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As it is a greater sign of the operation of the Spirit of Christ to restore the lapsed by a spirit of meekness, and to bear one another's burdens, and exercise tenderness, compassion and charity, than to censure and envy, and call for fire from heaven: so even at home (though there we are allowed to be more rigid and censorious) it is a more sure and satisfactory discovery of the Spirit of grace within us, if we are raised to a sweet delight in God, and quieted in his love, and carried out in cheerful obedience, thankfully acknowledging the grace that we have received, and waiting in the use of means for more, than if we are only turmoiled and troubled in our minds, and tossed up and down with unprofitable griefs and fears, that abate our love to God, and our holy joys. It is the still voice that doth most fully acquaint us that it is Christ the Prince of Peace that speaketh to us: though at first when he findeth a sinner in a state of enmity and rebellion, he often useth to thunder and lighten, and call to him as to Saul," Why persecutest thou. me?" Wilt thou kick against the pricks? Wilt thou fight against heaven ? Or canst thou bear the wrath of God Almighty? Yet to the humbled penitent soul, there is none in all the world so tender as Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, the church's husband, that cherisheth them as his own flesh. O that you did but know the greatness and tenderness of his love to you, while you lie trembling under the unjust apprehensions of his wrath It would then so transport you with ravishing delights, that the world would see that the saints of the Most High have higher pleasures than the world affordeth.

But I know you will say, 'Alas, what need you exhort us to spiritual pleasures and consolations? Do you think there is any man in love with sorrows, or unwilling to live in a joyful life? O that you could tell us how we might attain it; and you should quickly see that we are willing.'

Answ. And if you are so willing to attain it, as to be also willing to use the means, you shall more quickly see that I shall certainly inform you how you may attain it; and how you may come to find a life of holiness to be the most sweet and pleasant life. I therefore desire and require you to practise these Directions following.

Direct. 1. Make it your first and principal business to attain the fullest fixed knowledge of God in his attributes, and covenant relations to you.

1. Study him in his attributes. If infinite goodness take not up the soul with love and with delight, it is because it is not known. Where there are all things that the soul of man desires to its highest felicity and content, and yet contentment and delight is wanting, it must needs be ignorance and distance that is the cause. If the sun seem not light to you, it is because you have not eyesight, or look not on the light. If you find no pleasure in the most pleasant food, it is because your appetites are diseased, or you do not taste it. If If your most suitable and most affectionate friend seem not amiable to you, it is because you know not his suitableness and love. So if the eternal God, that is infinitely powerful, wise and good, most perfect and most suitable to your highest affections, do not possess you with abundant pleasures and delights of love, it is because you are unacquainted with him. Study then, his infinite perfections, and be much with him in secret prayer and meditation, where the retired soul having fewest avocations, is fittest for the most near familiar converse. And still remember that it is Love itself that you have to do with. For God is love. It is the Fountain of all delights and pleasures that you draw near to. It is a cold heart indeed that fire itself cannot warm, and a dead heart indeed that life itself cannot revive. Conceive of God as God, and you will delight in him: abhor all unworthy diminutive thoughts of him: set up his love and goodness in your estimation, as infinitely above all the creatures. Believe it, the love of your dearest friends, is an inconsiderable drop to the ocean of his love. Think not of him as cruel, or an enemy, if you would love him or delight in him. Love and delight are never forced by bare commands and threatenings, but drawn forth magnetically by attractive goodness. Were not God most amiable, and friendly, and desirable to us, it is not saying, Love me, or I will damn thee, that would ever have caused man to love him; but rather to fear, and hate, and fly from him. Think but of God's love, and goodness, and fidelity, as you do of his power, and then you will find that there are rivers of pleasure in his presence, and fulness of joy at his right hand, the foretastes whereof are the only delights that can quiet the troubled thirsty soul.

2. And if you say, What is all this to me, any more than to the ungodly world, on whom the wrath of God abideth ?".

I answer, thou art in covenant with him, and he is thine in the covenant relations, even thy reconciled Father, thy Saviour, and thy Sanctifier. No husband is so inviolably bound to a wife, nor will so faithfully answer his relation, as the blessed Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier unto thee. Didst thou well know and consider what it is to have God himself to be thine in covenant to all these uses, and to all the ends that thou canst reasonably desire, it would fill up thy soul with satisfying delights.

