Ans. Yon may certainly know whether your obedience be the obe- dience of faith or no, by these following particulars :
[1.] First, That obedience that springs from faith is a full obe- dience, a universal obedience. David did look upon his universal obe- dience as a special testimony of his uprightness : Ps. cxix. 6, ' Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy command- ments.' Mark ! the psalmist doth not say, When I obey all thy com- mandments, then shall I not be ashamed ; but, ' When I have a respect to all thy commandments, then shall I not be ashamed.' Now a respect to all God's commandments notes an inward awe and reverential eye » 2 Cor. viii. 10 ; 1 Cor. ix. 17 ; 1 Peter v, 2 ; Exod. xxv. 2 ; Pliilem. 14.
3:36 A CABINET OF JEWELS. [ChAP. II.
towards every duty that God requires. The words, according to the Hebrew, may be read thus : ' Then shall I not blush when ray eye is to all thy commandments.'^ Now you know the traveller hath his eye towards the place whither he is going, and though he be short of it, yet he is still a-putting on and pressing forwards all he can to reach it. So when the eye of a saint is to all the commands of God, and he is still a-pressing forwards towards full obedience, such a soul shall never be put to the blush ; such a soul shall never be ashamed in the great day of our Lord Jesus. So Acts xiii. 22, ' I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will;' cravra TO, '^i^.Ti/xara fji^ov, all my wills, to note the sincerity and universality of his obedience. So Acts xxiv. 16, ' And herein do I exercise myself^ to have alwciys a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.' So Heb. xiii. 18, 'We trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.' That obedience that springs from faith doth neither dispute divine commands, nor divide divine commands one from another. Zacharias and Elizabeth were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blame- less, Luke i. 5, 6. That obedience that springs from faith is a full obe- dience, a universal obedience. It is universal in respect of the subject, the whole man, and it is universal in respect of the object, the whole law. Mark ! he who obeys sincerely obeys universally, though not in reo-ard of practice, which is impossible ; yet (1.) In regard of his will and desires ; his will and desii'e is to obey all : Rom. viii. 18, ' For to will is present with me.' Ps. cxix. o, ' Oh that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes'! (2.) In respect of election or choice ; he chooses to obey all : Ps. cxix. 173, 'Let thine hand help me : for I have chosen thy precepts.' The word here rendered chosen signifies to choose upon trial and examination : I have chosen thy precepts before all, and above all other things.^ I have chosen thy precepts for my chiefest good, and for my only treasure. I have chosen thy precepts to own them, to follow them, and to obey them. (3.) In respect of approbation ; he approves of all the commands of God, as holy, just, and good ; he highly approves of those royal commands that he cannot perfectly obey : Rom. vii. 12, ' Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, just, and food.' And ver. 16, .' I consent unto the law that it is good.' He assents to the commands of God as holy, and he consents to them as good, (-i.) In respect of affection ; he loves all the commands of God, he dearly loves those very commands that he cannot obey : Ps. cxix. 97, ' O how I love thy law !' Such a pang of love he felt, as could not otherwise be vented, but by this pathetical exclamation, ' Oh how love I thy law !' Ver. 113, 'I hate vain thoughts, but thy law do I love.' Ver. 163, 'I hate and abhor lying, but thy law do I love.' Ver. 119, ' Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross : therefore I love thy testimonies.' Ver. 127, * Therefore I love thy commandments
' The rule is good and true, quicquld propter Deum fit, equaliter fit, he who doth serve and obey God for God's sake, will equally obey all that God con)mau<l3 him. No one command is unjust or unreasonable to him whose heart is uprij^ht in obedience, &c. Seneca, describing a virtuous man (Epist. 120), saith of him, that he is idem semper, et in omni actn par sibi.
- Bacharti, from Bachar. The word notes a careful and diligent choice, upon good trial and proof.
Chap. II.] a cabinet of jewels. 337