As there are the most noble principles, fo there are the most facred ends and aims fuitable thereto. The chriftian profelite must live to God; he yields himself to God, as one devoted to his name and fervice. Nemo fibi nafcitur is usually faid. The chriftian, to be fure, is not his own. He was made by and for God. He was bought with a price. He muft glorify God, both in body and fpirit; for (on that double account) they are his. He must not live to himself, or die to himself, but to the Lord. In all the paffages and transactions of life, must he design for God; defign to serve and please and glorify God. Which will include fuch facred, fpiritual designs and aims as these. I. To imitate God, wherein he may be imitated and copyed after. Be ye followers (imitators) of God, as dear children. Be ye holy, as I amerholy. Love your enemies, bless them that curfe ye that ye may be the children of your father which is in heaven. II. To commend the inftitution to others; to give a vifible luftre to theit's undefiled religion. That we may adorn the doctrine of God, our Saviour to in all things. ས་· III. To induce others to be good, and acknowledge God to his honour and praife. So let your light shine before men, that they may fee your good works, and glorify your father which is in heaven. IV. To affure our felves of the falvation of God, in the way of his own promife. To them, who by patient continuance in well-doing, feek for glory, honour, and immortality, (will he render) eternal life. And whatsoever ye do, of the Lord ye shall re V. To procure honour and glory to the Mediator, as Lord of all. To. me to live is Christ. We must live to Chrift. That Chrift may be mag.. nified in our body, whether by life or by death. do it heartily, as to the Lord--- Knowing that eive the reward of the inheritance, for ye ferve the Lord Chrift. That the name of our Lord Jefus Chrift may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God, and of the Lord Jefus Chrift. VI. To pd, n VI. To glorify God, the great maker and governor of the world. The great author of all things must be the intentional end of all things; and have all things referr'd to him and the honour of his name. Glory to God in the highest! Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Being fill'd with the fruits of righteousness (or of religion) which are by Jefus Chrift, unto the glory and praife of God. Here we may obferve the eminence and the harmony of this religiloon, in reference to this article of glorifying God, in making or defign. ing's him, as the ultimate end of all things. The gentile theology is de O Stre th tive in representing either the perfection or caufality, or the finality por final caufality, as it is wont to be called) of God. The mahometan theology gives a very imperfect account of the cffence of God; fuch as teems to degrade his efficient caufality; and to render him also unsuitable the honour of being the ultimate end of all things. But here is an adthy irable correspondence and connection in these respects. The most excellent Being is worthy to be the ultimate end of all things; and must (if fle act at all) have the prime and chief causality. The uitimate end of all things (and he that has the high honour or glory of being fo) ought (we may fay) to be the best of Beings, in himself, and to have the e caufality of things. He that has the prime caufality of things must be the prime and most excellent Being, and must be the ultimate end of all things. All thefe requifites concur in respect to the God of the Chriftians. He is the most excellent, perfe&t Being, that is poffible to exift; not only above our thought, but beyond the comprehenfion of any other Being. He is, in the dignity of his own effence, meet to be the ultimate end and final cause of all things. He has the prime and fupreme caufality in all things, whereby he is more immediatly worthy to be the ultimate end of all things. And then the honour and glory of being fo is abfolutely and intirely refunded into him. He is author of entity, morality, and blifs; the God of nature, grace and glory; and as fuch to be acknowledged and admired for ever. For of him, and through him, and to (or for) him are all things; to whom be glory for ever, Amen. Unto him be glory in the church (where he is thus excellently reveal'd) by Christ Jefus, throughout all ages, world without end; Amen. Here Here are designs and doxologies for Angels! Here are intentions and intentional aspirations, suitable to the world of perfection. Principles and ends of life, of conduct and action, higher and nobler than which, no religion can propofe and pretend ! SECT. XVII. The Christian Inftitution eminently fets up an Intercourse with Heaven. A ND no wonder it does fo. Every religion pretends to do so in it's way. It must be the end and business of religion to bring us to God. We pretend not now to any visible apparitions of the great God, or of his holy angels; nor to any audible responses from him, or imimmediate dictates and fuggeftions of his fpirit, beyond the compass of the revelation already imparted to us. But a gracious, fpiritual correfpondence may yet