6. Motive,

To serve God in the sincerity of our Hearts, is the only way to true happiness; and to serve any other Master but him, or to serve him Superstitiously, or Hypocritically, is the certain way to Ruine and Destruction; all those that have served God in sincerity, not one of them have miscarried; and of all other, there is not one that ever attained Heaven and Happiness; the way of Holiness is the only Road to true Happiness; and how can the end be attained, if the means be not used? 'tis Godliness that hath the Promise of this Life and that to come; Happiness is that which all men seek, but few men find, because few sought it in a way of Holyness.

The Covetuous man thinks if he could get Riches, he should attain Happiness; and this makes him Moil and Toil, and Cark and Care; yea, make himself miserable, that he may be happy; and yet never attains so much as con∣tent: and wounds his Conscience to get an Estate, and is but like a Sumpter Horse that goes loaden all the day with as much Treasure as he can carry, and at night stript of all, and turned into a dirty stable, with his gall'd back; so after Death they shall be turned into Hell with their gall'd Consci∣ences.

The Voluptuous man that placeth his happiness in pleasure, thinks if he can but obtain his desire, he shall be happy; but how little satisfaction can he find here? all his pleasure ends in a snuff, and the Page  20 end of his Mirth is Sadness; and all this while he deprives himself of true pleasure.

The Ambitious man thinks to ascend the steps of Honor, is to attain Happiness; when alas this is the emptiest of all Bubbles, and how oft do we see men break their necks from the top of Promo∣tion?

These men build the Fabrick of their Hopes and Happiness upon a Sandy foundation; where one dashing shower, or stormy tempest throws down their Babel: but a Christian laies a sure foundati∣on in Holyness, and in the fear and service of God; they build upon the Rock which never fails them, they seek Happiness in Gods way, Psal. 128.1. Blessed is every one that serveth the Lord, and walk∣eth in his way; not every one that is Rich or Hono∣rable, this is the Worlds language, and not Gods; Deut. 7.14. If thou walk in his way, thou shalt be blessed above all People; that is, if thou serve him according to his will, Psal. 33.12. Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord; that is, they chose God for their God, and serve him as God, Mat. 5.3,4. &c. We may see who it be that in Christs account are blessed; not those that are Rich and Potent, Honorable, or Mighty, but the poor in Spirit, those that mourn for their sins, the Meek, the Merciful, the Pure in heart, those that hunger and thirst after Righteousness, those that are reviled and persecuted for righteousness sake, &c. that is, those that live holily towards God, and righteously to∣wards Men, that make the word of God, the rule of their Lives; that servant that did his Ma∣sters will in sincerity, shall be blessed by him at his coming, Mat. 24.46. He that in his Masters abscence improved his Talents well, shall be made Page  21 Ruler over much; and enter into his Masters joy, Mat. 25.21. He that refreshed the People of God according to the Will and Covenant of God, shall receive a Kingdom prepared for him by God, Mat. 25.34.46. Read Deut. 28. through out, And see there the Promises made to the obedient; and the Curses denounced against the disobedient, and see which are in the most hopeful way to happiness; yet there are many that are apt to say with those, Job. 21.15. Who is the Almighty that we should serve him, or what profit is it to pray unto him? or as Pharaoh in the like words, Exod. 5.2. Who is the Lord that I should obey him? I know not the Lord, neither will I obey him: but the Lord after made himself known in his destruction. There are many that have business they tell us to follow, and cannot live by the Scriptures, or hearing Sermons, neither have they time to pray in their Families, &c. But let these prayerless Families beware of the Curse, Jer. 10.25. Psal. 79.6. Hast any greater business to do than to serve thy God, and secure thy Soul? as thou makest the world thy bu∣siness, so 'tis like to be thy Portion; but it will leave thee short of happiness: the best of Saints, and the wisest of Men, have taken another course, and have sailed in a course of Holiness, to the Port of Happiness; for no other Wind blows thither. E∣noch walked with God, and God took him. Gen. 5.24. That is, he walked in the waies of God and obeyed the command of God: the like we read of Noah, He was perfect in his Generation, and walked with God, Gen. 6.9. This course of life, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob followed. David also, and Hezekiah, Johosophat and Josiah, and many more; 'tis said of these they served God with a per∣fect Page  22 heart. Job, was a just man and one that fear∣ed God, Job 1.8. So was good Obadiah, 1 King. 18.3. thus Daniel and his fellows, Dan. 3.17. and 6.2. thus Paul, Cornelius, Zachary, and E∣lizabeth, Act. 27.23. and 10.22. Luk. 1.6. and thus was Christ himself, no guile was found in his mouth, 1 Pet. 2.22. All these walked in the way of Holiness to Heaven, Read a List of more, Heb. 11. But there is no word of encouragement to any other to expect Heaven; nay, God tells us in plain words, they shall never come there; 1 Cor. 6.9,10. Neither is there any one example of any that lived and dyed in their sinful course, that ever was saved: what may we gather hence? but this, if ever you would attain to true happiness, serve God with a sincere heart.