same Authority, and if we do Gods Will uprightly, we do it uniformly, we obey every part and Branch of his Will, we joyn first and second Table; surely we owe that to God our Father, which the Papists say, we owe to our Mother, the Church, unlimited Obedience; we must incline to every Command, as the Needle moves that way which the Loadstone draws.

(2.) This discovers the unsoundness of many, who do Gods will by halves, they pick and choose in Religion, they in some things comply with Gods will, but not in other; like a foundred Horse who sets but some of his Feet on the Ground, he favours one Foot. He who is to play upon a Lute must strike upon every Sring or he spoils all the Musick: Gods Commandments may be compared to a ten-string'd Lute, we must obey Gods will in every Command, strike upon every string, or we can make no good Melody in Religion: The Badger hath one Foot shorter then the other; Hypocrites are shorter in some duties then other; some will pray, not give alms, hear the word, not forgive their Enemies, receive the Sacrament, not make Restitution, hovv can they be holy vvho are not just? Hypocrites profess fair, but vvhen it comes to sacrificing the Isaac, crucifying the beloved sin, or parting vvith some of their Estate for Christ, here they stick, and say as Naaman, 2 King. 5.18. In this thing the Lord pardon thy Servant. This is far from doing Gods will as the Angels do; God likes not such as do his will by halves; if your Servant should do some of your vvork vvhich you set him about, but not all, hovv vvould you like that?

Object. But vvho is able to do all Gods vvill?

Answ. Though vve cannot do all Gods vvill legally, yet vve may Evangelically; vvhich is,

1. When we mourn that we can do Gods will no better, when we fail we weep, Rom. 7.24.

2. When it is the desire of our Soul to do Gods whole Will, Psal. 119.5. O that my ways were directed to keep thy Precepts. What a Child of God wants in strength, he makes up in desire, in magnis voluisse sat est.

3. When we endeavour, quoad conatum, to do the whole Will of God: A Father bids his Child lift such a burden, the Child is not able to lift it, but he tries, and doth his endeavour to lift it, the Father accepts of it, as if h[gap] had done it; this is to do Gods Will Evangelically, and God is pleased to take it in good part, though it be not to satisfaction, yet it is to acceptation.

3. We do Gods Will as it is done in Heaven by the Angels, when we do it sincerely, sine fuco. To do Gods VVill sincerely lies in two things.

• 1. To do it out of a pure respect to Gods Command.

• 2. With a pure Eye to Gods Glory.

1. To do Gods Will out of a pure respect to Gods Command. Abraham's sacrificing Isaac was contrary to Flesh and Blood, to sacrifice the Son of his Love, the Son of the Promise, and that no other hand but the Fathers own should do this, here was hard Service; but because God commanded it, out of pure respect to the Command, Abraham obeyed: This is to do Gods will aright, when, though we feel no present Joy or Comfort in Duty, yet because God commands we obey; not Comfort, but the Command is the Ground of Duty; thus the Angels do Gods will in Heaven; Gods Command is the weight sets the wheels of their Obedience a going.

2. To do Gods will sincerely, is to do it with a pure Eye to Gods Glory. The Pharisees did the will of God in giving Alms, but that which was a dead Fly in the Ointment, was, that they did not aim at Gods Glory, but vain-glory; they blew a Trumpet▪ Iehu did the will of God in destroying the Baal worshippers, and God commended him for doing of it: but because he aimed more at setling himself in the Kingdom, then

the Glory of God, therefore God lookt upon it no better then Murder, and said he would avenge the blood of Iezreel upon the house of Iehu, Hos. 2.4. Let us look to our ends in Obedience; though we shoot short, let us take a right aim; one may do Gods will yet not with a perfect heart: 2 Chron. 25.2. Amaziah did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect Heart; the Action was right for the matter, but his aim was not right; that Action which wants a good aim, wants a good issue; he doth Gods Will rightly, that doth it uprightly, his end is to honour God, and lift up his Name in the world. A gracious Soul makes God his Center, as Ioab when he had taken Rabbah sent for King David, that he might carry away the glory of the Victory, 2 Sam. 12.27. So when a gracious Soul hath done any duty, he desires that the glory of all may be given to God, 1 Pet. 4.11. That in all things God may be glorified. This is to do Gods will as the Angels, when we not only advance Gods Glory, but design his Glory; the Angels are said to cast their Crowns before the Throne, Rev. 4.10. Crowns are signs of greatest Honour, but these Crowns the Angels lay at the Lords Feet, to show that they ascribe the glory of all they do to him.

