A saint or a brute the certain necessity and excellency of holiness, &c. ...…

4. And here I would entreat you to consider well of the tenor of Gods commands concerning this matter in the Gospel, and of the examples of the Saints there left on record: And then tell me, which course it is that God is best pleased with. Your cheerful or your dejected course of life: I find that though I pity the sad and miserable, yet I had rather my self have a cheerful, then a drooping, grieving, troubled companion and friend: Because I desire one suitable to my self in the state I would be in; and I delight in the welfare, and not in the distress and misery of my friend. And surely God that is Love it self, and hath created Joy in man to be his Happiness, and hath placed so much of misery in sorrow, can never be so delighted in our distress and trouble, as in our content and joy. As he hath sworn that he takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they repent and live; so we may boldly conclude that he takes no pleasure in the anguish and dejectedness of his children, but rather that they walk in Love and cheerful Obedience before him. But his Word will fully and plainly tell you, what temper it is that is most pleasing to him. It is a light and easy burden that Christ doth call us to bear; and it is his office to ease us and give us rest that labour and are heavy laden with burdens of our own. Mat. 11. 28, 29. He was anointed to preach the Gospel, or glad tidings of salvation to the poor; and sent to heal the broken-hearted; to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, and to set at liberty them that are bruised, and to preach the acceptable year of the Lord, Luke 4. 18, 19. When he was to leave the world, how carefully did he provide for the comfort of his Disciples? Commanding them ⟨p. 365⟩not to let their hearts be troubled, Joh. 14. 1. and promising to send the comforter to them, and that he would come to them, and not leave them Comfortless, vers. 16, 18, 26. Repeating it again, v. 27, 28. [Peace I leave with you: my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth give I unto you: Let not your heart be troubled, neither be afraid] Nay, he engageth them as they Love him to rejoice, even because he went unto the Father: