02.01. Chapter 1 - Verse 25

James 1:25. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. In this verse you have the third reason why they should hear the word so as to practise it. The first was, they would but deceive themselves, and go away with a vain mistake. The next, that bare hearing would be of little benefit; no more than for a man to glance his eye upon a glass, and to have a slight view of his countenance. And now, because due and right hearing will end in blessedness. This verse is full of matter. I shall drop it out as the order of the words yieldeth it. But whoso looketh, ὁ δὲ παρακύψας: a metaphor taken from those that do not only glance upon a thing, but bend their body towards it, that they may pierce it with their eyes, and narrowly pry into it. The same word is used for the stooping down of the disciples to look into Christ’s sepulchre, Luke 24:12, and John 20:4-5, and that narrow search which the angels use to find out the mysteries of salvation: 1 Peter 1:12, ‘Which things the angels desire to look into;’ where there is a plain allusion to the cherubim whose faces were bowed down towards the ark, as desirous to see the mysteries therein contained. The word implieth three things: (1.) Deepness of meditation. He doth not glance upon, but ‘look into the perfect law of liberty.’ (2.) Diligence of inquiry; they do not content themselves with what is offered to their first thoughts, but accurately pry into the mind of God revealed in the word. (3.) Liveliness of impression: they do so look upon it as to find the virtue of it in their hearts: 2 Corinthians 3:18, ‘We, with open face beholding the glory of the Lord as in a glass, are changed into the same image from glory to glory.’ Such a gaze as bringeth the glory of the Lord into our hearts, as Moses’ face shone by talking with God; and we, by conversing with the word, carry away the beauty and glory of it in our spirits.

Into the perfect law.—Some understand the moral law, in opposition to the ceremonial, as not being clear and full, and not able to justify, though men rested in the observances of it; and not perfect, because not durable, and was not to remain for ever. Thus Hebrews 7:19, ‘The law made nothing perfect, but only the bringing in of a better hope.’ A man could not be sanctified, justified, saved, without Christ, by the dispensation of Moses. So Hebrews 9:9, ‘That service could not make the comer thereunto perfect, as appertaining to the conscience.’ The soul could find no ease and rest in it without looking to Christ. But though this sense be probable, yet I rather understand the whole doctrine and word of God, and chiefly the gospel. The will of God in scripture is called a law. So a godly man is said to ‘meditate on the law day and night,’ Ps. 1.; and ‘thy law do I love,’ Psalms 119:1-176, where by law is understood the whole word; and the gospel is called νόμος πίστεως, ‘the law of faith,’ Romans 3:27. Now this law is said to be perfect, because it is so formally in itself, and they that look into it will see that there needeth no other word to make the man of God perfect. Of liberty.—It is so called, partly because of the clearness of revelation: it is the counsel of God to his friends; or, saith Piscator, because it spareth none, but dealeth with all freely, without respect of persons, though they be higher, richer, stronger than others; but rather because it calleth us into a state of freedom. See other reasons in the notes. And continueth therein; that is, persevereth in the study of this holy doctrine, and remaineth in the knowledge, belief, and obedience of it.

He being not a forgetful hearer, ἀκροατὴς τῆς ἐπιλησμονῆς, ‘a hearer of oblivion,’ a Hebraism; and he useth this term to answer the former similitude of a man’s forgetting his natural face. But a doer of the work; that is, laboureth to refer and bring all things to practice. He is said to be a doer that studieth to do, though his hand doth not reach to the perfectness of the work; that is, mindful of the business cut out to him in the word.

He shall be blessed in his deed; that is, so behaving himself, or so doing; or, as some more generally, he shall be blessed in all his ways, whatsoever he doth shall be prosperous and happy. For they conceive it to be an allusion to the words of Psalms 1:3. ‘Whatsoever he shall do shall prosper:’ for the psalmist speaketh there of doing the law, and meditating in the law, as James speaketh here of looking into the law of liberty, and walking in it. But here the Papists come upon us, and say Lo! here is a clear place that we are blessed for our deeds. But I answer—It is good to mark the distinctness of scripture phrase: the apostle doth not say for, but in his deed. It is an argument or evidence of our blessedness, though not the ground of it; the way, though not the cause. The points are these:—

