Obedience in the Covenant

‘| wit. put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes; and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them,” Ezek. xxxvi. 27. Obedience is of

the heart, or of the life. In this scripture, God undertakes for both.

I. For the obedience of the heart, he undertakes in the former words, I will put my Spirit in your

heart. Where the Spirit dwells, he rules; where

Satan dwells, he rules; and where the Spirit of the

Lord dwells, there Godrules. The Spirit in the heart,

is the law of the heart. Those two promises, ‘I will ‘put my Spirit in your hearts,” and “I will write my law in your hearts,” signify the same thing. The

aw in the heart, is the will of man melted into the

will of God. The law of God may be in the mouth, and the heart a rebel; its reception into the heart, notes the heart’s subjection to it.

. The obedience of the heart includes two things

1. The opening of the heart to the word; 2. The -yesolution of the heart for the work of the Lord.

1. The opening of the heart to the word. What

owilt thou have me to do, Lord? That is the voice

of an obedient heart. Speak Lord, command Lord, what wilt thou? And when he speaks, whatever it be, the word is embraced and accepted of the heart. Let my counsel be acceptable to thee,” Dan. iv. 27. The acceptance of the word in the heart, is signified by its hearkening to it. To hearken, is more than to hear; though they sometimes denote the same thing, yet ordinarily, hearing is of the ear, hearkening of the heart. “Israel would not hearken, my people would none of me,” Psa. lxxxi. 11. They

heard what the Lord spake, but they would not:

hearken; that is, as it is there interpreted, they would

none of the Lord. They rejected the word of the Lord which he spake unto them. When the word —

is let come in with authority, suffered to rule in the soul; when the heart gives up itself unto it, then it is accepted; there is its hearkening to it.

2. The resolution of the heart for the work of the Lord. ‘I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments,” Psa. exix. 106. I have vowed and I will perform; I have covenanted, and I am determined to keep thy statutes. The word which thou hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord, we will not do; that is the rebellious: ANhintievce the Lord shall speak, we will do; that is the obedient heart.

Where the heart is thus resolved to obey, this is —

that obedience which shall be accepted unto salvation. Where this resolution is, as there is opportunity there will be practice; and where there is not opportunity in God’s account, this is it. This is praying, this is hearing, this is giving, and feeding, and clothing, and visiting; this is walking circumspectly, working righteousness, showing mercy, exercising faith, and patience, and repentance; this is outkeeping the commandments of God, and walking in his statutes. A heart to obey, is our obeying; a heart to do, is our doing; a heart to suffer im - God’s account, is our suffering for his name.

But here it must be carefully noted, that though sincere resolution for obedience, be obedience; yet every resolution is not that resolution. Resolution for obedience is then sincere, where,

(1.) flows from an inward and rooted inclination. é (2.) It is founded on a firm belief of scripture revelation.

(3.) It is built on the highest and weightiest reasons,

(4.) It is the result of the most mature and deep deliberation.

(1.) A sincere resolution flows from an inward rooted inclination; ‘ I have inclined mine heart to ‘perform thy statutes,” Psa. cxix. 112. Our new purpose is from our new nature. It is not produced ‘by some sudden fright, or sense of danger; or merely by a present force of argument; but by a divine power working the heart to a suitableness to ‘the will and ways of God, and a habitual propen- ‘sion and inclination thereto. Resolution for holiness, without a holy inclination, is a blade without a root; as fresh and as green as it looks, it will wither and come to nothing; no root, no fruit, nor lasting. The heart is the root of action, and grace is the life of the root. When our resolutions are the blade, sprouting forth of this living root, then they will abide, and bring forth the ear and a harvest.

(2.) A sincere resolution is founded on a firm assent to the truth of scripture revelation. A christian resolves for godliness, because he believes Goa

that he is as he hath said, the rewarder of them that s a ae diligently seek him. He is built on the scriptures, as his hopes, so his purposes have the foundation of the nee and apostles, on which they stand. Whatever resolution hath not this foundation is but as a house upon the sands.

(3.) A sincere resolution is founded on the highest reason. Where we resolve without reason we will quickly find a reason to change. Where we resolve we know not why, we shall change we know not how soon. To resolve we know not why, and to resolve on we know not what, will be alike unstable. Though there be reason for religion, yet religion may be taken up without reason. Whatever reason there be for it, yet if it be not understood, or considered, it is all one as if there were no reason at all. And if there seem some reason for it, yet if it be not the highest reason, when a stronger than it comes, we quickly change-our purpose.

