Ver. 15.—1. Every act of grace in God or love in Christ to- wards us is in its own nature obligatory to thankful obedience. 2. The religious worship of any creature, under what pretence soever, hath no place in our Christian profession. 8. Every act and duty of faith hath in it the nature of a sacrifice to God, wherewith he is well pleased. 4. The great, yea, the only encouragement which we have to bring our sacrifices to God with expectation of acceptance lieth herein, that we are to offer them by him who can and will make them acceptable in his sight. 5. Whatever we tender to God, and not by Christ, it hath no other acceptance with him than the
CHAP. XIII. 17.] PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS. 545
sacrifice of Cain. 6. To abide and abound in solemn praise to God for Jesus Christ, and for his mediation and sacrifice, is the constant duty of the church, and the best character of sincere believers. 7. A constant solemn acknowledgment of the glory of God, and of the holy excellencies of his nature (that is, his name) in the work of the redemption of the church by the suffering and offering of Christ, is the principal duty of it, and the animating soul and principle of all other duties whatever.
Ver. 16.—1. It is dangerous unto the souls of men, when an attention unto one duty is abused to countenance the neglect of another. 2. The world itself, even in those that believe not, doth receive great advantage by the grace administered from the death of Christ and its fruits, whereof the apostle treats. 3. That religion hath no relation unto the cross of Christ which doth not incline and dispose men unto benignity and the exercise of loving-kindness to- wards all, 4. Much less hath that religion any relation to the cross of Christ which guides and disposeth its professors unto rage, cruelty, and oppression of others, on the account of an interest of its own. 5. We ought always to admire the glory of divine wisdom, which hath so disposed the state of the church in this world, that there should be continual occasion for the exercise of every grace mutually among ourselves. 6. Beneficence and communication are the only outward evidences and demonstrations of the renovation of the image of God in us. 7. God hath laid up provision for the poor in the grace and duty of the rich, not in their coffers and their barns, wherein they have no interest. 8, The will of God revealed con- cerning his acceptance of any duties, is the most effectual motive unto our diligence in them. 9. The works and duties which are peculiarly useful unto men are peculiarly acceptable to God.
Ver. 17.—1. The due obedience of the church in all its members unto the rulers of it, in the discharge of their office and duty, is the best means of its edification, and the chief cause of order and peace in the whole body. 2 An assumption of right and power by any to rule over the church, without evidencing their design and work to be a watching for the good of their souls, is pernicious unto them- selyes and ruinous unto the church itself. 3. They who do attend with conscience and diligence unto the discharge of the work of the ministry towards their flocks, committed in an especial manner unto their charge, have no greater joy or sorrow in this world than what accompanies the daily account which they give unto Christ of the discharge of their duty amongst them, as their success falls out to be. 4, Much of the life of the ministry and benefit of the church depend on the continual account given unto Christ, by prayer and thanks- giving, of the state of the church and success of the word therein.
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546 SUMMARY, ETC. [CHAP. XIIL 20-22.
Ver. 20, 21.—1. When we make application to God for any especial grace or mercy, it is our duty to direct and fix our faith on such names, titles, or properties of God, as whereunto that grace doth particularly relate, and from whence it doth immediately pro- ceed, 2. If this be the title of God, if this be his glory, that he is the God of peace, how excellent and glorious is that peace from whence he is so denominated,—which is principally the peace which we have with himself by Jesus Christ! 38. As every thing that is evil to mankind, within them and amongst them, both with reference to things temporal and eternal, proceeds from our original loss of peace with God by sin, and by the enmity which ensued thereon; so peace, on the other side, is comprehensive of all kinds of good, both here and hereafter: and God being styled the God of peace declares him to be the only fountain and cause of all that is good to us in every kind. 4, All the work of God towards Jesus Christ respected him as the head of the church, as our Lord and Saviour. 5. The safety, security, and consolation of the church much depend on this greatness of its Shepherd. 6. On this relation of Christ to the church it lives and is preserved in the world. 7. The bring- ing back of our Lord Jesus Christ, as the Shepherd of the sheep, from the state of the dead, through the blood of the covenant, is the great pledge and assurance of peace with God, or the effecting of that peace which the God of peace had designed for the church. 8. The reduction of Christ from the dead by the God of peace, is the spring and foundation of all dispensations and communications of grace to the church, or of all the effects of the atonement and purchase made by his blood. 9. All legal sacrifices issued in blood and death; there was no recovery of any of them from that state. 10. There is, then, a blessed foundation laid of the communication of grace and mercy to the church, to the eternal glory of God.