Gofpell- Obedience, its End and Motives. CAP. X. 4. 6. which moves according tohis dire&ion; it muff in every motioneye his Com- 231 wandon theone hand, and his Promife, whether of Affzfiance for it or Accep- tance in it , on the other;Saith David, I have refpeEf Onto all thy Commande- mentr. Pfal. I i 9. and faith theApoffle, having receiveddeice Pro/infer, let or cleanfè ourfelves,from allflthinef e bothofflefh &Spirit, perfecting Hol<nefe in thefeare ofGod. 2 Cor7,.i. 3. The principali End `ofit, which is the Gloryof God , as a Remar- der : for he that comes Onto God, muffbelieve that he is, andthat he is the Remar- der o f them thatfeeke him. Heb: i 1.6. The endof Obedience was the Glo- ry ofGod, as a Rewarder according toMerit, in ftri& juftice ; the end ofGo- fpellobedience is the GloryofGod, as a Rewarder according to bounty,free Grace, and mercy: under which confideration , neither needs the Obedience rewardable tobe commenfurate to the Reward, nor is theReward procured by that Obedience; Ifit were, then it were ofworker, and notofGrace, as theA- poffle tells us, Rom.4.4. So.that the end ofour Obedience, is to exalt God as a Rewarder; yet that being as a Rewarder ofGrace and bounty, the ufe ofour Obedience is not to procurethat Reward, (forthat were toworker and to havea reward reckoned to us of Debt,and not of Grace,) but only to make the Lordgracious, and to exalt him in our prefent fubjettion, and in his fu- tureguilt ofGrace, in nature ofa free bounteous reward. This I fay is that GofpellObedience,which'by theDo&rine infiftedon, is promoted in the foules ofBelievers. 2. Secondly, this being fo (as was Paid) theGofpell Obedience,whereofwe 4; 6. fpeake, it is evident, what Principle it proceedeth from ; Whereas thereare twocontrary Principles inevery regenerate rnan,as (hall more fully afterwards be declared, called in thç Scripturefieb and Spirit, theold and Newman, in- dwellingfinne and Grace, whichhave both ofthem their Seats and Places in all, and the fame Facultiesofthe foule, it is moll evident, that this Obedience Howes folely and meerelyfrom the latter Principle, the Spirit, new or inner man, the newCreature,which is wrought in Believers; The ffrengthning and heightningof this Principle , the Holy Ghofflayes atthe bottomeof the re- newall, and increafeofGofpellObedience. Eph:3.16.17. r8.19. Ipray, (faith the Apoffle) that God wouldgrantyou, according to the Riches of his Glory,to be lïrengthnedwith might by his Spirit in the inner man, that Chrifl may dwell in your hearts by Faith,thatyee being rooted& grounded in love may beable to com- prehendwith allSaints what is the breadth,& length, anddepth,& height,and to know!. the LoveofChrif whichpaffeth knowledge, that yemaybefilledwithall the fumesofGod;Theirfirengthningwith might by theSpirit in the inner man is the foundation oftheir a&ingof, and increafing in Faith, Love, Knowledge, and Afurance unto all thefulneffe ofGod; It is the New nzan;which after God is Cre- ated inRighteoufneffe andHolinefe, that carries menout unto all acceptable Obedience, as c.ß23,24. ofthefame Epiftle. Look whatfoever influences the other Principleofthe flefli,hath into our obedience, fo faire itis defiled ; for that which isfrom theflefl: iJf1efi,8s.a11 the-fruits ofit are abominable; Hence Ich. 3ßa are all-the pollutions that cleave to our Holy things. Yea if at at any time, poore and meerefelfifh confiderations do put men upon dutyes ofObedience, and abftaining from finne, as feare ofvengeance, and deffru&ion;and thelike, (which is made alnioff the only motive to Obedience, by the Doêrrine of saints Apoflafe) their Obedience in doing or abfaining, is but as their feare oftheLord,who were taught it by Lions, & abominableunto him; This then , Rings I. being the natureofGofpell Obedience, and this the Principle, from whence it 34. flowes, it is evident, -
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