tog SERMONS upon Serm.;i 2; He (hall glorify me; for he'iall receive of mine, and 'iall'hew it unto you. They are Chriffs Members, that the Father may be glorified in the purpofes of his Grace : part- ly, in regard of the courfe and tellency of their Converfations : John 15. 8. Herein ir my Father glorified, that ye bear much Fruit. The Father is glorified by our fruit - fulnefs. Ufe e. It is an Engagenletit to Believers to walk lo, that God May not be afhamed to own them for his ; the Spirit not a(hamed to dwell in them as Temples ; that they be not as Stables of Filth, but as Temples of 'the Holy Ghat} : nor Chrift ashamed to own them as his Members, he will not be the Head of an Ulcerous Body; nor God the Father afhamed of his Choice : If ye bring forth much Fruit, he is glorified, he harp not made an unworthy choice. But other wife, you grieve the Spirit, Ephef. 4. 3o. You crucify Chrifi, Heb. 6. 6. you Ihame the Father. But if you are fanetified, and ho- ly, the Spirit will own you, and work in you with joy : t Pet. 4. 14. The Spirit of Glory, and of God refieth upon you : on th -ir part he is evil fpoken of but on your part he it glorified. By the innocency and holinefs of your Lives, you make it appear what manner of Spirit is in you, he can own you with Glory. Then Chrift will not be a- fhamed of you Heb. 2. I i. He that- fanClifieth, and they that are fano7ifred, are all one; for which caufe he it not afiamed to call them Brethren. Chit} will count it no difgrace to himfelf, to reckon you of his Kindred and Family ; he is not afhamed to fay, they are mine, my Brethren, my Kindred, my Family, my Speufe ; he is not afhamed of his Purchafe. And God the Father will not be ashamed of you ; Heb. r t. s6. God it not earned to be called their God. The Father will avow hiinfelf to be their Portion, and they to be his, that for his fake do renounce the World ; God will think it no dithonour to himfelf. Vfe 2. To difprove their claim, ì. That only can make their claim by Creation. The Lord knoweth who are his; God's fpecial Intereft is founded in Grace. People fay, he that made them, thall he not fave them ? .God will not own his Creature, that is difguifed by Sin ; I know you not, you are none of mine. Ile that made them, will faew them no Mercy; and he that formed them, will (hem them no favour, Ifa.27. i t. No, you are none of mine; all his are given to Chrift, the Interef comes not by Nature, but by Grace. 2. Thofe that build their Hopes on Chrift, but do not walk as the Father's. Chrift never chofe a Member, that would not honour his Father; John t;. i6. Te have not chofen me, but I have chafeen you, and ordained you, that you ¡bold go and bring forth Fruit, and that your Fruit Jhould remain; that whatibever ye !sail ask of the Father in my Name, he may give it you. Chrift will not allow their Claim, who do not walk worthy of his Father's Love, that they may have free and confident accefi to him in Prayer. VIee 3. See the Felicity and Dignity of thofe that believe in Chrift. Cheift faith to the Father, they are thine, his peculiar and fpecial Portion; Exod. rg. g. re 'hall be a pesuliarTreafure unto me above all People. The World is God's Pofeffron; but you are his Treafure. A Man may have Lands, that he vifiteth now and then, but he taketh a particular care of his Treafure. God loveth them .as much, as a. covetous Man can love his Treafure. We value Men by their Riches, but God valueth them by Grace : I Pet. 2, 9r Te are a chofen Generation, a peculiar People, ;vas hi nte,ord nv. God bath bought them at a dear rate. We were his, before we were our own; God had a thought of us, before we had any Being; and in time he made this diftinftion. Tit. 2.14. Who gave- himfelf for us, that he might redeem us from all Iniquity, and purify to himfelf a peculiar People. Aals strjámp', his People of Treafure, his moll precious Sttbflance, picked and chofen by Eleâion, beautified with the Righteoufnefs of Chrift, diftinguiflted from others by Grace. God looketh on them as the Objeas of his own Choice, the fruits of his Solis Purchafe, and the Workmanship of his own Spirit, fee apart froth all others forhit own Glory. 2. Obfetve again ; That nothing moveth God to Mercy fo much, at the confideration that we are hit. This is Chtif }'s own Argument, for they are thine. And Intere(} is elfewhere pleaded by the Church : Ifa. 64. 8, y. But nom, 0 Lord, thou art our Father; we are the C11,- and thou oar Potter, and we all are the Work of thy Hand. Be not wrath very fore, 0
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