Obs. 1. From that he looketh. That we should with all seriousness and earnestness apply ourselves to the knowledge of the gospel. There should be deep meditation and diligent inquiry. Your first duty, Christians, is to admit the word into your serious thoughts: Psalms 1:2, ‘He meditateth in the law day and night.’ We should always be chewing and sucking out the sweetness of this cud: Psalms 45:1, ‘My heart inditeth a good matter.’ The word in the original signifieth baketh or frieth; it is an allusion to the mincah, or meat-offering, that was baked and fried in a pan. Truths are concocted and ripened by meditation. And then there must be diligent inquiry, that we may not content ourselves with the surface of truth, but get into the bowels of it: 1 Peter 1:10, ‘Of which salvation the prophets have inquired diligently.’ Though they had a more immediate assistance of the Spirit, yet they would more accurately look into the depths and mysteries of the gospel, and consider their own prophecies: Proverbs 2:4, ‘Search for wisdom as for hidden treasures.’ Jewels do not lie upon the surface; you must get into the caverns and dark receptacles of the earth for them. No more do truths lie in the surface or outside of an expression. The beauty and glory of the scriptures is within, and must be fetched out with much study and prayer. A glance cannot discover the worth of anything to us. He that doth but cast his eye upon a piece of embroidery, doth not discern the curiousness and the art of it. So to know Christ in the bulk doth not work half so kindly with us as when we search out the breadth, and the depth, and the length, the exact dimensions of his love to us.

Obs. 2. The gospel is a law. It is often invested with this title and appellation: Romans 8:2, ‘The law of the Spirit of the life of Jesus Christ hath made us free from the law of sin and death.’ The covenant of works is there called ‘the law of sin and death,’ because the use of it to man fallen is to convince of sin, and to oblige and bind over to death. But the gospel, or covenant of grace, is called the law of the Spirit of the life of Christ, because the intent of it is, by faith, to plant us into Christ, whose life we are enabled to live by the Spirit; and it is called ‘the law of this life,’ because everything that concurreth in the right constitution and making of a law is found in the gospel:—As (1.) Equity, without which a law is but tyranny. All the precepts of the gospel are just and equal, most proportionate to the dignity of man’s nature: it is holy, good, and comfortable. (2.) There is promulgation, which is the life and form of the law, and without which it were but a private snare to catch men and entrap them. Now it is ‘proclaimed to the captives,’ Isaiah 61:1; it must be ‘preached to every creature,’ Mark 16:1-20. (3.) The author, without which it were sedition God, who can prescribe to the creature. (4.) The end, public good, without which a law were tyrannous exaction; and the end is the salvation of our souls. Well, then, look upon the gospel as a law and rule, according to which—(1st.) Your lives must be conformed: ‘Peace on them that walk according to this rule,’ Galatians 6:16; that is, the directions of the gospel. (2d.) All controversies and doctrines must be decided: ‘To the law and the testimony; if they speak not according to this rule, it is because there is no light in them,’ Isaiah 8:20. (3d.) Your estates must be judged: ‘God will judge the secrets of all men, according to my gospel,’ Romans 2:16. The whole word carrieth the face of a law, according to which you shall be judged; nay, the gospel itself is a law, partly as it is a rule, partly because of the commanding prevailing power it hath over the heart. So it is ‘the law of the Spirit of life;’ so that they that are in Christ are not without a law, not ἄνομοι, but ἔννομοι. So the apostle, 1 Corinthians 9:21, ‘I am not without the law, but under the law to Christ;’ that is, under the rule and direction of the moral law, as adopted and taken in as a part of the gospel by Christ.