The reasons we have for our serving and following God are the highest of all reasons, and that aap we respect it as our duty or our happiness.

or,

[1.] There is none can lay such claims to us as God. Whose amI?. Who hath made me? Who hath bought me? ‘ Glorify God in your bodies and in your spirits, which are his,” 1 Cor. vi. 20,

. Serve the Lord with gladness; for the Lord he is

God; it is he that hath made us, not we ourselves, we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture,” ‘Psa. c.2, 3. What reason have you to serve men, or to serve sin, or the world? Men think they have ‘yeason for it, but what reason? Are any of these gods? Are men your gods? is sin or the world God? do you owe yourselves to them? It is he that hath made us, and his we are. As the apostle saith concerning obedience to parents, much more may it be said here; Children obey your God, for this is right. This i is his due, and your duty; if any one ean lay as good a claim to you, let him carry you away for servants.

{2.] There is none can be better to us than God. None can requite, none can reward our obedience as he. ‘ Where can you be better than with God? He will require no more, than that you serve him till you can find a better master. He that saith, It is best to serve sin and the world; is a fool, and hatk said in his heart, There is no.God. If God be God, he is the chief, yea, the only good. If any thing in the world, upon what account soever, be thought better than the Lord, that is set up for a god = room.

[3.] Whomsoever we serve, it is God must pay us our wages at last. God is judge, he is the rewarder both of the evil and the good; both of those who serve him and those who serve him not. If you serve the Lord, he will be your reward; if you serve him not, he will reward you: but what reward have you? <‘ Those, mine enemies, which will not have me reign over them, bring them, and slay them before me;” there is their reward. Sin hath its rewards, but what are they but vanity and vexation? Or if they were better, how long will they last? But when sin hath paid the most it can, oh what a reward is there behind that God hath to pay you! “This shall ve have of mine hand, ye shall lie down in sorrow.’ wr

[4.] The wages which God will give shall certainly be blessed or dreadful, according to our obedience or disobedience. The reward that God hath to give is an eternal reward: eternal salvation to

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them that obey him; everlasting destruction to him
that serveth him not.

I have a soul; this carcass is the least part of me; there is another world, a world to come; a few years is the most I have to spend in this; I must — abide eternally, eternally in the other world. -

Of how little consequence is it, what I have here, whether little or more, better or worse? in a short time that will come all to one. But oh my eternity! what is that like to be? Why it is God that must determine it, and he will certainly reward every man according to his works. ‘‘ Who will render to every man according to his deeds. To them who, by patient continuance in well doing, seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life. But to them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, tribulation, and anguish,” &c. Rom. ii. 6 — 10. There is glory and shame, mercy and wrath, life and death, set before me; there is no third state, one of the two must be my lot; and this is it that doth determine, which, if I obey, I live; if I disobey, I die for ever.

Now, when my resolution is founded on such- reasons as these, than which none can be imagined higher and more weighty; till eternity become of less regard than time; and an immortal soul be set below a perishing body, and when the question being put, Shall I follow God or not? God or the world? God or my lust? Speak, soul, give in thy answer: when this is the answer it gives; Why, there is none can lay such claim to me as God; there is none can be as good to me as God; whomsoever I serve, it is God must be my rewarder; my everlasting blessedness, or eternal ruin, depends on him, and must be infallibly determined, according

to my obedience or disobedience, This is the plain case, obey and live; obey, or die for ever, And therefore what can J say less or more, but that I am the Lord’s, and will be his servant. Let others choose whom they will serve; as for me, O my soul, serve thou the Lord, This resolution, thus founded, is like to stand.

(4.) A sincere resolution is the fruit of mature deliberation. Deliberation gives reason its full weight, makes the strength of it appear; it lays all things in the balance; it is the comparing of reasons for and against, the weighing of arguments and objections, encouragements and discouragements; casting the cost, as well as the gain, particularly. In this deliberation there must be a considering, 1. What there is in this obedience, 2. What it is attended with, that may encourage. There must be a considering what there is“in this obedience; or. otherwise we resolve upon we know not what. Now there are five things in this obedience: 1. Subjection; 2. Activity and industry; 3. Integrity; 4. Circumspection; 5. Spirituality.

