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4. God hath further use for the holiness of your lives, in smiting the consciences of his and your enemies. There is awful majesty in holiness, and when it shines upon the conscience of a wicked man, it makes him stoop and do obeisance to it, which turns to a testimony for Christ and his ways before the world. Thus Herod was overawed by the strict and holy life of John; he feared him, knowing that he was a just and holy man. That bloody tyrant was convinced in his conscience of the worth and excellency of this servant of God, and was forced to reverence him for his holiness. How much is it to the honor of holiness, that it conquers its very persecutors, and makes them stoop to the meanest servant of God! It is said of Henry II. of France, that he was so daunted by the heavenly majesty of a poor tailor who was burnt before him, that he went home sad, and vowed that he would never be present at the death of such men any more. When Valens the emperor came in person to apprehend Basil, he saw such majesty in his very countenance that he reeled at the sight of him, and had fallen backward to the ground had not his servants supported him. O holiness, holiness, thou art a conqueror! So much, O christians, as you show of it in your lives, so much you preserve your interest in the consciences of your enemies. Cast off this, and they presently despise you.

5. God will use the purity of your walk to judge and convince the world in the great day. It is true, the world shall be judged by the Gospel, but your lives shall also be produced as a commentary upon it; and God will not only show them by the word how they ought to have lived, but bring forth your lives and ways to stop their mouths, by showing how others did live. This I suppose is intended in that text, "The saints shall judge the world, yea, we shall judge angels," 1 Cor. 6:2, 3; that is, our examples are to condemn their lives and

practices; as Noah, Heb. 11: 7, is said to condemn the world by building the ark; that is, his faith in the threatening, and obedience to the command, condemned their supineness, infidelity, and disobedience. They saw him every day about the work, diligently preparing for a deluge, and yet were not moved with fear; this left them inexcusable. So when God shall say in that day to the careless world, Did you not see the care and diligence, the holy zeal, watchfulness, and self-denial of my people, who lived among you? How many times have they been watching and praying, when you have been drinking or sleeping! Was it not easy to reflect, when you saw their pains and diligence, Have not I a soul to be saved as well as they; a heaven to win or lose, as well as they? Oh how speechless and inexcusable will this render wicked men! Yea, it shall not only be used to judge them, but angels also. How many shocks of temptations have poor saints stood; whereas angels fell without a tempter! They stood not in their integrity, though created with such excellent natures How much then are you concerned on this account to walk blamelessly! if not, instead of judging them, you shall be condemned with them.

Thus you see what use shall be made of your lives and actions. Oh then, since you are under such obligations to a holy life, and are so wonderfully assisted in it; and since God employs the holy living of his people for such admirable ends, both here and in the world to come, "see that ye be holy in all manner of conversation." See that, as ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, ye so walk in him;" always remembering, that for this very end Christ hath redeemed, or "delivered you out of the hands of your enemies, that you might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness all the days of your lives." Luke, 1:74, 75. To how

little purpose will be all that I have said, and you have heard of Christ, if it be not converted into practical godliness! This is the scope and design of it all.

And now, reader, thou art come to the last leaf of this treatise of Christ; it will be but a little while, and thou shalt come to the last page or day of thy life, and thy last moment in that day. Wo to thee, wo and alas for ever, if an interest in this blessed Redeemer be then wanting! The world affords not a sadder sight, than a poor Christless soul shivering upon the brink of eternity. To see the poor soul, that now begins to awake out of its long dream, at its entrance into the world of realities, shrink back into the body, and cry, Oh, I cannot, I dare not die. Lord, what will become of me? Oh, what shall be my eternal lot? This, I say, is as sad a sight as the world affords. That this may not be thy case, reflect upon what thou hast read in these discourses. Judge thyself in the light of them. Obey the calls of the Spirit in them. Let not thy slight and formal spirit float upon the surface of these truths, like a feather upon the water; but get them deeply fixed upon thy spirit, by the Spirit of the Lord; turning them into life and power upon thee; and so animating the whole course and tenor of thy conversation by them, that it may proclaim to all that know thee, that thou art one who esteemest all to be but dross, that thou mayest win Christ.

THE END

The Author of this invaluable work was the eldest son of an eminently pious clergyman, the Rev. Richard Flavel; and was born at Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England, in or near 1630. He was educated at University College, Oxford; labored in the ministry six years at Deptford, and was then called, in 1656, to Dartmouth, a port in the south of England, where, after thirty-five years of faithful service in days of peculiar trial, he died suddenly and with great composure, June 26, 1691, aged 61.

By the Act of Uniformity, August 24, 1662, Mr. Flavel and two thousand clergymen who could not in conscience subscribe, were expelled from their benefices. He continued, however, to labor for the good of his people, amid persecutions, obstacles, and interruptions; preaching, as opportunity could be gained, in private dwellings, in obscure neighborhoods, or the seclusion of the forest, through a period of twenty-five years, until 1687, when the royal license was granted to worship God without molestation, and he resumed his public labors in a new and commodious church erected by his affectionate people; delivering, at that time, his series of discourses from Rev. 3: 20, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock.”

Most of his works, comprising six octavo volumes, which breathe a strain of tender piety, and have a spiritual unction perhaps unparalleled, were composed during this period of persecution.

"The Fountain of Life," published in 1671, he says, was written in a time of great distractions;" first more at large as delivered to such audiences as could be assembled, and then condensed, that he might thus ease the reader both in his pains and his purse." His dedication of this work to his own people contains the following delightful passages:

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"I cannot but recount the goodness of our God, yea the riches of his goodness:

"Who freely gave Jesus Christ out of his own bosom for us; and hath not withheld his Spirit, ordinances, and ministers, to reveal and apply him to us:

"Who engaged my heart upon this transcendent subject, in the course of my ministry among you; a subject which angels study and admire, as well as we:

"Who so signally protected and overshadowed our assembly in those days of trouble wherein these truths were delivered to you, when you sat under his shadow with great delight, and his banner over you was love:

"Who made these meditations of Christ a strong support and sweet relief to mine,* now with Christ, and no less to me, under the greatest trials that ever befel me in this world:

"Who hath not left himself without witness among us, blessing my labors to the conversion and edification of many.

"In testimony of a thankful heart for these invaluable mercies, I humbly and cheerfully rear this pillar of remembrance, inscribing it with, EBENEZER, and JEHOVAH-JIREH."

+ Probably his departed wife.

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