be maintain'd with God and the Redeemer. And truly our fellowship (or communion, or communication) is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. And this communion consists in mutual giving and receiving. The gracious God gives to us, and receives from us. We give to him (as we can) and receive from him. And in the way, and by the means following, is this correfpondence and intercourse to be supported and carried on. I. God has fent his word to us, inviting us to himself, and to com munion with him. Here he calls us to be reconciled, to walk with him in mutual love and friendship, and to ferve him in humble hope of seeing and enjoying him above. In this word of his, we behold his excellency, we fee his glory richly displayed in the face (in the perfon and perfonal tranfactions) of Jefus Chrift; we hear his attractive voice, his invitations, promises, and encouragements to continue and abide with him. 11. He has fet up his house in the world, in which he will be attended by his fervants. But becaufe all his family on earth cannot meet together in one place; they have their feveral appartments, in which they are to wait upon him. Here he speaks by meffengers. And here his word, opened and applied by fome judicious and qualified interpreter, is bleft by him, to the converfion and reconciliation of fouls. His house alfo is an houfe of prayer and praife. Here he often warms the hearts of his attendants, quickens them in their service and makes them glad in his house of prayer. Here three thousand have been profelited in a day; which (probably) was never done by the fages of philofophy, or by the minifters of any other religion whatever. III. He has graciously appointed an advocate, to introduce us into his prefence, and to procure us acceptance and welcome there. A fure fign that the great God will converfe with us, and admit us into communion. By reafon of our fin and guilt, we have no name or intereft of our own in heaven. But the Mediator (who has been the propitiation) has for himfelf and for us too. He hath made us accepted in the beloved. By whom alfo we have accefs by faith, into this grace (this gracious state) in which we ftand, and rejoyce in hope (of an higher and nearer access)in hope of the glory of God. IV. He promises, and accordingly he fends his holy Spirit to draw our hearts, to inliven and invigorate our spirits, to affift and encourage us in fervices; to teftify his love to us, to fuccour us in afflictions, and feal us unto the day of redemption. Thus, on God's fide the intercourfe is begun and continued. Then, on our fide, it is thus exercised and maintain’d. I. In the fight and transactions of faith. We are led into a marvelous light; into the prospect of worlds unfeen; and here we are taught to fet fet God always before us; to walk as in his fight and to approach a peculiar prefence of his, and demean as before him, and with him. II. In our approaches, we are admitted to speak freely to him and with him; to open to him (though he knows them already) our fins, and fears, our forrows, wants and defires; to make our confeffions, deprecations, petitions and interceffions, to him. And in this service, he has promifed the spirit of grace and fupplication. And where there is such address to God, under fuch influence, there will be eminent intercourse with heaven. To which end, our Lord has furnish'd us with such a system of defirable, good things (for any of which, we may at any time, addrefs our felves to God) the parallel to which (I fuppofe) is not to be found among the gentile moralifts, or any profeffors of an exotick religion. Á model of prayer, which for matter and method and fullness of compre henfion, for fuitableness to our state, and defignation of the divine glory, feems, of itself, to befpeak a divine extract. Here we address ourselves to the great God, as to our Father, who is in heaven. Goodness and greatness is at once intimated. He reigns in heaven, and prefides over all the powers of it, and yet is our Father. Our reconciled, adopting Father, in the chriftian oeconomy. Reverence and allurance is, at once, demanded. Hallowed be thy name. Divine ardour will first dictate this petition. May all the notifications of the Divine Majefty be obferved, received and fuitably regarded! May his excellencies and glories be feen, admired and celebrated throughout the earth! And all honours and acclamations be given to his name! Thy kingdom come! Sad, that the kingdom and government of the earth is fo little the Lord's! That the diabolical empire is fo widely extended, and has fo long prevail'd!" Take to thyfelf the fway of men's minds and hearts! Teach them to submit to thy fceptre; and turn the nations to "the dominion of thy word and grace! Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven! Thy will is worthy to be the univerfal law. It is perfectly obferved above; may it be fo below! Since there must be a conjunction of the inhabitants of heaven and earth, let there not be fo wide a disparity now! May mortals love and obey that will, that fways, with out any oppofition or controul, in the heavenly fociety! Give us this day M 2 |