1. Subjection. Servants must be subject, must not be at their own wills, but at the will of another. The heart of man naturally affects dominion; that is the great controversy of sinners with God. “Who shall be Lord? “We are lords,” we would be at least, “‘we will come no more unto thee,” Jer. ii. 31. Obedience yields that God should be Lord; yea, and all others also whom he hath made lords over us. The servants of Christ must not be, and yet must be, the servants of men; they must not serve the lusts, but must be subject to their righteous laws and commands. God must be obeyed, and magistrates, ministers, masters, parents must be obeyed in

s3 the Lord, and for the Lord; yea, and they must be, when God will have it so, the servant of servants.

While they must not serve the humours of the greatest, they must serve the necessities of the meanest, must stoop to the lowest of offices, even to the washing of the feet of the least disciple. All this the Lord expects of them, and they must be subject. They must not dispute, but do his will; only it must be considered that there is a double ‘disputing the will of God. There is a disputing whether that which is pretended to be the will of God be so or not; this ought to be done. And there is a disputing or questioning that which is granted to be the will of God, whether it be fit to be done, or safe to be done. Is it not better to let it alone? What advantage is there in it? What reason is there for it? No, they must not thus dispute; this is reason enough, God will have it so. God’s will is ever reason, and it must be our reason. It is enough for thee to say, This is that which the Lord hath commanded, and I must be subject. This is one thing that must be considered, I will obey, and must be subject to God.

2. Activity and industry. The servants of the Lord must be active and industrious. Whom he sends into the vineyard he sends to work, and not to sleep. The life of a christian is laborious; whilst others are in their beds, he must be on his knees; whilst others take their pleasure, he must take pains; whilst others take their times, now a little, and then a little, he must sit to it, be ever about his Master’s business. An active spirit is an excellent spirit, and it is necessary in a christian.;

An active spirit is an excellent spirit; sluggards are the refuse of the earth, Pe

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OBEDIENCE IN THE COVENANT. PAGS

But here it must be considered that there is a double activity, gracious and natural. 1. Natural, which arises from an innate vigour and vivacity of some men’s spirits. ‘There needs not industry in

such to bring forth action; it is but leaving nature

to its course, and that will fly high enough of itself. It requires more industry to regulate, and sometimes to restrain, than to put forth into action. It is more labour for them to rest than to be doing. 2. Gra — cious; which is either natural activity, managed and improved for God, turned into.a right course, running in a right channel; or a naturally inactive spirit, raised and quickened by grace and religious — industry. This gracious, this holy activity, this is the excellency; it is the extract of the spirits and life of all our parts and graces, and will go further, and do more high honour, and more abundant ser- — vice to God and his gospel, than is done by a thousand others.

An active sinner is by accident the worst of men: how much service for the devil will he despatch in a little time? An active sinner is life and death met together. He is all life, and yet dead; and the more he hath of death, because so much of life; like poison in wine, he destroys the more effectually. Yet the evil is not in his activity, but in the matter wherein he is employed; the good metal, as keenness of a weapon, is its excellency: but in a madman’s hand, better a wooden than an iron sword. An active spirit is so excellent, that it is pity that ever sin should have the using of it; it were well for religion if the devil were a drone, and had no other servants but the sluggards of the earth, But activity, when set right, is of great price in the sight of God, because it sets a great price upon God, Slothfulness. puts a slight upon God; when the scriptures. have set forth the greatthings, and the, deep things of God; when the Lord Jesus is evidently set forth as crucified before our eyes, as the propitiation for sin; when the preciousness of his blood, the tenderness of his compassion, the riches, of his grace, the sufficiency of his righteousness, his satisfaction and pardons, are all held forth in open sight; when the beauties of holiness, the joys of the Spirit, that peace which passeth all understanding, are laid forth to view; when the most glorious things are spoken of the city of God, Jerusalem,

which is above; when God in his word calls to us, Awake sleepers, arise sluggards, see what is before you; all this may be yours if you will; slothfulness puts this slight upon all, Tush! all this is not worth the breaking my sleep for; it is not all worth

my labour to seek after; my ease and my quiet is

better to me than God and all his glory.:

We may best understand the value we put on things, by the pains and the cost we are content to be at to purchase them. When sinners bestow themselves so upon the world, will bear such labour and travail, are so constantly, so indefatigably industrious in the pursuit of it; and withal, run such hazards and dangers for it, they make it evident enough what rate they put upon it. He whose time and strength, whose days and nights, yea, whose soul and hopes, must all be laid out in a purchase, must all go for a piece of a land, or a little money or pleasure; we need no other proof, what a bargain he thinks this world to be. I care not much for this world: it is a vanity, a shadow, the fashion of it passeth away; I hope it is far enough off my heart, however I am charged

Van with greediness after it. But what then mean all the expenses of thy time, of thy strength, of thy. spirits, that thou daily layest out upon it? What means so much hunting after, and heaping it up for. thyself? What! hast thou been hunting all this while after shadows, heaping up vanities? No, no, thou mistakest thyself, these shadows are thy substance; these vanities are the god whom thou adorest; if thou didst not prize thox wouldst not venture so deeply for them.

