we must consider 1. The object 2. The Act. 3. The Properties 1. The object We consider God as good there is a double motive in the object to excite us to love God Because he is good and doth good Psal. 119.68 from his nature and from his work 1. The excellency of his nature he is good There is a threefold goodness in God 1. His essential goodness which is the infinite perfection of his Nature 2. His moral goodness and holiness which is the infinite perfection of his Will 3. His beneficial goodness which is the infinite propension that is in him to do good to the creature All these are the object of our love 1. His essential goodness should make him amiable to us partly because the glorious perfections of his nature are the object of our esteem and esteem is the ground of love We affect what we prize and value or else we do not really esteem prize and value it and partly because they are the object of our praise now we praise God for his excellencies to increase our love to him and delight in him otherwise our praise is but an empty complement and partly because the Angels and blessed Spirits do admire and adore God for the excellencies of his nature not only for the benefits they have received by him but as he is an infinite and eternal Being of glorious and incomprehensible Majesty they are represented as crying out Isa. 6.3 Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts Now God must in some measure be served on earth as he is in Heaven Surely we should not speak or think or worship the infinite eternal God without some act of love holy delight and pleasure Ps. 14.71 Praise ye the Lord for it is good to sing praises to our God for it is pleasant and praise is comely so Psal. 95.1 Come let us sing unto the Lord let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation and all this is the acting of love for the Lord is a great God and a great King above all gods there are the motives Psal. 5.10 Let them that love thy name be joyful in thee So that you see 't is a great duty to delight our selves in Gods essential perfections 2. His moral goodness or his righteousness and holiness Surely this is an amiable thing and therefore the object of our delectation I prove it thus First If holiness be lovely and pleasant in the creature why not in God In the Saints Holiness doth attract our love Psal. 16.3 My delight is in the saints the excellent ones of the earth and Psal. 15.4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. We are to love Saints as Saints reduplicative why not God as Holy and Righteous We are to love the law of God as it is pure Psal. 119.140 Therefore we are to love God a copy of whose Holiness the Law is the same reason that doth enforce the one doth enforce the other Secondly I argue We are to imitate his Holiness and Righteousness therefore we are to love and delight in it Eph. 5.1 Be ye followers of God as dear children and 2 Cor. 3.18 But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory Now love begetteth likeness 't is the greatest demonstration of Gods love to us to make us like himself and the greatest expression of our love to God to desire it to endeavour after it to value and prize it as our happiness see Psal. 17.15 As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness 3. His beneficial goodness or benignity Psal. 100.5 For the Lord is good for his mercy is everlasting Therefore all his Saints should love him we are first led to the Lord by our own interest and the benefits we have or may have by him Psal. 86.5 Thou Lord art good ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy unto all that ca lt upon thee This doth first attract the heart of guilty sinners to seek after God but afterwards we look upon him as a lovely object in himself while we look upon benignity as a moral perfection in God without the fruits which flow thence to us 't is an engaging thing as 't was observed heretofore that Cesar's vertues were more amiable than Cato's vertues Cesar's Vertues were Clemency Affability Liberality Cato's vertues rigid Justice and Fidelity in his dealings both were amiable but the one more taking than the other There is somewhat a like observation Rom. 5.7 Scarcely for a righteous man would one die but for a good man one would even dare to die By the righteous man is meant one of a severe and rigid innocency by a good man a man bountiful and useful To apply it Gods benignity is a thing amiable tho it be considered but as an Attribute in God not exercised and acted on us because this most suiteth the necessities of the indigent and faln creature therefore the Scripture doth much insist upon it to move us to return and seek reconciliation with him 2. He doth good or hath been good to us 1. As in Creation He made us out of nothing after his own image We must remember him as a Creator so as to consider the obligations which lye upon us to love please and serve him Eccles. 12.1 Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth All that we are and have we have it from God and for God 2. In redemption Where we have the greatest representation of the goodness of God 1 John 4.10 Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be a propiliation for our sins 'T is the signal instance and Rom. 5.8 Herein God commended his love that while we were yet sinners Christ died for the ungodly The fullest discovery 3. In the mercies of daily providence Deut. 30.10 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God for he is thy life and the length of thy days Especially in his tender care about his people Psal. 31.33 O love the Lord all ye his Saints for the Lord preserveth his Saints and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer His hearing prayer is one instance Psal. 116.1 I will love the Lord because he hath heard my voice and my supplications 4. In the rewards of the other world which are provided especially for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath â—ntred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him and 1 John 3.1 â— Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God Behold now we are the sons of God and it doth not appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Thus God
