II48 SERMONS upon Serro XXII. Flefh. Surely they which contemn the World are more honourable than they which injoy it; and it is much better to pleafe God , that we may live with him in Heaven, than to flatter men, that we may rife in the World. 3. Their way and courfe of Life, as well as their Temper and difpofition of Heart is more noble : for when others live according to the vain courfe of this corrupt World, they live according to the Will of God, which is the highe(! Pattern of all Perfe &ion. The one live to the Lufls of men, the other according to the Will of God, t Pet. 4.2. That he no longer fhould live the ref of his time in the flefh to the lulls of men, but to the mí11 ofGod : The one walk Kg aimrx ass 760 a ?5T&, Eph. 2. 2. According to the courfe of this world ; the other rt<vórx, Gal. 6. 16. As many ,u walk according to this rule, &c. Now which Courfe is better ? Let us refer this Queffion to the Sentiments of Nature. Even though men be fo much depraved by their flavery to their bruti(h Luis, that they might juftly be refufed as incompetent Judges; yet natural Confcience in the worft doth homage to the Image of God fhining in the Saints , as Herod feared John, becaufe he was a (trill and j4I man, Mark 6. 20. And Exod. t t. 3. Mofes was great in the land of Egypt , in the fight of Pharaohs fervants , and in the fight of all the people : his Perfon and Prefence was awful to them. Nature bath a ferret fentiment of the Excellency of Holinefs, thofe that regard not to praflife it , wonder at it : t Pet. 4.4. They think it fining , that you run not with them to.the fame exceff of riot : efpecially when they come to dye, then do they approve a lober godly Life, though they had an heart to embrace it before, Numb. 23. to. Let me dye the death of the righteous, and let my left end be like his. Though they chufe to live-with the carnal, yet they would dye with the righteous, fuch an approbation is Confcience forced to give fir(t or lai to an holy courfe of Life. 4. That is honourable and glorious, which is molt efteemedby God, for he can belt judge, and the great Soveraign of the World is the Fountain of all Honour. Now Holinefs is moll efteemed by him, which he bath declared both by word and deed. Firfi, By Wort IA. 43.4. Since thou was precious in my fight thou haft been honou- rable. God that was refrefhed in the review of the works of Creation, is alfo delighted in the works that belong to Redemption : yea more , as theft gifts are more worthy, and brought about with greater expence and difficulty ; therefore he delights molt in the holy and righteous; any part of Holinefs is an ornament of great price in the fight of God : t Pet. 3. 4. Let your adorning be the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament ofa meek and of a quiet fpirit, which is in the fight of God of great price. Secondly , hi Deed, as they are taken into a nearnefs to himfelf, and here injoy his favour and fellowfhip, and hereafter (ball live with him for ever. Now they have his Favour, and injoy Communion with him, Pfal. t t. 7. For the righteous God loveth righ- teoufnefs, his countenance loth behold the upright : hereafter they (ball fee his bleffed Face, Mat. 5.8. Bled are the pure in heart , for they (ball fee God. Heb. 12. t4. Follow peace with all men, and holinefi, without wbleh'no man pall fee God. They are capacita- ted for true Happine(s. This is fo certain a Truth, that all who are made partakers of a- Divine Nature, have the lame difpofition in them : Pfal. 15. 4. In whofe eyes a vile per fon is contemned, but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. They look not to the out- ward pomp and profperity of the World , and therefore have an heart to honour and refpeâ godly men , as being beloved, prized , and let apart by God , and as they are made partakers of thefe lure, great, and glorious things, which are infinitely more wor- thy of our love, than any thing below. So again, Pfal. 16. 3. To the Saints that are in the earth , and to the excellent , in whom is all my delight. When we think"too highly and pleafingly of the condition of the rich, and too meanly and contemptibly of the (late of the holy and godly, as if it were a better thing to be great in the World , than to excel in Grace, we difcover more of the Spirit of the World, than of the Spirit of God. 5. That Excellency which is more intrinfick, puts a truer honour upon us, than that which is extrinfick and foreign ; as we do not value an Horfe by his Trappings, but by his Mettle and Vigour. A Corps may be laid in State , and fumptuoully adorned, but there is no life within : Crowns and Garlands may be put upon an Image ; the white Bulls deltined for Sacrifices to Jupiter, were brought to the Gates with Garlands on their Horns, A£ls 14. 13. So men are not to be valued by their external Advantages, Wealth and Greatnefs, but their intrinfrck Perfeaions, Knowledge, Holinefs, Humility, Faith, Sobriety, Godlinefs: Pfab 45. 13. The Kings daughter is all glorious within, her cloathing is of wrought gold : not the things without a man do commend him, but the things within him. 6. That
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