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VII. "And KEEP my commandments."

Love and obedience, like two sisters, must go hand and hand. "If you love me, keep my commandments." John 14:15. "We show our love, by performing the work." The son who loves his father will obey him. Obedience pleases God. "To obey is better than sacrifice." 1 Sam 15:22. In sacrifice, only a dead beast is offered; in obedience, a living soul. In sacrifice, only a part of the fruit is offered; in obedience, fruit and tree and all; man offers himself up to God. "Keep my commandments." It is not said, God shows mercy to thousands who know his commandments—but who keep them. Knowing his commandments, without keeping them—does not entitle any to mercy. The commandment is not only a rule of knowledge—but of duty. God gives us his commandments, not only as a pleasant picture to look upon—but as his will and testament, which we are to perform. A good Christian, like the sun, not only sends forth light—but makes a circuit around the world. He has not only the light of knowledge; but moves in a sphere of obedience.

[1] We should keep the commandments from FAITH. Our obedience ought to spring from faith. It is called, therefore, "the obedience of faith." Rom 16:26. Abel, by faith, offered up a better sacrifice than Cain. Heb 11:4. Faith is a vital principle, without which all our services are opera mortua, dead works. Heb 6:1. Faith ameliorates and sweetens obedience, and makes it come off with a better relish.

But why must faith be mixed with obedience to the commandments?

Because faith eyes Christ in every duty, in whom both the person and offering are accepted. The high-priest under the law laid his hand upon the head of the slain beast, which pointed to the Messiah. Exodus 29:10. So faith in every duty lays its hand upon the head of Christ. His blood expiates their guilt, and the sweet odour of his intercession perfumes our works of obedience. "He has made us accepted in the beloved." Eph 1:6.

[2] Keeping the commandments must be UNIFORM. We must make conscience of one commandment as well as of another. "Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all your commandments." Psalm 119:6. Every commandment has the same stamp of divine authority upon it; and if I obey one precept because God commands, by the same reason I must obey all. Some obey the commands of the first table—but are careless of the duties of the second. Some obey the second table and not of the first. Physicians have a rule that when the body sweats in one part, and is cold in another, it is a sign of a distemper; so when men seem zealous in some duties of religion—but are cold and frozen in others, it is a sign of hypocrisy. We must have respect to all God's commandments.

But who can keep all his commandments?

There is a fulfilling God's commands, and a keeping of them. Though we cannot fulfil all—yet we may be said to keep them in an evangelical sense. We may "build, though not complete." We keep the commandments evangelically:

(1) When we make conscience of every command, when, though we come short in every duty, we dare not neglect any.

(2) When our desire is to keep every commandment. "O that my ways were directed to keep your statutes!" Psalm 119:5. What we lack in strength, we make up in will.

(3) When we grieve that we can do no better; when we weep when we fail; when we give bills of complaint against ourselves; and judge ourselves for our failings. Rom 7:24.

(4) When we endeavour to obey every commandment, "I press toward the mark." Phil 3:14. We strive as in agony; and, if it lay in our power, we would fully comport with every commandment.

(5) When, falling short, and unable to come up to the full latitude of the law, we look to Christ's blood to sprinkle our imperfect obedience, and, with his merits cast into the scales, to make it pass current. This, in an evangelical sense, is to keep all the commandments; and though it be not to our satisfaction—yet it is to God's acceptance.

[3] Keeping God's commandments must be VOLUNTARY. "If you are willing and obedient." Isa 1:19. God required a free-will offering. Deut 16:10. David will run the way of God's commandments, that is freely and cheerfully. Psalm 119:32. A musician is not commended for playing long—but for playing well. Obeying God willingly is accepted. "Righteous deeds done unwillingly, are worthless." The Lord hates that which is forced; which is paying a tax rather than an offering. Cain served God grudgingly; he brought his sacrifice, not his heart. To obey God's commandments unwillingly, is like the devils who came out of the men possessed, at Christ's command—but with reluctance, and against their will. Matt 8:29. "Obedience is the chief thing, and this not through fear of punishment—but for love of God." God duties must not be pressed nor beaten out of us, as the waters came from the rock, when Moses smote it with his rod—but must drop freely from us as myrrh from the tree, or honey from the comb. If a willing mind is lacking, the flower is lacking to perfume our obedience, and to make it a sweet-smelling savor to God.

That we may keep God's commandments willingly, let these things be well weighed:

(1) Our willingness is more esteemed than our service. David counsels Solomon not only to serve God—but with a willing mind. 1 Chron 28:9. The will makes sin to be worse, and duty to be better. To obey willingly shows we do it with love; and this crowns all our services.

(2) There is that in the law-giver, which may make us willing to obey the commandments, which is God's indulgence to us.

[1] God does not require perfect obedience as absolutely necessary to salvation; he requires sincerity only. Do but act from a principle of love, and aim at honouring God in your obedience—and it is accepted.