the Gentiles the Wrestlers were anointed Which may be applied to Christ who was now to wrestle and conflict with all the Prejudices and Difficulties of Man's Salvation But it is rather taken from the Customs of the Ceremonial Law Three sorts of Persons we find to be anointed among the Jews Kings as Saul David Solomon 1 Sam. 9.16 Thou shalt anoint him to be Captain over my People Israel Therefore they were called the Lord 's Anointed 1 Sam. 26.11 Priests All the Priests that ministred in the Tabernacle or Temple chiefly the High-Priest who was a special Figure of Christ Exod. 29.29 And the Holy Garments of Aaron shall be his Sons after him to be anointed therein and to be consecrated in them Prophets 1 Kings 19.16 Elisha the Son of Shaphat shalt thou anoint to be Prophet in thy room As Oil strengthneth and suppleth the Joints and maketh them agile and fit for Exercise so it noteth a designation and fitness for the Functions to which they were appointed So Christ because he was not to be a Typical Priest or Prophet or King therefore he was not typically but spiritually anointed not with a Sacramental but real Unction not of Men but of God immediatly Therefore we shall inquire how Christ was anointed It implyeth two things 1. The giving of Power and Authority Heb. 5.5 Christ glorified not himself to be made an High Priest but he that said unto him Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Therefore though Christ be of the same Power and Authority with the Father yet as Mediator he must be appointed Christ took not on him the honour of a Mediator but received it of his Father God needeth not to appoint a Mediator it was his free Grace To save Sinners is not proprietas Divinae Naturae but Opus liberi Concilii This Council had its rise from the Mercy and free Grace of the Father he might have required this punishment of our selves If any had interposed to mediate for us without God's Will and Calling his Mediation would have been of no value a Pledg whereof we have in Moses Exod. 32.32 33. Yet now if thou wilt forgive their Sins and if not blot me I pray thee out of the Book of Life And the Lord said unto Moses Whosoever hath sinned against me him will I blot out of my Book And besides where should we have found a sufficient Mediator unless he should have given us one Therefore there is much in the Father's anointing or appointment therefore is the Mediation of Christ so effectual it is made by his own Will John 8.42 I proceeded forth and came from God neither came I of my self but he sent me John 6.27 Him hath God the Father sealed as a Magistrate hath the King's Broad Seal Which is a great comfort when we go to God we may offer him Christ as authorized by himself thou hast sent thy own Son to be a Mediator for me And we may plead it to our selves in Faith God the Supream Judg the wronged Party hath appointed Christ to take up the Controversy between him and me 2. The bestowing on him the Holy Ghost who might make the humane Nature fit for the Work So Acts 10.38 Him hath God anointed with the Holy Ghost and with Power The humane Nature of Christ was fitted for the Employment for though it were exalted to great Privileges yet it could not act beyond its Sphere and Sanctification is the personal Operation of the third Person Now the Work of the Holy Ghost was in the Womb of the Virgin to preserve the Humane Nature of Christ from the infection of Sin From a Sinner nothing could be born but what was unclean and sinful by this Anointing Christ was made perfectly just strengthned to all Offices especially to offer up himself Heb. 9.14 Who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God To overcome all Difficulties and Temptations Isa. 42.1 Behold my Servant whom I uphold my Elect in whom my Soul delighteth I have put my Spirit upon him The Work of Redemption was a weighty Work Christ had to do with God Devil and Man to bear the Wrath of God for the whole World 2. To what was Christ anointed To the Office of a Mediator in general particularly to be King Priest and Prophet of the Church To be a Prophet to teach us by his Word and Spirit Mat. 17.5 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased hear ye him God bespeaketh audience To be a Priest to intercede and die for us To be a King to rule us by his Spirit and to give Grace and Glory to us Vse 1. Let us receive Christ as an anointed Saviour Christ is set over us by Authority Let us come to him as a Prophet denying our own Reason and Wisdom as a Priest seeking all our acceptance with God through his Merit Let us plead Lord Thou hast anointed Christ to offer himself a Sacrifice for me As a King let us give up our selves to the