T2. J12 S E R M 0 N S upon Senn. 1L dience of theta orld to his new Law,Matth.28. t 9,20. All power is given to we in heaven and earth: go ye forth therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghofi : Teaching them to obferve all things whatfoever I have commanded you : he fendeth abroad his Heralds, fummo ling the World to Obedience, All 5.31. Him bath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance and remit f on of fns. And A &s 17.3o. The times of this ignorance God winked at, but now command- eth all men every whereto repent : He commandeth all men to repent, becaufe'he will judg the world in righteoufnef by the man whom he bath 'ordained, Ails 17. 3 r. And Albs io. 36. We preach peace by yefus Chrifi who is Lord of all. In these places Chrifts Right and Autho- rity is affected ; and the Gospel is preached in his Name, and the World invited and commanded to obey. 2. In the obligation and force. There is not only dire &ion given to us to obey the Gos- pel, but a Charge and Obligation is laid upon us. The Gospel is fometimes called the counfel of God, Luke 7. 30. they rejehied the counfel of God againfi themfelves. Sometime the law of God is called his Counfel, as 'tis the result of his wifdom 5 and his Law, as'tis the effe& of his IegiflativeWill; he would not only direct and inftru& the Creature by his counfel, but oblige him by his Authority, Decretunt neceffitatem fath, exhoriatio, libe- rum voluntatem excitat, (faith theCanonift) Exhortation or Advice ferveth to dire& or excite one that is free, but a Decree and Law implyeth a neceJfìty to obey. So Hierom, 7Jbi confilium datar, offerentis arbitriume$: ubi preceptum, necejfitus fervitatis. Counsel and Precept differ. Precept faith, not only we (hall do well to do fo, but we mutt dofo. Counfel refpe &s friends, a Preeept fubjetis ; There is a coa&ive power in Laws ; God hath not left the Creatures to comply with hisdire &ions if they pleafe ;no,there is a ftri& charge laid upon them, they mutt do it at their peril. Laws havea binding force, from the authority of their Law - giver. Godgiveth us counfel as a friend, but commandeth us as a Sovereign; Therefore we read much of the Obedience of Faith, Rom. 16. 26. The Gofpel was manifefied to all nations, for the obedience of faith. And Rom. 1..5. We have received Apoflle /hip for the obedience of faith among all Nations. So Mks 6. 7. and a great company of priests were obedient to the faith. And a Cor. Io. 5. bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Chrifi. And 1 Pet. I. 22. having purified yourhearts in obeying the truth through thefpirit. And Alls 5. 32. The holy Ghofi which js given to them that obey. All this is faid, to (hew 'tis not Arbitrary or Indifferent, but we are bound by the authority of this new Law. 3. This Law hath a fanúion, otherwife it were but an arbitrary Dire &ion, though delivered in apreceptive form; the fantlion is by promifes of reward, or by threatnings of punishment; the precept eftablitheth mans duty, and is the rule ofour obedience, which if it be negle&ed,infers culpam,fault or blame;the fanaidn is the rule of Gods proceeding,and fo it inferrethpenam,pumthment,Mark r 6. i6.Thelaw of grace threatneth us with the higheft penalties, yohn 3. 13. This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darstnefs rather than light: and Heb.2o.3 of how much forer punishment fuppofe yeshall he be thought worthy, &c. though in the lofs all are equal, yet Confcience in Hell hath a kind ofAccufation, orfelf- tormenting, inrefle&ing upon the refufal of the remedy, or lofing the fpecial advantages we had by theGofpel. As the breach of the Law is vin- dicated on the Jew firft, Rom. 2. 9. fo the Gospel when known to be the only way of Peace and Life, 'çis the worfe for us in the Judgment, if we negle& it. Secondly, The promises are given to fweeten the precepts to us, that we may obey in love, not 'as Haves; for fear of punishment only: Forced motives change not the heart, endure not long; there- fore in Chrits Law there are promifes of pardon of Sin, Adoption into Gods Family, acid finally eternal lift: We mike the precept to be the way to the promife ; and God tnaketh the promises to be the motive to the precept; we keep the precept to obtain the promife; but God propoundeth thepronoifethat we may keep the precept more comfortably. We aim at happineft, but God aimeth at obedience, and maketh that the end of all his promises fo that we muff obey the command, that we may obtain the bleng of the promife, and be assured of it; and we believe the promife, that we may obey the precept. 4. This fame/ion fuppofeth an exercise of government according to law; and fo that there is a just Governor and Administrator, who will take account how this new law of grace is kept,or broken : So there is herenow in part, both in the way of internal or ex- ternal Government. Firft, internal government, as the kingdom of God is within us, Luke r 7. 20. Soul- government is carried on according to this rule of commerce, between us and Cod; as there is a fenfe of our Duty written upon our hearts, a remaining in- ward principle, inclining us to it, Heb.8,1o. fo there is a fear of our Judg, who will call
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