Obs. 3. The word of God is a perfect law. So it is in divers respects. (1.) Because it maketh perfect. The nearer we come to the word, the greater is the perfection and accomplishment of our spirits. The goodness and excellency of the creature lieth in the nearest conformity to God’s will. (2.) It directeth us to the greatest perfection, to God blessed for ever, to the righteousness of Christ, to perfect communion with God in glory. (3.) It concerneth the whole man, and hath a force upon the conscience: men go no further than outward obedience; but ‘the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul,’ Psalms 19:7. ‘It is not a lame, defective rule; besides outward observances, there is some what for the soul. (4.) It is a perfect law, because of the invariable tenor of it; it needeth not to be changed, but is always like itself: as we say, that is a perfect rule that needeth no amendment. (5.) It is pure, and free from error. There are no laws of men but there are some blemish in them. Of old, wickedness was enacted by a law¹—adultery: by a law of the Syrians, the virgins were to prostitute them selves before marriage. So in the laws of every country there are some marks of human error and frailty; but, Psalms 119:140, ‘Thy word is pure, therefore thy servant loveth it.’ (6.) Because it is a sufficient rule. Christ hath been ‘faithful in all his house,’ in all the appointments of it. Whatever is necessary for knowledge, for regulating of life and worship, for confirmation of true doctrines, for confutation of false, it is all in the word: 2 Timothy 3:17, ‘That the man of God may be perfectly furnished unto every good work.’ Well, then—(1.) Prize the word. We love what is perfect. (2.) Suffer nothing to be added to it: Deuteronomy 4:1-49, ‘Ye shall not add to the word which I command you.’ So the whole Bible is concluded: Revelation 22:18, ‘If any one add to these things, God shall add to him the plagues that are written in this book.’ It will be a sad adding that incurreth these plagues. The plagues written in that book were those dreadful judgments that should be executed upon Antichrist and his adherents; they are most for adding, coining new doctrines of faith, piecing up the word with their own inventions. And, indeed, as they add, by obtruding upon the world the traditions and usages of men, so others add by imposing upon men’s reverence their own inventions and imaginations. They cry up their fancies without the word, and private illuminations. God would not leave the world at so great an uncertainty. Others urge the commands of men. Certainly God never intended that the souls of his people should be left as a prey to the present power.

¹ Osorius de Glor., lib. 1.

Obs. 4. That the gospel, or word of God, is a ‘law of liberty.’ As it is a perfect, so it is a free law. So it is in divers respects. (1.) Because it teacheth the way to true liberty, and freedom from sin, wrath, death. Naturally we are under the law of sin and death, entangled with the yoke of our own corruptions, and bound over to eternal misery; but the gospel is a doctrine of liberty and deliverance: John 8:36, ‘If the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.’ There is no state so free as that which we enjoy by the gospel. (2.) The bond of obedience that is laid upon us is indeed and in truth a perfect freedom. For,—

1. The matter itself of our obedience is freedom.

2. We do it upon free principles.

3. We have the help of a free Spirit.

4. We do it in a state of freedom.

1. The matter is freedom. Duty is the greatest liberty, and sin the greatest bondage. You cannot have a worse restraint than to be left to ‘walk in the ways of your own hearts.’ The sinning angels are said to be ‘kept in chains of darkness,’ Jude 1:6. A wicked man is in bondage here and hereafter; now in snares, then in chains; here ‘taken captive by Satan at his will’ and pleasure, 2 Timothy 2:26, and hereafter bound up with Satan in chains of darkness. Sin itself is a bondage, and hell a prison, 1 Peter 3:19. Were there nothing in sin but the present slavery, it is enough to dissuade us. Who would be a vassal to his own lusts? at the command of pride, and every unclean motion? But, alas! the present thraldom is nothing to what is future. The condition of a sinner for the present is servile, but hereafter woful and dreadful. Satan’s work is drudgery, and his reward is death. How can we remain in such an estate with any pleasure? From the beginning to the end it is but a miserable servility. Why should we account Christ’s service a burthen, when it is the most happy liberty and freedom? The world is all for ‘casting aside the cords, for breaking these bonds,’ Psalms 2:3. Which would you have? the cords of duty or the chains of darkness? We cannot endure the restraints of the word, or the severe, grave precepts of Christianity; we look upon them as an infringement of our carnal ease and liberty. Oh! consider these are not gyves, but ornaments: Psalms 119:45, ‘I shall walk at liberty, for I seek thy precepts;’ beddachah, ‘at large.’ That is the only free life that is spent in loving, enjoying, and praising God. Oh! do not count it, then, to be the only free and pleasant life to know nothing, to care for nothing, in matters of religion. Who would dote upon his shackles, and think gyves a liberty? 2 Peter 2:19, ‘While they promise themselves liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption; for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought into bondage.’ The apostle alludeth to the law of nations, by which it is lawful to make slaves of those that are overcome and taken in war. Now those that preach carnal doctrine, and tell men they may live as they list, they help on the victory of sin, and so bring men into a vassalage and servitude to their own lusts. So Romans 6:20, ‘When ye were servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.’ You would expatiate, and run out at large, and you thought this was a freedom; but all the while you were servants, and servants to the basest master, your own sin. It was Ham’s curse to be a servant of servants. It is a goodly preferment, is it not, to be Satan’s vassal, lust’s slave? I remember Austin saith of Rome, that she was the great mistress of the world, and the drudge of sin.² And Chrysostom saith, that Joseph was the freeman, and his mistress was the servant, when she obeyed her lusts.^{3 2} ‘Domitrix gentium, et captiva vitiorum.’—Aug. de Civit. Dei.

