Pattern, which are alfo the Measures of our Evangelical Obedience; I come now, laftly, to confider, how Reasonable it is, that we should do thus ; and certainly, if any thing in the World be reafonable, 'tis that we fhould do the Will of God; for the Will of God is the highest Reason. Indeed were God an Arbitrary Humorfom Being, that loved to domineer over his Creatures, and to impofe on them harsh and troublefom Commands only for his own Pleasure, and to fhew his Authority; though even then we fhould juftly owe him Homage and Obedience, yet there might be fome pretence for difputing it, and making demurs about it. But God is fo good and kind,as to enjoyn us nothing but what is purfuant of the End for which he Created us; that is, our Happiness and Perfection : So kind, as to link our Duty and Intereft together, and to make thofe very things the Inftances of our Obedience, which are the natural Means, and neceffary Caufes of our Happiness: So that were we to contrive a way to make our Condition Happy, we could pitch upon no better than what he has already prefcribed to us in the Laws which he has given us. So highly confonant and agreeable are they to the frame of our Natures, and fo abfolutely neceffary are they both to the order of this prefent World, and to the Happiness of the next. This might eafily be demonftrated of every one of the Divine Commandments in particular; but that being too long an Undertaking for the clofe of a Difcourfe, I only confider, that we have a certain ground to conclude, what the Will of God must be in reference to us, by what he is in himself for this is an evident Principle, That such as God himself is, such must be his Will; it being unconceivable, that he fhould will any thing contrary to his Nature, But now, we all take God to be a Being Effentially and Immutably Wife and Good, Holy, Juft and True; and if these are Properties infeparable from the Nature of God (as all grant they are,) then the Will of God muft alfo be Holy, Wife, Juft, True and Good, and confequently highly fit and reasonable to be Obeyed. But why, O God, do we want Reason, to perfwade us to do thy Will? Is it not enough, that it is Thine? Thine, who art the great Creator and Governour of the World, and haft the highest right to be ferved by all the Creatures, and by all the Powers which thou haft made? Thine, who art the best and greateft Being, who art infinitely Wife, HoIy, Juft and True, and canft therefore com mand nothing but what is fo? Thine, who art above all capacity of addition to thy Happiness, and canft therefore propofe no good but but that of thy Creatures, in the Laws that thou giveft them? Why then do we inquire after the Reafon of thy Will? It ought to fatisfie us,that it is Thine. And fince this Will of God is done in Heaven, why fhould it not be done on Earth? Since the Bleffed Angels,who can difcern the Reasons of things, even the deep things of God, and are infinitely better able to judge of the Reasonablenefs of Obedience then we are; fince they are fo ready and forward to pay it, why fhould we make any Question or any Delay about it? Since the great Heavenly Hoft, thofe Excellent Beings that excel both in Wisdom and Strength, acknow ledge and fubmit to the Government of God, why should we, a little handful of Rebels, ftand out? Since the Will of God is done in Heaven, why is it not on Earth? Yes, it is done on Earth, for at his Commandment the Waters flow, and the Wind and Storm fulfil his Word; only Man, diforderly Man, will not be Obedient, though he has a God for his Maker, and Angels for his Prodent. But let as many of us,as hope to be like Angels hereafter, ftudy to be like them here; let us ferioufly and diligently endeavour, to write after fo fair a Copy; and fet before us the Holy Angels as Patterns, as well as Obfervers, in all our Actions; which would certainly work more upon us, than that that Expedient fo much advised by a great Man, the imaginary prefence of a Cato or a Lalius. Let us make it our care,as much as in us lies, by the Angelical Piety and Regu larity of our Lives, to reftore the Moral World to that Symphony and Uniform Harmony, wherein God made it; and not only Pray, but also heartily Endeavour, that the Will of the great God may be done here on Earth, as it is in Heaven. The |