USE. 1. INFERENCES. 1. Sinners Mifery. 2. Saints Happiness. 3. Heaven's Glory, 1 King. x. 8. 2. Exhortation. 1. Admire Him. 2. Intereft yourselves in Him. 3. Rely upon Him, Pfal. ix. 8. 2 Pet. ii. 9. 4. Labour you after this true Wisdom of GOD, to be made Partakers of it. 3. All that defire Wisdom, come to the Lord for it, S. Jam. i. 5. Prov. ii. 6. 1 Kings iii. 12. ROM. ROM. xii. 1. I beseech you therefore, Brethren, by the Mercies of GOD, that ye prefent your Bodies a living Sacrifice, holy, accepta ble unto GOD, which is your reafonable Service. 1. Beseech you, not command you, thought equivalent. Generofus eft animus hominis, facilius ducitur quam trahitur, Sen. I Cor. iv. 21. 2. Therefore, because of GOD's Wisdom and Goodness, Rom. xi. 33, 34. 3. Brethren, 1 Cor. xv. 58. 4. By the Mercies of GO D. Di aútův ¿v tétWV παρακαλῶ δι' ὧν ἐσώθητε, S. Chryfoft. Καὶ τί θαυμά ζεις εἰ αὐτὸς ἢ παραλείται παρακαλῶν ὅπε γε κὶ τοῦ οἶκ τιρμὲς τὸ Θεῖ προβάλλεται, Idem. Νόμος τίθησι, καὶ κρύπτει τὴν εξεσίαν, Theodoret. Per mifericordiam Dei, quâ magis nihil, per quam liberati fumus, Hieronym. 5. That you prefent, as the Sacrifices to the Prieft, which were Types of Christ. 6. Tour Bodies. 1. The Body in particular, every Member to the Service of GOD, Coloff. iii. 5. 2. The whole Man. 7. A Sacrifice. 8. Living, Θυσίαν ζώσαν. Ἐπειδὴ γδ είπε θυσίαν ἵνα μή τις νομίση, ὅτι κατασφάξαι κελεύει τὰ σώματα τα χέως ἐπήγαζε ζώσαν, S. Chryfoft. Οὐ γὰ σφαγῆναι κελεύει τα σώματα, ἀλλ ̓ ἔν τῇ ἀ Maglia vexeg, Theodoret. 9. Holy, 9. Holy, without Spot, 1 S. Pet. i. 15, 16. Ephef. V. 27. 10. Acceptable to GOD, Pfal. li. 17, 19. and Ixix. 30, 31. Ifa. i. 12, 13. and lxvi. 2. Hebr. xi. 5. 11. Your reasonable Service. 1. Because performed by reasonable Crea tures. 2. Because there is fo much Reafon for it, which could not in the Jewish Laws be given. 3. Performed by the Spirit, or rational Part Λέγων λογικὴν λατρείαν τὴν τοιαύτην θεοσέβειαν,Orig. DOCTRINE. We fhould devote ourselves wholly to the Ser vice of GOD. I. How? 1. Our Souls. 1. Our Understandings, Hof. iv. 1. 1 Cor. ii. 2. 2. Thoughts, Pfal. X. 4. 3. Judgments, 2 Pet. ii. 1. 4. Will, Pfal. lxxiii. 25. 5. Affections, 1. Concupifcible, S. Matt. xxii. 37. 2. Our Bodies. 1. Our Eyes to behold His Works, P. viii. 3. 2. Our Eas to hear His Word, Rev. iii. 22. 3. Our Tongues to praife His Name, Pfal. xxix. 1. and ixxi. 24. 4. Our 4. Our Hands to perform His Work. 6. Our Hearts to love Him, Prov. xxiii. 26. 3. Our Estates, Prov. iii. 9. II. Why fhould we devote ourselves thus to His Service? 1. Because we are His, 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20. 1. All we are is His. 2. All we do, Act. xvii. 28. 3. All we have, Gen. xiv. 19. 2. Because this is the End, 1. Of His Creating, Prev. xvi. 4. 3. Redeeming us, Act. iii. 26. 3. Because, unless we ferve Him wholly, we do not ferve Him at all, Numb. xiv. 24. USE. Exhortation. Devote yourselves to GOD. 1. This is no more than what you have vowed in Baptifm. 2. His Service is the highest Honour, Prov. xii. 26. 3. The only Freedom, Rom. viii. 21. 4. And the greatest Pleasure in the World. 6. Serve Him now, and enjoy him for ever, S. Matth. XXV. 23. Free, 1. From the Tyranny of Sin, Rom. vi. 12, 14. 2. From the Curfe of the Law, Gal. iii. 10, 13. 3. From 5. From the Snares of the World. 7. I beseech you by His Mercies, 4. In offering Him to all that will accept 5. In vouchfafing you the Means of Grace. 6. In forewarning you of your Danger, 7. In encouraging you with fo many Pro- mifes, Ezek. xxxiii. 19. S. Joh. 6. 37. |