A26816:78
The way to the highest honour a funeral sermon, on John XII, 26, preached…The way to the highest honour a funeral sermon, on John XII, 26, preach'd…
The way to the highest honour a funeral sermon, on John XII, 26, preached upon the decease of the Rnd Tho. Jacomb ... April 3, 1687 / by William Bates ...The way to the highest honour a funeral sermon, on John XII, 26, preach'd upon the decease of the Rnd Tho. Jacomb ... April 3, 1687 / by William Bates ...
London: printed for J. Robinson, 1687
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Thus the Love of Christ had such an absolute Empire in his Heart, that his whole Life was spent as a vowed Oblation to his Service and Glory. And whoever does not live a spiritual Life, as the Servant of Christ, never yet felt the Misery of this Bondage of Sin, nor the sweetness of that Liberty which the Son of ⟨p. 75⟩God has purchased for his People.
Lastly; We are the Servants of Christ by solemn Covenant, and the most sacred Engagement. In the Covenant of Grace God and Man are the Parties: And such was his condescending Love, that he came down from Heaven and assumed our Nature, on purpose to seal his part in his own Blood, the Promise of his pardoning Mercy, of his sanctifying Spirit, and his rewarding Goodness, to all that with unfeigned Consent and firm Resolution will seal the Counterpart of their Duty and Obedience to him. We are entered into his Family and the Relation of his Servants in Baptism; and vowed universal Obedience to our new Master, in defiance of all Temptations whether inviting or terrifying in the World: For this reason Baptism is called the Answer of a good Conscience ⟨p. 76⟩1towards God. We wear his Colours, are distinguished from the Heathens by the Title of Christians: We ratify in a most solemn manner our Covenant by the Seal of the Lord's Supper, wherein we sacramentally eat and drink the Body and Blood of our Saviour. Now from hence arises a new Obligation to serve Christ: He had a Sovereign Right in us antecedently to our dedicating our selves to his Service, but from our voluntary Consent accrues another Title, whereby he claims our perpetual Service. The Law of God binds us without our Consent, but our Consent increases the Obligation; and if we are careless of our Duty, and desert his Service, we break double Bonds, and are guilty not only of Disobedience to the Law, but of perfidious Violation of our Covenant. 'Tis observable in the Parable of the Talents, they were ⟨p. 77⟩