yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation," Hab. iii. 17, 18. Nothing is so delightful to him in the view of heaven itself, as that he shall be there in the blissful presence of God, and that "he shall be satisfied, when he awakes with his likeness."

And indeed, either of these are true expressions of love to God; desires of him under doubts of reconciliation, and delight in the sense of his favour. But it is more usually expressed in the former way by good men in this life. Few Christians here are got entirely above all doubts about their state; through the darkness of their apprehensions and infirmity of their faith, or the disorders of a melancholy body; and especially from the imperfection of the new nature, and the defects of their obedience; the love of most. Christians to their God shews itself more now, in desires to make their peace with him, and to clear up their interest, and in mourning for their offences, and his displeasure, than in the acts of delight and joy.

3. There ought to be the affection of gratitude from the sense of God's actual benignity and love to us. In esteeming him for his own excellency, we love him for his own sake; in centering in him as a suitable good to us, we love him for our sakes but in gratitude for his benignity and love, there is a mixture of both. His love to us affects us from a sense of our own interests, and that sets us upon thoughts of becoming returns. This love is the acting of ingenuity from the sense of benefits. It is like the filial love of an ingenuous child to a tender and indulgent parent, upon a review of his care and kindness, in preserving him, providing for him, doing him all the good that lay in his power; which engages him to study to requite his parents in the best manner he can. Such love to God there is in a holy soul. All the expressions of God's good-will to him; all his mercies in the sphere of nature, grace and glory; as they are the greatest that can be, so they fix this for the sense of his soul, that God is his great benefactor? and "he will sing unto the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with him," Psal. xiii. 6. It is his solicitous inquiry, "What shall I render ?" Psal. cxvi. 12. From a

principle of gratitude, as well as of interest, he renders himself to God. He repels temptation with this powerful thought, "how shall I do this evil, and sin against God?".

And his course of obedience is designed to be a thankful memorial.

3. Trust in God, is another eminent part of godliness. It is an homage due from us to the great God, that we place our supreme confidence in him. It is founded in a persuasion of his all-sufficiency, and of his inviolable faithfulness in performing his word and engagements. As far as I trust a man, I suppose him able to do what I trust him for, that he hath given me some encouragement to believe his willingness, and that he will not deceive me. It must be so in any regular trust in God. We must be firmly persuaded of his allsufficiency, that he is "able to do for us exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think." But then it is of the utmost concern to us, that we admit not expectations from God for things which he hath never promised, nor in any other way, than according to the tenor of his promises; but that we hope in his word," Psal. cxxx. 5. Our trust should run parallel with his promises. Where he has been pleased positively to declare what he will do, we should firmly depend, believing that "he is faithful who hath promised;" whatever difficulties or discouragements may lie in the way of our hopes. Thus we should "commit the keeping of our souls to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator," 1 Pet. iv. 19. relying upon a good event and issue, while we maintain such a course, whatever we may be called to do or suffer; because on such terms he hath undertaken for it. But where his promises are made with a reserve for his own sovereignty, or the riches of his superior wisdom, as he knows far better than we "what is good for man in this life;" there we should not allow ourselves to be positive and determinate in our expectations of particular events; but cast our cares upon him in a more general manner; relying upon this, that in the way of duty, he will do that which upon the whole is best for us: or that "he will withhold no good thing from them that walk uprightly," Psal. lxxxiv. 11.

4. Giving credit to his testimony, in all that he reveals for truth, is near akin to the former; and a proper homage to God upon the foot of his infallible truth, that he neither can be mistaken himself, nor is under any temptation to deceive Whatever he says, must be true, and accordingly claims our firm assent, though we should have no other evidence

us.

for it besides his testimony, though we should not be able to account for the manner of it, or to solve every difficulty that may arise in the mind against it. We should indeed be very careful, that we have the testimony of God to support our persuasion, that we have used the best means in our power, both natural and appointed, to understand his meaning when we have done this, it is an essential branch of true godliness to believe upon the sole authority of God: in so doing, we "set to our seal, that God is true," John iii. 33. 5. A readiness to obey him without reserve, in all that he requires, is a principal part of piety; that we are brought to such a disposition as Saul's at his conversion, when he said, "What wilt thou have me to do ?" Acts ix. 6. That we are sincerely desirous to discover his will for every part of our duty, and then absolutely to govern ourselves by it: though it should be ever so contrary to our former inclinations and practices, or to the custom of the world about us, or to our secular interests. This is true Christian piety, to resolve upon cheerful and universal obedience to the divine will, as far as we can discern it. And it is a frame of spirit, resulting from an apprehension of his perfect wisdom, justice, and goodness, and his sovereign authority over us.