Authority and Discipline of his Spirit God's anointing is the true Reason and Cause why we should come to Christ. Vse 2. Comfort We are anointed too Christ's Ointment is shared amongst his Fellows he was anointed more than we but we have our part Psal. 133.2 Like the precious Ointment upon the Head that ran down upon the Beard even Aaron 's Beard that went down to the Skirts of his Garment 1 John 2.27 The anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you We are made Prophets Priests and Kings Prophets meet to declare his Praises Priests fit for holy ministring Kings to reign over our Corruptions here and with Christ for ever in glory as the Queen is crowned with the King SERMON V. JOHN XVII 4 I have glorified Thee on the Earth I have finished the Work which Thou gavest me to do IN this Verse there is another Argument to inforce the main Request of his being glorified it is taken from the faithful discharge of his Duty and his Integrity in it it was all finished and finished to God's Glory therefore it was not unjust that he should now desire to be glorified When our Work is ended then we look to receive our Wages Now saith Christ I have finished the Work and besides which giveth weight to the Argument I have glorified Thee The Reason of Christ's Request seems to be taken from the Eternal Covenant Do your Work and you shall see your Seed and from those Promises 1 Sam. 2.30 Them that honour me I will honour Prov. 4.8 Exalt her and she shall promote thee she shall bring thee to honour when thou dost embrace her Well Christ sheweth that his Request is not unequal Though this be the general Relation of the Context yet it is good to note the particular dependance between this and the former Verse Christ said that it was Eternal Life to know him that was sent now he sheweth he had discharged that Work for which he was
sent From Christ's suing for Glory upon this Argument I might note That we may plead Promises God saith Put me in remembrance There is difference between a Plea and a Challenge Hypocrites challenge God upon the Merit of their Works Believers humbly urge him with his own Promises Not as if God did need excitement to make good his Word but we need grounds of Hope and Confidence Again Because Christ asketh nothing but what God will give I might observe That when we have done our Work we may expect our portion of Glory But I rather come to the particular discussion of the Words The words may be considered in a Mediatory or in a Moral Sence In a Mediatory sence so they are proper to Christ he prayed to the Father that thy Son may glorify thee Vers. 1. Now he saith I have glorified thee meaning in the days of his Flesh. By a Moral Accommodation they may be applied to every Christian every Christian should say as Christ I have glorified thee on the Earth I have finished the Work which thou gavest me to do First And which is most proper Let us consider them in the Mystical and Mediatory sense The first Phrase is I have glorified thee Christ glorified God many ways by his Person as being the express Image of his Father's Glory Heb. 1.3 By his Life and perfect Obedience John 8.46 Which of you convinceth me of Sin And Vers. 49. I have not a Devil but I honour my Father By discovering his Mercy John 1.14 We beheld his Glory the Glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth By his Miracles then the sick of the Palsy was cured it is said the multitude glorified God Mat. 9.8 Mark 15.31 at other Miracles they glorified the God of Israel Mark 2.12 So his Passion exceedingly glorified God's Justice In his Doctrine by discovering his glorious Essence and the Purity of his Worship The System of Divinity was much perfected and advanced by the coming of Christ. Doct. That God was much glorified in Christ. God was much glorified in the Creation of the World Psal. 19.1 The Heavens declare the Glory of the Lord and the Firmament sheweth his handy-work The Fabrick of the whole World especially of the Heavens declares his Goodness Wisdom and Power His Goodness in communicating Being to all Creatures Life and Motion to some His Wisdom in making the Creatures so various and so excellent in their general kinds His Power in educing all things out of the Womb of Mother Nothing God was glorified in his Providences especially in the great Deliverances of the Church from Egypt and from the North but mostly in Christ Redemption being the most noble Work with which he was ever acquainted It is notable that the Spirit of God in Scripture often varieth the Expression at first it was Blessed be God that made Heaven and Earth then I am the God that brought thee out of the Land of Egypt then it is Jer. 16.14 15. It shall no more be said The Lord liveth that brought up the Children of Israel out of the Land of Egypt But the Lord liveth that brought up the Children of Israel from the Land of the North then it is Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Ephes. 