[2] In the gospel a surety is admitted. The law would not favour us so far; but now God so indulges us, that what we cannot do of ourselves we may do by proxy. Jesus Christ is "a Surety of a better testament." Heb 7:22. We fall short in everything—but God looks upon us in our Surety; and Christ having fulfilled all righteousness, it is as if we had fulfilled the law in our own persons.

[3] God gives strength to do what he requires. The law called for obedience—but though it required brick, it gave no straw; but in the gospel, God, with his commands, gives power. "Make a new heart." Ezek 18:31. Alas! it is above our strength, we may as well make a new world. "A new heart also will I give you." Ezek 36:26. God commands us to cleanse ourselves. "Wash and make yourselves clean." Isa 1:16. But "who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?" Job 14:4. Therefore the precept is turned into a promise. "From all your filthiness. I will cleanse you." Ezek 36:25. When the child cannot walk, the nurse takes it by the hand. "I taught Ephraim also to walk, taking them by their arms." Hos 11:3.

(3) There is that in God's commandments which may make us willing. They are not burdensome.

[1] A Christian consents to God's commands. "I consent to the law that it is good." Rom 7:16. What is done with consent is no burden. If a virgin gives her consent, the match goes on cheerfully; if a subject consents to his prince's laws because he sees the equity and reasonableness of them, they are not irksome. A regenerate person in his judgment approves, and in his will consents, to God's commandments; and therefore they are not burdensome.

[2] God's commandments are sweetened with joy and peace. Cicero questions whether that can properly be called a burden, which is carried with delight and pleasure. If a man carries a bag of money that has been given him, it is heavy—but the delight takes off the burden. When God gives inward joy, it makes the commandments delightful. "I will make them joyful in my house of prayer." Isa 56:7. Joy is like oil to the wheels, which makes a Christian run in the way of God's commandments, so that they are not burdensome.

[3] God's commandments are advantageous. They are preventive of evil; a curb-bit to check us from sin. What mischief's would we not run into—if we had not afflictions to humble us, and the commandments to restrain us! God's commandments keep us within bounds, as the yoke keeps the ox from straggling. We should be thankful to God for precepts. Had he not set his commandments as a hedge or bar in our way—we might have run to hell and never stopped! There is nothing in the commandments, but what is for our good. "To keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes, which I command you for your good." Deut 10:13.

God commands us to read his Word; and what hurt is in this? He bespangles the Word with promises; as if a father should bid his son read his last will and testament, wherein he makes over a great estate to him. He bids us pray and tells us if we "ask, it shall be given." Matt 7:7. Ask power against sin, ask salvation—and it shall be given. If you had a friend who should say, "Come when you will to me, I will supply you with money," would you think it a trouble to visit that friend often?

God commands us to fear him. "But fear your God." Lev 25:43. There is honey in the mouth of this command. "His mercy is on those who fear him." Luke 1:50. God commands us to believe, and why so? "Believe, and you shall be saved." Acts 16:31. Salvation is the crown, which is set upon the head of faith. Good reason then have we to obey God's commands willingly, since they are for our good, and are not so much our duty as our privilege.

[4] God's commandments are ornamental. "God's commandments do not burden us—but adorn us." It is an honour to be employed in a king's service; and much more to be employed in his service, "by whom kings reign." To walk in God's commandments proves us to be wise. "Behold, I have taught you statutes: keep, therefore, and do them; for this your wisdom." Deut 4:5, 6. To be wise is a great honour. We may say of every commandment of God, as Prov 4:9: It "shall give to your head an ornament of grace."

[5] The commands of God are infinitely better than the commands of sin, which are hurtful. Let a man be under the command of any lust, and how he tires himself! What hazards he runs to endangering his health and soul, that he may satisfy his lust! "They weary themselves to commit iniquity." Jer 9:5. And are not God's commandments more equal, facile, pleasant, than the commands of sin? Chrysostom says, "To act virtue, is easier than to act vice." Temperance is less troublesome than drunkenness; meekness is less troublesome than passion and pride. There is more difficulty in the contrivance and pursuit of a wicked design, than in obeying the commands of God. Hence a sinner is said to travail with iniquity. Psalm 7:14. A woman while she is in travail, is in pain—to show what pain and trouble a wicked man has in bringing forth sin. Many have gone with more pains to hell, than others have to heaven! This may make us obey the commandments willingly.

[6] Willingness in obedience, makes us resemble the angels. The cherubim are described with wings displayed, to show how ready the angels are to serve God. God no sooner speaks the word—but they are ambitious to obey. How are they ravished with joy while praising God! In heaven we shall be as the angels; and by our willingness to obey God's commands, we should be like them here. We pray that God's will may be done by us on earth as it is in heaven; and is it not done willingly there? It is also done constantly. "Blessed is he who does righteousness at all times." Psalm 106:3. Our obedience to the command must be as the fire of the altar, which never went out. Lev 6:13. It must be as the motion of the pulse, always beating. The wind blows off the fruit; but the fruits of our obedience must not be blown off, by any wind of persecution. "I have chosen you that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain." John 15:16.

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