By the Croft ofChrift. 237 3 . Confider altoyour Debafementin condemnationandhumilia- tion is the defigned way to the glory of your Redeemer, and in it your own glory. This is his honour, that when theLawhad con- demned you , he abfolved you by his Ranfom : and when you were dead in trefpaffes and fins hequickned you through the riches ofmercyand the great Love wherewith he lovedyou,Eph. 2*4, y. you mull be Fickbefore he can have the honour of curing you : Hewill lay you at thefeet of God in fhame , crying out , Father Ihavefinned againfi heaven andbefore thee,and amnomore worthy to be called a fin, maleme one of thy hiredfervants. You (hall call your felves foolifb , difobedient , even mad, and the greateft of(inners, Tit. 3. 3. Ails 26. It. I Tim. I. E g. If therefore you begin toglory inyour felves , you contradi& the gloryof Chrif , and confequently hinder the glory you fhould receive from him. You have but thebenefit ofreceiving his alms; and thereforemuff Band in the pofture of beggars but it is he andnot you that muff have the honour of giving it. You mutt be Nothing,thathe maybe All,or elfeyou will be Nothing indeed? Youmuff not Live, but Chriff inyou or elfe you will not Live indeed , Gal. 2. zo. You muff be found in him, not havingyour own Righteoufnefs which is of the Laity, or works, but the Righteouf- nefs which is of Chrift byfaith, or elfe you will lofe your(elves andyour righteoufnefs, Phil. 3.9. And thus thejuft, being dead in themfelves muff live byfaith, but if any be lifted up , his foal isnot upright in him, Heb. z. 4. Chrifianity therefore teacheth you toglory in Chriff and not in your felves. 4. Coder it isChriff andnot you thatrevived your fouls whenyou were dead in fin, and Crucified you to the world , to which you were alive. You might haverotted and flunck in the graveoffin,if hehad not calledyou out. You faw-the fpeciacles of Mortality beforeyour eyes, and you could fay The world is vainbefore : But yet it lived inyour hearts,till power carne from Chriffto kill it. Words were but wind ; you would never have let go your bone of prefent worldly pleafure , if Chriff had not taken itout of your jaws, by (hewing you the hopes of greater things. Longmight youhave heard Sermons, and yethave been carnal fill, if his Spirit hadnot entered into your hearts. Seeing then ; it is he that bath done the cure fo far as it is done, . H 3 it
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