4. VVe do Gods will as it is done in Heaven by the Angels, when we do it willingly, sine murmuratione: The Angels love to be employed in Gods Service; 'tis the Angels Heaven to serve God, they willingly descend from Heaven to Earth; when they bring Messages from God, and glad Tydings to the Church; now Heaven being a place of such Joy, the Angels would not leave it a Minute of an Hour, only that they take such infinite delight in doing Gods will; we do resemble the Angels when we do Gods will willingly, 1 Chron. 28.9. And thou Solomon my Son, serve the Lord with a willing mind. Gods People are called a willing People, Psal. 110.3. in Hebrew, Gnam nedaebot, a People of willingnesses; they give God a free-will Offering, though they cannot serve him perfectly, they serve him willingly; an Hypocrite though he doth facere bonum, yet not velle, he hath no delight in duty, he doth it rather out of fear of Hell, then Love to God, when he doth do Gods will, yet it is against his will, Virtus nolentium nulla est. Cain brought his Sacrifice but grudgingly, his worship was rather a Task, then an Offering, rather Pennance then Sacrifice, he did Gods will, but against his will; we must be carried upon the wings of Delight in every Duty; Israel were to blow the Trumpets when they offered Burnt-Offerings, Numb. 10.10. blowing the Trumpets was to show their Joy and Chearfulness in serving God we must read and hear the word with Delight, Ier. 15.16. Thy Word was found and I did eat it, and it was unto me the Ioy and Rejoycing of my heart. A pious Soul goes to the word as to a Feast, or as one would go with delight to hear Musick. Sleidan reports that the Protestants in France had a Church they called Paradise, because when they were in the House of God, they thought themselves in Paradise: The Saints flock as Doves to the windows of Gods House, Isa. 60.8. who are these that flock as Doves to the windows? not that a truly regenerate Person is always in the same chearful temper of Obedience, he may sometimes find an indisposition and weariness of Soul, but his weariness is his burden, he is weary of his weariness, he prays, weeps, useth all means to regain that alacrity and freedom in Gods Service that he was wont to have: This is to do Gods will acceptably, when we do it willingly; 'tis this crowns all our Services; delight in duty is better then duty; the Musician is not commended for playing long, but well; 'tis not how much we do, but how much we love, Psal. 119.97. O how love I thy Law! Love is as Musk among Linnen, that perfumes it; Love perfumes Obedience, and makes it go up to Heaven as Incense; this is doing Gods will as the Angels in Heaven do it; they are ravished with delight while they are praising God, therefore the Angels are said to have Harps in their Hands, Rev. 15.2. as a sign of their chearfulness in Gods Service.

VSE V. Comfort to the people of God. (3)

4. VVe do Gods will as the Angels in Heaven, when we do Gods VVill fervently, sine remissione, Rom. 12.11. Fervent in spirit serving God; [gap], a Metaphor from vvater when it seeths and boils over; so our Affections should boil over in zeal [gap] fervency; the Angels serve God vvith fervour and intenseness; the Angels are called Seraphims, from an Hebrew word vvhich signifies to burn, to shovv hovv the Angels are all on fire, Psal. 104.4. they burn in Love and Zeal in doing Gods will: Grace turns a Saint into a Seraphim; Aaron must put burning Coals to the Incense, Exod. 16.12. Incense was a Type of Prayer, burning Coals of Zeal, to show that the fire of zeal must be put to the Incense of prayer; Formality starves Duty; when we serve God dully and coldly is this like the Angels? Duty without fervency is as a Sacrifice without fire; we should ascend to Heaven in a fiery Chariot of Devotion.