³ Chrysos. Hom. 19, in priorem Ep. ad Corinth.

2. We do it upon free principles. Whatever we do, we do it as ‘the Lord’s freemen,’ 1 Corinthians 7:22, upon principles of love and thankfulness. God might rule us ‘with a rod of iron,’ but he urgeth the soul with ‘constraints of love.’ In one place, ‘I beseech you by the mercies of God,’ &c., Romans 12:1; in another, ‘Grace teacheth us,’ &c., Titus 2:11-12. The motives of the gospel are mercy and grace; and the obedience of the gospel is an obedience performed out of gratitude or thankfulness.

3. We have the assistance of a free Spirit, that disentangleth our souls, and helpeth us in the work of obedience. David prayeth, ‘Uphold me by thy free Spirit,’ Psalms 51:12. A free Spirit, because he maketh us free, helpeth us to serve God willingly and freely. There is spirit and life in the commandment, somewhat besides a dead letter, and that maketh it a ‘perfect law of liberty.’ Of old, there was light in the commandment to guide their feet, but not fire to burn up their lusts; there was no help to fulfil it: the light was directive, but not persuasive.

4. We do it in a free state, in an estate of sonship, and well pleasing: Romans 8:15, ‘Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but a spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.’ When a man is under a covenant of works, the testimony of his conscience is suitable to his estate; and therefore in his natural condition his spirit is servile, and all that he doth he doth as a servant: but when he is regenerated, and claimeth by another tenure, that of grace, the dispositions of his spirit are more filial and child-like; he acteth as a son, with an ingenuous liberty and confidence. Adam himself in innocency, because under a covenant of works, was but as an honourable servant: Galatians 4:31, ‘We are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.’ The new covenant giveth us another kind of estate and spirit. So Luke 1:74, ‘Being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, we serve him without fear;’ that is, without such a scrupulous awe and bondage, as otherwise would remain upon the soul.

Use. Well, then, consider whether you be under a law of liberty, yea or no. To this end—(1. ) Ask your souls, which is a bondage to you, sin or duty? When you do complain of the yoke, what is grievous to you, the commandment or the transgression? Do you ‘delight in the law of the Lord in the inward man?’ Only corruption that hangeth on so fast is a sad burthen. The carnal heart hath a spite at the law, Romans 8:7, not its own lusts. (2.) When you do duty, what is the weight that poiseth your spirits to it? Your warrant is the command; but your poise and weight should be love.⁴ (3.) What is your strength for duty reason or the assistance of the free Spirit? He that cometh in his own name usually standeth upon his own bottom. When our dependence is on Christ, our tendency is to him. (4.) Would you have the work accepted for its own sake, or your persons accepted for Christ’s sake? It is an ill sign when a man’s thoughts run more upon the property and quality of the work than upon the propriety and interest of his person. In the law of liberty or covenant of grace, God’s acceptance beginneth with the person; and though there be weak services, much deadness, coldness, dulness, yet it is accepted, because it is done in a free state. Works can never be so vile as our person was when we first found favour with God. If it be thus with you, you have cause to bless God for your freedom, to consider what you shall render again. Requite God you cannot till you pay back as much as he gave you.⁵ He hath given his Son to free you, and you should give up yourselves.

⁴ ‘Amor meus est pondus meum, eo feror quocunque feror.’—Aug.

⁵ ‘Deo redempti sumus, Deum debemus.’— Salvian.

