A. 6. Obedience must be constant, Ps. cvi. 3., " Blessed is he who doth righteous- ness at all times." True obedience is not like an high colour in a fit, but it is a right sanguine; it is like the fire on the altar, which was always kept burning, Lev. vi. 13. Hypocrites' obedience is but for a sea- son ; it is like plastering work, which is soon washed off"; but true obedience is con- stant; thougli we meet with affliction, we must go on iu our obedience. Job xvii. 9., " The righteous shall hold on his way." We have vowed constancy ; we have vow- ed to renounce the pomp and vanities of the world, and to fight under Christ's ban- ner to death. When a servant hath en- tered into covenant with his master, and the indentures are sealed, then he cannot go back, he must serve out his time : there are indentures drawn in baptism, and in the Lord's supper the indentures are re- newed and sealed on our ])art, that we will be faithful and constant in our obedience, therefore we mast imitate Christ, who be- came obedient to the death, Phil. ii. 8. The crown is set upon the head of perse- verance, Rev. ii. 26, 28., " He that keeps my words unto the end, to him will I give" ** th3 moriiing star."
Use l.sY. This indicts such who live in a contradiction to this text : they have cast off" the yoke of obedience, Jer. xliv. 16., " As for the word which thou hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee." God bids men pray in their family, — they live in the total ne- glect of it : he bids them sanctify the sab- bath,— they follow their pleasures on that day : God bids them abstain from the ajH pearance of sin, — they do not abstain from the act, they live in the act of revenge, in the act of uncleanness. This is an hio^h contempt of God ; it is rebellion, and rebel- lion is as the sin of witchcraft.
Quest. IV hence is it that men do not obey God ? They knoiv their duly yet do it not ?
Ans. 1. The not obeying of God is for want of faith, Isa. liii. 1., Qjiis credidet? "Who hath believed our report?" Did men believe sin were so bitter that hell fol- lowed at the heels of it, would they go on in sin ? Did they believe there were such a I'eward for the righteous that jjodliness were gain, would they not j)ursue it ? But they are atheists, not fully captivated into the belief of these things; hence it is they obey not. This is Satan's master-piece, — his draw-net by which he drags millions to hell, by kee|)ing them in infidelity ; he knows, if he can but keep them from be- lieving the truth, he is sure to keep them from obevinir it.
A. 2. The not obeying God is for want of self-denial. God commands one thing, and men's lusts command another, and they will rather die than deny their lusts; now, if lust cannot be denied, God cannot be obeyed.
Use 2d. Obey God's voice. This is the beauty of a Christian.
Quest. IVhat are the great arguments or incentives to obedience ?
Ans. 1. Obedience makes us precious tc God ; we shall be his favourites, Exod. xix. 5., " If ye will obey my voice, ye shall be a peculiar treasure to me above all people;" you shall be my portion, my jewels, tne apple of mine eye, " I will give Egypt for thy ransom," Isa. xliii. 3.
A. 2. There is nothing lost by obedience. To obey God's will is the way to have our will. 1. Would we have a bles.siug in oiu
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estates, let us obey, Deut. xxviii. 1, 3., " If thou shalt hearken to the voice of the Lord, to do all his commandments, blessed shalt thou be in the field : blessed shall be thy basket and thy store." To obey, is the best way to thrive in our estates. — 2. Would we have a blessing in our souls, let us obey, Jer. vii. 23., " Obey my voice, and I will be your God." My Spirit shall be your guide, sanctifier, and comforter, Heb. v. 9., " Christ became the author of eternal sal- vation to all them that obey him." While we please God, we please ourselves ; while we give him the duty, he gives us the dow- ry. We are apt to say, as Amaziah, 2 Chron. xxv. 9., " What shall we do for the hundred talents?" You see you lose nothing by obeying ; the obedient son hath the inheritance settled on him. Obey, and you shall have a kingdom, Luke xii. 32., " It is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."
Use 3d. Wliat a sin disobedience is ! 1st, It is an irrational sin. (1.) We are not able to stand it out in defiance against God, 1 Cor. X. 22., " Are we stronger than he ?" Will the sinner go to measure arms with God? He is the Father Almighty, who can command legions : if we have no strength to resist him, it is irrational to dis- obey him. (2.) It is irrational, as it is a- gainst all law and equity : we have our daily subsistence from God ; in him we live and move, is it not equal, that as we live by him, we should live to him ? that as God gives us our allowance, so we should give him our allegiance ?