And so on the ather side, when so little is Sone for God; when anything must suffice to be spent on souls or eternity; what cheap things do we count them! I love God above all, with all my. neart, with all my soul; he is all my hope, and all

my desire. What a miserable creature were I, if it were not for my hope in God! What would all the world be to me, should I lose my soul! But dost thou speak in earnest? Dost thou think what thou speakest? What! and such a very drone in seeking God! What! and so indifferent, so cold, and so spiritless in thy inquiries after him, i in thy motions towards him! so sparing of thy labour, so negligent of duty, so seldom at it, so soon weary, so many delays, so many excuses! How many times hath God called thee after him, and all thine answer hath been an excuse! an excuse instead of an ordinance, an excuse instead of a prayer, an excuse instead of action, an excuse instead of alms, an excuse instead of an admonition or a reproof; if he will be served with excuses, he shall have service enough, but little besides, I am weary, or it is too late, or it is cold, and so a short and hasty prayer must serve,

or none at all. I have much business upon me, a

family, a farm, and the cares ard troubles of it, thay: 914 OBEDIENUB IN THE COVENANT.

T cannot have so much time nor freedom to attend upon God as others haye, and so a sermon lost, a sacrament lost. I live amongst ill neighbours, if I should be so forward and so active for God, so zealous, and so spiritual in my discourse, in my way, I should be but a scoff and a reproach, and it may be a prey to evil men. I want ability to speak to the edification of others, I have not the boldness as others have, to reprove or admonish; I pray thee have me excused. Wise men indeed, an excuse instead of a duty! It is all one, as if when the Lord calls to thee, Come to me and be saved, thy answer should be, I pray thee excuse me, I must to the devil and be damned.

But is this thy love? is this thy zeal? is this thy valuing of God above all? Tremble, sluggard; whatever excuses thou findest out, to substitute in the room of duty, this is that thou canst never excuse nor acquit thyself of, a slighting of God. Thy very excuses will accuse thee for a slothful servant, and this for a slighter of God; whilst the apostle says, ‘* I reckon that the sufferings of this life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed.” But I reckon, sayest thou, that all the glory to come, is not worthy to be compared with the present labour. ay

But now activity and industry puts a great price upon God; this is written upon all our labours, He is worthy for whom I do all this. Some of the most humble, watchful, laborious christians, do sometimes complain, Oh, I fear I love not God; his favour, his honour, is little set by of me; but whence then is thy care to please God? Whence are all thy labours of love? Dost thou watch, and pray, and work, and run? Canst thou spend and be spent for God, and yet not love him? Dost thou live to God, canst thou die«for God, and yet not prize him? What greater proof canst thou give of love, than such labour?; ods Activity is also necessary. It is vain to think of making any thing of religion without it; the work of it is too great to be done by lying still; the comforts of it lie too deep to be gotten out by a wish. There is many a poor man in this world, that would be the richest man in the country, if riches may be gotten by a wish; he may as soon wish himself into wealth, as thou into grace and comfort. This one thing, men’s not being able to bear the labour of religion, is a rock at which many a soul hath split, and suffered an eternal wreck, nd He that hath some love to holiness, and yet not so much as to carry him through the work of holiness, is short of sincerity; and short of sincerity, short of salvation. He that sticks not at labour, will not stick at suffering: he that slugs at doing, will shrink back from suffering. Say not, There is a lion in the streets; overcome the lion, and you will not fear the bear. Get over difficulties and there is but one stile more, distress, betwixt thee and glory. Pass the first, and thou wilt be the more bold to venture the latter. Holy activity will be a witness to thy sincerity; carry this witness - in thy heart, and then which way ever the world ‘does go, and what storms soever may fall, thou wilt have this to uphold thee — Integrity and uprightness shall preserve me, and eternity reward me. Where sincerity is the root, and holy activity the blossom, an eternal weight of glory shall be the fruit, Lie idle, and all will be lost. Take heed of “Soul take thine ease,” lest the next word — thou hear be, “This night shall thy soul be re- — quired of thee.” ‘Well, this is the second thing included in obedience, activity; and this also must be considered ere thou resolvest. I will obey; but can I labour?