6. A submission of soul to all his providential disposals, is another branch of godliness, and founded upon a belief of the same perfections of God as the former: that we not only assent to this as a truth, that our times and all our affairs are in his hands; but that we give a hearty complacential consent, that so, they should be; and accordingly from time to time, through all particular events, acquiesce in his pleasure, when it is signified to us by the course of his providence; without murmuring complaints, because he is the sovereign Lord of all: "who shall say unto him, what dost thou ? Shall he not do what he will with his own?" without impeaching the justice of his proceedings; for "shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" With a firm persuasion of his good and gracious intentions even in the use of his rod, being in subjection to him, as to the Father of our spirits, who chastens us not merely upon will and pleasure, but "for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness," Heb. xii. 9, 10. And with a persuasion at the same time, that his infinite wisdom. can direct the darkest dispensations to reach such gracious de

signs; that he sees not as man sees, and his ways are not as our ways; but that he can make those things signally to work together for our good, which from their sensible aspect seem all against us. A great deal of true piety lies in such a placid subjection of soul to God.

7. Designing his glory as the great scope of our actions. This arises from an apprehension of his fitness to be made the last end of intelligent creatures, by reason of his supreme excellence and dominion. "Whether therefore we eat or drink, or whatsoever we do, we should do all to the glory of God," 1 Cor. x. 31. We should choose to do or forbear a thing, which may otherwise be indifferent, according as in particular circumstances the one or the other may appear most likely to promote his honour, and to lead others about us to high and honourable thoughts of God and religion; and we should make every lower aim to give place to this as our last and greatest. Such a temper of mind is essential to vital Christianity. "None of us [Christians,] (says the apostle,) liveth. to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord; whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's," Rom. xiv. 7, 8.

8. A studious concern to approve ourselves to him in our whole conduct, is a necessary ingredient of true godliness. That we "study to shew ourselves approved to him. 2 Tim. ii. 15. "And whatever we do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not to men," Col. iii. 23. This is a temper resulting from the consideration of God, as the being with whom principally we have to do; by whose sentence not only our present lot must be ordered, but our condition to all eternity. Hence the apostle says, 1 Cor. iv. 3, 4. "With me it is a very small thing, that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment; yea, I judge not my ownself," that is, not with an apprehension, that my own judgment is definitive: "but he that judgeth me, is the Lord." We should be concerned for his approbation in all things, because he is a constant spectator of our actions, and of our very hearts themselves. It should be a frequent turn of thought with us, "Thou, God, seest me; thou understandest my thoughts afar off; there is not a word in my tongue but thou knowest it altogether :" And therefore we should "set the Lord always before us," Psal. xvi. 8.

9. A care to imitate him, as far as he proposes himself to our imitation, enters into the notion of godliness. Which is a regard we owe to God upon account of his supreme excellence, because we cannot copy after a better pattern. It was the original glory of our natures, to be made after the image of God; and therefore the more we recover his likeness again, the more we come back to ourselves. But I enlarge not on this here, since an entire discourse hath been employed upon it.

10. A disposition to serve God in spirit and in truth, in all the ways of his instituted worship, is farther included in a godly temper; an inclination and bent of soul to the proper exercises of godliness, and to the performance of these in a godly manner. Prayer and praise, and the confession of sin, reading and hearing God's word, and the celebration of the sacraments, are services wherein he requires us to be employed; by social worship to pay him a visible homage; and both in public and private devotions to exercise the several inward pious dispositions, of which I have been speaking, fear and love, and trust, and submission. In these we are to draw near to God, and then may expect him to draw near to us. Godliness will engage us to "walk in all the ordinances and commandments of the Lord, blameless," Luke i. 6. and to love the habitation of his house, and all the exercises wherein appoints us to honour him, and allows us to converse with But then piety will not suffer us to rest in the mere external services, but will make us especially careful of the inward part, that they be truly spiritual sacrifices; in which our spirits are intently engaged, pious and devout affections offered up; and that they may be "acceptable to God through Jesus Christ," 1 Pet. ii. 5.

he

him.

These particulars will explain that branch of the Christian temper, which is strictly called godliness. The special obligations of Christians to it, will be the subject of another dis

course.

I would only now desire you to examine yourselves upon this first and leading head of all true godliness, your temper toward God. Do you "live without God in the world?" Or without paying a supreme regard to him? Or else, though you are obliged to reside at present in a sensible world, and to converse with sensible things, do you chiefly "eye him who is