fhould be proportionate to one-another. It were montrous that Chrift fhould have fuch a flrange body, as Nebuchadnezzar's image, which he saw in his dream; the head of gold, the breaft and arms of filver, the thighs of brafs, and the feet of iron and clay, Dan. ii. 32.; even fo, it is not for Chrift's honour, to be head of a monftrous body. So much as we retain of fin, fo much do we difhonour Chrift. Chrift came for this very end, to make his people holy. He came to repair the ruins of the fall: now, by the fall, we loft not only God's favour, but God's image alfo: therefore, that the plaifter might be as broad as the fore; he died, not only to reconcile us, but to fanctify us; "That he might fanctify us by his own blood, he fuffered without the gate," Heb. xiii. 12. His blood is not only a price to redeem us, but a laver to cleanfe us. Now, by this Chriftian walk, Chrift gets the glory of his mediatorial offices.-We glorify his prophetical office, by hearing his voice, receiving his inftruction, and learning the law from his mouth. We glorify his priefly cffice, by coming to God through him, feeking acceptance only in him.-We glorify his kingly office, by giving up our lufts into his hand, to be flain by him; and by an intire and voluntary fubjection of our fouls to his government; fo as not to be without law to God, but under the law to Chrift.. By this Christian walk he gets the glory of his death and paffive obedience; while we live to him that died for us: the glory of his doing, or active obedience; while we make honourable mention thereof, in all our courfe of holinefs, faying, "I will go in the ftrength of the Lord, making mention of his righteoufnefs, even of his only," Pfal. Ixxi. 16.-By this he gets the glory of his work in us, as well as for us; while we work out our falvation, in the faith of his working in us, both to will and to do, of his good pleasure.-By this walk Chrift gets the glory of his purchase; having purchased a peculiar people, zealous of good works: and having purchased grace and glory to that people, furely he is glorified then, when these graces fhine in the practice of holinefs.-By this walk he gets the glory of his covenant and example; feeing it is by the grace treasured up in thefe promifes, that this walk

is begun, carried on, and perfected: therefore," Having thefe promifes, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthinefs of the flefh and fpirit, perfecting holi nefs in the fear of God," 2 Cor. vii. 1.; and feeing from thefe promifes believers bring all their comfort under dif ficulties; "Though my houfe be not fo with God, yet he hath made with me an everlafting covenant, ordered in all things and fure: for this is all my falvation, and all my defire, although he make it not to grow," 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. By this walk Chrift gets the glory of his way of walking in the world; in that it is a walk after Chrift, as the moft perfect example of holiness, in doing and fuffering, according to the will of God: hence they that walk in Chrift, are faid to walk as he himself walked, and to be followers of the Lamb whitherfoever he goes.-In a word, by this walk Chrift gets the glory of his grace and free favour for, as this walk is a fruit and effect of his grace; fo it hath a natural, as well as inflituted tendency, to advance the praise of his glorious grace; and all the believer's walk fhould be directed to this end. Here is a strong motive, it is a walk neceffary to the glory of Chrift.

(3.) The glory of God the Holy Ghoft calls for this walk; for the Father and the Son have committed the faints to the Spirit's charge, to this very end and purpofe, that they might be fanctified and made holy. Sanctification of heart and life, is made the Spirit's perfonal operation; "Becaufe God hath from the beginning chofen you to falvation, through fan&tification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth," 2 Thef. ii. 13. This holy walk doth belong, according to the econoniy of grace, to the Father, to purpose it; to the Son, to purchase it; to the Spirit, to work it and it is not to the Spirit's honour that God's nurfery and plantation, committed to his charge, should not thrive and profper: it is not for the Spirit's honour, to dwell in defiled temples: it is not to the Spirit's honour, that any, committed by the Father and the Son to his charge, fhould miscarry or fall away, either totally, from all grace; or finally, for all time: nay, this, or any thing that looks like it, is fo far from being to his honour, that it is to his greatest

difhonour yea, it is a great grief to the Spirit, when the work of grace doth not go on and profper in the foul; for, it is he that worketh us to this very thing; and therefore is called the Spirit of holinefs.-The Father hath left the Son in charge to be the Captain of our falvation, to bring many children to glory: the Son hath left the Spirit in charge, with all his Father's children, to guide them by his counfel, and bring them to his glory. Father, Son, and Spirit are one, and agree in one, for cur fanctification. Chrift fends the Comforter for this end, to lead his people in all truth, John xiv. 16. And how is the Spirit glorified in his graces, glorified in his comforts, glorified in his influences, glorified in his operations, while we give evidence, by our walk, that he is perfecting his own work, and ripening our fouls for heaven! Whereupon this walk in Chrift, is alfo called a walking in the Spirit.-Now, believer, what think ye, or what shall you and I think of this great motive to this Christian walk, the glory of God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft? Surely when we speak to believers, we cannot be fuppofed to fpeak to fuch, as have no regard to the glory of God, the praife of Chrift, or the honour of the Holy Ghoft: why then, I think it may melt our hearts, for our unchriftian walk hitherto, and move our fouls to a more Chriftian walk hereafter; that by the glory of God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, we stand obliged to this Chriftian walk: As ye have received Chrift Jefus the Lord, fo walk ye in him.