Obs. 5. From that and abideth therein. This commendeth our knowledge of and affection to the word, to continue in it. Hypocrites have a taste; some men’s hearts burn under the ordinances, but all is lost and drowned in the world again: John 8:31, ‘If ye continue in the word, then are ye my disciples indeed.’ There may be good flashes for the present, but Christ saith, ‘If ye continue,’ if ye ripen them to good affections. So 2 John 1:9, ‘Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God; but he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.’ He that hath not God hath lost himself; and he that hath God hath all things: now so great a privilege is promised to perseverance. The corrupt angels lost their glory when they left their love to the truth. Their sin is thus expressed they ‘abode not in the truth,’ John 8:44. Now to this abiding in the word two things are opposite:—(1.) Apostasy, when we go off from our former profession and zeal for God; a sad case! 2 Peter 2:21, ‘Better they had never known the holy commandment than to go back from the knowledge of it after it was once delivered to them.’ The less law the less transgression; apostates sin against more conviction: Psalms 119:118, ‘Thou hast trodden down them that err from thy statutes:’ God treadeth them under feet as unsavoury salt,⁶ because they have lost their smartness and savour. (2.) There is ἑτεροδιδασκαλια, other gospelling: Galatians 1:6, ‘Soon turned to another gospel.’ So 1 Timothy 1:3, ‘Charge them that they teach no other doctrine.’ Men would have something new and strange, which is usually the ground of heresy. So 1 Timothy 6:3, ‘If any teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, he is proud, knowing nothing.’ This desire to differ, and hear another gospel, is very dangerous; new ways affected are the high way to an old error.

⁶ ‘Παρήσατε μὲ τὸ ἅλας τὸ ἀναίσθητον.’—Socrat. Eccl. Hist. lib. 3. cap. 2.

Well, then, if we must abide in the word, then—(1.) Be sure to cherish good motions if they come upon your hearts: you are to abide therein: though the Spirit break in upon the soul of a sudden, let it not go so. Usually our religious pangs are but like a sudden flash of lightning into a dark place. (2.) Be careful to observe the first decays and languishments of your spirits, that you may ‘strengthen the things that are ready to die,’ Revelation 3:2. If the candle of the Lord doth not shine as it was wont to do, complain of the first dimness and decay.

Obs. 6. From that being not a forgetful hearer. That hearers must take heed that they do not forget the good things dispensed to them. Helps to memory are these:—(1.) Attention; men remember what they heed and regard: Proverbs 4:21, ‘Attend to my sayings; keep them in the midst of thine heart;’ that is, in such a place where nothing can come to take them away. Where there is attention, there will be retention: the memory is the chest and ark of divine truths, and a man should see them carefully locked up: Isaiah 42:23, ‘Who will hearken and hear for the time to come?’ Hearkening noteth reverence and seriousness; as it is said, Isaiah 32:3, ‘The ears of them that hear shall hearken.’ Now reverence in the admission of the word helpeth us in the keeping of it: truths are lost by slight hearing. (2.) Affection, that is a great friend to memory; men remember what they care for: an old man will not forget where he laid his bag of gold: delight and love are always renewing and reviving the object upon our thoughts, Ps. 119. David often asserteth his delight in the law, and therefore it was always in his thoughts: Psalms 119:97, ‘Oh how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.’ (3.) Application and appropriation of truths; we will remember that which concerneth ourselves: in a public edict, a man will be sure to carry away that which is proper to his case and tenure: Job 5:27, ‘Hear this, and know it for thy good;’ there he spake to me; this I must remember for ray comfort. So Proverbs 9:12, ‘Be wise for thyself;’ this is for your souls, and concerneth you nearly. (4.) Meditation, and holy care to cover the word, that it be not snatched from us by vain thoughts; that the fowls of the air do not peck up the good seed, Matthew 13:4. You should often revolve and revive it upon the thoughts: as an apple, when it is tossed in the hand, leaveth the odour and smell of it behind when it is gone: Luke 2:19, ‘Mary kept these sayings, and pondered them in her heart;’ she kept them, because she pondered them. (5.) Observation of the accomplishment of truths: you will remember things spoken long since, when you see them verified: John 2:17, ‘Then they remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.’ Such occasions observed will make old truths come to mind afresh. So John 2:22, ‘Then they remembered he had spoken’ of destroying the temple in three days. So God saith, Hosea 7:12, ‘I will chastise them, as their congregation hath heard.’ When the prophets are dead and gone, they may remember they were taught such things along time since. (6.) Practise what thou hearest: you will remember the good you get by it: ‘I will remember thy precepts, for by them thou hast quickened me,’ Psalms 119:93. Christians can discourse of the circumstances of that sermon by which they have received profit. (7.) Commit it to the Spirit’s keeping and charge: John 14:26, The Comforter, ἀναμνήσει, ‘shall bring things to your remembrance.‘ Christ chargeth the Holy Ghost with his own sermons; the disciples’ memories were too slippery: and truly this is the great advantage which they have that have interest in the promise of the Spirit, that truths are brought freshly to mind in the very season wherein they do concern them.

