Book VI: 1L.COlling Unto· ']Jzfn.S'. Chap. 2.Setl:. 9· 569 fo • this~faCl:ion of Chri!L- imet~ceffio~;- we cannot i.;agini lefs p~-;:ife to be &iven to Chri£1: than for any other; 0 then let us do tlus duty on eanh, ~s 1t ts done m H~lven ! what is Chriil: praying for us? 0 let us be on che_e~erctfe o[ pratling him ; is Chrill interceding for us? lee us give him the ~lory of IllS mtercefiton; Heaven is full of his praib, 0 why fhould not earth nngwnh 1he found thereof? Praift the Lord, 0 my foHl, and all th-1t u within me, pr~ift hu holy Name. SECT. IX. Of conforminr; to {e( ~« in that rejpeEf. 9 . LEt u;conform to J efusin refpeCI:of _hi~ inrerceffion. I cannotthink but in every aCtion of Chri£1: there ts fomethtng tmnable of us. And as to the prefenrwork, I J),al! in!lance only in thefe few particulars. As --- x. Chri£1: appears in H<aven for us; let us appear on earth for him. Is there not equity, as well as conformitY: in this duty? 0 rn~ fo_ul , confider ~hat thjl Chrift is doing, confider 11 heretn the mterceffion of J efu;_ Chnft con!ifts! ts not thts the fir~ pan of it? why, he appears mHeaven_before Samts and Angels, and before God hts Father in thy behalf; and arc thou afratd to appear before worms, mortals, du{l and afi 1 esin his caufe, or for his truth? Jltall jefus Chri(l own thee in Heaven? and wilt thou not own ]efus Chrift here in t_his world? JluU Jefus Chrift, as thy great high'Priefl, take thy very name and cany It upon hli breafi tnto the prefence of God? and wilt not t-hou rake the Name of Clm!t, and hold tt forth HI profeffion and pradife to all men? Oh what a mighty engagementis here to flan_d to Chri{l_, and to appear for Chrift, and to own his cauf, in tbefe backfhJmg r:mes; m that C.hnft, who !its at rhe right hand of God, is willing and ready to appear m pe_rfon for us, both as a Medi~tot·, and Sponfor; and Solicitor, and Advocate, andLe~ger Embalf>dor? 2 , Chrifl fpends a:I his time for us and our falvation, let us fpend all our time for him,' and in his fervice; the Apoftle tells us, that He ever lives to mak! inrercej!ion for "'; it Heb. 7• 2 s– is not for a day, or a month, or a year, but he hres for ever upon tillS account; for t'Ver ( ;, ) during all the time fromhis Afcenuon unril the end of the world ; be is flill interceding · he fpends of all that ume for us, and fi1all we thmk tt too much time to fpend .a fe~ dayes that-we have here to live upon the earth for him I one thinks this the greateft Argument 111 the world eo make u, to walk clofely with God in Chrifl. He fPendsof ht5 eternity for "'• an_d Jhall_notwe fpend of our whole _time for him? furely people do not thmk what Chnflts dotng m Heaven for them; tf you who are Saints would but fe,ioufiy 'onuder, that Chrift tbi~abbarh, this day of reil:, is at hiswo.k that witbour any wearinefs o.r inrerm_iffion from morning rill evening, and from evening tiU morning he ts ever, ev·er tntercedmg; how would tlus engage you in his fervice ~ Ab Cbriflian_s! if yo_u 010uld continLe praying, praifing,.. readmg, hearing all this day wirhour.any mtermtfiton or breakmgoff. Oh what weannefs I 0 bow would you {ay, When will the day be done, when will the Sabbath be at an end? Well, but Chrifl is not weary of ferving you; this Sabbath, and rh~ Iall Sabbath, and the other Sabbath, and every Sabbath, when you had done your dut1es, he took your perfons, and duties, and prefemed all uato his Father; he prayed over your prayers, anol 'ontinued praying, and faying, Lord accept of a ~1ort, p•or, lean, imperfell Jervice done on earth for my fak§, and for thofe merits falze, whfch 1 ""' co!"tinually prefenting to rhee here in heaven. Oh why do we not come.up eo tlu.s conformtty? Oh why are we fo unconformable to the actings of Chrill:? !)e is preparing Manfions for us in Heaven, and are we digging in this world? he is making mentionof our names to God, and are we !inning againft him and God ? his blood cryes , 0 that thefe fouls m. .y be (aved; and lhaJJ our fins cry, It u j•tfl tlw thefe fouls ~10uld bedamned? 0 mind the exemplar! Chrift fpends all his time for you, do you fpend all your time for him: we cannot but judge this to be mofl equal, rhat they who live jhO!lld not henceforth live unto them(elves, bHt um• himwho ever lives to ;r.4ks intcrce[Jion for them. . 3· He prayes for us, and for all believers to his Father; ,let us pray for our {elves,' and for all our brethren, and for ali forts of men, thpugh they be our enemies, for we were no better to I efus Chrift : Learn of me (faith Chrill) and fo far as he is imitable let u; follow him; doth Chrifl: pray? let us pray; doth he pray for us and others? let us P p p pray
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