[3.] Integrity. The obedience which God expects must be entire obedience, not only the obedience of the whole man, but to the whole will of God. “Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect to all thy commandments,” Psa. cxix. 6. ‘“As obedient children, be ye holy in all manner of conversation,” 1 Pet. i. 14,15. ‘ Teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I have commanded you,” Matt. xxviii. 20. But of this having spoken more largely elsewhere, it shall suffice to give some short hints of one comprehensive duty, wherein all the rest are included, and on which they depend; and that is — the holding up and maintaining God’s authority in the soul. As God hath set up his authority over the soul, his word, which is to have the government of it; so hath he set up an authority in the soul, the understanding and the conscience These powers, as they are under authority, under the authority of the word; so they are set in autho- ‘rity over the subordinate and inferior faculties, the will, and the passions or affections. But sin now hath made a mutiny and insurrection; the will rises — against reason, and will not be guided; the passions rebel against conscience, and will not be governed; nay, they do not only resist, but take upon them to command and impose upon conscience, What the will would have, conscience must say it is reason it should have, must be put upon it, to find out arguments to prove will to be reason, and to determine that what the will would have done, ought to he done. We easily bring our opinion to our affection - bring ourselves to believe that to be right, which we are unreasonably willing to have to be right. But if it cannot prevail thus far, to gain conscience to say that is right, which it would have to be right, then it will put hard for it to carry it, whether it be right or wrong. And this rebellion of the will, and so of the passions against the reason, is the great reason of the soul’s rebellion against God.

When conscience hath lost its authority, God’s authority is gone. Whilst the understanding and the conscience are maintained in their due authority, where the will and affections are held in their due subjection, there the Lord reigneth. While conscience rightly informed hath its due, God shall have his due: where the will and the passions have no more than their due, he shall have his own. God shall be willed the more, where nothing else is willed too much. God shall be loved the more, and feared the more, where nothing else is loved and feared too much. The more anger, the more hatred, the more grief will be spent upon sin, if it be not inordinately spent elsewhere. Oh how much service might be done, and how much quiet would be enjoyed in the heart, were this authority and subjection maintained and held up!

We may say of our affections, as men say of fire and water, They are the worst masters, but the best servants. How. much should the Lord have of us,

“were these only the executioners of his will! If conscience be commanded by the word, and the will and affections would be commanded by conscience, what would there then be wanting! We should then not only be abundantly serviceable, but all

T would be serene, and sweet, and comfortable within us. If nothing were willed, but what should be willed, we should ever have our will. If nothing were desired, but what should be desired, and no more than it should be loved or desired, we should ever have what we love. If we were not angry, or grieved, or afraid, but where we ought, and no more than we ought, what a calm would there be upon our spirits, even in such cases wherein the spirits of others are like a troubled sea, that cannot be at rest, whose waters cast forth mire and dirt. But where there is such disorder, such rebellion of the inferior against the superior faculties, there we are at a perpetual loss, both in point of duty and comfort. This therefore is necessary, if we will be obedient; and those who have proved what there is in it, do understand that this is hard work.

1 shall instance some few particular duties that are harder than others. He that will be entirely obedient, must stick at nothing that God will have. There is scarcely any thing that God requires, but lust will be quarrelling at, as too hard; but there are some duties harder than others. It shall suffice only to name them: The denial of ourselves; disobliging our nearest friends; loving our enemies; disobeying all the world in their unrighteous commands; obeying God rather than men; returning good for evil; reproving men for sin, especially if they be superiors, or such on whom we have dependency; and the sacrificing our Isaac, yea, parting with all that we have.

Well, this also must be considered, ere you resolve; you will obey, but are you for any thing, for every thing the Lord requires ¢;

{4.] Circumspectio. and care; “See that ye walk circumspectly,” Eph. v.15. A little labour will go far with care, but will be nothing without it. It is not he that is hot, and busy, and active at all adventures; he that keeps to his line, and his rule, he is the obedient christian. It is not so much action as regular action, wherein the life of christianity lies, He that lives by rule, peace be on him, and mercy. Activity without care is extravagance, it is care that keeps within compass. He that is all action, has the more need of caution. A christian must have his eyes in his head as well as a soul in his body. He that resolves well in generals, and comes not off in particulars, does but build castles in the air. What we ordinarily are in particulars will best prove what we are. He that is for any thing but this, any time but now, is for nothing.

