5. It must be a universal, not partial esteem : ' I esteem all thy pre- cepts concerning all things to be right;' Ps. cxix. 6, 'When I liave respect to all thy commandments ;' Luke i. 6, 'Zachary and Elizabeth walked in all the commandments and ordinances of God blameless ;' Acts iii. 22, ' Him shall you hear in all things, whatsoever he shall say unto you ;' and he shall fulfil all my will. It is not enongh to be right in commands in general, or the lump, but in this and that par- ticular ; not in some, but in all. We pretend to give up ourselves to the will of God in the general, but particulars we stick at. Men are convinced that holiness is necessary, tliat they must have some re- ligion ; therefore when they take up duty in the lump, and abstract notion or naked consent, it doth not exasperate opposite propensions : ' Ye cannot serve the Lord,' &c., saith Joshua, Josh. xxiv. 18, 19 ; but when they come to particulars, and see what it is to wait upon a holy and jealous God, they tire and grow weary : so that there must be a consent and purpose to obey, not some, but all and every one, without exception ; not partial, like that of Herod to John : Mark vi. 20, 'He did many things.' The worst man in the world loveth some good and hateth some evil, but he doth not esteem all God's commandments in every point. Nay, the great enemy of our salvation, Satan, can be content to let us yield to God in many things, if he would be con- tented with half our duty : one sin reserved keepeth afoot his interest in our hearts, as a bird tied by the leg is fast enough. The devil will suffer men to do many things, but if he hath them fast by one lust, be it an inclination to sensuality, or love to the world, he is contented. The world likes many things in religion ; they are good and profitable for men ; but sticketh at others. To live godly in Christ Jesus will draw on persecution, 2 Tim. iii. 12. The flesh will dispense with us to do many things, for the more cleanly conveyance of others, if it can but get us to spare the bosom lust which the soul delighteth in. Every man, as he is enslaved by his own customs, opposeth one this law, another that ; the proud man doth not approve of that law that doth forbid his pride, nor the sensual man that which toucheth his intem- perance and unbridled appetite, nor the worldly man his covetous- ness, cannot endure that part of the law that would abridge him of his gain. Nothin<r more common than to cast off what liketh us not
328 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. CXL.
in tlio law of God, and to wish there were no precept given in tliat kind. But our consent must be to all in general, and to this and that in particular. Many could be content witli Grod's law, so far as it doth not cross their carnal interest, or hinder their corrupt desires ; but we must esteem all the laws of Grod ; they are all holy, just, and good, not one excepted ; all conduce to perfect onr nature, and make us ha|)py creatures ; they all conduce to the benetit of human nature ; they are all enjoined by the authority of the same God : ' God spake all these words.' They are linked as rings in a chain ; one pre- serveth another ; they are all necessary for our eternal happiness ; not one given in vain. So much thou continnest thine own nrisery, and art defective in the way that leadeth to true happiness, as thou art willing to indulge in any one sin. They are all written in the hearts of God's children, Heb. viii. 10, all suited to the new nature; and he hath given grace to keep all, 1 Peter i. 15, perfection of parts, not of degrees. The new creature is not maimed in the birth. A child hath not the bulk and strength of a man. Want of perfection of ])arts cannot be supplied by any after growth. Nay, all are necessary to our communion with God : Vs. Ixvi. 18, 'If I regard iniquity in ray heart, the Lord will not hear me;' Mat. v. 19, 'Whosoever shall break one of these least commandments,' &c. If we dispense with ourselves in the least things, we are not fit for communion with God, 2 Cor. vii. 1 ; having such promises of God's being in us, and dwelling in us, and maintaining communion with us, then ' let us cleanse our- ourselves from all filthiness botli of flesh and spirit;' Col. i. 10, ' that ye might walk worthy of the Lord to all pleasing,' ek iraaav apea- Keiav. If you do not consent to keep all, you can keep none ; for the same reasons that move us to break one, will move us to break all. Herod, that heard John gladly, when his lust moved him to it, put liim to death. To be sure it must be total. Reasons of this esteem.