A heavenly conference between Christ and Mary after His resurrection. Wherein the intimate familiarity,…

Beloved, favour cannot be maintained with great persons, without much industry and respect, and observance of distance. A man, that will maintain the favour of great persons, must be well read in their dispositions, must know how to please them, and yield them all observance and respect. ⟨p. 230⟩¹And shall we think then to preserve respect with God, without much industry and holiness? It cannot be. And therefore give all diligence, (not a little) to make your Calling and Election sure. It requireth all diligence, it is worth your pains. We live on this, that he is our God, and will be our God to death, and in death for ever more. That God is our God to everlasting, that he is of an equal extent with the soul, he liveth to fill it, and make it happy. Our souls being of an eternal subsistence, therefore it standeth ²us upon to give all diligence to make our Calling and Election sure, else it will not be maintained. Why do not Christians enjoy the comforts of this, that God is their God in Christ, more then they do? the reason is, they be negligent to maintain intercourse between God and them. We must know our distances: there must be reverent carriage to God. A loose ³Christian can never enjoy the comforts of God. He is so great, and we so mean, we ought to reverence him, ⟨p. 231⟩we ought to love him with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Humble thy self to walk with thy God, where there is a great deal of humility, it maintaineth friendship. We cannot walk with God, as a friend as Abraham is said to be Gods friend. We must acknowledge our selves to be dust and ashes, know him in his greatness, and our selves in our meanness, if he will maintain this to our hearts, that God is our God. If we be careful to maintain this, surely he that delighteth himself in the prosperity of his Servants, will delight to make himself more and more known to us, that we may be assured of our salvation.

Beloved, favor cannot be maintained with great persons, without much industry and respect, and observance of distance. A man, that will maintain the favor of great persons, must be well read in their dispositions, must know how to please them, and yield them all observance and respect.