The excellency of a gracious spirit Delivered in a treatise upon the 14. of…The excellency of a gracious spirit Deliuered in a treatise upon the 14. of…

Seventhly, there is great reason that we should walk fully after the ¹Lord, because the way that God calls us to walk in, is a most blessed and holy way: In the 21. Revelation, 21. verse; The streets of Jerusalem, (that is, the ways of Gods people ⟨p. 390⟩in his Church, wherein they are to walk) they are said to be of pure gold, and as it were transparent glass; they are golden ways, they are bright shining ways. Prov. 3. 17. The ways of wisdom are the ways of pleasantness; and all her paths are peace. There is not any one Command of God, wherein he would have us to follow him, but it is very lovely, there is much good in it: God requires nothing of us, but that which is most just and holy: as God is holy in all his works, so he is holy in all his Commands; they are no other, but that which if our hearts were as they ought, we would choose to our selves. A righteous man is a law to himself, he sees that good, that beauty, that equity in all Gods Laws, as he would choose them to himself were he left at his own liberty. What one thing is there in Gods Law that could be spared? What is there that thou couldst be glad to be exempted from? It may be in the strength of ⟨p. 391⟩temptation, when some lust is up working, the flesh would fain have some liberty, but upon due serious thoughts, looking into the bottom of things, a gracious soul closeth with the Law, and loveth it as gold, yea, fine gold, and breaks for the longing it hath, not to the reward of obedience to Gods Statutes, and Judgements, but to the Statutes and Judgements of God themselves, as David saith his soul did. Howsoever our path in following the Lord may seem rugged and hard to the flesh, in regard of the afflictions and troubles it meets withal in it; yet where there is a spiritual eye, the way of holiness appears to it exceeding lovely and beautiful. Though David Psa. 23. supposed the worst that might befall him in his way, as that he might walk through the valley of the shadow of death; yet he calls his way green pastures, and saith, God will lead him by the still waters. It is true, the ways of God are grievous to the wicked, but