each P E4 s o lv d'inaly. 337 ofus thereunto, and bringing forth the fruits of it in us, and this he doth in oppofition to a righteoufnefs ofour own, either before it, or to be made up by it, Tit. iii. 5. I need not infift on this, the fruits of the Spirit in us arc known, Gal. V. 22. And thus have we a twofold bottom of the neceffìty of our obedience, and perfonal holinefs, God bath appointed it, he requires it. And it is an eminent immediate end of the diflinbh difpenfation offather, fon, and Holy Ghoft, in the work of our falvation. If God's fovereignty over us is tobe owned ; if his love . towards us be to be regarded, if the whole work of the ever-bleffed trinity, for us, in us, be ofany moment, our obedience is neceffary. (3.) It is neceffary in refpeâ of the end thereof, and that whetheryou confider God, our felves, or the world. [I.] The end of our obedience in refpet of God, is his glory and ho- nour, Mal. i. 6. This is God's honour, all that we give him. It is true, he will take his honour from the ftouteft and proudeft rebel in the world, but all we give him, is in our obedience. The glorifying of God by our obedience, is all that we are or can be. Particularly, i.) It is the glory of the father, Matt. v. 16. Let your light Jo Thine before men, that they mayfeeyour good works, andglorify your father which is in heaven. By our walking in the light of faith, doth glory arife to the father. The fruits of his love, of his grace, of his kindnefs, are feen upon us ; and God is glorified, in our behalf. And 2.) The fonds glorified thereby. It is the will of God, that as all men honour the father, fo fliould they honour the fon, Job. 'v. 23. And how is this done ? By believing in him, Yoh. xiv. 1. obeying of him. Hence, Yoh. xvii. to. be, fays, He is glorified in believers, and prays for an in- creafe of graceand union for them, that he may yet be moreglorified, and all might know that as mediator he was fent of God. -3.) The Spirit is glorified alto by it, he is grievedby our difobedience, F_phef. iv. 30. and therefore his glory is in our bringing forth fruit. He dwells in its as in his temple, which is not to be defiled ; holinefs becometh his habitation for ever. Now if this that bath been faid, be not fufficient to evince a neceflity of our obedience, wemuff fuppofe our felves to fpeak with a fort of men, who regard neither the fovereignty, nor love, nor glory ofGod, father, fon, or Holy Gboff. Let men fay what they pleafe, though our obedience fhould be all loft, and never regarded, which is iiupoffible (for God is not unjuft to forget our labour of love) yet here is a fufficient bottom, ground and rea- fon of yielding more obedienceunto God, than ever we (halldo, whilft we live in this world. I fpeak alto only of Gofpel-grounds of obedience, and not of thofe that are natural and legal, which are ilidifp'enfable to all man- kind. [2.] The end in refpe& of our felves immediately, is threefold. 1.) Ho- nour. 2.) Peace. 3.) Ufefulnefs. 10 Honour; it is by holinefs that we are made like unto God, and his image is renewed again in us. This was our honour at our creation ; this exalted us above all our fellow-creatures here below; we aremade in the im- age of God. This we loft by fin, and became like the beales thatperifh. To this honour of conformity- to God, of bearing his image, are we exalted again by holinefs alone. Be ye holy, fays God, becaufe I ant holy, 1 Pet. Q999 . i.16.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=