1.3 In Creation the Wisdom Goodness and Power of God appeared there was no need of other Attributes In Providence the Justice Mercy and Truth of God appears but these in Christ in a more raised degree In Creation the Object was pure Nothing as there was no help so no hindrance but now in Redemption Sin hinders so that here is shown not only Goodness but Mercy In Creation we deserve nothing now we deserve the contrary There was more Wisdom seen in our Redemption The Quarrel taken up between Justice and Mercy Mercy would pity and Justice could not spare In Redemption there is more Power in Creation Man is taken out of the Earth in Redemption out of Hell God's Justice opposed Redemption Christ must be sent to satisfy Justice and the Spirit sent to take away Unbelief God made all with a Word he saved all with a Plot of Grace In Creation Man was made like God in Redemption God is made like Man No Deliverance like this Babylon was nothing to Hell and the Brick-kilns of Egypt to the Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone When God delivered his People out of Babylon he had to do with Creatures when he delivered them from the Wrath to come he had to do with Himself Justice put in high Demands against the compassions of Mercy his own Son must die with the Wrath of God and his own Spirit must be grieved in wrestling with the Denials of Men. Instead of our own Obedience we have the Merit of Christ. Oh here are depths of Mystery and Wonder Vse God loseth no honour by Christ. God hath more Glory and we have larger Demesnes of Comfort and Grace to live upon All Parties are satisfied we have a better Portion Adam had Paradise we have Heaven God hath more Glory the Creatures are more acquainted with the infiniteness of Mercy Power and Wisdom Innocence continued had been a great benefit but now it is more gracious and free and it is not the greatness of a Benefit that worketh on Gratitude so much as the graciousness and freeness of it Our Heaven costeth a greater price and it is not given to God's Friends but those that were once his Enemies On Earth This Phrase signifieth that Christ did not increase God's Essential Glory for that is uncapable of any addition his Nature is infinite and cannot be made more glorious and excellent but only that Christ manifested his Glory more fully to the World Observe Christ came down from Heaven to make Men glorify God We had Lesson enough before us in Creation and Providence but Men were stupid Things to which we are accustomed do not work upon us in the Gospel God would set his Praise to a new Tune God needeth us not and our Respects are due and yet at what cost is God to purchase the Praise of the Creature Blind and unthankful Men to dethrone the great God and set up every paltry Creature Therefore God sent his Son to revive the Notions of the Godhead and to give us further manifestations of his Glory That was Christ's Errand to glorify him on the Earth I have finished the Work Christ's Work was to manifest the Gospel and to redeem Sinners and how can he say I have finished the Work seeing the chief Work of Redemption was yet to come the offering up himself to Divine Justice upon the Cross I Answer He had determined to undergo Death and it was now at hand in the consent and full determination of his Will it was done So upon the Cross just before his Death he crieth It was finished John 19.30 It implieth 1. The Submission Faithfulness and Diligence of Christ he never left doing of
of our Mercies we should bless God for our Relations Our Relations are the Sphere of our Activity 2. The Duty of our Vocation and Calling Every Christian hath his way and place some work which God gave him But of this see more by and by 7. When God is the great Scope and End of our Lives and Actions of all that we are all that we do all that we desire God must be the ultimate End In our ordinary Actions 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether ye eat or drink or whatever ye do do all to the Glory of God Not offer a Meat-Offering and Drink-Offering to Appetite The Apostle instances in these things partly because in these natural Actions we are most apt to offend Such is the unthankful Nature of Man that we forget God when he remembers us most when he is most present in the fruits of his Bounty then he is usually banished from our Hearts Corruptions are most stirring when we are warmed with the liberal use of the Creatures Job sacrificed when his Children feasted Job 1.5 And it was so when the Days of their Feasting were gone about that Job sent and sanctified them and rose up early in the Morning and offered Burnt-Offerings according to the number of them all For Job said It may be that my Sons have sinned and cursed God in their Hearts The Devil bringeth his Dish usually to our Tables Disdain of the slenderness of our Provision Quarrels Contentions Censures of the People of God c. Partly for greater Emphasis If in common Actions we are to design God's Glory as our End much more in such Actions as we make a business of So in Acts of Grace the Creature cannot be the ultimate End and God's Goodness only a Means thereunto There is a great deal of learned Folly and Atheism vented branding those as mystical Divines that call upon Men to mind things as God minded them who aims at his own Glory as his ultimate End Eph. 1.6 They say Man's ultimate End is his own Happiness some cry up the Principle of Self-Love then belike all the Goodness of God is to be estimated by the Felicity of Man this were to make Man his own Idol and to measure all good and evil by his own Interest The fulfilling of God's Will and promoting his Glory should be the end of all Obedience otherwise we make not the Creature for God but God for the Creature and so make the Creature better than God as being the ultimate End of God himself at least to us as if the highest End of all his Goodness were the Felicity of the Creature Secondly Vbi Where