SHINE IN OUR WORKS. 46l or them that can but kill the body, in comparison of that one Lawgiver andJudge, who is able to save or destroy forever; (Luke xii. 4. James iv. 12. 1 Cor. vii.'20.) and that we are moved more by his promises, than by all that mortal men can give us; and trust wholly to the heavenly reward of glory, and not to the transitory prosperity of this world, believing that God is true and just, and none of his word shall never fail ; 1 Peter i. 3. "We are begotten again unto a lively hope, through the resurrection of Christ to an inheritance incorruptible," &c. 3. We must so live as may declare that God is our grandbene- factor, from whom we have all the good that ever we received, and from whom we hope for all that ever we shall 'possess'; and that he is infinitely good, the original and end of all created good: we must live as those that believe that we are made for God, even to glorify him, and please his blessed will ; not by making him be- holden.to us, but by a willing receiving of his mercies, and a willing improvement of them to our own felicity ; and as those that believe that his love is better than life itself, and that to know him and love him, and glorify him forever, is the ultimate end and happi- ness of 'man ; Psalm iv. 7, 8. and lxiii. 3. and lxxiii. 25, 26. 28. Phil. iii. 7, 8. Matt. vi. 33. 1 Peter i. 5, 6. 8, 9. 2 Cor. v. 1. 2.. And we mustso live in relation to Christ, and to his Spirit, as may declare to the world that the mercy of the Father iscon- veyed to us by the Son, and the grace of the Father and the Son by the Spirit ; and what wonders of wisdom, goodness and power, truth and justice, holiness and mercy, are manifest in Christ, and his mediation to mankind; Gal. ii. 20. Eph. iii. 16, 17. Phil. i. 20, 21. John xvii. 10. 3. In some the works that glorify God must have these three parts of his likeness upon them. . 1. They must be works oflight, like the light which from the Father of lights doth illuminate us. Christians must be much wiser than the'men of the world, in holy; though not in worldly things ; Col. i. 9. 28. and iii. 16. Darkness is the state of Sa- tan's kingdom, and ignorant Christians are scandalous, and a dis- honor to Christ; not those that are ignorant of unnecessary, un- profitable, or unrevealed things, but those that are ignorant of re- vealed, necessary, saving truths ; 1 Cor. iii. 2. Heb. v. 11, 12. 2. They must be works of holy love to God and man, which show that God and goodness have our hearts, and that we would imitate God in doing good to all, according to Our placesand pow- er; Gal. vi. 10. nom. xiii. "10 -12. 3. They must be works of life and power, where serious dili- gence expresseth zeal ; and that we set ourselves no lower bounds
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