A. 2. Obedience must be devout and fer- vent, Rom. xii. 11., "Fervent in spirit," &c. Quce cbullit prce nrdore — it alludes to water that boils over — so the heart must boil over with hot affections in the service ot Ciod. The glorious angels — who, for their burning in fervour and devotion, are called Serapliims — these God chooseth to serve him in heaven. Tlie snail under the law was unclean, because a dull slothful creature : obedience without fervency is like a sacri- fice without fire. AVjiy should not our o- bedience be lively and fervent? God de- serves the flower and strength of our affec- tions. Domitian would not have his statue carved in wood or iron, but in gold : lively affections make golden services. It is fer- vency makes obedience acceptable. Elijah was fervent in spirit, and his prayer opened and shut heaven ; and again he j)raved, and fire fell on his enemies, 2 Kings i. 10. Eli- jah's prayer fetched fire from heaven, be- cause, being fervent, it carried fire up to hea- ven : quicquid decorum ex fide proficitar, Aug.
A. 3. Obedience must be extensive, — it must reach to all God's commands, Ps cxix. 6., " Then shall I not be ashamed» {or, as it is in the Hebrew, lo eliosh, blush) when I have respect to all thy command- ments." Quicquid propter Deum fit cequuli- ter fit. There is a stamp of divine authori- ty upon all (iod's commands; and, if I obey one precept because God commands, I must obey all. True obedience runs through all duties of religion, as the blood through all the veins, or the sun through all the signs of the zodiac. A good Christian makeji gospel-piety and moral equity kiss each other. Herein some discover their hypo- crisy, they will obey God in some things which are more facile, and may raise their repute, but other things they leave undone,. Mark x. 21., " One thing thou lackest," — unum deest. Herod would hear John Bap- tist, but not leave liis incest ; some will pray, but not give alms; otliers will give alms, but not ])ray. Mat. xxiii. 23., " Ye pay tithe of mint and annise, and lune neglected the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy and faith." The badger hath one foot shorter than the other : so these are sliorter in some duties than in others. God likes not such partial servants, that will do some part of the work he sets them about, and leave the other undone.
A. 4. Obedience must be sincere, viz. We must aim at the glory of God in it. Finis specificat actionem^ — in religion the end is all. The end of our obedience must not be to stop the mouth of conscience, or to gain applause or preferment, but that we may gi'ow more like God, and bring more glory to God, 1 Cor. x. 31., " Do all to the glory of God." That which hath sjioiled many glorious actions, and made them hjse their reward, is, when men's aims have been wrong ; the Pharisees gave alms, but blew a trumpet that they might have glory of men. Mat. vi. 2., alms should shine, but not blaze. Jehu did well in destroying the Baal-worshippers, and God commended him for it ; but, because his aims were not good, (he aimed at settling himself in the king- dom,) therefore God looked upon it as no better than murder, IIos. i. 4., " I will a- vcnge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu." O let us look to our ends in o-
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bedicncc ! It is possible tlie .iction may be right, and not tlie heart, 2 Chron. xxv. 2., " Joash did tliat which was riglit in the siglit of tlie Lord," but not with a perfect heart. Two things are chiefly to be eyed in obedience, the principle and the end : a child of God though he shoots short iu his obedience yet he takes a right aim.
A. 5. Obedience must be in and through Christ, Eph. i. 6., " He made us accepted in the beloA'ed." Not our obedience, but Christ's merits, procure acceptance; we must, in every part of worship tender up Christ to God in the arms of our faith ; un- less we serve God thus, in hope and con- fidence of Christ's merits, we Co rather pro- voke God, tliJin please him. As, when king Uzziah would offer incense without a priest, God was angry with him, and struck him with lej)rosy, 2 Chron. xxvi. 16., so when we do not come to God in and through Christ, we offer up incense to God without a priest ; and what can we ex- pect but severe rebukes?