On Earth I have glorified thee on Earth 1. Where so few mind God's Glory where all seek their own Things their own Honour their own Profit their own personal Contentment A Christian should walk in counter-motion to the generality of the World Phil. 3.20 But our Conversation is in Heaven Mal. 4.1 2. The day cometh that shall burn as an Oven and all the proud yea and all that do wickedly shall be stubble c. But unto you that fear the Lord c. He is an Exception from the common use and practice of Mankind 2. On Earth which is the place of our Trial where there are so many Difficulties and Temptations to divert us We must glorify him on Earth if we expect that he should glorify us in Heaven Many expect to glorify God in Heaven but take no care to glorify God here on Earth The Saints in Heaven glorify God but without any Difficulty Strife and Danger it costs them no Shame no Pain no Trouble no loss of Life or Limb but here where the Danger is there is the Duty and Trial. Mat. 10.32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before Men him will I confess also before my Father which is in Heaven Christ will remember them and their labour of Love When he cometh in his Majesty he is not ashamed of his poor Clients and Friends these owned me in my Abasement and I will own them in my exalted State You cannot honour Christ so much as he will honour you Mat. 19.28 Ye which have followed me in the Regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit in the Throne of his Glory ye also shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Ye who are here exposed to Sorrows and Sufferings for his Sake It is fond to think of glorifying God in Heaven and singing Hallelujahs to his Praise when thou dost not stand to his Truth on Earth Esse bonum facile est ubi quid vetat esse remotum The Trial of Duty is Self-Denial Thirdly Quomodo I have finished the work which thou hast given me to do 1. It is Work that glorifieth God It is not Words and empty Praises but an holy Conversation Job 31.20 If his Loins have not blessed me and if he were not warmed with the Fleece of my Sheep Mat. 5.16 Let your Light so shine before Men that they may see your good Works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven Psal. 50.23 Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me and to him that ordereth his Conversation aright will I shew the Salvation of God John 15.8 Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much Fruit so shall ye be my Disciples A godly fruitful Life is the real Honour the other is but empty Prattle It is our Work and Actions not our bare Profession only you may pollute God else Ezek. 36.20 You may exalt him in Profession and pollute him in Conversation Many Christians Lives are the Scandal of their Religion Again it is not Wishes that glorify God but Practice We would have God glorified but do not glorify him We would have him glorified Passively but do not glorify him Actively and are more careful of Events than Duties We are troubled about God's Name and are more ready to ask Lord what wilt thou do for thy great Name than Lord what wilt thou have me to do A Christian should rather be troubled about what he should do than about what he should suffer 2. That every Man hath his Work Life was given to us for somewhat not meerly that we might fill up the number of Things in the World as Stones and Rubbish not to grow in Stature so Life was given to the Plants that they might grow bulky and increase in Stature nor meerly to tast Pleasures that is the happiness of the Beasts to enjoy Pleasures without remorse God gave Men higher Faculties of Reason and Conscience to manage some Work and Business for the Glory of God and his own eternal Happiness The Rule is general that all Adam's Sons are to eat their Bread in the sweat of their Brows to follow some honest Labour and Vocation Adam's two Sons were Heirs Apparent of the World the one imployed in Tillage the other in Pasturage The World was never made to be an Hive for Drones and Idle Ones It is true there is a difference between Callings
〈◊〉 ye unlord the Law so the word signifieth 6. By taking some solemn time to meditate of and admire the excellency of his Person and the fulness of his Redemption In Heaven this will be our great Work there they praise the Lamb for ever-more Rev. 4.10 11. The four and twenty Elders fall down before him that sat on the Throne and worship him that liveth for ever and ever and cast their Crowns before the Throne saying Thou art worthy O Lord to receive Honour and Glory and Power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created They do not slight their glorious Work All the Glory they have is God's meer Bounty they hold it by Grace and magnify it by Grace So Rev. 5.8 The four Beasts and four and twenty Elders fell down before the Lamb having every one of them Harps and golden Vials full of Odours which are the Prayers of the Saints There is the Employment of the Church Militant and Triumphant Harps which are Instruments of Praise belong to Souls already glorified as Vials full of Odours belong to Believers on Earth The Earth is the true place of Prayer as in Heaven we shall be employed in Eternal Thanksgivings All the Church is yielding Homage to Christ It is the Study of Saints Ephes. 