Ver. 4 I. xxv'ht Chapter of St. MATTHEW. 181 none lò fenfible of their Weakneffes and Imperfe &ions. Old Wine puts the Bottles in no danger ; there is no Strength and Spirits left in it : So do formal Duties little put the Soul to it. On the other fide, they are confcious to fo many Weakneffes as ferious'Duties will bring into the View of Confcience, and have a deep Senfe of their Obligations to the Love and Goodnefs of God, and a !tong Perfwafion of the Bleffed Reward. None are fo humble as they : They fee fo much Infirmity for the prefent, fo much Obligatipn from what is pall, and fuck Pure Hope of what is td come, that they can fcarce own a Duty as a Duty. None do Duties with more Cate, and none are lets mindful of what they have done : 1ltey difcern little elfe in k, that they contribute any thing to a good A&ion, but the Sin of ir. This is to do God's Work with an Evangelical Spirit ; doing our utmo(t, and fill afèribing all to our Mediator, and bleffed Redeemer. (2.) What Value and Efteem we íhould have for Chrifl's Servants, and Faithful Worfhipppers. Chrift treateth his Myfical Body with greater Indulgence, Love and Refpe&, than he did his Natural Body ; for he doer not difpenfe his Judgment with refpe& to that, but there : He would not have us know him after the Flefh, 2 co; 5. 16. Pleafe our felves with the Conceit of what we would do to him, if he were alive, and here upon Earth ; but he will judge us according to the Refpe& or Dif- refpe& we flew to his Members, even to the meaner among them To wrong them, is to wrong Chrift ; 7,ech. 2. 8. He that toucheth you, toucheth the Apple of his Eye.- The Churches Trouble goes near his Heart, which in due time will be inani- fefted upon the Infruments thereof. To fleight them is to fleight Chrift : He that defpifeth you, defpifeth me. To grieve and offend them, is to grieve and offend Chrift. Math. 18. r o. Take heed that ye defp ife not one of thefe little Ones ; for I fay unto you, That in Heaven their Angels do ala'ayes behold the Face of my Father, which is in Hea- ven. Did we but confider the Value Chrift puts upon the meanest Chriftian, we would be loath to offend them : What Comfort, Love, Kindnefs you Thew to them 'cis reckoned by Chrift as done to himself. If we would look upon things now, as they that! be looked upon at the Day of Judgment, we would find our Hands and Tongues tyed and bridled from injuring Chrift's faithful Servants ; yea, we would 'hew more of a Chriftian Spirit, in relieving their Bodily and Spiritual Need: fides, and doing Good upon all occafions. (I.) It teacheth us to take off our Thoughts from things Temporal, CO things Eter- nal ; both in judging ofour felves, and others. The great Mifcarriage of the World, is becaufe they meafùre all things by Senfe, and vilible Appearance : Now we are the Sons of God ; but it Both not appear what we fhall be, 1'7oh: 3. 2. Heirs in the World are bred up fuitable to their Birth and Hopes ; but God's Sons and Heirs maké no fair Shew in the Flefh. . 1. Do not judge amifr of others: God's People are a poor, defpifed, hated, fcorned Company in the World, as to vifible Appearance ; and what Proof of Chrift is there in then: ? Who can fee Chrift in an hungry Beggar ? or the glorious Son of 'God in an imprifoned and fcorned Believer ? Or one beloved of God, in him-that is morti- fied with continual Sickneffes and Difeafes ? Lord, when fan: we thee an hungred, or fick, and in Prifon ! A Pearl, or a Jewel that is fain into the Dirt,' you cannot dif- cern the worth of it, till you wafts it, and fee it fparkle. A Prince in difguife may be jufled and affronted. To a common Eye' things go better with the- Wicked, than with the Children of God: - They enjoy little of the Honour, and Pleafure, and tile= of the World ; and yet they are the Excellent Ones of the Earth, Pfal. 16. 3. If you can fee any thing of Chrift in them, of the Image of God in them, you will one day fee them other manner of Perlons, than now you fee them, or they appear to be : Thefe will be owned, when others are difclaimed ; and glorified, when they are rejeéted, and banithed out of Chrift's Prefence. And though your compa- nying with them be a Difgrace to you now, 'twill then be your greateft Joy and Com- fort. 2. Do not judge aneifs of your felves. When the World doth not efeem of us, but is ready to put many Injuries upon us, and to follow us with Hatred, and fun -. dry Perfècutions, we are apt to judge our felves forfalte,n of God ; that we havé no Room, or Place in his Heart, or elfe there things would not befal us. Oh, no ! Chrift may he imprifoned in his Members, banifhed, in his Members, reduced to great Streights, and Exigencies in his Members ; yea, by the Hand of Gad, you may be made poor, and hungry, and naked ; but all -this (hall be recompenfed to you. We B b mutt
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