Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BX5200 .B352 1835 v2

486 WHAT LIGHT MUST of thecomplacent will of God is evil, and to be hated. But that will of God which is terminated on such an object, according to the nature of it, by just hatred, is good, and should be loved. Andpunishment is hurtful tous ; but God's will and justice is good and amiable. 2. Ifyou will close with God's will, you need not fear his will. If your will be unfeignedly to obey hiscommandingwill, and to be and do what he would have you, his will is not to con- demn or punish you. But if God's will prescribe you a holy life, and your will rebel, and be against it, no wonder if . God's will be to punish you when your wills would not be punished; John i. 13. Heb. x. 10. John vii. 17. Luke xii. 47. XX. It glorifieth God and religion in the world when Chris- tians are faithful in all their relations, and diligently endeavor the sanctifying and happiness of 311 the societies which they are members of. I. Holy families, well ordered, do much glorify God, and keep up religion in the world. 1. When husbands live with their wives in wisdom, holiness, and love, and wives are pious, obedient, meek, and peaceable, (Eph. v. 22. 25. Col. iii. 18, 19.) yea, unto such husbands as " obey not the word, that without the word may be won by the conversation of thewives ; " 1 Pet. iii. 1, 2. 2. When parents.make it their great and constant care and la- bor, with all holy skill, and love, and diligence, to educate their children in the fear of God, and the love of goodness, and the practice of a holy life, and to save them from sin, and the tempta- tions of the world, the flesh, and the devil ; and have more tender care of their souls than of their bodies; that so the church may have a succession of saints ; and when children love, honor and obey their parents, and comfort them by their forwardness to all that is good, and their avoiding the ways and company of the ungodly ; Eph. vi. 1. Psalm i. 1, 2. 3. When masters rule their servants as the servants of God, and servants willingly obey their masters, and serve thgm with cheer- ful diligence and trust, and are as careful and faithful about -all their good and business as if it were not their own ; Eph. vi. 5. 9. Col. M. 21. and iv. 1. 1 Pet. ii. 18. When the houses of Christians are societies of saints, and churches of God, and live in love and concord together, and all are laborious and faithful in their callings, abhorring idleness, glut- tony, drunkenness, pride, contention, and evil speaking, and deal- ing justly with all their neighbors, and denying their own right for love and peace ; this is the way to glorify religion in the world. II. Well-orderedchurches are the second sort of societies which mist glorify God and propagate religion in the world.

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