Dtut;J. 6. Mr. R icbard Baxter':r Fumral Sermon. to t heir Affcc:!ions. There is mndi difference between fervil c and conflrain'd Obedience, and fi lial chofen Obedience, as bet ween the Moti on of a living Mim from }~~cf~~\J~1~b~~v~1~~~ ~.ni;Js~f Life, and t he Mot ion of an Image or Statue from From fili al Love proceeds godly Sorrow, if at any time by Card efnefs and Sur - pri ze, or an over-powering Temptation, his Children do what is offenfive and odions in his fight. When they confider their unkind and nnthankful R.eturns for his Mercies , the¥ look to their HeavenlY_ Father with Gr ief and Shame, ~nd down up 01 ; rhemfelves w1th. Abhorrence "!'d lnd•gnarwn'. They~re wounded w1th the Sting.of that Expof\ulat10n, Do ye th1n reqmte the Lord, 0 foolijh People aJTd Tmwife ? Is he not thy Fathe,. who bought thee? : From filial Love proceeds a Zeal for his Glory l. lf I be a Father, where # "'J Hanom· ? A Child of God IS dearly concerned that lns Name be reverenced and magnified, his Laws be obferved, his Worlbip maintained, that his lntere{\ be advanced in .rhe Worl d. He has a burning Zeal again{\ Sin and prefumptuous Sinners. The Prophet Elijap f~ys, I have been j calolfl fo•· the J..,,.d ofHojis : for the Children oflfrael hitVc forfnkcn thJ Coven,ttnt, and thrown dow11 I him ~lt11rs. Thofe who with an indifferent Eye fee the Caufe, , rh<; Truth, the Intere{\ of God deprefs'd in the World, do renounce the Title of his Children. From the R.elation to God as his Sons, proceeds a fincere fervent Love to all the 1john 5· 1. Saints. St. John infers, Every one that lovcth him that begot, loves him that is begotte11. Grace is not lefs powerful in producing cordial mutual Affections between the Cfiildren of the fame Heavenly Father, than the fnbordirrate Endearments of Nature. Notwithftanding the civil Dif\in{tion between them, fome high and rich, others Revel . 1. mean and poor, yet there is a fpiritual Equality; the !owe{\ Sairits are Princes of the Blood-Royal of Heaven. To him that has wajbed NI from our Si1u in his Blood, and made llr! Kiugs aud Priefl.r to God, be Glory for ever. The fili al R.elation to God inclines and encourages all fincere Chriltians to refign themfelves, even in their mo{\ affi.iCl:ed Condition, to the Wifdom and Will of God. Our Sav iour meekly yielded up himfelf to his cruel Enemies, upon this J ohn 18. 1'· Confidcration, The C1tp whicb my Father ha.r given me, fba/1 I 11ot driuk it l The Saints in imitation ofChrHt, and upon the fame Ground, entirely rcfign themfelves io the Divine Difpofal ; for their Heavenly Father loves them bett er than they can love themfdves. Jchn9· i · Fi nall y, The fili al R.elation to God is productive, as of lively Hopes, fo of arden t Defi res to be with him. Love makes them to ef\ eem Communion with him here in his hol y Ordinances, as the Joy of their Lives. The Pfalmi{\ when banilb'd from the T abernacle, breaks forth in his impatient Defi res, Whm jha/1 I come 1md appear before God? that is, in the Place where he communicates his Grace to thofe that worfhip him. Bntour Father is in Heaven as his Throne, and mof\ gloriouOy exhibits himfelf to his Saints there. The Earth is the Element and R.efidence of carnal Men, of their Souls as well as their Bodies : They defire their lnherita11ce t;Jay be on tbi.r fide Jordan, ·and are content to 1cave the Heavenly C~t.naan to thofe who like it. But thofe who m·e bom fi:om above, defire to be di!folved, that they may be in their Father's Houfe, and his reviving Prefence for ever. 3. Let ns be perfwaded to prepare for the reception of our Souls in the next World. The prefent Li fe is a Paffage to Eternity, and 'ris fo fhort and fading, fo uncerta in and ha1..ardous, tl1at 'ris our principal Wifdom without delay to fecure our Soul s in the future State. Our Saviour fays, I muft work tbe "f!Vork ofhim that fent me while it iJ D~t.y : the Night cometh tvhm no Man c~t.u work. Plow i1 the accepted Time, :o;kis ;~e ~?;t,~a~:i~:;;~Jz '!~~o;::n!!!r:r~~;~l{;,~utfnant11~"'~~~:n~fr~ea~~'~llc;; ~s an inca pacity to do any thing iii order to Salvation: There is no Work nor Wi(dom in the Grave : and all the Offers of Salvation ccafe for ever. T he ~~~~!~);:~ ~~~~~;e i~01Ea~;hGa011~ ";:: Hc~~,,R.b~ 0~o{0~h f~~~"[~ ~el:~latT~!t~~lc~~ Scepter is extended to none there, the Holy Spirit flrives with none , they are withot~ t the Referves of Mercy. The Guilt of Sin remains in its full Obligation, the Pollution of Sin in its deepef\ Die, and the Punifhment of Sin in its Ext remity for ever. 0 what Folly is it, or rather Frenzy, not to provide for our Souls in their greate{\ Exigence.! Common R.eafon inflruCl:s us, knowing our own Weaknefs, to commit our Treafure to the Cuf\ody of our Friends, which we cannot or;~~[;
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