2. In the obligation and force. There is not only direction given to us to obey the gospel, but a charge and obligation is laid upon us. The gospel is sometimes called ' The counsel of God : ' Luke vii. 30. ' They rejected the counsel of God against themselves.' Sometimes the law of God is called his counsel, as it is the result of his wisdom ; and his law, as it is the effect of his legislative will. He would not only direct and instruct the creature by his counsel, but oblige him by his authority ; decretum necessiiatem facit, exhortatio liheram voluntatem excitaf, saith the canonist, — Exhortation or advice serveth to direct or excite one that is free, but a decree and law implieth a necessity to obey. So Jerome, Ubi consilium datur, offerentis arbitrmm est: ubi prceceptum, necessitas servitutis. Counsel and precept differ. Precept saith, not only we shall do well to do so, but we must do so. Counsel respects friends, a precept subjects. There is a coactive power in laws ; God hath not left the creatures to comply with his directions if they please ; no, there is a strict charge laid upon them ; they must do it at their peril. Laws have a binding force, from the authority of their law- giver. God giveth us counsel as a friend, but commandeth us as a sovereign. Therefore we read much of the ' Obedience of faith :' Kom. xvi. 26, ' The gospel was manifested to all nations, for the obedience of faith,' and Rom. i. 5. "We have received apostleship for the obedience of faith,' among all nations : so Acts vi. 7, ' And a great company of priests were obedient to the faith ;' and 2 Cor. x. 5, ' Bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ ; ' and 1 Pet. i. 22. ' Having purified your hearts in obeying the truth through the spirit ; ' and Acts v. 32, ' The Holy Ghost which is given to them that obey.' All this is said to show it is not arbitrary or indifferent, but we are bound by the authority of this new law.
3. This law hath a sanction, otherwise it were but an arbitrary di- rection, though delivered in a preceptive form. The sanction is by promises of reward, or by threatenings of punishment ; the precept
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establislieth man's duty, and is the rule of our obedience, wliich if it be neglected, infers culpam, fault or blame. The sanction is the rule of God's proceeding, and so it inferreth pcenam, punishment : Mark xvi. 16. The law of grace threateneth us with the highest penalties : John iii. 19, ' This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light ; ' and Heb. x. 2, 9, 'Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall be thought worthy,' &c. ; though in the loss all are equal, yet conscience in hell hath a kind of accusation, or self-tormenting, in reflecting upon the refusal of the remedy, or losing the special advantages we had by the gospel. As the breach of the law is vindicated on the Jew first, Rom. ii, 9, so the gospel when known to be the only way of peace and life, it is the worse for us in the judgment, if we neglect it. Secondly, the promises are given to sweeten the precepts to us, that we may obey in love, not as slaves, for fear of punishment only. Forced motives change not the heart — endure not long ; therefore in Christ's law there are promises of pardon of sin, adoption into God's family, and finally eternal life. We make the precept to be the way to the promise ; and God maketh the promises to be the motive to the precept. We keep the precept to obtain the promise ; but God propoundeth the promise that we may keep the precept more comfortably. We aim at happiness, but God uimeth at obedience, and maketh that the end of all his promises ; so that we must obey the command, that we may obtain the blessing of the promise, and be assured of it ; and we believe the promise, that we may obey the precept.
4. This sanction supposeth an exercise of government according to law ; and so that there is a just governor and administrator, who will take account how this new law of grace is kept or broken. So there is here now in part, both in the way of internal or external government. First, internal government, as ' The kingdom of God is within us : * Luke xvii. 20. Soul-government is carried on according to this rule of commerce, between us and God. As there is a sense of our duty ^vritten upon our hearts, a remaining inward principle, inclining us to it, Heb. viii. 10 ; so there is a fear of our judge, who will call lis to an account for the violation of his law ; an inward sentence of life or death upon us, as we do good or evil ; the bitter afflictive sense of God's dis- pleasure in case of evil; and the rewards of love and obedience, as tests of God's acceptance, given us by his Spirit upon our fidelity to Christ, a real lively joy, and peace of conscience : 2 Cor. i. 12, ' This is our rejoicing, the testimony of our conscience,' Eom. v. 1. 'Being justified by faith, we have peace with God ; ' Rom. xiv. 17, ' For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.' Secondly, God's external government is according to the law of the gospel. God interposeth now and then, punishing the contempt of the gospel with remarkable judgments : Heb. ii. 1, 2, 3, 'Therefore w^ ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have hoard, lest at any time we should let them slip ; for if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every trans- gi'CJsion and disobedience received a just recompense of reward how: shall we esca[)e if we neglect so great salvation, which at first began to be spoken by the Lord himself, and was confirmed by them that heard