(2.) They espouse Christ's interests, and concern themselves in the matters of his glory: "The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up," says David, Psal. lxix. 9. What wounds his honour, wounds their hearts: "Rivers of waters run down mine eyes: because they keep not thy law, Psal. cxix. 136. They have a natural concern for the prosperity of his kingdom, and labour to take part with it against whosoever oppose it. So that even when their own private case lies heavy on them, the public interest of Christ does so too, as in David's case, Psal. li. 18.

4. In friendship there is a peculiar freedom and familiarity which the parties use one with another, which they use not towards others. And such there is betwixt Christ and his sincere servants. There was one in David's court, 2 Sam. xv. 7. another in Solomon's, 1 Kings iv. 5. who was the king's friend, as admitted to greater freedom with the king than the rest of the courtiers. Such are all Christ's sincere servants.

(1.) Christ treats them with great familiarity, the familiarity of a friend, John xv. 15. He visits them in their lowest condition, and speaks a word in season to them, when their nearest friends on earth can do them no service, Psal. cxxxviii. 3. Lam. iii. 57. He brings them sometimes very near him, Cant. i. 4. and communicates his secrets to them, that are hid from the rest of the world, Psal. xxiv. 14.; shews them his glory, Is. xxxiii. 17; opens the mystery of providence to them, and helps them to see love in the darkest dispensations, Psal. cvii. ult.; and sometimes gives them a sight of everlasting love, Jer. xxxi. 3.

(2.) They use great familiarity with him, Cant. vii. 11. Whatever they need, and at whatsoever time, they go to him for it freely, Luke xi. 5, 6. Their most loathsome sores they can lay out before him, and freely tell him all their mind, even what they cannot communicate to any on earth, Eph. iii. 12. And if at any time it is otherwise, the fault lies in not improving the privilege of their friendship.

5. Lastly, In friendship there is mutual real friendliness in deeds of friendship, according to the circumstances of the parties, Prov. xviii. 24. “A man that hath friends, must shew himself friendly." Friendship animates one friend to do for another, as they are capable. And,

1st, Christ is very friendly to them. The acts of his friendship towards his sincere servants who can sufficiently declare? Many a time has he found them in the straits, wherein none but he could relieve them, and he has befriended them therein, and he will befriend them.

(1.) He befriended them in the everlasting covenant, undertaking for them in it. When they lay with the rest of mankind in a lost helpless state, there being none in the whole creation able to act for them, he befriended them, took on their person, bound himself for them, to pay their debt of duty and punishment. So he became Surety for his ruined friends, Psal. xl. 7.

(2.) He befriended them in his life and death in the world. He was born holy for them, lived holy for them, and died for them on the cross, John xv. 13. Never was there such an act of friendship as this among men, one bearing the wrath of God in the room and stead of another. O how he loved them!

(3.) He befriended them in their conversion to God, Jer. xxxi. 3. When they lay dead in sin, he quickened them; when they were going away from God, he brought them back again; while they remained in the world lying in wickedness, he separated them for himself. While the guilt of all their sins lay on them, he clothed them with his righteousness, and procured their justification by his blood; while their sins had dominion over them, he broke the yoke by his Spirit, &c.

(4.) He befriends them all their life long. On earth in all their necessities, whoever proves their enemy, he takes them by the hand, Psal. cxviii. 6. And he befriends them in heaven, pleading and managing their cause there, 1 John ii. 1. They have a friend in court there.

(5.) He befriends them at death when no other can do it, Psal. xxiii. 4. He takes the sting out of it before it comes to them: he has another habitation provided for them, a better mansion, before they remove out of the body: and he sends his angels to carry their separate souls into Abraham's bosom. O nonsuch friendship!

(6.) Lastly, He will befriend them at the judgment. He will raise up the bodies of his friends out of the dust by his Spirit: he will set them on his right hand, and adjudge them to the everlasting kingdom, as the blessed of his Father.

2dly Christ's sincere servants are friendly to him. But how? Their goodness extends not to him; they have nothing to give him but of his own. But he reckons them friendly to him in being friendly to his members, Matth. xxv. and in a sincere obedience to all his commandments, as saith the text.

I shall conclude all with a very brief application.

USE I. Of lamentation over the case of those who cannot be brought to a sincere endeavour to comply with whatsoever Christ commands them. How many are there who comply with very little that he commands them, but in the whole track of their conversation

There are

shew a profane contempt of the commands of Christ? many who do many things, but spoil all, by the woful exceptions they put in to some particular commands, which they can never be honestly engaged in the observance of. Some are swayed by their carnal interest, and they cannot do such a command of Christ's, for it crosses their worldly interest; others cannot do another command, for it lies cross to their honour and credit: and others cannot do another command, for it is contrary to their humour, &c.

