$o SERMONS 'vox Serm,9. him in Faith. John 12. 26. if any Manferve me, let him follow me, and where 1 qw, there fhaß apo try Servant be. (S.) It mutt arife from a chief care of your Souls. Molt Men are negligent herein, they watch over their Goods, but neglect their Souls, and lore their Souls to keep theft Trifles : What account can they make to God at the lafi day ? Thefe live as if they had no Souls, and can they he laid to commit their Souls to God ? 2. We muß give up our Bodies to him, and the conveniencies of the Body, to let him difpofe of us according to his Plcafure. We (hall have a Body at the lark day, and that By(dy will have Glory enough, that falleth under Chrift's charge. John 6.39. This is the Father's Will that hatb feet nie, that of all which he bath given me, 1 fhprtld lofe no- thing, but fhoold raff it up again at thelafi day. He that cannot do the Lefler, it is impof- fible he Ihould do the greater : He that will not truE God with his earthly Subfance, Credit, Eftate, how will he tru(t God with his Soul, for eternal Salvation ? Which is eater to fay, thy Sins are forgiven thee, or to fay, Arifi, and walk h Mark 2. 9. It is more difficult to believe for Salvation, but bodily inconveniencies are more prefling, ápd fen fible. The Welfare of the Body mutt not be committed to Wealth or Wit, but to Chri(t : A Chri(tian is not troubled what (hall become of him, he leaveth himfelf to Chrif 's Difpofal, which is the way to allay his Cares and Fears. III. The Third Argument is, what they had done. In the next Claufe, They have hgpt thy Word.] Here is another pveafpn, their Obedience. He had mentioned what the Father had done, now what they had done : His Minifiry With them was not with- out Succefs and Fruit. This Phrafe, Kept thy Word, is very figniticant; it implieth not only outward Hearing, but Knowledg, Mat. 13. 23. He that receiveth the Seed into good Ground, is he that beareth the Word, and underfiandeth it, 6c. Nay not only Knowledg, but Aldent, and Believing, embracing the Promiles of the Gofpel, f..uke 8. 15. Having heard the Word, keep it, and bring forth Fruit with Patience. Not only Aflent, but the Fruits of' Love and Obedience. t John 2.4. He that faith, l know kirr,, and keepeth npp his Corurnandments, is a Liar, and the Truth is not in hint. Not only tingle Obedience, but confiant Profeífion, and Perfeverance. Prov.i6.2o. My Son,kep thy Father's Com- mandments, and forfake not the Law of thy Mother. They have not failed as :ndaa. Now there is a twofold keeping of the Word ; a Legal keeping, and Evangelical. The Le- gal keeping is abfolute and perfeht Obedience ; if there be but the leali failing, 4Iofes acculeth and condemneth you. The Evangelical keeping, is filial mid fincere Obedience. Thole imperfebiions Chrift pardoneth, when he looketh back, and feeth many Errors, and Defects in Life, as long as we bewail Sin, leek Remif$on, ßrive to attain Perfe&i- on. All the Commandments are accounted kept, when that which is not done is par- doned. [Thy Word.] He Both not fay my Word, but thine. He elfewhere referreth his Do- &rive to the Father ; John 7. 16. My Dohirine is not mine, bat his that fens toe. So here, hementioneth the Divine Authority of his Do &tine. i. Obferv. Chrifi f eaketh good of his People to his Father. Satan is an Acculr, he loveth to (peak ill of Believers ; but Chrifi telleth his Father, haw his Lambs thrive. it is a grief to your Advocate, when he cannot fpeak well of you in Heaven, and fay, They have kept thy Word, jam glorified in them. How grievous is it, when your very Advocate is forced to be an Acculer 1 Ira. 49. 4. 1 have laboured in vain, and f ent my Strength for nought. i have Pent my Gofpel, and it dpth no good ; it is Chrift's com- plaint againß the Obfiinacy of the yews. Again, whom will you imitate, Chrift or Sa- ran ? To flander and accule, is the Devil's Property ; we jhould he more tender in di -. vulging the Infirmities of the Saints ; it is the Devil's work. Chrilt when he prayeth for his Enemies, he mollifieth their Crime, and foftneth it with a gentle Interpretation, Luke 23. 34. Father, forgive them, they knot? not tybgt they do. Chrift excufeth, Satan accufeth. 2. Obferv. Again, They have kept thy Word. Ghr f fPeakethgood of them, tbn theA ba4E many failings. The Difciples often mifearrjed, were of weak Faith, paiftonate when when they met with Difrepel, Luke 9. 54. Lord, milt thptt that lye utiontand Fire tR come down from Heaven, and confxwne them ? But Chrifi returneth this getwral 1ßùe, They; bave kept thy Word. So James 5. It. Te. have heard of the Patience of Job ; 1(ea, and of his
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