Baxter - BJ1441 B3 1673

Horv to glorifie God by our Liws. ----------------------- Vircl/. 4· Dire[/. 5· Direll• 15_ felv~s, and hrin5 the faith of Cbri.fiians into fcorn, and di£honour the holy name which they ufurp. §. 35~ Din.ct. 4· It much IJo,ourctiJ Go4, when his ftrva_nts c.:n quietry and fearltjly truft in IJim in the fa_ce of all the ~;nz.er: and thre~tJtings which Dev!l! or men can caft_before t?em ; and can joyfuLj Juffcr paz~ ~r death, JJJ obedzence t~ hu.commandr, and m _co~tfidcnce on hu prom_ife of everlajli;zg h~ppincfl. 1 h1s {hcweth that we bthevc mdeed that there rs ll God, and that he IS the rewarder oftbem tb.tt diligently feek._ him, _Heb. t J, 6. and that he is r_rue an~ ju{f, and that his. promifes are to be trulled on; and that he JS able to make them good m defp,ght of all the malice of his enemies; and that the threats or frowns of finful Worms arc contemptible to him that feareth God: Pfal. ;8. 1 I. So tbat men }hall fay, YuUy tlxre i1 a reward for the righteotiJ: Verily there is a GM tbat judg,eth in the e:Jrth: and that at Iall will judge the world in righteoufnefs: P.ml ghried in the ThcjJ:.Jlon_i~ns, for their f"it.h and p~tience, in all their per{ecutions and tlihHlations which tbr:yendured; M amJitijeji tok.pt_ of the rt~huouJ Judge~nen_t oj'Go~, tb.Jt the)! migb! be accotented worthy of the King· d,mz of Go4, for n·htch they juffered: Stung Jt u arzgbteous thmg wub God to recompence tnbul:~tim 11 1-hcm that trouble uo, and rcfi witI~ bi1 SaintJ to th"fe th.tt ar: :roubled; 2 Thdi. r. 4> ;, 6, 7· If y. be reroacbtd for tl1e name ofChrijl, h.tppy are ye; for the Spm.t of glory, and of Gsd re{tetl1 uponyou; on th'cir part he is evil JPIJI{,en of, but on your part be i1 glorified. 1 Per.4. 14. If any malt /ufftr ar a Chrijlian, let !Jim not be ajhamcd: bullet him glorifie God o;t tbis be/,.;/f; Veri~ 16. Whenconli. dence in God, and alTurance of the great reward in Heaven, (Marth. 5· 1I, 12.) dorh caufe a be· liever undauntedly to fay as the three WitnelTes, Dan. 3· We are not C.Jrtful, 0 King, to anfrver thee in thU 1n.1tJcr : The God whomwe ferve is able to deliver IH : when by ta.i:-h we can go through che tryal of carnal mockings and fcourgings, of bonds and imprifonmenr, to be dellhute and afflicted, yea and tortured, not accepting deliverance ( upon finful terms), thus God is gloriti.c.:d by believers: Lif t ~p yogr voicet, 0 ye afHiCl:cd S1ints, and jing, f" th~M•je]ly of the Lord---Giorijie ye tin Lord m the jiw, even the name of the Lord God of lli~c! zn the Ij/es of tht S", Ill. 24· 14, 1 5· Sing to hts Pratfc wnh Pattl and Si! M, though your feet be m the HocKs: If God call for your ltves re– member, that you are notyour own: you are bought with a price: therefJrt glorifie G:;d in your bodies and SpiritJ which are hh, 1 Cor. 6. 20· Rejoyce in it if you bear in your bodies the mar/{! of the Lord }rfiu: Gll 6. I7· And if you alway<t btar about in the body the dying of the Lord Jifiu, tbao the life alfo ofJcfM m'y be manifejled in your bodiu. 2 Cor. 4· IO. And with aU boldneft fee !hat Cbrijt be magniped in yoHr bodies, whether it be by life or death, Phi!. ,r. 20. He ditbonoureth and reproacherh Chrift and faith, that thinks he is not to be trufied even unto the death. §. 36. D ireCt. 