140 ABox of precious Ointment Or, duties, our fellowihip and communion with God mainly lyes. In the more general duties of Religion, an hypocrite may manifell the excellency of his gifts, but in the more fpiritual duties of Religion, a fincere Chriffian cloth inani- fell, both the excellency and efficacy of grace, Mark, an un- found heart looks no further than to, the bare letter of the command, to bare hearing,and bare prayingoand bare preach- ing, and bare falling, and bare giving, and bare receiving, and bare fuffering ; he looks no further than to that part of , the command which only binds the fiefh, or outward man; and if he does but obferve that in the grofs, he thinks he hath- done marvellous well ; like a melancholy rnan that matters not what melody and harmony he makes,; fo he does but !touch the firings of the inflrument : But now, a found, a fin- cere Chrillian, he looks to the Spirit of the command "; and if he does not come up to that, in fincere clefires, in graci'- ous purpofes, in fixed refolutions, and in cordial endeavours, he can have no peace, no reff, no quiet, no comfort. 0 Sirs l' as ever you would fee God, and enjoy God another day, you I mull labour, not only to obey the letter of the command, 1 brit alfo to bring your hearts to the fincere obedience of the I Spirit of the command. This is a very clofe, piercing; di-- flinguifhing and difcovering fign. But, Fifthly, If your obedience fprings from faith, then yoti Will labour, not only to obey God in the matter, but alfo in the manner of the command, not only in the Jubilance of the command, but alfo in the circumfiance of the command. God requires the manner as well as the matter ; and God looks upon that work as not done, that is not done in a right manner. Did not the Lord command facrifice ? and did not Cain offer facrifice ? and yet God had no re- fpe &: to him , nor to his offering , becaufe his factifice was not offered up in a right manner, his offering:was not of- fered up by a hand of faith; he offered his offering, but be caufe he did not offer himfelf as an offering to God, his offer- ing was rejeoied by,God. A work may be materially good, that Gera. 4.
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