S. MATT. vii. 21. Not every one that faith unto me, Lord, Lord, Shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he that doth the Will of my Father which is in Heaven. DOCTRINE. Every one that profeffeth the Name of Christ here, shall not poffefs the Glory of Christ hereafter. 1. How far may a Man profefs the Name of Chrift, and yet come fhort of Heaven? So far as, 1. To acknowledge Him to be, 1. The Son of God, S, Matt. viii. 29. 3. The only Saviour of the World, with- 2. To be baptized into His Name. 4. To hear often of Him, Ezek. xxxiii. 31. too. 6. So as to receive the Sacraments often for Him. 7. To prophefy in His Name, S. Matt. vii. 22. 8. To caft out Devils by His Name, ibid. S. Mar. ix. 38. 2. Why fo? Becaufe a Man may profefs, and yet H 3 2. Not 2. Not truly believe. 3. Not truly love God. 4. Not truly follow after Holiness. COROLLAR Y, Hence it follows, That Religion doth not confift only in Externals. USES of this Doctrine. 1. Examine, whether we fo profefs, as to poffefs Christ. 1. Doft thou fo profefs Chrift, as to make Him the chief Subject of thy Meditations, Pfal. cxxxix. 18. the principal Object of thine Affections, Coloff. iii. 2. -- thy fure Defence against Temptations. the Sovereign Antidote a gainst all thy Corruptions. 2. 3. 4. 5. the only Grounds of all thy 6. Hopes and Expectations, Pfal. Ixii. 5. the ultimate End of all thy 7. Actions. fo as to account Him thy chief Treasure, infomuch as thou couldft fell or part with all other Things for Him, S. Matt. xiii. 46. and x. 37. 2. Add Obedience to thy Profeffion. For confider, 1. Thy Profeffion without Obedience will ftand thee in no ftead, S. Matt. vii. 23. 2. It will be no Diminution, but an Aggravation of thy Sins; the Sins of a Chriftian Profeffor! 1: They 1. They are against greater Light, S. Joh. 2. 3. iii. 19. Love. Means of Grace. 4. They are a greater Reproach to Christ. 5. A Scandal to Religion. 6. A greater Hindrance to the Converfion of others, 1 S. Pet. iii. 1. 3. Therefore thy Profeffion will not do thee any Good, but much Hurt at the Day of Judgment. What, thou? thou that profeffeft Chrift, Art Thou a Sinner? 4. As it will be an Aggravation of thy Sin here, fo of thy Mifery hereafter, S. Matt.xxiv. 51. II. DOCTRINE. That doing the Will of God, or universal Obedience to all His Commands reveal'd to us, is the Condition of our Salvation, or entring into the Kingdom of Heaven, i. e. Glory and eternal Happiness. How does it appear, that fuch as do the Will of God, fhall enter into it? 1. Because God hath promis'd it to us, in the Words of the Text; and Levit. xviii. 5. 2. Because Chrift hath purchas'd it for us. III. USE. Hence obferve, 1. The Errour of the Antinomians, S. Matt. V. 17. Rom. iii. 31. 2. The Plainnefs of the Path to Heaven. 3. None but Chriftians can be faved, Act. iv. 12. S. Joh. iii. 18. 4. The Madness of moft Men that refufe to do this Will. 1. By doing what we ought not. I. 2. By not doing what we ought. IV. MOTIVES to do the Will of GOD. Confider, 1. The Reward in doing it, Pfal. xix. 11. 1. The Pleafure, S. Joh. iv. 34. Pfal. xl. 8. 1. In Praying. 2. Praifing, Pfal. lvii. 7. 3. Reading, Pfal. i. 2. 4. 5. 6. 7. . Hearing, Pfal. lxxxiv. 10. and Conferring, Pfal. Iv. 14. 1. His Properties. 2. 3. 4. Promises. Providences. Prefence, Pfal. Ixxiii. 28, 8. It is the Will of God, that we should 2. The Profit; for hereby thou mayst get 2. The Son of God thine, S. Joh. xx. 28. I. Graces. 2. Comforts. 4. The Laws of God thine. 5. The Promifes of God thine, 2 Cor. i. 20. 6. The Minifters of God thine, 1 Cor. iii. 22. 7. The Providence of God thine, Rom. viii. 28. 8. Death itself thine, 1 Cor. iii. 22, 3. The Honour. Confidering, 1. Whofe Will it is. 2. What a Will it is. 1. Spiritual, Rom. vii. 14. 2. Heavenly; the Will of our heavenly Father. 3. Holy, Rom. vii. 12. 4. Perfect, Pfal. xix. 7. 5. Acceptable, Rom. xii. 2. 3. What honourable Company you have in doing it. 1. Saints. 2. Angels. Thy Will be done on Earth, as in Heaven. 3. Chrift, Act. x. 38. 4. God Himself. 2. The Reward for doing it, Rom. vi.ult. Con fifting, 1. In Freedom from Mifery. 2. Enjoyment of Happiness; as, 1. Society of Angels. 2. Prefence of Christ. 3. Favour of God. 4. Perfection of Graces. V. DIRECTIONS in doing the Will of GOD. 1. Never think thou doft the Will of God, unless thou doft what God wills, Ifa. i. 12. 2. unless thou think'ft it is the Will of God that thou doft. 3. unless thou dost it because it is unless thou doft it with thine the Will of God, 1 Sam. xv. 22. 4. own Will, 1 Chron. xxviii. 9. 5. Think not that thou dost any of the Will of God, unless thou dost all the Will of God, Pfal. cxix. 6. 6. Think, |