1. An entire Obedience to His Laws, Hebr. vii. 26. 2. To undergo Sufferings for Sin, Ifa. liii. 6. 2 Cor. v. 21. Hebr. ii. 9. 8. By complying with which Terms, He effected our Redemption, Hebr. iv. 15. Rom. i. 16. 1 Cor. i. 30, 31. 2. How did Christ finish this Work? 1. As to all Sorts and Kinds, He did and suffered, Phil. ii. 8. 2. As to all Parts, every Thing requir'd; It was the Emanuel, S. Matt. i. 23. Τὸ ἅγιον, S. Luk. i. 35. Θεάνθρωπος, in the Language of the Fathers. 3. As to all Degrees, His Obedience was perfect, 2 S. Pet. ii. 22. And His Sufferings infinitely meritorious, I S. Joh. ii. 2. Act. xx. 28. 4. As to all the Times of Obedience, he continued in all Things, Gal. iii. 10. 3. What Benefits accrue to us hereby? 1. We are redeem'd from all Evil, Ifa. xxxiii. 22. 1 S. Pet. iii. 13. 1. From the Wrath of GOD, Rom. v. 9. 2. From the Power of Satan, S. Joh. xvi. 11. 1 S. Joh. iii. 8. 3. From the Prevalency of Sin, Act. iii. 26. 4. From the Curse of the Law, Gal. iii. 13. 5. From eternal Torments, Rom. viii. 1. 1 Theff. i. 10. 2. We are instated in all Good, Rom. viii. 32. 1 Cor. iii. 22. 1. In the Love of GOD, Rom. V. I. 2. In a justified Estate, Rom. iii. 24. 3. In the Power of Holiness, I S. Pet. i. 18. 4. In a Title to eternal Happiness, S. Joh. USES. xiv. 2. USES. *1. Information. 1. Christ is a complete Saviour, Hebr. vii. 25. 2. Justification is to be had only by Him, Gal. ii. 17. 2. Confolation, Phil. ii. 1. 2 Theff. ii. 16. 3. Exhortation. Finish your Works, Rom. xii. 12. 1 S. Pet. ii. 9. III. OBSERVATION. 1. We, in Imitation of Christ, ought to finifli the Work which GOD hath given is to do, i S. Pet. ii. 21. 1 Cor. xi. 1. That is, to glorify GOD. 1. By acknowledging our Dependence up on Him, and honouring Him accordingly, Pfal. lxxxvi. 9. 2. By discovering His Glory and Perfections 3. By blessing and praising Him, Pfal.lxxxvi. 5. By a Dedication of the whole Man to 6. By being fruitful in Holiness, S. Joh. xv. 8. 2. Why should we finish this Work? This was the End, 1. Of our Coming into the World, Pfal. cxlix. 2. Prov. xvi. 4. Rev. iv. II. 2. Of our being endow'd with rational Souls capable of this Work, Job xxxv. 10, 11. Att. xvii. 26, 27. 3. Of our Preservation, and all the Blessings we receive from Him, At.xvii. 28. Hebr. i. 3. Pfal. cvii. 8. 4. Of all the other Works He enables us to do, S. Matt. v. 16. 1 Cor. X. 31. 5. Of the gracious Manifestations of His Will to us, I S. Pet. ii. 9. 6. And of the glorious Hope set before us, Coloff. i. 27, 28. Hebr. vii. 19. 3. How may we finish this Work ? To do this, we must celebrate, 1. His Omniscience and Omniprefence, 1 Sam. ii. 3. Jer. xxiii. 24. 1. By acknowledging it, Job ix. 11. Pfal. cxxxix. 7, &c. 1 King. xviii. 27. 2. By behaving ourselves as always in His Sight, Pfal. xvi. 8. 3. By being fincere in all our Ways, Job xi. 11. 2 Cor. i. 12. 2. His Omnipotence, Job xxxvi. 5. S. Matt. xix. 26. 1. By praying to Him, Ifa. lv. 6. Ephef. vi. 18. 1. For the Prevention or Removal of Evils, 2 Cor. xii. 8. S. Matt. viii. 2. S. Jam. V. 13. Pfal. 1. 15. 2. For conferring any Good, Pfal. xci. 15, 16. Phil. iv. 6. 2. By depending upon Him, Rom. iv. 20, 21. 3. By fearing Him, S. Joh. iv. 24. Ifa. viii. 13. Jer. v. 22. 4. And humbling ourselves before Him, Ifa. ii. 10, 11, 12. 3. His Wisdom by admiring it, Rom. ii. 33. 4. His Sovereignty by submitting to it, 1 Sam. iii, 18. S. Luk. xxii. 42. 5. His Goodness, Ifa. Ixiii. 7. S. Matt. xix. 17. 1. By loving Him, Deut. vi. 5. Pfal. xxxi. 23. and cxvi. 1, 2. 2. By longing for Him, Pfal. xlii. 1, 2. and Ixxiii. 25. 3. By rejoicing in Him in all Conditions, 7. His Mercy, Pfal. cxlv. 9. 2 Cor. i. 3. 2. By a Fear of coming short of it, Pfal. CXXX.4. 3. By praising Him, Pfal. ciii. 2, 3, 4, 5. 4. By imitating Him, S. Luk. vi. 36. 8. His Justice, Pfal. xi. 7. and lxxxix. 14. Zeph. iii. 5. 1. By repenting of the Sins we have committed, Job xlii. 5, 6. Ezek. xviii. 30. Aft. iii. 19. 2. By not daring to offend Him for the future, Mal. i. 6. Rev. xv. 8. 9. His Faithfulness, Deut. vii. 9. 2 Theff. iii. 3. 1. By a Dread of His Threatnings, Amos iii. 6. 2. By believing His Promises, Rom. iv. 20. Hebr. x. 23. 10. His Spirituality, S. Joh. iv. 24. 1. By not framing any Picture of Him, 2. By serving Him in Spirit, S. Joh. iv. 24. 11. His Fulness and All-Sufficiency, Pfal. xvi. 11. and xvii. 15. 1 : 1. By choofing Him for our Portion, Pfal. lxxiii. 26. and xlii. v. Lam. iii. 24. 2. By labouring after the Enjoyment of Him above all Things, S. Matt. vi. 33. 12. His Eternity, Deut. xxxii. 40. Pfal. xc. 2. Ifa. lvii. 15. 1. By believing He ever was, and ever 10. 3. By admiring Him above all created Be- USES. 1. Reproof. 1. To the Atheist, Pfal. xiv. 1. 2. To Idolaters, S. Matt. iv. 10. 2 Cor. x. 7. 3. To the Covetous, Coloff. iii. 5. Ephef. v. 5. 4. To the Ambitious, S. Luk. xxii. 26, 27. S. Joh. xii. 43. 5. To the Voluptuous, Phil. iii. 19. 6. To the Presumptuous, S. Luk. xiii. 3, 5. 7. To the Desperate, Exod. xxxiv. 6. 8. To the Hypocrite, Job xxii. 13, 14. and xxxiv. 13. 9. To Unbelievers, I S. Joh. v. 10. 10. To the Swearer, Exod. xx. 7. S. Matt. V. 33, 34. S. Jam. V. 12. 11. To the unjust Dealers, 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10. 12. In a word, to all forts of Sinners, Rom. ii. 7, 8, 2 Theff. vii. 8, 9, 10. Z 2. Ex |