5. VVe do Gods VVill as the Angels in Heaven, when we give God the best in every Service, Numb. 18.29. Out of all your Gifts, ye shall offer of all the best thereof. Numb. 28.7. In the holy place shalt thou cause the strong Wine to be poured unto the Lord

for a drink-Offering. The Jews might not offer to the Lord wine that vvas small, or mixed, but the strong wine, to imply, that we must offer to God the best, the strongest of our affections; if the Spouse had a Cup more juicy and spiced, Christ should drink of that, Cant. 8.2. I would cause thee to drink of spiced Wine, of the juice of my Pomgranate. Thus the Angels in Heaven do Gods Will, they serve him in the best manner, they give him their Seraphick high stringed Praises; he who loves God gives him the Cream of his Obedience; God challenged the fat of all the Sacrifice as his due, Lev. 3.16. Hypocrites care not what Services they bring to God, they think to put him off with any thing, they put no Cost in their Duties; Gen. 4.3. Cain brought of the fruit of the Ground. The Holy Ghost took notice of Abel's Offering, that it was costly, he brought of the Firstlings of his Flock, and of the Fat thereof, Gen. 4.4. b[gap]t when he speaks of Cain's Offering, he only saith, he brought of the Fruit of the Ground. Then we do Gods VVill aright, when we do offer Pinguia, we dedicate to him the best. Domitian would not have his Image carved in VVood or Iron, but in Gold: God will have the best we have, golden Services.

6. VVe do Gods VVill as the Angels in Heaven, when we do it readily and swiftly; the Angels do not dispute or reason the Case, but assoon as they have their Charge and Commission from God, they immediately obey, and to show how ready they are to execute Gods VVill, the Cherubims representing the Angels are described with VVings, to show how swift and forward they are in their Obedience, it is as if they had wings, Dan. 9.21. The Man Gabriel (that was an Angel) being caused to fly swiftly: Thus should we do Gods VVill as the Angels, assoon as ever God speaks the VVord, vve should be ambitious to obey, alas! how long is it sometimes e[gap]e we can get leave of our hearts to go to a Duty; Christ went more readily ád Crucem, then we to the Throne of Grace; how many disputes and excuses have we, is this to do Gods VVill as the Angels in Heaven do it? O let us shake off this backwardness to Duty, as Paul shook of the Viper, nescit tarda molimina Spiritus sancti gratia; Zeck. 5.9. I saw two Women and the wind was in their wings: VVings are swift, but wind in the wings great swiftness; such readiness should be in our Obedience; as Peter assoon as ever Christ commanded him to let down his Net, at Christs VVord he presently let down the Net, and you know what success he had, Luke 5.4. It vvas prophesied of such as vvere brought home to Christ, Psal. 18.44. Assoon as they hear of me they shall obey me.

7. We do Gods VVill as the Angels in Heaven, when we do it constantly; the Angels are never weary of doing Gods VVill, they serve God day and night, Rev. 7.17. thus must we imitate the Angels, Psal. 106.3. Blessed is he that doth Righteousness at all times. Constancy crowns Obedience, non cepisse sed perfecisse virtutis est, Cypr. our Obedience must be like the Fire of the Altar which was continually kept burning, Lev. 6.13. Hypocrites soon give over doing Gods Will; like the Chrisolite which is of a golden Colour, in the Morning it is very bright to look on, but towards Evening it grows dull, and hath lost its splendor: VVe should continue in doing Gods VVill, because of that great loss that will befal us if we give over doing Gods VVill.

(1.) A loss of Honour, Rev. 3.11. that no man take thy Crown, implying, if the Church of Philadelphia left off her Obedience she would lose her Crown; viz. her Honour and Reputation; Apostacy creates Infamy; Iudas from an Apostle to be a Traytor, it was a Dishonour.

(2.) If we give over our Obedience it is a loss of all that hath been already done; as if one should work in silver, and then pick out all the stitches; all a Mans Prayers are lost, all the Sabbaths he hath kept are lost, he doth unravel all his good works, Ezek. 18.24. all his Righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned; he undoes all he hath done: As if one draw a curious Picture with the Pensil, and then come with his Spunge and wipe out all again.

(3.) A loss of the Soul and Happiness: We were in a fair way for Heaven, but by leaving off d[gap]ing Gods VVill we miss of the excellent Glory, and are plunged deeper in Damnation, 2 Pet. 2.21. It had been better not to have known the way of Righteousness, then after they have known it, to turn from the Holy Commandment. Therefore let us continue in doing Gods VVill: Constancy sets the Crown upon the head of Obedience. Thus you see how we are to do Gods VVill acceptably.

VSE I. Branch. 1. See hence our Impotency, we have no innate power to do Gods VVill: VVhat need pray Thy Will be done, if we have power of our selves to do it? I wonder Free-willers pray this Petition.

