i 45o. of EftIhd Wirtz. S a c ¡udgementofcharity, orfrom thatfpirit of difcerning, which was vouchfafed fomein the Apoftles times: Wtll, how comes Paul to know this? by this glorious effe&, Verf y. For our Gòfpel caníe not unto you in Word only, but alfo in power, andin the Holy Ghofl, and in muchaffnrance: See what the end and iffue of every Sermon Mould be, it fhould come with power, and with the HolyGhoft into your hearts ; viz. The Spirit of God accompanying the word, works faith, converfion, and a through reformation of our lives : Its therefore very good to confider, with what power theword preached falls into thy heart : Dolls it convince thee, humble thee, mollifie and (often thee, this argueth thou belongeftto God. !ohm8. Out Saviour argued on the contrary, that the Pharifees were not of God, becaufe they didnot heat with faith and obedience his word r Thus you fee, great di (Comics may bèmadeof Men, ac- cording to the efficacyGods word bath upon their hearts. Every faithful Mi. nifteris like Fohn, a voyce, but if hebe no more, then he faid of theNightin- gale, vox&praterea nihil, a voice, and nothing elfe ; woe be to that Auditor who feels#t no more : Ezekiel was no more tohis hearers; God tells him, He Was like 4 pltafamfong to thetn,E2ek.33,3a.theyWouldcome and hear ashis peo- ple, but theywould do nothing ; if therefore the Ele lion of God ever put forth any glorious power on thee, thoti wiltfirtde it in thisfome time or other, that the word preached will be more then thewordof a man, more then a sneer likhumane Oration, or verbal Declamation: Oh !it will be like fire in thy bowels, ea twoedged (word in theJeererplaces of thyheart; thou wilt cry out, Ve- rily God is here: Oh thepower, the conviction, the meltings ofmy foul that I feel within me: 2. :tecondly,Afurther effete oflrredelPinatioá,ioa conform»ty to theimage ofChrifl; Thus the Apoflle exprefly affirmed% Rom.8.26. Whom he didforeknow, he did predeflinate to be conforniedto the image of his [oh: This is a glóriousfruit, to -bemade like Chrift, to have the imageofChrift in us, affelbons likeChrílt,zeal and heavenlinefs like Chritt. This conformity unto Chrift, may be in three things: Firlt, That which is future and to come; vie.. To be glorified, as he isglori- fied : Thus the Apotile elfewhere faith, Our vilebodies, ¡ball be made conformable Unto his gloriaue body, Phil.3. z r. and aswe have carried the image ofthe turf-i- ll., fo we (hall the imageof theheavenly, r Cor 15.49. An incitimable priviledge it is : But I intènd not that. The Second particular of conformity, is the grace and holinefsof Chrift; that as he was altogether holy, humble, doing the will of God readily in eve ry particular, fo fheuld we. Hence we are commanded To be followers of him, and, To pat on the Lord defile ChrijI, Rom.ra.14 as a garment whichcovers the whole body ; fo that we are to exprefs the favor and lifeof Chrift inall that we do, lec nothingof our fin, our nakednefs appear, but every thing like Chrift a How excellentlydid Paul arrive to this, when hecould fay Ina longer live, bur Chrifl within me. Burrow laid of Auflin, That he did DiligereChriflum habitantemin Àugaflino, he loved Chtift dwelling in Anflin : Oh I this image and fuperfcription theybear who are eleiled ; theyfhall, at leaf" ere they dye, manifeft the life and power of Chrift dwelling in them. Confider then, are thy affeetions, thy thoughts, thy aeiions fuck as refemble Chrift ? Thofe that areelated, are predeltinated to filch a conformity. Thirdly, There is a conformityunto Chrilt, inregardof his fufferings, and patient obedience thereunto : ThisTome interpreters maketo be the chief (cope of the place; that as Chrill had in this life a fuffering, atHifted and perfecuted life, inall which he was full of humility and patience, and after this he was exaltedto glory; fo it will fall out with everymemberof Chrift; every meal- bens as well as the head, (hall have a ftateof humiliation, before a(tareofez, altation
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=