4_ S E R 1V1 0 N S rapon thé Seni-l. III: SERMONIII. 2 COT. 5, I. For we know that if our earthly Hou fe of this Tabernacle were diifolved, we have a build- ing of God, an Houle not made with hands, Eternal in the Heavens. Is an Exhortation to preis you to feveral Duties: As, O Believ,e the promifedGlory. Here I ihsll Firft íhew the neceflity of this. Secondly, How Faith work - eth as tothe other World. Thirdly, How we thall rouze up our Faith to a more firm belief of the promifed Glory. Firft. The neceJ,ty. We had need preis this much. (afl.) Becaufe eternal life is one of the principal alas of Faith, and the firft motive to invite us to hearken after the things of God. The Apoftle telleth us, Heb. 11. 6. That without faith it is impoJible to ple feiGod, for he that cometh to God, mull believe that be is, andthat he is a rewarder of them that diligently feek him. He that would have any thing to do with God, mutt be perfuaded of his Being and Bounty. In the choofingofa Religion, we firft lookaftera right object, whom to Worfhip; and a fit reward, what we may expect fromhim. Forthat is the great inducement to make up the match between . our hearts and thatobjed. Now God that knoweth the heart of Man, and what wards willfitthe lock, dptha.cdordingly deal with us. He propoundeth himfelf, as the firft caufe, and higheft Being tò be feverenced, worshipped, and obeyed by us, fo alto as the chiefeft good to be enjoyed byes in an everlaflingflare of Bleffednefs. All the Do&rines of the Çhriftian Faith tend to eílablilh this hope in us, John zo. ; t . Theft things are writ- ten, that yemight believe, that y efus is the Chrifa, the Son of God and that believing, ye might have eternal life in his name. All that is written in the Gofpel, is to eftablifh Faith in Chrift, as the Meffiah, and that in order to.eternal life. The whole fum of the Chrillian Religion; is,That God bath chafen us to Salvation through &nalifrcation of the Spirit,and k- lief of the Truth, whereunto he bath called you by our Gofpel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jefua Chri/l, z The f z. 13, 14.. All the parts of Religion harmonioufly concur toeflabhththis -hope. The whole Covenant of God implyeth it. A Covenant is a tranfadion óf God; as the Soveraign with his Subjects, and confifts of Precepts and. Laws,' ínvefted with the San&ion of Promifes and Threatnings. His Commands all of the imply fuch an eftate. - : Some exprefs it. All imply it : For they are work propounded to us in order to wages, or a reward to be given, and 'tis not fit we Mould have wages before our work be over. Some exprefs it, as John 6.27. Labour not for the meat which perifheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlailing life &c,and Mat., 6. 19, zo. we are commanded not to lay up Treafures upon Earth, but in Heaven,t55e. -- And Luke 13.24.. Strive to enter in,&c.And if there were no filch eftate, all thefe Laws were in vain ; and would the wife and faithful God give us Laws in vain , his Threatnings would be but a vain Scare-crow, if there were not aworld to come, his promifes but flatter us with a lye. All the Dot trines concerning Chrift point out fuch an eternal condition to us,whe- ther they'concern. his Perlon or Eftates : His coming from Heaven the place of Souls, his going thither again, or fitting down on the right hand of God, and then his coming to Judgment. Wherefore was Chrift apparelled with our fleíh ? But that we might be cloathed with his glory; if Chrift were in the Womb, why not we in Heaven ? 'Tis more credible to believe a Creature in Heaven, than a God in the Grave. Therefore he came into the world to purchafe a right for us, and he went to Heaven again: to plead,profecute,' and apply that right, Rom. S. lo. He is gonwthitherwith tise names of the Tribes on his Breaft and Shoulders, Heb. g. is. All the benefits of Chrift tend to this. Juftification : Our releafe from the curfe,that we may be capable of life, Rom. i. 18. Sanctification, to prepare,fit us for it,and to begin this life in us; for be that bath theSonhath li`e,1 John 5.12. All
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=