There is nothing that thou wantest, but what belongs to God to give thee, in one of these three great relations. And sooner shall the day be turned into night, and the frame of nature be dissolved, than God will violate his covenant of grace. "Thus saith the Lord, if you can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be a day and night in their season; then may also my covenant be broken;" &c. Jer. xxxiii. 20, 21. "Fear not, for thou shalt not be ashamed, &c. For thy Maker is thy Husband; the Lord of Hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, the God of the whole earth shall he be called: for the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God: for a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer. For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee nor rebuke thee: for the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee;" Isa. liv. 4, 5, &c. And though yet we have our troublesome imperfections, it belongeth to our God, "through the blood of the everlasting covenant, to make us perfect in every good work to do his will, working in us that which is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ, that to him may be the glory for ever;" Heb. xiii. 20, 21. It is his work "to comfort all that mourn; to appoint to them that mourn in Zion, and to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they might

be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. They shall be named the priests of the Lord; men shall call them the ministers of our God. Everlasting joy shall be unto them.

For the Lord will direct their work in truth and make an everlasting covenant with them.- All that see them shall acknowledge them that they are the seed whom the Lord hath blessed; therefore should we greatly rejoice in the Lord; and our souls should be joyful in our God: for he hath clothed us with the garments of salvation; he hath covered us with the robes of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels;" Isa. lxi. "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put into you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh, and I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments and do and I will save you from all your uncleanness," &c. Ezek. xxxvi. 25-27. 29. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them; and I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, and they shall not depart from me: yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good," &c. Jer. xxxii. 38-41. “Happy are the people that are in such a case; yea, happy is that people whose God is the Lord ;" Psal. cxliv. 15

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Nature doth not give you such security that the sun shall shine, and that the streams shall run, that the earth shall be fruitful, as the covenant of the Lord doth give you all that is necessary to your happiness. Study therefore the mercies and riches of the covenant.

Direct. 2. Understand and remember that it is your covenant consent, that it is the condition of your title to all the following blessings of the covenant.

I add this as supposing you will say, 'What are all these benefits to me, unless I were sure that I were indeed in the covenant?' It is not your merit, but your consent that is required. God offereth himself to be your reconciled Father, and Christ to be your Saviour, and the Holy Spirit to be your Sanctifier. Do you consent to this, or not? All the ques

tion is, whether you are willing; and whether your sin be not so sweet to you, that you will rather venture your souls on the wrath of God, than you will be saved from it. If you heartily consent, assuredly you are in the covenant, and the benefits and the joy and comfort are yours. If you do not consent, instead of despairing, presently consent, and refuse not your happiness while you lament your misery.

Object. But it is not only covenant-making, but covenant-keeping that must save us and I have broke my covenant, and therefore have no title to the benefits.' Answ. What covenant have you broken? This covenant in question that engageth you to God, the Father, Son and Holy Ghost? If thou hast broken this, you have withdrawn your consent: for while you heartily consent, you break it not in any essential part. As it is not every breach of the laws, that makes a man a traitor or rebel, nor every fault or falling out between husband and wife that dissolveth their relation; so is it not every sin, nor any that is consistent with true consent to the terms of the covenant, that is a covenant-breaking forfeiture of the benefits. If you would not have God to be your por. tion, your Father, your Saviour, and your Sanctifier, you are then covenant-breakers: and if you be so, consent ye, and return to your fidelity, and the comforts of the covenant may yet be yours, for all your former violation.

Direct. 3. Moreover, if you would find the pleasure of a holy life, see that the flesh befool you not into an over-high estimation of any worldly thing, that so your appetites may not be corrupted with such contrary, unwholesome pleasures, nor your hearts be overwhelmed with worldly cares, or griefs, or troubles. If you will glut yourselves with other kind of pleasures, you cannot expect that holiness should be your pleasure. You cannot find your delight in God, when you turn from him to seek it in the creature. If you sought for less in friends, and health, and prosperity in the world, you might have more in God. How should you find content in God, when you set so light by him, that the promise of beholding him in endless glory will not please you, unless you may also have your fleshly desires, or selfish inclinations pleased here? This is it that perverteth your judgments and affections, and causeth you to injure God and yourselves. You first fancy that it is an excellent thing to be rich and renowned and to rule over others, or to have plenty of all ac