SE R M 0 N IV. ing of it is very pleafing to him, both upon the account of the Subjection of the Crea. ture to hiS Authonty, and Conformrtyto hrsPunty: He declares that Obedience is bet ter than the moll cofrly Sacrifice. There is an abfolute peremptory Repugnance be: twecn Love to hrm, and defprfing hrs Commands : And from thence it follows thac Love inclines the Soul to obey all God's Precepts, not only thofe of eal}' Obfer;ation but the mofi difficult and difia(\eful to the Carnal Al'pctitcs ;_ for the Authority of God runs through all, and hrs Holmefs fhmes m all. Servile Fear IS a partral Principle and caufes an unequal Refped: to the Divine Law; it refirains from Sins of greater Guilt from fuch drforderly and ddfolute Actions at which Confcience takes Fire; but other; are mdulged : 1t excrtes to good Works of fame kind, but neglects others that are equally necetTary. But Love regards the whole Law in all its Injunctions and Prohibitions ; not meerly to pleafe our [elves, that we may not feel the fiings of an accufmo Confcience, but to pleafe the Law-giver. 0 ,, The Obedience of Love is accurate ; and this is a natural Confequence of the former. The Divine Law is a Rule not only for our outward Converfation, but ofour Thoughts and Affections, of all the interior workings of the Soul, that are open before God. Thus it requires Religious Service, not only in the external Performance but thofe reverent holy Affedions, thofe pure Aims, wherein the Life and Beauty, th~ Spirit and true Value of Divine Worfhip confifis. Thus it commands the Duties of EH<b. r;. ' '· quity, Charity and Sobriety, all Civil and Natural Duties for Divine Ends, to pleaft ~.~Jt:Ri.;';sa'~~:t ~:~~d: t~~:;~~~ ~~dt~:~.ee~~vs~h~ £~~,"~}YG~df~ ~~sp~~~:lei~f 1 Cor. ro.;'" fpintual Perfection. 'Tis called tbe fulfllznt, of tbe Law, not only as it is a comprehenfive Grace, but in that it draws forth all the active Powers of the Soul to obey itinan ~~~~o~a~~~;, l~:sn":tJ::~ga~:~1~~~~1~~:t j~cif~~~~f.~'g at~d tah~e~;:i~~r~~~:pe~~~~ the mofi excellent Saints are God's chicfefr Favourites, Love makes the holy Soul to ilrive to be hke him in all poilible degrees of Purity. Thus St. Paul, in whom the Love of Chrifi was the imperial commanding Affection, declares, his zealous endeavour to Phii.J.ro, u. be conformable to the death ofChrif/, in dying to Sin, as Chrifr died for Sin, and that h< might attain to tbe Refurreflion of the Dead, that PerfeCl:ion of Holinefs that is in the immortal State. 'Joh. ,. 3· kee~· b;~o~!=~~~~~~s~fa;d'~~/~~~~~~d~e~t!~~a~:; grr~:::. t4'h!ifth;{ .~~dst:;;;;;: ~~;~si.' r.:a~~l~~!'lfr1';;sk~a~~~~:7:~:l~~:r~0t':: tt~~~~?~:~ry;~~~:d~e~~::rtili. continual cxercife of Love to God, the Parad1fe of holy Souls. The mortification of the Carnal Appetites, and the refiraint from fuch Objech as powerfully infinuate and engage Carnal Hearts, is with a freer Complace~cy to a Saint, than a fenfual Fruition of them. The iharpefi Sufferings for Religion are allayed, nay fweetned to a Saint from the Love of God, that is thery mofi fmcerely, fironlily, and purel.y ade~. The Apofi!e more rejoyced m iharp Tnbulat;Ion for Chnfi s fake, than m Drvrne Revelation. . 4· The Love of God produce~1 perfevering Obedience. Servile Compliance is in. confiant. A Slave hates the Duties he perfo~m.s, and loves the Sins he d;ues not corn• mit · therefore as foon as he is .releas'd from his Chain and his Fear, his Obedienceceafes :'but a Son is perfeCl:ly pleas'd with his Father's Will, and the Tenor of his Life is correfpondent to it. He that is prefs'd by Fear to ferve in an Army, will defert his~ ]ours the firfi Opportunity; buaVoluntier, that for the love of Valour, and of his Country, lifis himfelf, will continue in the Service. The Motion ~hat is caufedbyoutward Poifes, will ceafe when the Werghts are down ; but that wluch proceeds from an inward Principle of Life, is contj.nual; and fuch is the Love of God planted rn the Breafi of a Chrifiian. · · JV. We are to prove that from the Love of God, and willing Obedience to his Corn· ma~1~~re'~~ :·rn·fe;~~~~~nS~:~0b~t~!,~n~~~~Yt~~ ~;a;.~~ea~d ~hecoh;~d~~~fes out of ~~fd~~:ecl;at ~:~~;:~h~~dftf:~~/(ofi;:';:~t~~!~i~~1n~yist~~!~~~:d g~:C1o~ts~:~e~ will be an entire and joyful refpeCl: to the Law of God, by confidering the ·Reafons and M~J;J/ ~h~Divine Command requires this L0ve. 'Tbefe things l command yqu, faith 9ur SaJiour, that ye love one another. This Precept fo often repeated, and power~;~~ rcinforc'd by bun, !l)adc Cq deep an IJnpreilio!l on the fir(! Chrill1aos, that they ~eart,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=