V.

SBR M.dividing to their followers diverfities of Gifts, to every man severally, as might 1 Cor. xii. best serve the great end of their minstry : finally, to continue with all good Chriftians even unto the End of the World, as the great Sanctifier of the Hearts of men; affifting them with his grace, admonishing them with his Holy Influences, working with them and infpiring them with his good Gifts, and helping the Infirmity of their Prayers with his own Interceffion. This is what the Scripture teaches us diftinctly and feparately, concerning the feveral Offices of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They are alfo in fome few places all mentioned together; as in the Form of Baptifm, whereby we are dedicated to the Service of God, baptized into the Death of his Son, and given up to the guidance of his Holy Spirit: In the form of Bleffing, wherein we are recommended by the Apostle to the Love of God; to the Favour of Christ, and to the Communion or FelEph.ii.18. lowship of the Holy Ghost: By St Paul 6. again; Eph. iv. 4, 5, 6; There is one Spione Lordone God and Father

1

I Cor. viii.

Tim.ii.5. rit,

of all, who is above all, and through all, and SER M. all: And in the Words of the Text; V. in you There are Diversities of Gifts, but the fame Spirit; and there are Diverfities of Adminiftrations, but the fame Lord; and there are Diverfities of Operations, but it is the fame God, that worketh all in all.

23.

IT remains in the 3d and last place, that we confider that which is Practical, concerning the Honour due to the Perfon of the Father, and concerning that which is due to the Son and to the Holy Ghost. To the Perfon of the Father, is to be directed that absolute and fupreme Worship, by which he is acknowledged to be alone Пavтoxрáτag, the Maker and Judge of all; Heb. xiii. by whofe incomprehenfible Power, the World was created; by whose unerring Providence, the Universe is governed; by Aasv.32 whose fupreme Authority, our Lord was Thefiv. fent forth to redeem Us; by whofe good Heb. ii. 4. pleasure the Holy Spirit is given, to fancti- 2Cor. i. fy us; to whofe glory, every tongue now Phil.ii.. Confeffes that Jefus is the Lord; and to whom, at the Confummation of all things, our Lord himself fhall deliver up the King-1 Cor. xv. dom, and become fubject to Him that

put

xv. 8.

8.

22; V. 5.

24; xi. 3.

all

SER M.all things under him, that God may be all

V.

in all To Him we are to pray for the Remiffion of our Sins; and that our Repentance may be accepted, through the powerful Interceffion of Chrift our great High Prieft; and that our Hearts may be renewed by the Infpiration of his Holy Spirit: and to Him we are to give Continual Thanks, for his original and undeserved Goodness in fending his Son at first to be the Saviour of the World, and to be unto us a propitiation through Faith in his Blood; and for the continuation of that Goodness, in affording us the perpetual affiftance of the Holy Ghost.

To the Perfon of the Son, there is due this peculiar Honour; that we offer up all our Prayers in his Name; (whatsoever, fays he, ye fhall afk of the Father in my Name, he will give it you, Joh. xv. 16.) that we rely upon his Merits, depend upon his Interceffion, obey him as our Lord, love him as our Saviour, fear him as our Judge. That we acknowledge his great Condefcenfion, in loving us and giving himself for us; in that, when he was in the form of God, he was not greedy of retaining

V.

taining that form, but willingly made him- SER M. felf of no reputation, and took upon him. the form of a Servant, and was made in the Likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto Death, even the Death of the Cross, Phil. ii. 6. For which reason, as the Apoftle adds in the Words immediately following, God alfo has highly exalted him, and given him a Name which is above every Name; that at the Name of Jefus every knee should bow, of things in Heaven, and things in Earth, and things under the Earth; and that every tongue Should confefs that Jefus Chrift is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. And accordingly upon this Account, we find the higheft Honour ascribed to him both by men and Angels: Rev. v. 8. The four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, and fung a new fong, faying, Thou art worthy- ; For thou waft flain, and haft redeemed us to God by thy Blood, out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation;And I heard the voice of many Angels, faying, Worthy is the

Lamb

SERM.

V.

Lamb that was flain, to receive power and riches and wifdom and strength and honour and glory and Bleffing: And every Creature --beard I faying, Bleffing and honour and Glory and Power be unto him that fitteth on the Throne, and to the Lamb for ever and ever. And ch. 1.5; Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood, and has made us Kings and Priefs unto God and his Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever. This is the peculiar Addition of the Chriftian Religion; that whereas before, all men honoured the Father, they fhould now likewife Honour the Son: St Joh. v. 23. Which Honour paid to the Son of God, is therefore no diminution to the Honour of the Father, nor derogation from the Monarchy of the Universe; because the Greatness and Dignity, the Divinity and Majesty of the Son, is not contradiftinct to, but derivative from, that of the Father; and confequently must be acknowledged to that very End, that it may be (as St Paul exprefily declares) to the glory of the Father.

Laftly,