Use 1. To persuade us to make it our business to honour Christ, to advance him. It doth not only concern public persons, such as Paul was, but every private christian.
To this purpose I shall — (1.) Give you directions ; (2.) Motives.
1. You must close with him by faith, and use him to the end for which God hath appointed him: 2 Thes. i. 11, 12, 'That our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power : that the name of Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him.' Now when did you close with him by faith ? Faith has a double office — it accepts Christ from God, and presents Christ to God. It makes use of him in all our converse with him ; it accepts Christ in the word, and maketh use of him in prayer. In the word God offereth him to you as Lord and Saviour, to give you repentance and remission of sins. Now when you consent to God's terms, this is to believe in him. Take heed you do not make light of Christ, as those did, Mat. xxii. 5, 6i 8e aiieKt)cravre<; ; they slighted, disregarded, neglected him ; they had other business to mind. No ; this is your work, your hearts should be set on it. After long traverses you must say, as Laban, Gen. xxiv. 50, ' The thing is of the Lord.' I can say nothing against it. I will see what Christ will do for my soul ; oh, that I may be found in him ! It presents Christ to God : Eph. iii. 12, ' In whom we have boldness and access with con- fidence by the faith of him.' You gather heart and confidence by dealing with God in his name. All religion lieth in a coming to God by him, Heb. vii. 25, but that coming is not meant of one duty, but the principal aim and purpose of the soul in all, rejoicing in God.
2. Consecrate and dedicate yourselves to Christ's use : Rom. xii. \t ' I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.' There is the foundation of our obedience : 2 Cor. v. 8, ' But first gave their own selves to the Lord.' You owe yourselves to him, and therefore you give up yourselves to him ; as Paul said to Philemon, ver. 19, ' Thou owest unto me even thine own self/ Lord, I am thine. Your business is first to take Christ, but then to surrender yourselves to his use.
3. Use yourselves as those that are Christ's, that is, improving your time, and estates, and strength, and relations, and talents, and interests for his glory. A good christian would have nothing, but he would make some advantage of it for Christ's use, and this will be seen by checking temptations upon this account : 1 Cor. vi. 15, ' Shall I take the mem- bers of Christ, and make them the members of a harlot ? ' This body is Christ's, this time which I misspend is Christ's, this money is Christ's ; hereby you own God's impress upon you. 'Holiness to the Lord' should be written upon all thiugs, Zech. xiv. 20. And it is known by contrivances, how you shall honour Christ by your place, your rela- tions: Neh. i. 11, 'Grant him mercy in the sight of this man; for I was the king's cupbearer.' He had improved his place for God. God hath advanced me, made me a minister, a magistrate, a master of a
186 SERMONS UPON PHIL1PPIANS I. 21. [SeII. I.
family, given me a great estate. What are the workings of your hearts ? 2 Sam. vii. 2, ' I dwell in a house of cedar ; but the ark of God dvvelleth within curtains/
4. Honour him by the holiness of your conversations, when you walk so as remembering that Christ's honour lieth at stake, at another rate than others do : 1 Cor. iii. 3, ' They walk as men.' We have higher advantages, and hopes, and obligations upon ourselves than others have. Wherein do you differ ? Mat. v. 46, ' What do ye more than others ? ' Both for matter and aim, your business should be so as to bring Christ into request with others: 1 Peter ii. 12, 'Having your conversation honest among the gentiles ; that whereas they speak against you as evil- doers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation/
5. By all your enjoyments, temporal and spiritual, let Christ be endeared to you : 1 Cor. iii. 21, ' All things are yours, because you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.' All mercies swim to you in his blood. Get actual possession of an evangelical right, sanctified by Jesus Christ. As to quickening enlargements, it is a sign you have them from Christ when you honour him and esteem him the more for them : John xvi. 14, ' He shall take of mine, and glorify me.' It is a sign the Spirit of Christ dwelleth and worketh in us when all that enlightening, quickening comfort and refreshing which we have is used to the glory of Christ.