[4.] How indispensably obedience to his commandments is required of us. As long as the heart is left loose and arbitrary, such is the un- ruliness and self-willedness of man's nature, Eom. viii. 7, ' The carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.' Thecarnalist will not be held to his duty, but leaves that which is honest for that which is pleasing, and is governed by his appetite rather than his reason ; therefore faith hedgeth up his way, showeth him 'that without holiness it is impossible to see God,' Heb. xii. 14 ; that there is no coming to the end unless we take the way ; that there is no hope of exemption or excuse for the breaches of his law allowed but the plea of the gospel, which doth not evacuate but establisli obedience to God's commands, requireth a renouncing of our former course, and a hearty resolution, ' to serve God in holiness and righteous- ness all our days,' Luke i. 74, 75. Our duty is the end of our deliver- ance. In the kingdom of grace we are not our own masters, or at liberty to do what we will. Christ came not only as a saviour, but as a lawgiver ; he hath his laws to try our obedience : Heb. v. 9, 'And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.' He came not to lessen God's sovereignty or man's duty, but to put us into a greater capacity to serve God. He came to deliver us from the curse and indispensable rigours of the law upon every failing ; not from our duty, nor that we might not serve God, but serve him without fear, with peace of conscience and joy of heart, and requireth such a degree of grace as is inconsistent with any piedominant lust and affection.
[5.] That God loveth those that obey his law, and hateth those
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that despise it, without respect of persons : Acts x. 35, ' In every nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted with him ; ' Ps. V. 5, ' Thou hatest all the workers of iniquity ; ' Prov. xi. 20, ' They that are of a froward heart are an abomination to the Lord, hut such as are upright in their way are his delight/ The more obedient, the more God loveth us ; the less obedient, the less God loveth us. There- fore, unless we love what God loveth, and hate what God hateth, do his commands carefully, and avoid the contrary, we cannot be acceptable with him, for God would not make a law in vain, but order his provi- dence accordingly.
[6.] That one day we shall be called to an account for our conformity and inconformity to God's law. There are two parts of government — legislation and execution : the one belongeth to God as king, the other as judge. Laws are but a shadow, and the sanction a mockery, unless there shall be a day when those that are subject to them shall be called to an account and reckoning. His threatenings are not a vain scare- crow, nor his promises a golden dream ; therefore he will appoint a day when the truth of the one and the other shall be fully made good ; and therefore faith enliveneth the sense of God's authority with the remem- brance of this day, when he will judge the world in righteousness.
2. The necessity.
[1.] The jirecepts are a part of the divine revelation : the object of faith is the whole word of God, and every part of divinely inspired truth is worthy of all belief and reverence. The word worketh not unless it be received as the word of God : 1 Thes. ii. 13, ' For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.' Now we cannot receive the word as the word of God unless we receive all. There are the same reasons to receive one as the other ; therefore, if any part take good rooting, the whole is received. There may be a superficial affection to one part more than another; but if there be a right faith, we receive all. It is the en- grafted word that is effectual to the saving of our souls, James i. 21 ; if we would engraft the word, the precepts must stir up answerable affections as well as the promises. Every part must affect us, and stir up dispositions in us which that part is apt to produce. If the promises stir up joy and trust, the precepts must stir up love, fear, and obedience. The same word which calleth upon us to believe the free pardon of our sins, doth also call upon us to believe the commandments of God for the regulating and guiding of our hearts and ways.
[2.] It is such a part as hath a necessary connection with the pro- mises, as without which they can do us no good ; therefore, if we mean to be happy, we must regard both ; the one is as necessary and funda- mental to our happiness as the other. Our consent to God's covenant is required, not as if we were to debate and alter the terms at our plea- sure, but that we may take it as God hath stated it, and bind our duty upon us by our consent to God's authority. We cannot prescribe conditions and laws of commerce between God and us, but only God alone. Man did not give the conditions, or treat about the making of them, what they should be, but is only bound to submit to what God