302 S E R M 0 N S upon Serm. )(XXIX: may learn of him ; and the others need ncytbe diCcouraged if they have an heart to fub- ordinate all to God ; Chrift fan&ified a fr a life. 3. This example fhewethwhat mill be the iffneand ftecef of a lifef ent in patience and ho- lixefi. Chrift when he had fulfilled all righteoufnefs,and fuffered what was neceffary for our Redemption, went home to God, and entred into that glory he fpake of, and was received up into Heaven as the reward of his obedience,, 1 Pet. I.21. God gave him glory, that our faith and hope might be in God. That this might be a vifible demon(tration to the world, what (hall be the end of a life fpent in Holinefs and Obedience. 1. II S E is Information. r: What little hopes they have to get to Heaven who are no may like Chrift. t. So unlikehim in Holinefs. When Chrift fpentrwhole nights in prayer, they either pray not at all in fecret, or put off God with the glance of a thort complement; 'twos as meat and drink to Chrift to do his Fathers will, and 'tis their burden ; Chrift was humble and meek, they proud and difdainful; Chili went about doing good, and they go about doing mifchief; Quirt was holy and heavenly, they vain and fenfual ; dark- nefs is as,much like light, as they like Chrift : Inftead of (hewing forth the venues of the Redeemer, they are of their father the Devil, and his lufts will they do, t Pet. 2. I. Compared with John 8. 4- 2. So unlike him in patience and courage under fufferings. Chrift obeyed God at the deareft rates, and they are drawn from their duty by a fmall inrere(l,a weak temptation, a fhameful pleafure,aflight injury;the greateft things that can befall us,are in comparifon of eternal glory, but a light aflli &ion, which is but for a moment ; our fufferings cannot be long ;. for the chains which unite the foul to the body are loon broken. 2. It informeth us how we fhonl4 be fatisfied in our good e¡late , or know whether we have the truehálinefs ; viz. when we are fuch in the world as Chrift was in the world ; force are fatisfied, and content themfelves with this, they are not as other men, who are beans in mans fhape, Luke 18. 11. God, I thankthee, that l am not as other men, extortio- vers, unjufi, adulterers, or even as this publican. This is a lorry plea,,when we have no- thing to bear up our confidence, but the badnels of others; others Peek for vertue a- mong the Heathens, and think their perfe&ion lyeth in imitating the Pagan gallantry; but alas, their vertue was but a (hadow; felf love was the principle, pride the foul, and, vain glory the end thereof; befides,it was Rained with many notorious blemithes. Alex. ander was valiant, but in his anger often dyed his hands in the blood of his friends; Pompey wife, but ambitious; Cato generous, and fliff for publick liberty , but many times drank fornewhat too liberally; Celia. was merciful,but lafcivious:no, its not rhefe,but the Son of God we mull look upon,whohath e(lablifhed the genuine holinefs,Otbers look no higher than the people who are in reputation for goodnefs, among whom they live but remember, they have their blemi(hes; either they fit down with low degrees of holi- nef, whereas we are to be holy as he is holy, 1 Pet. 1. 15. pure as Chri is pure, i John g. 3. or elfe are tainted with Come of their errors; for good people have their failings, which are authorized to the profeffing world by their example ; as Iheep go out at the gap where others have gone out before them, 2 Cor. I I. I. Be ye followers of me as I am of Chrifi. Alas ! otherwife to follow the belt men, will miflead us; others bolfter up themfelves by the failings of the Saints, whole mifcarriages are recorded in the word of God, ft David, cur non & ego? if David, why not I ? No, Chrift muff be the copy that muff ever be before our eyes; you muff be holy as he is holy, and pure as he is pure. 2. US E, Is Exhortation, to perfwade you to look after Conformity to the image of his Son. All men would be like God in Glory and felicity, but not in righteoufnefs and holinefs: Satans temptation to our firft parents was, ye fhall be as Gods, Gen. 3. g. not in a bleffed conformity, bút a curled Pelf- fufftciency ; but this is no temptation we bring to you, but a remedy to recover the lofs you incurred by that temptation, and a reme- dy not invented by our felves, but decreed by God, and brought about in the molt fo- lemn way that can be imagined. The Son of God became one of us, that we might be made like him, Phil. 2. 7. He was made in the likenefs of men, Rom. 8. 3. came in the fimilitude of finful flefh, took mans nature and punifhment upon him, that he might purchafe grace to conform us to that holy life which he carried on in our nature; this is that we perfwade you unto. Now for directions, 1. The
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=