Circumspection notes two things; taking notice and taking heed. He that will be circumspect, must eye and observe what is before him; must have his eye upon his end, his rule, and his goings; must eye duty and sin, opportunities and temptations, his times and seasons; he must take heed, as well as take notice; must keep a strict eye on himself, and hold a strict hand on himself, that he leap not over a duty, nor turn aside to imquiry; must set a guard upon himself, upon his tongue, upon his eyes, upon his appetite, upon his company, upon his habit, upon his thoughts, upon his passions, upon all the motions of his soul, and the actions of his body. ‘

This will require something. What! not a word but must be weighed! Not a look but must be looked to! Nota thought but must be examined! Not a sin to be allowed! Not a duty to be abated! Not a circumstance to be neglected! Must ail be in weight and in measure, by line and by rule, and this always too! If something might serve, if somelimes might suffice, it might be borne; but to keep the engagement in every point, and that every day, this is a hard saying indeed. But thus it must be to live as a christian, and to walk exactly, accurately, precisely, is the same thing. Duty and sin, though they be as far distant as heaven and hell, yet there is but a hair betwixt them. The least latitude is a transgression, either all this, (that is, as to the purpose of the heart,) either all this, or nothing.

Well, all this must be considered; you will be obedient, but will you be circumspect?

5. Spiritually. This must be the obedience of faith, Rom. xvi. 26. It is the very life of Jesus made manifest in our mortal flesh: “I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God.” Christians’ obedience is their walking in Christ, Col. ii. 6. all the acts of it are exercised and performed in the strength of Christ. I will go in the strength of the Lord: without him they can do nothing, but can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth them. “I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.” I work, I wrestle, I run, yet not I, but Christ in me; as the apostle speaks of his sins, “It is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.” It is sin that sins; so may it be said of duty. It is no more I that do it, but Christ that dwelleth in me. Though both be the act of the person, both the sin and the duty; yet the principle of the one is lust, the power of the other is of Christ. Christians cannot go through, and they dare not set upon duty, without looking up to Christ, and leaning upon him forassistance. They cannot go through, and therefore they will not set forth, but in the strength of the Lord. All their acts of obedience are exhibited, and offered up in the name of Christ. Their services are their sacrifices to God, and Christ is their altar. What is a sacrifice without an altar? Christ is our altar, which sanctifies our gift; God looks on all, and so do they as nothing worth without Christ; God will not accept, and therefore they will not offer other than the Lamb for their sacrifice. All their acts of obedience are acknowledged to the praise of Christ. It is no more I that do it, but the grace of God which was with me. Grace does the work, and grace shall carry away the praise. Christ is all in the race, and therefore on his head the crown is set. ‘Not unto us, Lord, not unto us, but to thy name be thé praise.” Not of us, and therefore not unto us; of him, and therefore unto him. If I am anything, what others are not; if I have done anything more than others, no thanks to me, and therefore no praise. To him be all, who is all in all to me. The obedience of christians is their walking in Chnist.

The obedience of christians is their walking in the Spirit. They have received the Spirit, and they walk in the Spirit, Gal. v. 16. They have not received the spirit of this world, their spirit is not flesh, but the Spirit which is of God, 1 Cor. ii. 12, They are dead to things carnal, the spirit of the world is departed, they have given up this: it is the Spirit of the living God who lives in them, and in this they live and walk. They walk in the light of the Spirit, in the power of the Spirit; the Spirit of the Lord steers their course and fills their sails; is their pilot, and their star, and their wind that carries them on. When they pray, they pray in the Spirit;

tT 3 when they hear, they hear in the Spirit; through the Spirit they mortify the flesh, are crucified to the world; they obey, they suffer, they fight, they overcome, through the Spirit of the living God that is in them. They live in fellowship with the Spirit, and by him with the Father and the Son. They dwell in the invisible world, their acquaintance and converse is in heaven, thither they have access; and there they have acceptance; thither they have their recourse, and thence they have their returns. Duties and comforts are the tokens that are passing betwixt heaven and earth. Their life is love, and joy, and praise; these are the most noble acts of their obedience, and these give wings to their hearts, carry them on more swiftly and more sweetly through all their course.

