285 / 504
concerning
Cofpell-Thsths.
CAP.
X.
4:
3,
fome
men
profeffe,it
tends to
Godlineffe
and Holineflè
of
converfation
,
I
dare
fay,
is
a
lye
and vanity, and did neverpromote any
thing,
but
vaine, legal!,
fùperítitious, counterfeit Holinefle
5
Indeed upon
a fuppofition
of
its
truth,
it
is
ofconcernement for
the
Advancement
of
_any
Doctrine
,
in
the
efteenie
and opinion of
the
Saints
,
to
manifeft
,
that
it
leads
to
Godlineffe
:
but to
prove it to
be
true,
becaufemen,who perhaps never
knew- any
thing beyond
Formnll, Legall,
Pharifaicall
Holineffe
all
their
daies,
fay,
it
tends
to
the pro-
motion
of
Holineffe,
is
but
to
obtrude our
Conceptions upon others,
that
are
no
way
moulded into
the
frame
of
them;
That
the
iinbracement
of
fuch a
Truth,
will
further
us in
our
obedience ,
and walking with
God,
therefore
value
and prize
it,
is
good arguing
5
but that
such
a
Doerrine
will
further
us
in
a way
ofGodlineflè,therefore
'tis a
Truth;
when
we may be miftaken
both
in Godlineffe it
felfe,,and
in
the
motives
to
it,
and furtherances
of
it,
is
but
a
Prefumption.
To
commend then the
Truth,which
we have
at large other -
wife
confirmed,
to the
Hearts
and Confciences
of
the
Saints
of
God-,
and to
lay
a
foundation
for
the
full removal]
of
thofe vaine and weake exceptions,
which on
this
account are laid againft
it
: I (hall
manifeft
what
influences
it
bath into their
Obedience;
and with
what
eminent
efficacy
it
prevailes
upon
their
Soules,
to
perfeEt Holineffe
in
the
feare ofGod
;
For the more cleare
De-
claration whereof,
I (hall
give
the
Reader the
fumme
of
it, under
the
enfuing
Confderationsconcerning
Gofpell
obedience,
and the
motives
that are proper
}hereunto.
I.
That
which
I call
GofpellObedience,
wherein
the
Saints
ofGod
are
fur-
thered,
by the
beliefe
of
the
Truth
we
have
in
hand,
is
varioufly expreffed
in
the
Scripture;
It
may
in
Generall
be
defcribed
to
be,
a
voluntary
orderly
fub-
jebtion
to
the
whole
will
of
God:
I call
it
obedience, in
reference
unto
the will
of
God,
which
is
the
Rule
and
Patterne
of
it,
and
whereunto
it
is
a regular 'Wife-
Ilion;
The
Pfalmift
expreffes
it
to the
full,
both
as
to the
Root
and fruit.
Pf
qo.8.
I
delight
to
doe
thy
will
O
my
God,
yea
thy.
Parris
within
my
Heart
5
the
Law in
the
Heart gives us
to
doe
,
and
to
delight in
doing the Will
of
God;
Petercalls
it,
being
holy
in
all
manner
of
converfation. r
Pet.
I.
I4,
1.5.
Paul a
Cleanfngofourfelves from
all
ftlthinefeoffhfhandfpirit
in the
feare ofGod.2
Cor.7,I.or,as it
is
more eminently defcribed,Rom.I
2.
1,2.
in
that
Pathetical)
exhortation'ofthe
Apoftle
thereunto;
I
befeech
you
Brethren,
by
the
mercies
of
God,
that
you
prefent your
bodies
a
living
facrflee,
holy
, acceptable unto God,
which isyour reafonable
fervice; And
be
not
conformed unto
this world,
but
be
yee
transformed
by
the renewing
of
your mind,
that
ye
may
prove
what
is
that
good,
that
acceptable,and perfell will
of
God, as
he
had formerly at large defcribed it,
in the
fixth
chapter
ofthat
Epi.fïle,
throughout.
And
I call
it
Gofpell
obedience,
not that
it
differs in fubftance,
as
to
the
matter
of
it,
from
that
required by
the
Lam,
which injoynes
us
to
love
the
Lord
our God
with
all
our
hearts,but
that
it
moves
upon
principles
and
is
carried on
unto
ends
revealed only
in
the
Gofpelh
In reference
to
our
defigne
,
there
are thefe
four things
confiderable
in
it.
Firft
the
Nature
of
it.
Secondly
the
Principle in
us,
from whence
it
proceeds.
.
Thirdly the
Motives
that
are proper
to
the carrying it
on,
the'
cherifhing
and increafing
of
it
in
them;
in
whom-it
is.
Fourthly the
Perfons,
who
are
to
be moved and provoked
to
a
progreffe
therein.
By
a
briefe
confideration
of
thefe things;
we fhall
make
way for
what
we
have undertaken; namely
tomanifeft
the
efficacy
of
the Doerrine
we
have in-
G g
3
-
lifted
229