5· It much honouretb God, when the hopu of everl~jting joyu, do caufe belitvrrs to live m"ch more joJ{ully th.:~H the moft profperous worldlings: not with their kj1td of doting mirth, in vain iports and plcafmes:, and foolifh talking, and uncornely jefl:s : But in that confiant cheerfulncfs and gladnefs which befeemelh the heirs of glory. Let it appear to 1he world , tha! indeed yo~ hope ro live with Chrift, and to be equal with the Angels: Doch a dejected countenance, and a mourntul, troubled, and complaining life, exprefs li1ch hopes? or rather tell men that your hopes are fmall, and that God is a hard Mafier, and his fervice grievous ? Do not thus difuonour him· by your inordinate dc:jLCl-ednefs: Do not affright and diicoucage finncrs from the ple.1.fant fervke of 1hc Lord. §. 37.· Dired. 6. 1Vhen ChriftianJ live in areadineji to dye, ~nd can rejoycc in the approach ofdeath, and love and long for the dry ofJudgement, when Chrij! jhaU jujlijii them from the flandm of tb' tt:orld, and jh11lJ judge them to eternal joyes : tbi4 i4 tu the glory of God and our pr.fe!fion. When death which is the King of fears to others, appeareth as dif.umtd and conqu:.:red to believers : when Judgumnt which is rhe terror of others is their dellre; this 01eweth a triumphant faith, and that godlinefs is not in vain. It mutt be fomething above nature th.lt can make aman defire to dep:~rt .and be with Chrijl at b(/1 of aU, and to be abfent from the body and prefrnt rritb tbe Lord, and 10 com– fort one another with the mention of the glorious coming of rheir Lord, and the day when he fuall judge !he world in righ~eoufnefs, Phi/ I· 2I· 2 Cor. 5· 8. I 'fheJJ. 4 I8. ·& z. I, IO· §. 38 DireCt. 7· The Humility, and Meel<_nefs, andPalienee of Chrijii.nu, mstcb honour Godand their holy faith : as Pride, and Paffion, and lmp.ttience dijhunour him. Let men fCe that the Spirit ot God d01h call down !he devi!li01 fin ofPride, and maketh you like your f-4aller, that humbled himfelf to ~ffume our fle!h, and ro th~.: dtath of the Cro[r, and to the comradiflion and rtproa'h of foolifh fin– ners, and made himfelf of no 1·eputation, but endured thejhame, of being derided, lpir upon and cruel~ lied, Phi/. •· 7, 8, 9· Heb. I2· 2. and llooped 10 wafh !he feet of his Oifcip!es. IJ is no! fioumefs and lifting up the hedd, and Handing upon your terms,, and upon your b01rottr in the wotld, thar IS the IJonouring of God. When you are as little children, and as notbiJtg in your own eye~, and feek not the honour that is of men, but fay, Nflt to u1 0 Lord, not to m, but to thy N3me be the glury, Pfal. JI)· I. and are content that :yottr honour decre(lfe and be trodden into the dirr, [hat hU may in~ crea[e,and his name be magnified; this is the glorifying ofGod. So when you lhew the world,that you are above the impotent paffinns of men ; noc to be infcnfible; but ro be angry and jilt 11ot, and to give place to wrath, and not to refill and avenge your felvu, Rom. J 2· 19· and to be mc,:Jtar.d lowly in heart, Matth. u. 29· It will appear tl-:!ar you have thewifdomwhich is from above, if you be firft pure, then peaceable, gentle, eafie to be tntreated, full of mercy and good fi'uitJ". withiJut partiality, and hypocrijie, James 3· 17. But if"yoJt have bitter envying and jlrife i1z you'r be~JrtJ, glury not, ~nd ~e not againjt tbe truth ( as if this were the wifdorn from above which glbrifiech God ) for thiS w~do"' defcendcth not from above, hut is earthly, fenfaal and devilifh, •· 14, I 5• A mcel(. and qHJet Spmt

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