Ver,Jo. the 17thCbapterof St. J0:HN. i15 ZJfe 2. Exhortation, to press us to glorify Chrift 5 order your Lives fo, that Chrift may plead, Father, I am glorified in them. f do not press you now to glorify God in general, but to glorify Chrift as Mediator. But what is it to glorify Chrift ? I Answer 5 I. You will glorify him by Faith. Chrift is glorified, When you ac- knowledg his Perlon and Office, as revealed to you in the Word, and accordingly build your Hopes and Comfort on him. Now Faith hath a double Office, it accepts Chrift from God, and pretrnts Chrift to God : It accepts Chrift in the Word, and maketlt rife of him in Prayer. Let us (peak of both their. (L) It accepts Chrift. When Men flight the Offers of Chrift, which God ttìaketlt to them, they dithonour him exceedingly 5 it is a contempt cart upon the Son of God, as if he were not worth the taking. As 4. 1 s. This is the Stone which was fit at nought of you Builders, which it become the Head of the Corner. God made him a glorious Foundation of Hope and Comfort, and you pats him by as nothing worth 5 it is art high fcorn put upon the Chcice of God, and the Excellency of Chrift : You look upon him as Rubbith, not worth the regarding, and God fets him out as a preclims Stone. Mat. 22. 5. But they made light of it, and went their ways 5 one to his Farm, another to bit Merchandiue, ále I,íe vzes, they would not take it into their sire and thoughts. A carelefsdifregard of the Offers of the Gofpel, offendeth God exceed- ingly 5 you flight the Wisdom of the Father, and the Love of Chrift. God em, ployed all his Wisdom in the contrivance of Grace 5 the Gospel is the Mallet -piece of Heaven. The Father difcovereth the Riches of his Wisdom 5 and Chrift paying a Ranfom, obeying and dying, dilcovered the Riches of his Love and Grace; and when this is offered to you, you will not take it into your care and thoughts 5 it is the greateft difhonour you can cart upon him. But now, to them that believe,Chr is preci- ous, I Pet. 2. 7. 77wì, they can fee nothing fo worthy their Study, and Time, and Care, and Thoughts. This is the firm of their Delires, that they may take Chrift as God offereth him, all other things are but Dung and Dogs-meat, in compari- fon of the excellency of him, that 1 maybe found in him, Phil. 3.9. By this efteem and care, Chrift is exceedingly glorified. (a.) It prefents Chrift. In all our Endeavours to God, we muff build our Accep- tance on the Merits of Chrift. John 14. s. Te believe in the Father, believe a fo in me. There is a Belief in God, and a Belief in Chrift, in his Merits. We ( bould never go, toGod, but we should take Chrift along with us 5 in all your Addreffes make use of him. When ever you have to do with God, you 'tuft go to him in Chriftt 5 and you muff go to him with a Confidence, that you (hall (peed the beter for his fake 5 Ephef g. a i. In whom we have boldness, and accefs with confidence, by the Faith of him. A Marl may safe forre liberty and freedom with God, when he bath Chrift on his fide, and of= fer up his.Prayers to God, in the mediation of his beloved Son. Out of Chrift we can fee nothing but Majesty armed with Wrath and Power : But now, when you make sale of Chrift as a Mediator, you may take hold of God with both Hands 5 Juftice and Mercy are on your fide, you have Merits to urge, as well as ftequefts. But alas how little do we glorify Chrift in our Addreflès to God ? We come with little hopes, with little confidence, our belt is but griefs and conje&are. Thus by Faith should we glorify Chrift. Low and bale apprehensions that Men have of Chrift; dishonour him. a. By the Holiness of your Conversations. Every Chriftian should walk fo, as re- membring that Chrilt's Honour Beth at Stake. h is not a Moral Life that I perfwadd you to, but a Chrifian Life, filch a Life wherein Chrift may be fpecially honou- red. (1.) For the Manner 5 your Practice should be elevated according to the height of your Privileges in Chrift. A Chriftian fhould do more than a Man. I Cor. 3.3. Are y not Carnal, and walk as Men ? We expe& that he should go fafter that rides on Horseback, than he that goeth on Foot. In Christianity, Duties are elevated to a greater proportion 5 the Lawsare the fame, but we have higher Engagements. Where- io do ye differ from others ? there fhould be a fingularity of Holy Life. There should be fomething more in your Lives, than if ye came out of the School of a Pbilofopher, of Yews, or Turkel, or moral Heathens, that know not Chfr. PPP a (2.) Foà
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