Oh how heavily do we drive on, how slowly do our wheels move, when the Spirit of the living God is not in the wheels! Oh how dead are our duties, how lame are our walkings! what low and poor spirited creatures are we! How weak are our hearts, how unripe our fruits, we do but half, do what we do, there is no heart in our life, we are as bodies without souls, whilst our soul is without a spirit. Oh how sad it is with many of us, upon this account! By our estrangement from God, we have even lost ourselves; we are not what we are, because no more where he is. By our distances from heaven, we are even choked with the damps of the earth. We are fit for little, we prosper in nothing, God takes no pleasure, and we take no comfort in any thing we do; our spirits are so chilled and benumbed within us that we neither make no speed in our work, nor riddance of our way. And what are we in our societies! To how little profit do we meet! How little heat do we get; yea, how much do we lose at our brethren’s fires. We serve often but to damp and cool each other’s spirits; as if it might be no longer said, Woe to him tiat is alone; but, Woe be to him that is in company: alone he is more warm.

Christians, I solemnly profess, I am ashamed of myself, and my heart is pamed within me, to observe how insipid, how spiritless, how carnal our converses are. How often may we meet! How long may we sit, christian with christian, ere any thing that savours of the spirit of a christian comes from us! Oh how hard must we strain for a few gracious words! How little does come! How heartless when it comes! How very few of us are there, whose ordinary converse speaks us to be men of another world, whose business, and whose delight lies above, and are in good earnest pressing on towards heaven! How seldom and how short-breathed are our spiritual dis: vourses! How little must suffice! How quickly are we diverted to things carnal and sensual! Sure it is our little communion with God, that has thus debased the communion of saints.

Oh let us live more in the fellowship of the Spirit, and we shall have fellowship one with another to better purpose. Let us warm ourselves at the sun, let us dwell more in his beams, and we shall get and give more light and heat. Thus must it be considered ere we resolve what there is in this obedience.

Further: It must be considered what it is like to be attended withal from without. What suffering it may cost us, what scorn, and contempt, and reproaches, and persecutions of all sorts; it is like to set earth and hell upon our backs; if carnal counsels and fleshly policies, if all the powers of darkness, if might and malice can do it; this way will be made too hot and too hard for thee; tribulation, great tribulation thou must expect, and canst not escape; and the more strict and circumspect, the hotter must thou look thine assaults will be.

Professors of religion who are of the largest size, who are not so strict to their rule, but they can dispense with duty; nor so forward in point of zeal and activity, but they can remit and abate, as occasion serves, may escape this persecuting world the better; but he that will be faithful, whoever escape, is sure to be made a prey. This also must be well considered, I will follow Christ, but can I drink of the cup that he drank of? Can I be baptized with the baptism, the baptism of blood, that he was baptized with?

There are persons who sometimes take up the profession of religion, and resolve all on a sudden they will follow Christ, not understanding what there is in it, or what christianity may stand them in; who, by the time they have looked a little further, and find it another manner of difficulty than at first they imagined; and withal, find the armies of the aliens to fall on, the dogs to tear, the wolves to worry, the eagles, and the vultures, and all the birds of prey, to pitch upon

‘them; and begin in earnest to feel the smart of religion, in those persecutions that are raised upon them for it, presently make their retreat, and go back; Where amI? What have I chosen? Is this to bea christian? Doth Christ look for all this from his followers, and will he leave them to such violence and rapine, as the reward of their faithfulness to his name? I never thought it had been such hot serv’ce, and if I cannot be a saint ata cheaper rate than this, follow Christ who will for me; let those who have nothing to lose, or can bear so much labour, and pains, and violence, take it up if they please; for my part, I must look to myself, I must not be undone.

Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest, said the scribe, Matt. viii.19. Man thou understandest not what thou sayest. Dost thou know whither I am going, where my dwelling, where my lodging is? “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” And behold, there is an end of the scribe’s christianity, we hear not one word more about it.

