:n6 A SERMON ON J 0 H N VII. xix; Did not Mofes give you the Law, and yet none of ymi · keepeth the Law.? I H AVE in feveral Difcourfe9, according to the Mtafure of Divine Af!iftance, . endeavo~red to unfold onto you the vaft ,Conte~rs of the Law, a11d thofe vari· ous Dunes that arc fummar1ly comprehended m tbofc Ten WordJ, which the infinite Wifdom of God harh given us as a~ Epitome and .!Jhri4f.mmt of all Mota· lity. , I welt know, and . am alfurcd, that there never was, neither can there be, any Treatife fa exaa: and particular as to drain this whole Subjc:a: For fince it cornprizetb. ill it tb.e Wb(}/e Duty of M.zn . in every p~rticular Oc.cutreJ,Jce and A€Hon of his Life ; fince the variety ofCircumfianccs is almoft infinite, and yet rhcfe Circumftances ipe~ ~ifie oUr AaiOns, and make them moJally, either GoOd or Evil: And fince C\'ery Precept extends its Br'anches fa far as to injoin ,.every Man's DLi ties collaterally, wliich. if dorh not touch, dire8;ly, . and to forbid very ma,ny Sins by Confequence, \'}'bich it doth not immediately' p~ohi~it : Tb'erefore I cannot but judge h next to an l.mpqffihili ty minutely to reckon up {.:very Sin, and eveiy Doty,.metb.Qdically, to rank and d~pofe them every ooe ,onder that p~iricular Command to which they do properJf:app,errain. The ferious Contemplationof tkis boundlefs extent of the La.. occafioncd tbe Ffalmift to fay, Pfal. • I9 96. 1bll bt bad fttn •• tnd of all Petftllion' He had taken tht Dimonfipns ofall1othet Things, and,found thenl fuch as an inquifitive ~ind might defcribe the who!~ Limits and Compafs of them. But thy Commantfmen,t i.r e.xcitding broad: Not, for the [ndulgence ir givC&, for fo ir is ,exceeding nar~ row. Tbe broad Way is not the ·way of God's Commandme.nrs, but that which leadeth. down unto Del!ruaioo : But broad it is in rofp.a of its Coinprehenfivenefs, is 1ijeicbetli tO cvet.Y _::fhought 9Pour SoUls, aDd cverJ A~tion of our Lives, and e. v.ery Circum!lance of both. And therefore fine• tbe Law of God is of fucb an unmeaforable,Latitl:lde; as .A{lronDmtrs take', Only the rnoie confpicuouS and remarkable SltUfJ.. intO tbeir,ConO:ellations, but leaVe innumerable others, with which the Heavens a1:e every"' here thkk ~ttdded, ro the cafual Obfervation of the &holders: So I have c"ontemed.iny felfw jfem"ark unto yoll.[h6fe Duties and Sins wbicb arc mofl eminent; and fo rsa~ce theMJ ihtO 'Order uodcr,.th~fe feveral Precepts, where tht.y are either re· qUjred or• fofbidd!m~.Jtiavtvg ~nnumeiahJe others ~6 yoUr own private Obferv:ition. _I hope that wli~t ~atb ~een f~ken 'of th<m ·ha'tti noi beenas Water fpilt opon the GrOUnCf or a Sound on1jr"'fcattered and loft in· rbe A if; fOr thefe Things are of infinite Co~cernment to us: The Knowledge and Pra£Hce of them is as much worth as Heaven and Eternal Life. And I may fay unto you, as i'llojts to the Ifrneliru, I have fet Life and Death before you: Life if you will hearken and obey, but Eternal Death and Deftruaion if ye rcfufo and rebel. Entertain not any low and debafing Thoughts of the Law: Tbiok not the preaching of it unworthy the Freedom of Gojpe/Times, or.of Grfpel Spirits: I koow rhat a Company offtulh Notionifis, who are vcty wil· nog-eo ihakc off rh~ Yoke from their Necks, and to deliver thcmfelves rather from rbe Confcience. thao from the Power of Sin, have clamoured againfi this Way of preffing Duty, aud enforcing the Authority of the Law, as Legal Preaching; and bave bl afphemed it, :~s 'onrrary to that Liberty which Cbrift ha1h purchafed for us; and mt_ICh benearb tbe Spiritual Attainments of thofe rbat arc made perfcU in him. And I fear . left
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