322 SERMONS upan Serm,38. who give them too much matter and occafion to fpeak. Do not fay, they are Dogs, what care I if they bark ? The Awe that is upon Wicked Men, is one Means of the Church's Prefervation ; therefore yon mutt justify Wifdom, Mat. II. I g. But Wifdom is jssJlified of her Children. Juflification is a relative Word, it implieth Condemnation, the World condemns the Ways of God, and People of God of Fancy, Fury, Fa &ion; now you mull justify them : at least you will leave them without excuse, and furnilh Matter for the. Triumphs of God's Justice at the lah Day, and fo will have further cause to applaud the Counfels of God, when you fit on the Bench at the lall day. For as in the lah Day you (hall, together with Chrift, judg the World by your Vote and Suffrage ; I Cor. 6. 2. Know ye not that the Saints shall judg the World ? So now you muhconvince them by your Converfations. It is a fad thing Men walk fo, as it cannot be laid, Where is the Malefa&or ? and where is the Judg? You Ihould condemn them, as by the difference of your Lives, fo by the Heavenlinels of your Hearts. SERMON XXXVIII JOHN XVII. 22. And the Glory which thougaveff me, I have given them ; that they may be one, even as we are one. CH R I S T had prayed for the Union of Believers in one Myftical Body ; here is an Argument to inforce that Requelt,The Glory which thou haft gi. ven me,I have given them,c*c. His Alt is urged as a Reafon,becaufe of that Confent of Will that is between Him and the Father ; Chrift would have his Gift ratified by the Father's Confent, as if he had laid, Deny not what I have granted them. For the meaning of the Words, all the difficulty is, what is meant by the Glory here fpoken of? Some fay, by Glory is meant the Power of working Miracles, that is cal- led the Glory of God : John 1 r. 4o. Said I not, If thou wouldeft believe, thou Jhalt fee the Glory of God ? that is, a Glorious Miracle wrought by him. When Chrift wrought a Miracle, John a. II. He manifefted forth his Glory. And fo they limit it to the Apo - files, who had Gifts of Miracles, and were fitted to fucceed Chrift upon Earth : Thus many of the Ancients. By the Glory of God, is fometimes meant the Image of God. Rom.3.23. Al have finned, and fallen fliort of the Glory of God. So, 2 Cor.3.18. We all with open Face,beholding as in a Glafs the Glory of the I,ord,are changed into the fame Image, from Glory to Glory. That Glory which we loft in Adam, and want by Nature, is re- hored to us in Chrift. Some by Glory underhand the Spirit, who is called a Spirit of Glory, and was given to Chrift without meafure, and from him to us, as a means of Union between us and Chrift, and between us and Believers, Others underhand it of the Honour of Filiation ; as Chrift was a Son by Nature, fo are we by Grace. John t. 14. We beheld his Glory, the Glory as of the only begotten of the Father. And, Verf t a. As many as received him, to them gave he, i ooíces, Power to become the Sono of God. It is an Honour ; It is a means of Union. Adoption maketh way for Union with Chrift, and Chrift left us the Relation of Brethren, that we might love one ano- ther, for we are Brethren. But by Glory I fuppofe is meant, rather the Happiness of the everlahing State, which is ufually called Glory in Scripture; and fo it is taken, Verf. 24. Father, I will that they alfowhom then haft given me, may be with me where 1 ase, that they may behold my Glory which thou haft given me. And there is the moil perfeá Union with Chrift : and we that expetl one Heaven, should not fall out by the way : Ephef 4.4. One of the Bonds is One Hope. All the Difficulty is, How was this given them? The Difciples were upon the Earth, and the greatefl part of Believers were not then
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=