But now, he who both knows what it is to be a disciple, who hath looked through religion, through the length and breadth of it, hath duly weighed all that can be said for or against his taking it up, hath examined the grounds and reasons he hath for it, what weight there is in them, hath considered the objections, hath cast up the cost and charges of it, and as the issue and result of the most serious debate, stands settled in his judgment, that, all things considered, it is indisputably the best, and wisest, and safest course he can take — It is beyond all controversy, Without all dispute, incomparably better for me to hearken to the Lord in all that he shall require, and to run all hazards with him, and that presently, from this day forward, to the end of my life. He that stands thus settled in his judgment, and thereupon feels his soul fixing itself in this peremptory resolution: Well, through the grace of God, I will be his servant, I give up myself to the government of his will, to follow him in righteousness and holiness all my days. I am sensible it is no light thing to be a christian; I see I must be subject, I see I must be circumspect, I see I must be active, 1 must stick at nothing that God will have; I see this flesh will be pained and put hard to it, will fling and groan under so severe a yoke. I see the devil and this evil world will be upon me, laying on more load, to make my bargain as dear as they can. But be there im it what there will, let it cost. me ever so dear, I am at a point; I will venture all upon it, the Lord is my God, and him will I foilow in all things that he shall speak; I put myself into the everlasting arms; I trust upon everlasting strength, I will go forth in the name of the Lord, and now speak, Lord, for I will hear.

This sincere resolution, this will hold out; when our holy inclinations are so rooted and strong, that they bear down all fleshly inclinations; when our assent to scripture is so firm, that it overbalances all objections against it; when our. reasons for religion are so high and weighty, that they weigh down the highest pretences against it; when we have thoroughly considered what there is in it, and compared all that can be said for or against our following the Lord, and upon the whole matter we judge it our best course, and accordingly resolve for it — this is sincere resolution, this is the obedience of the heart,

II. Obedience of the life. This is the decree bringing forth, or holy inclination and resolution springing up into action, and is a necessary proof of the soundness of the resolution.

Though sincere resolution be obedience in God’s account; yet that resolution which (supposing there be time and opportunity) does not break forth into act, is undoubtedly unsound and deceitful. There are two things infallibly included in spiritual life; a will, and a power. Grace is the disposing, and the enabling the heart for a holy life; and where there is both a will and a power, performance will certainly follow. This sincerity of actual obedience, is that which the prayer of the psalmist looks to, ‘* Let my heart be sound in thy statutes, that I be not ashamed.” Psa. cxix. 80.

There is a soundness in the faith, and a soundness in the statutes of the Lord. Faith denotes in scripture, either the doctrine of faith, or the grace of faith. And accordingly, soundness in the faith, signifies both the receiving and entertaining sound doctrine; and the sound or sincere embracing that doctrine. Soundness in the statutes of the Lord notes especially the practice, the living or walking uprightly under the power of that doctrine, under the government and obedience of the statutes of the Lord. What this obedience of life is, it is easy to gather out of what hath been spoken touching the obedience of the heart; I shall only add, that this obedience is then sound and sincere, when,

1. In general, the whole course of life is the issue of the mentioned sincere resolution; when the life is the birth of the purpose, the fruit growing up out of that holy root. There may be actions materially good and holy, that yet are not gracious actions, because they arise not from a right spring. When the soul hath devoted itself to God in Christ, and believingly. understandingly, and deliberately decreed, and detern.ined in his strength to keep his word and this decree or determination, goes into the performaaces of the life, and is the root and soul of that holy course we walk in; there is sincerity.

Some persons may be found, who have taken up the profession, and go far in the practice of godliness, abstaining from gross sins, yea, and making attempts upon the mortification of inward lusts; applying themselves to the duties of religion, praying, hearing, reading, meditating, discoursing of God, and the things of God, exercising themselves in the works of righteousness and mercy, being meek, temperate, patient; and if all this do arise only from the advantages of a good nature, good education, good society or acquaintance, a powerful ministry, or the workings of natural conscience, as possibly it may, and doth not spring forth from such a fixed well-founded resolution, it is short of sincerity. Whatever the blades be, they have no root, and will certainly wither away.

2. In particular actions, when they are done in simplicity and singleness of 1eart unto the Lord; when whatever sinful mixtures there may sometimes be of carnal respects, that may have an influence upon the exerting and bringing them forth; yet the great poise that moves the wheels, the swaying motive that brings us on, is God, and our respect to his will and honour.

Now for this also the Lord undertakes, promising not only assistance, but success; sufficient grace, and efficacious grace: “I will cause them to walk in my statutes, and they sHatt keep my judgments, and do them.” I will not only teach them my statutes; I will not only incline their hearts to my testimonies; I will not only strengthen them for my work; but I will cause them to walk in my — statutes. The event shali “be sure, they shall keep my judgments, and do them; my word shall fail, my promises shall be of none effect; let me be accounted unfaithful, if I do not make them faithful to me.