Ah! how do such stand in their own light, and deprive themselves of Christ's friendship by the way that they take! Their loss is inexpressible. Christ's friendship is what one cannot want, but he is ruined for time and eternity: and wherefore is it lost, but for a thing of nought?

USE II. Of comfort and encouragement to the sincere servants of Christ, honestly addressing themselves to the obedience of all his commands without exception.

1. This may animate you to go on in universal obedience, to stick at nothing that Christ commands, but cordially to fall in with every known duty. Our Lord takes it as a sign and proof of friendship to him, and allows you to take it as an evidence of his friendship to you, Psal. cxix. 6.

2. It may assure you of tenderness and compassion in that wherein ye come short. Christ's friendship makes your pardon sure, 1 John ii. 1; it provides a mantle of love to cast over the infirmities of his people, Numb. xxiii. 21. and takes the sincere will for the deed, 2 Cor. viii. 12.

3. This may determine you to pursue your duty, whatever displeasure, ill-will, and hatred of men ye may incur for it, Heb. xi. 27. If men say in effect, If you do such a thing which Christ commands, we will reckon you enemies; what may balance that is, what Christ says, "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you."

4. Lastly, It may help you to bear afflictions, that Christ is your friend. Nothing comes to you but through his hand, John v. 22. So whatever your case is, you are in a friend's hand, who sticketh closer than a brother.

THE

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERS

OF

TRUE BELIEVERS.

IX. IN RELATION TO THEIR WORK IN THIS LIFE, AND THEIR JOURNEY TO THE OTHER WORLD.*

THE NATURE AND NECESSITY OF THE CHRISTIAN'S WORK.

ECCLESIASTES ix. 10.

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest.

As no man had more access to know what might be made of this present life, than Solomon; so none gives us more mortifying accounts of it than he. He shews it to be short, uncertain, and mixed with a variety of ungrateful events. And thereupon he calls us to make the best use of it we may, and that it will bear. (1.) He will have us to take the comforts of this life, in the favour of God, ver. 7-9. "Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works. Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment. Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest, all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun." (2.) To ply the business of life while life lasts. So there are comforts to be had in life, and there is business to be done in it. Happy are they who taking the

* The author's manuscript bears, that the sermons on this subject were begun to be preached, July 26, and ended Sept. 27, 1724. having during that time also preached from other texts.

one, do the other.

thy might," &c.

"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with

In these words we have two things.

1. An exhortation to ply the business of life, while life lasts. No man was born to be idle, nor sent into the world to sleep or dream away a lifetime, but to be doing, and doing good. And here is,

(1.) The business of life, "Whatsoever thy hand shall find to do with thy might," Heb. The work we have to do is a work of many pieces, as much as to fill up every minute of our short time; and no part of it is to be neglected, Whatsoever thy hand shall find to do. It is determined two ways what we have to do. (1.) What God gives us opportunity for, what our hand shall at any time find to be laid to hand by our Creator. He is our great Master, and appoints every one his particular work, by his word and providence: he lays it to our hand by giving us opportunities. And so it is restrained to that which is good. (2.) What God gives us ability for. He gives might, strength of body and mind, comforts and conveniencies of life, as talents that we are to trade with. And we are not to

abuse these, but use them for the ends he gives them for. (2.) The activity to be used in this business of life. Do, do it. Neglect not this your work, put it not off with delays, but do you timely and seasonably, while the time and season lasts. It is but a short time, and therefore we must husband it well.

2. A motive to press the exhortation. Do, for your doing time will be done shortly: and then if your work be not done, ye will be for ever undone. And,

(1.) Our life in the world is but a journeying to the grave, the state of the dead. Before we begin to walk alone, we begin to go to it, even from the womb: and in that journey there is no stopping; sleep we or wake we, we are always going the other step towards it. And when a man is in his prime, going and living at all ease, he is still going thither. (2.) There is no doing there; if your work be not done ere you come there, it will never be done. This is the world for working, and that is the world for the reward of our work.

The scope of the text may be gathered up in the two following doctrinal observations.

DocT. I. It nearly concerns all men diligently to improve their opportunities and abilities in doing their work accordingly, while life, opportunities, and abilities last with them.

DocT. II. Our life in this world is a journey, a going to the grave,