Vex.. . the >"7tt Chapter of St. J O H N, 83 D,cfee, l using from thee as the Supream Caufe and Power. Of the as an Author, .of ehee, hewed fe, of *heeds a Judg. Obfetrvations. 1,, Obfcrwe, Chin's faithfulnef to his Fiber, in two things 5 Fn 'revealing his Mind Iat retying all Things to his Glory. Infcvealing his Mind, he aáed according to his Iofletftbtohs, The &alineis not mine, but his that feat me, John 12. 50. Whatfevcr. I'Peak, eves. as the Father faid lento sne, f I (peak, In referring all things to his Glory, 3-4i, r8. He that fpeakoth of hinsfe f Jeketh his own Glory : but he that feeketb bi Gl ry,tlsxñ' feat hint, the fame is true, and no nrighteaufnefi is in him. Now if we wouldglortfyr'Gotl, we fhould learn of our Lord and Matter not (peak from our own Fancy ;!.nor to our own Fonds 5 either way we may be falli Prophets;' when we fpeah falCe De-trine; or for wrong Ends 5 the one leads the People into Error, the other into Formality, or a dead powerlels Court : Though ufually both are coupled together ; Afis 2,2. 2$. There 'ball wile from among yon Men fpeahing perverfe things, to draw Dif Epics after them. Perverfe Doarine; and a 'perverfè Aim, are, feldom fe- verd ; as a Bow that is warped can hardly thoot right. `Oft, t. Be perfwaded of the Truth of what you deliver, and look to your Aims ; the beff.of its know but in part, and are apt to err; and we are renewed but in part, and are apt to warp, and to look afemint on our own Interefts : little do you know ,what itrugtings we have to fatisfy our own Souls, and then regulate and guide our Aims. 2. it is ufeful alfo to Hearers : If you would glorify God, you muff learn of Ghriff, not live according to your own Wills, nor for your own Interelts: The End falleth und i§ eraule, as well as the Action. "Tost are not to be kd by Fancy, but Scripture; not to aim at your own Profit, but Gods Glory. It is hard to fly which is worff; tö baulk the Rule, or pervert the End. He that doth Evil with a.good Aim, maketh the Devil ferve God, though ignorantly and finfully 5 but he that doth good with an evil Aim, maketh God ferve the Devil ; Tot: make me to ferese with your Iniquities.. It is fad to wrongGod as the higheft Soveraign, by breaking á Law upon any pretence whatfoever; and it is work to wrong God as the uttiíoft End : the one is the efFeaof Ignorance, the other of Difobedience. Natural Light theweth, that the fupream Caufe muff be the utrnoft Fuld : A Man may err in a polxive Law ; but this is the ¡landing Law 'of Nature and fteafon, that all our Endeavours fhould be to God. 2. Ohfetve, The Proficiency of the Apo files he Chri fi'J School ; they knew, that all things, whatfcever was given him, was of God. At fitti they were rude and ignorant; and Cbritt faith, Now they know : And they had many Difadvantagess they were confcious to all the natural weakoeffes which Chritt dilcovered in his Convetfation, his Hunger, Thirft, Wearinils, and yet they have known, &c. How did they come to know this? I Anfwer, Partly, by the Internal Light of the Holy Ghoti : Mat. t 6. 16. Those art CbrifE, the Son of the Living God. Verf. 17. And jefus anfreered, BIe[d art thou Simon Bar -jona : for Fleflr and Blood hash not revealed it unto thee, bet myFather which is in Hea- ven. The Saving Knowledg of Chrift's Perlon and Offices cannot be gotten, hut by fpecial Revelation from-God-5- -we mutt fee God as we fee the Sun, by his own Beatp and Light. Partly, by the confideration of his Miracles, in which force Beams of the Godhead did thine forth, and by which his Humane Nature was, as it were, counter - ballanced : John 3. 2. Rabbi, roe know that than art a Teacher come from God : for no Marc can do thefe Miracles that then deft, except God be with him. Partly, by fpecial obfervation of the fin clarity and excellency that was in Chrift's Perlon ; his Conver- ûtion, Miracles, Doárine, which made his Teftimony more valuable, and in a ratio- nal way, ferved to beget ref-pea to him, and an humane belief, that he was a Perlon of great Holing, and ftribt Innocence, without partiality. Mark 12. 54. Mailer, we Anew that thou art true, and carefl r 8o Man : for thou regarde, fi not the Perfon of Men, last teacheft the Way of God in Truth. With Inch Fidelity as to God ; He came not in his own Name ;" John 5.42. I am come in my Father's Name. With lush Grace and Authority; Mat. 7. 29. The People were afloniflied at hit Polirine ; for he taught them as one hazang Authority, and not as the Scribes. All he did, was with Heavenly Majefty and Authority.; a Soveraign Majefty was to be feen in Chrift's teaching, proper to himfelf Betides his Faitlafulnels as a M+niftei, with fuch Clearnefs, Evidence, and Demonftration, there was fufficient Declaration to the World; at his Baptifm; L 112 Mat.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=