Obs. 7. From that he, being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer. Sin cometh for want of remembering: forgetful hearers are negligent: Psalms 103:18, ‘Them that remember his commandments to do them.’ A godly man hath an affective memory; he remembereth to do. Wicked men are often expressed and set out by their bad memories; as Job 8:13, ‘They forget God;’ so Psalms 119:139, ‘Mine enemies have forgotten thy word;’ that is, they do not practise it; yea, the sins of God’s people are usually sins of forgetfulness and incogitancy; as Peter would never have been so bold and daring upon the danger, and done what he did, if he had remembered. The text saith, ‘When he remembered, he wept bitterly.’ Luke 22:61. So when they fainted under affliction: Hebrews 12:5, ‘Ye have forgotten the consolation whch speaketh to you as children.’ A bad memory is the cause of a great deal of mischief in the soul. So for distrust: Mark 8:18, ‘Ye see and hear, but do not remember;’ they did not actually consider the former experience of the loaves and fishes, and so distrusted. So for murmuring and impatience: David murmured till he ‘remembered the years of the right hand of the Most High,’ Psalms 77:10. We find that seasonable truths give a great deal of relief and ease to the mind in a temptation: Lamentations 3:21, ‘This I recall to mind, and therefore I have hope;’ whereas others are troubled with every event of providence, because they do not remember the comforts the scripture hath provided in such a case. They that came to the sepulchre were troubled about the death and resurrection of Christ, because they had forgotten what he had spoken to them in Galilee, Luke 24:6, Luke 24:8. So when the Thessalonians were troubled at the growing of errors, and extremely shaken in their confidence, Paul saith, 2 Thessalonians 2:5, ‘Remember ye not how I spake of those things?’ It is very observable that in many places of scripture all duty is expressed by this word remember, as if it did necessarily imply suitable actions and affections; so Exodus 20:8, ‘Remember the sabbath day;’ as if, then, they must needs sanctify it: so Ecclesiastes 12:1, ‘Remember thy Creator;’ it is put for all that reverence, duty, and worship which we owe to God. In other places the link between memory and duty is plainly asserted: Numbers 15:40, ‘That ye may remember to do all my commandments:’ a seasonable recalling of truths doth much. You see, out of all this, that we should not only get knowledge, but remembrance; that we should not only faithfully lay up truths, but seasonably lay them out; it is a great skill to do so, and we had need call in the help of the Spirit. There are some truths that are of a general use and benefit; others that serve for some cases and seasons. In the general, hide the whole word in your heart, that ye may have a fresh truth to check sin in every temptation, Psalms 119:11. So lay up the mercies of God that you may be thankful; forget not all his benefits, Psalms 103:2; your sins, that you may be humble: Deuteronomy 9:7, ‘Remember and forget not how thou provokedst the Lord thy God in the wilderness;’ so remarkable experiences, ‘the years of God’s right hand,’ that you may be confident. Labour thus to get a present ready memory, that will urge truths in the season when they do concern us.

Obs. 8. From that but a doer of the work. The word layeth out work for us. It was not ordained only for speculation; it is a rule of duty to the creatures. There is the ‘work of faith,’ John 6:29; the ‘labour of love,’ Hebrews 6:10; and ‘fruits worthy repentance,’ Matthew 3:8. All this work is cut out to us in the gospel—faith, love, and new obedience. Do not content yourselves, then, with a module of truth. The apostle calleth it, Romans 2:20, μόρφωσιν ἐπιστήμης, ‘a form of knowledge.’ With a winter sun, that shineth, but warmeth not, let not the tree of knowledge deprive you of the tree of life; work the works of God. Faith is your work, repentance is your business, and the life of love and praise your duty.

Obs. 9. From that shall be blessed in his deed. There is a blessedness annexed to the doing of the work of the word;⁷ not for the work’s sake, but out of the mercy of God. See then that you hear so that you come within the compass of the blessing; the blessing is usually pronounced at the time of your addresses to God in this worship. See that your own interest be clear, that when the minister, in God’s name, saith, ‘Blessed is he that heareth the word and keepeth it,’ you may echo again to God, and bless him in your reins, for that he hath bowed your heart to the obedience of it.

⁷ Qu. ‘Lord’? ED.