374 DIRECTIONS FOR VETTING AND 'KEEPING and lost thy greatest and dearest friends, because thou wouldst not forsake Christ and his service, or deal falsely in some cause that he hath trusted thee in ; hast thou not come off with the blessing of peace of conscience? Nay, when thou hast denied thy most im- portunate appetite, and most crossed thy lusts, and most humbled and abased thyselffor God, and denied thy credit, and taken shame to thyself in a free confessingof thy faults, or patiently put up with the greatestabuses, or humbled and tamed thy flesh by necessary abstinence, or any way most displeasing it, by crossing its interest, by bountiful giving, laborious duty, dangers or sufferings; for the sake of the Lord Jesus, his truth and people ; hath it not been far better with 'thee in thy peace and comforts than before ? I know some will be ready to say, that may be from carnal pride in our own doing, or suflèring. I answer, It may be so ; and therefore let all watch against that. But I am certain that this is God's ordinary dealing with his people, and therefore we may ordinarily expect it. It is for their encouragement in faithful duty ; and I may truly say, for their reward, when himself calls that a reward which he gives for a cup of water. Laywell to heart that example of Abraham, for which he is so often extolled' in the Scripture, viz. his readiness to sacrifice his only son. This was a dear obedi- ence. And, saith God, because (mark because) thou hast done this thing, in blessing I will bless thee, &c. l3avid would not offer to God that which cost him nothing ; 2 Sam. xxiv. 24. 1 Chron. xxi. 24. God will have the best 'of your hearts, the best of your labors, the best of youf estates, the best of all, or hewill not accept it. Abel's sacrifice was of the best, and it was accepted; and God saith to Cain, " If thou doest well, shalt not thou be accepted ? " Seeing this is so, let me advise you, ' Take it not for a'calamity, but for precious advantage, when God calls thee to a hazardous costly service, which is like to cost thee much ofthy estate, tocost thee the loss of thy chiefest friends, the loss of thy credit, the indignation of great ones, or the most painful diligence and trouble of body: shift it notoff, but take this opportunity thankfully, lest thou never have such another for the clearing of thy sincerity, and the obtainingof more than ordinary consolations from God: thou hast now a prize, in thy,hánd for, spiritual riches, if thou hast but a heart to improve it. I know all this is a paradox to the unbeliev- ing world; but here is the very excellency of the Christian reli- gion, and the glory of faith. It looks for its greatest spoils and richest prizes from its conquests of fleshly interests it is not only able to do it, but expecteth its advancement and consolations by this way. It is engaged in a war with the world and flesh ; and in this war it plays not the vaporing fencer, that seems to do much, but never strikes home, as hypocrites and camal, worldly professors
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