2dly, The advantage of man is another motive, that may be branched out into many particulars; whether we confider the neceffity of this Chriftian walk, with refpect to our own advantage, or the advantage of others.

(1.) It is neceffary in refpect of ourfelves; and the advantage that accrues to the children of God, by this Christian walk, lies in thefe particulars.

1. The first advantage of this Christian walk is, that it is the porch of communion with God: none but those that walk in Chrift, have fellowship with the Father, and with the Son. While a man is prophane and unfanctified, what communion can there be between light and

dark

darknefs? God is light in the abftract, and an impure finner is darknefs in the abftract. As a man cannot have communion with beafts, becaufe they live not the fame life; fo, a natural man cannot have communion with God, because he lives not the fame life: nay, he is alienated from the life of God: But when a man walks in Chrift, then he walks with God; and when you walk in Chrift, God walks in you. "Ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath faid, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; I will be their God, and they fhall be my people," 2 Cor. vi. 16.

2. The next advantage of this Christian walk is, that it exalts a man above his neighbours; lifts him up above the sphere of other men: "The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour." A gracious poor man, is far more excellent than a graceless rich nobleman, notwithstanding all his titles of honour. The faints are God's jewels; the reft of the world are but lumber, with all their land and lordships.

3. The third advantage of this Christian walk is, that it turns moral virtues into graces. Some persons are naturally more meek, and fober, and patient than others: and fome natural men are morally juft and righteous, in their dealing and converfation in the world; honeft dealers, good pay-mafters, make their word their deed: all this, a man may be, and do, and yet perish for ever. But whenever grace, and a Chriftian walk enters, and fanctification in the power of it, then the principle of grace turns thefe moral virtues into graces: his natural and moral actions are now performed from inward and renewed principles; he now acts FROM God, and FOR God, in all that he doth; whether he eats or drinks, or buys or fells. As carnal hearts are always carnal, even in fpiritual performances; for the ftreams never run higher than the head: fo, on the contrary, gracious hearts are fpiritual, even in natural and moral actions; for, they that are in Christ are new creatures; acting from new principles.

4. The next advantage of this Christian walk is, that it is the matter of our joy. There is the joy and peace of our juftification, that is founded upon the righteoufnefs

of

of Chrift's merit for us: this is the greateft ground of the believer's joy. But next in virtue to that, there is the joy and peace of fanctification, flowing from the righteoufnefs of Chrift's Spirit in us; of which the apoftle fpeaks, when he fays, "This is our rejoicing, the teftimony of our confcience, that in fimplicity and godly fincerity, not with flefhly wifdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our converfation in the world."And the pfalmift, when he fays, "Great peace have they that love thy law," Pfal. cxix. 165. Whereas, there is no peace to the wicked: and therefore Chrift's coming, at death and judgment, will be terrible to him, both because they are deftitute of the righteousness of juftification and fanctification; for it is only the pure in heart that fhall fee God. At death and judgment, a dram of faving grace will be more valuable, more comfortable, than mountains of gold, and millions of worlds. Oh! the midnight cry at death and judgment, faying, "Behold the Bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him!" How terrible will it be to the foolish virgins, that have no oil in their lamps, nor grace in their hearts! Alas! how dolefully will you cry in that day, man!— How dreadfully will you fhriek! But Chrift will not hear you; yea, he will fhut the door against you, Matth. XXV. IO. Then, knock never fo hard, cry never fo loud, the door is fhut; there is no hope of entrance.

5. The fifth advantage of this Christian walk is, that it is an evidence of a gracious ftate, for the confirmation of our faith: hence Abraham fhewed his faith by his works; whereby it was juftified from the calumny of a falfe faith, James ii. 21,-23. And this, indeed, contributes to make this holy walk a comfortable thing; because it is the fruit, effect, and evidence of juftification though it be no ground or foundation thereof, yet it is an evidence of it, and of a gracious ftate.How fhall a man evidence that he hath received Chrift Jefus the Lord, but by walking in him?

6. The next advantage of this Chriftian walk is, that it is a walking toward heaven; heaven is at the end of the walk hence it is faid, "Without holiness no man fhall fee the Lord," Heb. xii. 14. And no unclean thing

fhall