A Box of precious Ointment: Or, poficion of his Soul, is to obey all, and tai be fubject to all the Commands of God. Let me in a few particulars open this great truth a little more fully to you. And therefore take me thus. TA,. A fincere Chriflian will endeavour to obey God in Suffering Commands, as well as in doing. Commands, in lo- ling as well as gaining Commands ; an unfound Chriftian, he loves cheap obedience, he is willing to fall in with thole Cornmands6at are not chargable or coaly ; he loves a cheap Gofpel, and a cheap Mimi-try, and a cheap Memberfhip, and a cheap Communion of Saints, &c. But when his obedience comes to be chargable when his obedience to Divine Com- mands may coil him his health, his flrenoth, his Liberty, his Riches, his Elate, his Friends, his Credit, his Name, &c. then he retires, then he cries out .0 firm fermo, it is a hard fay- ing,who can bear it.? , this is a hard Commandment, who can obey it ? When Religion is attended with freedom, honour, and faSety ; when Religion is attended with Riches, Pleafures, and Applaufe, then unfound hearts will put for- wards; but when thefe part, then they bid Religion farewel. As you fee in the young man in the Gofpel, who was willing to follow Chrifl, fo long as he might be no lofer in follow- ing of him ; but when it came to this, that he mull part with his Riches, or with Chrilf, then he falls off, and went away forrowfu), becaufe he had great poffeffions. But now a fin- cere Chritlian will obey even the moll chargable and coilly Commands of God, as you may fee in that little book of Martyrs, tenth and eleventh Chapters of the Hebrew ; and as you may fee in the three Children in Daniel, in the Difci- ples, in the Primitive Chriflians, and in the Martyrs in the Malan dayes. But, Secondly, If your obedience fprings from -Faith, then you will endeavour to obey God in relative Commands, as well AS in abfolute Commands you will not only hear, and pray, and read, and meditate, and fail, and mourn ; but, you will I labour to be good in your, Relations, both as a Husband, a Father, John .6. 64.
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