278 THE POsIrtvn WORK OP THE SPIRIT God may be considered as our rule in a threefold re- spect: 1. As it requires the image of God in us. The habitual rectitude of our nature, with respect unto God and our living to him, is enjoined us in the word, yea, and wroughtin us thereby. The whole renovation of our natures, the whole principle of holiness before de- scribed, is nothing but the word changed into grace in our hearts; for we are born again by the incorruptible seed of the word of God. The Spirit worlceth nothing in us, but what the word first requireth of us. It is therefore the rule of the inward principle of spiritual life, and the groWth thereof is nothing but its increase in conformity to that word. 2. With respect unto all the actual frames, designs, and purposes of the heart, all the internalacting of our minds, all the volitions of the will, all the motions of our affections, are to be regula- ted by that word which requires us to love the Lord our God with all our minds, all our souls, and all our strength. Hereby is'their regularity or irregularity to be tried. All that holiness which is in them consists in their conformity to the revealed will of God. s. With respect unto all our outward actions and duties, private, public, of piety, of righteousness towards ourselves or others, Titus ii. 12. This is the rule of our holiness. So far as what we are, and what we do, answers there- unto, so far are we holy, and no further. Whatever acts of devotion, or duties of morality, may be perform- ed without respect hereunto, belong not to our sanctifi- cation. Sect. 4. -2. As there is a rule of our performance of this obedience, so there is a rule of the acceptance of our obedience with God. And this_is the tenor of the new covenant, Gen. xvii. 1. What answers hereunto is accepted, and what Both not so is rejected, both as to the universality of the whole, and the sincerity that ac- companies each particular duty in it. And these two things, universality and sincerity, answer now, as to some certain ends, the legal perfection at first required of us. In the estate of original righteousness, the rule of our acceptance withGod, in our obedience, was the law and covenant of works. And this required that it should be absolute, perfect inparts and degrees, without the least intermixture of sin with our good, or interpo- sition of it in the least instance, which was consistent with that covenant. But now, although we are renew- ed again by grace in the imageof God, really and truly, yet not absolutely nor perfectly, but only in part. We haveyet remaining in its a contrary principle of igno- rance and sin, which we must always conflict with- al, Gal. v. 16, 17. Wherefore God, in the covenant of grace, is pleased to accept of that holy obedience which is universal as to all parts, in all known instances of duty, and sincere as to the manner of their perform- ance. What in particular is required hereunto, is not our present work to declare. I only aim to fix, in gen. eral, the rule of the acceptanceof -this holy obedience. Now, the reason hereof is not, that a lower and more imperfect kind of righteousness, holiness, and obedi- ence, will answer all the ends of God and hisglory now, under the new covenant, than would have clone so un der the old. Nothing can be imagined more distant from the truth, or more dishonourable to the gospel, nor that seems to have a nearer approach unto the malt- ing of Christ the minister of sin. For what would he be else, if he had procured, that God would accept of a weak imperfect obedience, accompanied with many failings, infirmities, and sins, being in nothing com- plete, in the room and stead of that which was completes perfect, and absolutely sinless, which he first required of us? Yea, God having determined to exalt and glori- fy the holy properties of his nature in a more eminent and glorious manner under the new covenant than the old, for which cause and end alone it is so exalted and preferred above it, it was necessary that there should be a righteousness and obedience required therein, far more complete, eminent, and glorious than that required in the other. But the reason of this difference lies solely herein, that our evangelical obedience, which is accept- ed with God, according to the tenor of the new covenant doth not hold the same place which our obedience should have had under the covenant of works. For therein it should have been our righteousness absolutely before God, that wherebywe should have been justifi- ed in his sight, even the words of the law, and for which, in a clue proportion ofjustice, we should have been e- ternally rewarded. But this place is now filled up by the righteousness andobedience of Christ,'our Mediator, which being the obedience of the Son of God, is far more eminent and glorious, and tends ,more to the mani- festation of the properties of God's nature, and therein the exaltation of his glory, than all that we shouldhave done, had we abode steadfast in the covenant of works.
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