2. Branch. If we are to do Gods Will on Earth as it is done by the Angels in Heaven, see then the Folly of those who go by a wrong Pattern; they do as the most of their Neighbours do; if they talk vain on the Sabbath, they do but as their Neighbours

do; if now and then they swear an Oath, it is the Custom of their Neighbours to do so, but we are to do Gods Will as the Angels in Heaven; do the Angels do such things? we must make the Angels our Patterns, and not our Neighbours: if our Neighbours do the Devils will, shall we do so too? If our Neighbours go to Hell, shall we go thither too for Company?

3. Branch. See here that which may make us long to be in Heaven, then we shall do Gods Will perfectly, as the Angels do; alas, how defective are we in our Obedience here; how far do we fall short, we cannot write a Copy of Holiness without blotting; our holy things are blemished, like the Moon which when it shines brightest hath a dark spot in it: But in Heaven we shall do Gods will perfectly, as the Angels in Glory.

VSE II. Of Reproof.

1. Branch. It reproves such as do not Gods Will; they have the knowledge of Gods will, (Knowledge they count an Ornament) but though they know Gods Will, yet they do it not.

(1.) They know what God would have them avoid; they know they should not swear, Mat. 5.34. Swear not at all: For this sin the Land mourns, Ier. 23.10. Yet though they pray, Hallowed be thy Name, they profane it by shooting Oathes like Chain-Bullets against Heaven; they know they should abstain from Fornication and Uncleanness, yet they cannot but bite at the Devils Hook if he bait it with Flesh, Iude 7.

(2.) They know what God would have them practise, but they leave undone those things which they ought to have done; they know it is the will of God they should be true in their Promises, just in their Dealings, good in their Relations; but they do not the Will of God; they know they should read the Scriptures, consult with Gods Oracle, but the Bible like rusty Armour is hung up and seldom used; they look oftner upon a Pair of Cards then a Bible; they know their Houses should be Palestrae Pietatis, Nurseries of Piety, yet have no Face of Religion in them; they do not perfume their Houses with Prayer; what Hypocrites are these to kneel down in the Church, and lift up their Eyes to Heaven and say, Thy Will be done, yet have no care at all to do Gods Will; what is this but to hang out a Flag of Defiance against Heaven? and Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft.

2. Branch. It reproves those who do not Gods Will in a right acceptable manner.

(1.) They do not Gods VVill intirely; all Gods VVill; they will obey God in some things, but not in other; as if a Servant should do some of your work you set him about, but not the rest: Iehu destroyed the Idolatry of Baal, but let the golden Calves of Ieroboam stand, 2 Kings 10.30. Some will observe the Duties of the Second Table, but not the first: Others make an high Profession, as if their Tongues had been touch'd with a Coal from Gods Altar, but live idly and out of a Calling; these the Apostle complains of, 2 Thess. 3.11. We hear there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all. Living by Faith and living in a Calling must go together: This is an evil thing, not to do all Gods VVill.

(2.) They do not Gods will ardently; they do not put Coals to the Incense; nor chearfully, they bring their Sacrifice, but not their heart; this is far from doing Gods VVill as the Angels; this loseth the Reward; how can God like this to serve him as if we served him not? how can God mind our Duties when we our selves scarce mind them?

VSE III. Of Examination.

Let us examine all our Actions, whether they are according to Gods will: The will of God is the Rule and Standard, 'tis the Sun-dial by which we must set all our Actions; he is no good workman that doth not work by Rule; he can be no good Christian who goes not according to the Rule of Gods will; let us examine our Actions whether they do quadrare agree to the will of God: Are our speeches according to Gods will? Are our words savoury, being seasoned with Grace? Is our Apparel according to Gods will? 1 Tim. 2.9. In like manner that women adorn themselves in modest Apparel, not wanton and garish to invite Comers. Our Diet is it according to Gods will? Do we hold the golden Bridle of Temperance, and only take so much as may rather satisfy Nature then surfeit it; too much Oyl choaks the Lamp: Is our whole carriage and behaviour according to Gods will? Are we patterns of Prudence and Piety? Do we keep up the Credit of Religion, and shine as Lights in the world? We pray, Thy Will be done as it is in Heaven; are we like our Pattern? would the Angels do thus if they were on Earth? would Jesus Christ do this? thus is to Christianize, this is to be Saints of degrees, when we live our Prayer, and our Actions are the Counter-pane of Gods will.