1.16 I cease not to give Thanks for you It was Paul's constant practice he breathed nothing but Christ 1 Cor. 2.2 I determined to know nothing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified Our Thoughts of Christ should be sweet to us we should have ravishing apprehensions of him from day to day ravishing thy Heart with the excellency of Christ. Vse 3. Is Consolation to them that desire to glorify Christ. It is a singular Prop in your Prayers in every Address you have an Interest in Father and Son They are mine saith the Lord I loved them with an everlasting Love They are mine saith Christ I redeemed them with an everlasting Redemption And will not God provide for his own and Christ for his own Can he that hath the Father and Son miscarry and doubt of Audience You have the Father who is the Original Fountain of Blessing and you have Christ who is the Golden Pipe and Conveyance But especially in your last Address when you lie on your Death-Bed you know Christ's own Plea John 17.4 5. Father I have glorified thee upon Earth I have finished the Work that thou hast given me to do And now Father glorify thou me with thy self with the Glory that I had with thee before the World was It is a sweet Evidence What doth God look for from the Creature but Glory Objection 1. But you will say I cannot glorify Christ in my Addresses to God and cannot come with an Assurance becoming his Purchase I Answer 1. When we cannot apply let us disclaim Lord we come not in our own Names our own Worth and Desert which is none at all we come in the Merits of Christ we know there is no other Name under Heaven Hosea 14.3 In thee the Fatherless findeth Mercy that is every Person that wanteth a Guide Relief and Support Though we cannot say Father yet we can say we are Fatherless we have none to help us 2. If we cannot speak of the Love that he beareth to us for Christ's sake yet let us plead the Love that he beareth to him Christ's Name is very dear and precious in Heaven being God's beloved Son Lord for the Love that thou bearest to Christ We are his Clients though we cannot say we are his Members Though I cannot say Thou art mine yet I may say He is thine a Mediator of thy setting up God might have refused us if Christ had not Letters Patents from Heaven and his Commission under the Broad-Seal of God John 6.27 Him hath God the Father sealed Lord he is thy own authorised Mediator Moses was refused that interposed of his own accord Exod. 32.32 33. I have nothing to bring thee but a Mediator of thine own It is a prevailing Argument Object 2. Alas there is little that I do for God my Station is private Those in the Magistracy and Ministry that are in an eminent Sphere of Activity they may glorify Christ they do his Work upon Earth but what do I do I Answer 1. God will be glorified by every Man in his Way and Place John 17.4 Father I have glorified thee upon Earth I have finished the Work that thou hast given me to do We must not speak of our Rank Christ is glorified by thy diligence and Faithfulness in thy private Place a Man-Servant or a Maid-Servant 1 Cor. 7.22 He that is called in the Lord being a Servant is the Lord's Free-man being redeemed from the thraldom of Satan and servitude of Sin he doth glorify Christ. Titus 2.9 10. Exhort Servants to be obedient unto their own Masters and to please them well in all things not answering again Not purloining but shewing all good fidelity that they may adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all things Godly Servants what an Ornament are they to the Gospel By the first Inlets of Religion into a Family it is made beautiful and lovely in the Eyes of Carnal Men who esteem the Doctrine by the Life and Practice of the Professors of it Servants in those days were bought and sold like Beasts The Lord doth not esteem Men by the Places they hold but by their Carriage in them 2. There is no Station so private but thou mayest do something for Christ to bring up thy Children in the Nurture of the Lord to instruct thy Servants thy Neighbours thy Fellow-Servants Zeal is like Fire or like Leaven it will spread and diffuse it self Object 3. I have laboured but to little purpose Answ. Success is not thy Work but God's We must mind our Duty and leave the success to God we shall not be responsible for lack of Success but want of Endeavours Isa. 49.4 Then I said I have laboured in vain I have spent my strength for nought and in vain yet surely my Judgment is with the Lord and my Work with my God It was a complaint of Christ himself his Ministry was without Fruit yet not without Reward We may have the Crown of Faithfulness if not the Fruit. A Minister is like a Fountain that always runneth whether they will hear or whether they will forbear So must you act in your Families Object 4. I was never called to Martyrdom I doubt I shall not glorify him I Answer 1. Wish not for Troubles but leave them to God and when they come take up his Cross. Simon of Cyrene was compelled we must not chuse our Cross but bear it Christ himself did not carry his Cross till it was laid upon him we must not seek it but take it up not brew our Cup but drink it When a Cross meeteth us in our way which we cannot escape without Sin or breach of Conscience we must bear it 2.
heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life Mat. 15.19 Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts murders adulteries fornications thefts false witness blasphemies If the Heart be kept pure and loyal to God the Life will not be so spotted and blemished for Principiata respondent suis principiis the actions suit with the heart and it is impossible for men so to disguise their Conversations but that their Principles and inclinations will appear they may disguise it in a particular action but not in their course and way it will appear how their hearts are constituted by the tenor of their actions 3. Here is Thanks given to God for this Change 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Thanksgiving to God is a great and necessary Duty the very Life and Soul of our Religion 1 Thess. 5.18 In every thing give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you Heb. 13.15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name Our great business is to give thanks to God for Jesus Christ both in word and deed 2. We are chiefly to give thanks for spiritual Mercies They much excel those which are temporal and transitory therefore if there be a just esteem of the mercies we praise God for we will bless God for them Eph. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. Temporal favours we all understand but a renewed heart is most taken up with spiritual Blessings Ephraim said Hos. 12.8 Bessed be God I am become rich but it is better to say Blessed be God I was once a servant of sin but now I have obeyed God from my heart 1. These are discriminating Mercies and come from Gods special Love Eccles. 9.1 2 3. No man knows either love or hatred by all that is before them All things come alike to all there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked to the good and to the clean and to the unclean c. And Psal. 17.14 From men which are thy hand O Lord from men of the world which have their portion in this life and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure But Psal. 119.132 Look upon me and be merciful to me as thou usest to do unto those that love thy Name and Psal. 106.4 Remember me O Lord with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people O visit me with thy salvation 2. These concern the better part 2 Cor. 4.16 Though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day the other concern the outward man Psal. 17.14 Whose portion is in this life and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure they are full of children and leave the rest of their substance unto their babes 3. These are purchased at a dear rate Eph. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ others run in the chanel of common Providence 4. These have a nearer connexion with Heaven 2 Cor. 3.18 We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of our God 5. These incline and fit the heart for Praise and Thankfulness to God Eph. 1.12 That we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ. 6. These are never given in anger as outward Mercies may be Jer. 17.14 They that depart from me shall be written in the earth 7. These render us acceptable to God Psal. 11.7 The righteous Lord loveth righteousness his countenance doth behold the upright 1 Pet. 3.4 The ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price 8. We need acknowledge these that God may have the sole glory of them There are certain Opinions which rob God of his Glory as that of the Stoicks Quod vivamus c. That prosperity is to be asked of God but prudence belongeth to our selves Thus men are taught to usurp the glory of God this Opinion is sacrilegious as if we should praise God for our felicities and not for those things that belong to our Duty and Obedience The other Opinion is among Christians that teach you that Peter is no more beholden to God than Judas for his differencing Grace but 1 Cor. 4.7 Who maketh thee to differ from another and what hast thou that thou hast not received Now if thou didst receive it why dost thou glory as if thou didst not receive it Mat. 11.25 26. I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight 3. Among all spiritual Mercies we are to give thanks to God for our Conversion It is the fruit of Election Jer. 31.3 The Lord hath appeared of old unto me saying Yea I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee It is not from our Merit but wholly ascribed to Gods Mercy 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began It cometh not from any power in us or ability in our selves but is the meer effect of his Grace we cannot break off the yoke of sin Rom. 8.2 The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made us free from the Law of sin and death nor can we fit our selves for future obedience Eph. 2.10 We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus to good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them Therefore ascribe all to the proper Author 4. We must bless God not only for our own Conversion but the Conversion of others The Body of Christ is the more compleated 1 Cor. 12.14 The body is not one member but many The glory of God is concerned in it Rom. 1.8 First I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world Gal. 1.23 24. They had heard only that he which persecuted us in time past now preached the Faith that once he destroyed and they glorified God in me They are Monsters of men that repine at the riches of Grace poured down on men by their own or others Ministry as if they could not endure any should be godly and serious Acts 11.23 Barnabas when he came and had seen the grace of God was glad Vse Is there a Change 1. Be in a capacity to bless God for spiritual Blessings Should a Leper give thanks for perfect health A mad man that he is wiser than