SERMONS upon Serm,q, t.; Secondly ; The nett Circumftance, is the Manner of asking, 9í11W, 1 will, a word of Authority, becominghim that was God and Man in one Perfon, who knew the Fa- ther's Will, Who had made a through Purchafe, and fo might challenge it of right So Come abferve, he doth not fay igwiz,, but ,91Áo. But poffrbly it may bear a fofter fenfe in this place ; and thus is .94Tw ufed elfewhere, Mark so. 35. NAw! hv, Mailer, we will that thou fhouldefl do to us whatever we defire thee ; if that look like an Expoftula- tion, or a Capitulation rather than a Requefl : fee Mark 6. 2 ç. SEAe , I will that then give me by and by in a Charger the Head of John the &ptifl. Mark Ia. 38. Mailer, 9í1,m, ar, we would fie a fign from thee. Briefly then, it doth not exprefs his Authori- ty, fo much as the full bent of Heart; only becaufe he ufeth the word Will, and be- caufe at leaft the manner of expreflion carrieth the force of a Promile, which if it be backed with'his Prayers, cannot fall to the ground. We may thence, Obferve, The Certainty of our glorious Hopes. If [I wilt] be not a word of Authority, it looketh like a Teftamentary Difpofition. Chrift was about to die, and now he faith, I will. When Chrift made his Will, Heaven is one of the Legacies which be be- queatheth to us. This was his laft Will and Teftament; Father, I will. You have the very words and form of a Teftament, Luke 22.29. 1 appoint unto you a Kingdom, as my Father bath appointed unto me ; ton Sstu, the only word we have for a Tefiament. Heaven is ours, a Legacy left us by Chrift. But what Power had Chrift to difpofe of it ? Let me clear that by the way, Cince he faith, o2lat. 20. 23. To fit on my right Hand, and on my left, is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father. Chrift's Power of difpofing is not denied, but he theweth only to whom it is given, not for by- Refpe &s, but accord- ing to God's Eternal Will and Purpofe. In the Original the words run otherwife than they do in our Tranflation, ïm [vv i/u.iv dtisvou, óuv à Bs irroí .mçru ;sn unT t µe. There is no Ellipfis which Come have fancied ; and it fhould be rendred thus, It is not mine to give, fave to thole for whom it is prepared of my Father. He doth not deny degrees of Glory, he doth not deny his own Power tadiftribute them, but only afferts, that he mutt difpofe according to his Father's Will ; not for outward and temporal Refpe&s of Kindred and Acquaintance, but as God hath given to every Man his Meafure. Cer- tainly Chrift's Will ftandeth good to all Intents and Purpofes ; for as God, he bath an Original Authority; and as Mediator, he doth nothing contrary to his Father's Will ; he is tender of that, as you fee in the place alleged; fo that the Oblation confirmeth the Point. Z1fe r. It is comfort to us when we come to die, thou haft Chriffs Will to thew for Heaven. When God's Juftice puts the Bond in Suit againft us, then let Faith put Chrift's Teftament in Suit. There is an old Sentence againft us, In the Day thou eatefi thereof, thou Pali die, Gen. 2. 17. Confront it with Chriffs Prayer. In Life we fhould provide for Death, and a comfortable departure out of the World. Hear for the time to come ; it is good to have our Comforts ready. Can a dying Man have a fweeter Meditation than Chriffs Words ? Father, I will that thofi whom thou haft given me, may be with me where -I am. We know not how Coon we may go down to the Chambers of Death, and become a Fealt for the Worms. When we come to make our own Will, we should think of Chrift's, Father, I will, &c. V fe 2. It is an Engagement to Holinefs. That is a part of Chrift's Will : r Theft. 4. 3. For this is the Will of God, even your Sanílfcation. How can I plead his Will in one thing, and not in another ? Hereditates habent faa onera. Legacies have their Bur- dens annexed ; Chrift will have an A &ion againft us, if we do not fulfil his whole Will. As a Man that fueth for what is left him by Will, mutt take care that his claim be not invalidated. Did Chrift ever fay, I will that all that live as they lift, fhould at length come to Heaven for all that ? No, But I will that all thofe whom thole haft given me, &c. And therefore, Thirdly ; The next Circumftance is, the Parties for whom he prayeth. It is as ne- neceffary to know for whom Chrift prayed, as for what ; it is not enough to hear of a Privilege; but we muff confider which way our. Claim and Intereft doth arife. For thofe which thou haft given me ; that is,, for all the Ele&, who are intended in this Ex- .preflion. Obferve 5
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