VSE IV. Of Exhortation. Let us be doers of the Will of God; Thy Will be done.

1. It is our Wisdom to do Gods Will: Deut. 4.6. Keep and do these statutes, for this is your wisdom.

2. It is our Safety. Hath not Misery alwayes attended the doing of our own Will, and Happiness the doing of Gods Will?

(1.) Misery hath alwayes attended the doing of our own Will. Our first Parents left Gods Will to fulfil their own, in eating the forbidden fruit; and what came of it? The Apple had a bitter Core in it, they purchased a Curse for themselves and all their Posterity. King Saul left Gods Will to do his own, he spares Agag, and the best of the Sheep, and what was the issue, but the loss of his Kingdom?

(2.) Happiness hath alwayes attended the doing of Gods Will. Ioseph obeyed Gods Will in refusing the embraces of his Mistress, and was not this his Preferment? God raised him to be the second Man in the Kingdom. Daniel did Gods Will contrary to the Kings Decree, he bowed his Knee in Prayer to God, and did not God make all Persia bow their Knees to Daniel.

(3.) The way to have our Will is to do Gods Will. Would not we have a Blessing in our Estate, then let us do Gods Will; Deut. 28.1, 3. If thou shalt hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, to do all his commandments, the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all the nations of the earth: Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field: This is the way to have a good Harvest. Would we not have a Blessing in our Souls, then let us do Gods Will; Ier. 7.23. Obey my voice and I will be your God; I will entail my self upon you as an everlasting Portion; my Grace shall be yours to sanctifie you, my Mercy shall be yours to save you: You see you lose nothing by doing Gods Will, this is the way to have your Will. Let God have his will in being obeyed, and you shall have your will in being saved.

Quest. How shall we come to do Gods will aright?

Answ. 1. Get sound knowledge; we must know Gods Will before we can do it. Knowledge is the eye to direct the foot of Obedience: The Papists make Ignorance the Mother of Devotion, but Christ makes Ignorance the Mother of Errour; Matth. 22.29. Ye err, not knowing the Scripture. We must know Gods Will before we can do it aright. Affection without knowledge is like an Horse full of metal, but his eyes are out.

2. If we would do Gods Will aright, let us labour for self-denyal; unless we deny our own Will, we shall never do Gods Will. Gods Will and ours are like the Wind and Tide when they are contrary; God wills one thing, we will another; God calls us to be Crucified to the World, by Nature we love the World; God calls us to forgive our Enemies, by Nature we bear malice in our Heart; Gods Will and ours are contrary like the VVind and Tide, and till we can cross our own will, we shall never fulfil Gods.

3. Let us get humble Hearts: Pride is the spring of disobedience; Exod. 5.2. Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice? A proud Man thinks it below him to stoop to Gods Will. Be humble; the humble Soul saith, Lord, what wilt thou have me do? He puts as it were a blank paper into Gods hands, and bids him write what he will he will subscribe to it.

4. Beg Grace and Strength of God to do his Will; Psal. 143.10. Teach me to do thy will: As if David had said, Lord, I need not be taught to do my own Will, I can do that fast enough, but teach me to do thy Will; and that which may add wings to Prayer, is Gods gracious Promise, I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes; Ezek. 36.27. If the Loadstone draw the Iron, it is not hard for the Iron to move; if Gods Spirit inable, it will not be hard, but rather delightful to do Gods Will.

II. In this Petition, Thy Will be done in Earth, as it is in Heaven, we pray, that we may have Grace to submit to Gods Will patiently in what he inflicts: The Text is to be understood as well of suffering Gods Will as of doing it; so Maldonat, and the most Judicious Interpreters. I shall speak now of patient submission to Gods Will in whatever he inflicts: Thy Will be done. This should be the temper of a good Christian when he is under any disastrous Providence, to lye quietly at Gods Feet, and say, Thy Will be done.

Quest. 1. What this patient submission to Gods will is not?

Answ. There is something looks like Patience which is not; namely, when a Man bears a thing because he cannot help it; he takes Affliction as his Fate and Destiny,

therefore he endures that quietly which he cannot avoid; this is rather Necessity than Patience.

Quest. 2. What it is may stand with patient submission to Gods Will?