8. Some truths have a more immediate, direct, and effectual ten- dency to the promotion of godliness and gospel obedience than others. This the apostle emphatically ascribes as a privilege to that doctrine that reveals the love of Christ unto us: 2 Cor. v. 14, "The love of Christ constraineth us." Other things effectually persuade, but the love of Christ constrains us to live to him. It hath an importunity with it not to be denied, an efficacy not to be put off or avoided. And what is in the things themselves, as in the love of Christ, that is in its manner, in "the word of truth," whereby it is revealed.
4. That there is, by all that walk with God, great weight to be laid on those doctrines of truth which directly and effectually tend to the promotion oi faith, love, fear, reverence of God, luith uni- versal holiness in their hearts and ways; this being that whereunto they are called, and whereby God is glorified, Jesus Christ and the gospel exalted, wherein his kingdom in them consists, on which their own peace in their own bosoms, their usefulness unto others in this world, their being made meet for the inheritance of the saints in light, do much depend. If these things be of weight or moment unto them (as surely they are all that is so to believers), then, doubt- less, great valuation and dear esteem will be entertained of those helps and assistances which they have, leading and carrying them on thereunto.
5. That a judgment of what truths and doctrines are peculiarly conducing unto the promotion of piety and godliness is not to be made upon the apprehensions and reasonings of men, wrested with a thousand corruptions and prejudices, full of darkness and vanity, but according to what the Scripture itself holds forth, and the nature
X.] THE IMPROVEMEiNT OF THE DOCTRIKE. S83
of the things themselves (that is, the evidence and consequence that is between the truth revealed and obedience) doth require. If the testimonies of the sons of men must be admitted in this case, to determine what doctrine is according to godliness, the cry and noise of them will be found so various, discrepant, confused, and directly contradictory to itself, that none will ever thereby be led to estab- lishment. Then Papists will cry out for their merits, penance, vows, purgatory; the Socinians, familists, formalists, all contend, upon the foundation of their own persuasions, as to the tendency to godliness of their abominations. That doctrine which hath no other proof of its truth and worth but that men, some men, pro- fess it tends to godliness and holiness of conversation, I dare say is a lie and vanit}', and did never promote any thing but vain, legal, superstitious, counterfeit holiness. Indeed, upon a supposition of its truth, it is of concernment, for the advancement of any doctrine in the esteem and opinion of the saints, to manifest that it leads to godliness ; but to prove it to be true because men who perhaps never knew any thing beyond formal, legal, pharisaical holiness all their days, say it tends to the promotion of holiness, is but to obtrude our conceptions upon others that are no way moulded into the frame of them. " That the embracement of such a truth will further us in our obedience and walking with God, therefore value and prize it," is good arguing ; but, " That such a doctrine will further us in a way of god- liness, therefore it is a truth," when we may be mistaken both in ofodliness itself and in the motives to it and furtherances of it, is but a presumption. To commend, then, the truth which we have at large otherwise confirmed to the hearts and consciences of the saints of God, and to lay a foundation for the full removal of those vain and weak exceptions which, on this account, are laid against it, I shall manifest what influences it hath into their obedience, and with what eminent efficacy it prevails upon their souls to " perfect holiness in the fear of God." For the more clear declaration whereof I shall give the reader the sum of it, under the ensuing considerations con- cerning gospel obedience, and the motives that are proper thereunto. That which I call gospel obedience, wherein the saints of God are furthered by the belief of the truth we have in hand, is variously expressed in the Scripture. It may in general be described to be a voluntary orderly subjection to the whole will of God. I call it obedience in reference unto the will of God, which is the rule and pat- tern of it, and whereunto it is in a regular subjection. The psalmist expresses it to the full, both as to the root and fruit : Ps. xl. 8, " I delight to do thy will, O my God : yea, thy law is within my heart." The law in the heart gives us to do, and to delight in doing, the will of God, Peter calls it being " holy in all manner of conversation," 1 Pet. i. 14, 15; Paul, a " cleansing of ourselves from all filthiness
384 DOCTRINE OF THE SAINTs' PERSEVERANCE. [CHAP.
of tlie flesh and spirit in the fear of God," 2 Cor. vii. 1 ; or, as it is more eminently described, Rom. xii. 1, 2, in that pathetical exhortation of the apostle thereunto, " I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, accept- able unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not con- formed unto this world : but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God," as he had formerly at large described it in the sixth chapter of that epistle throughout. And I call it gospel obedience, not that it differs in substance, as to the matter of it, from that required by the law, which enjoins us to " love the Lord our God with all our heart," but that it moves upon principles and is carried on unto ends revealed only in the gospel.