第76章

THEmostfrequentpretextofseditionandcivilwarinChristianCommonwealthshathalongtimeproceededfromadifficulty，notyetsufficientlyresolved，ofobeyingatoncebothGodandmanthenwhentheircommandmentsareonecontrarytotheother。Itismanifestenoughthatwhenamanreceivethtwocontrarycommands，andknowsthatoneofthemisGod’s，heoughttoobeythat，andnottheother，thoughitbethecommandevenofhislawfulsovereign(whetheramonarchorasovereignassembly)，orthecommandofhisfather。Thedifficultythereforeconsistethinthis，thatmen，whentheyarecommandedinthenameofGod，knownotindiversecaseswhetherthecommandbefromGod，orwhetherhethatcommandethdobutabuseGod’snameforsomeprivateendsofhisown。ForastherewereintheChurchoftheJewsmanyfalseprophetsthatsoughtreputationwiththepeoplebyfeigneddreamsandvisions；sotherehavebeeninalltimes，intheChurchofChrist，falseteachersthatseekreputationwiththepeoplebyfantasticalandfalsedoctrines；andbysuchreputation，asisthenatureofambition，togovernthemfortheirprivatebenefit。

ButthisdifficultyofobeyingbothGodandthecivilsovereignonearth，tothosethatcandistinguishbetweenwhatisnecessaryandwhatisnotnecessaryfortheirreceptionintothekingdomofGod，isofnomoment。Forifthecommandofthecivilsovereignbesuchasthatitmaybeobeyedwithouttheforfeitureoflifeeternal，nottoobeyitisunjust；andthepreceptoftheapostletakesplace：

“Servants，obeyyourmastersinallthings“；and“Children，obeyyourparentsinallthings“；andthepreceptofourSaviour，“TheScribesandPhariseessitinMoses’chair；allthereforetheyshallsay，thatobserve，anddo。“Butifthecommandbesuchascannotbeobeyed，withoutbeingdamnedtoeternaldeath，thenitweremadnesstoobeyit，andthecounselofourSaviourtakesplace，“Fearnotthosethatkillthebody，butcannotkillthesoul。“*Allmenthereforethatwouldavoidboththepunishmentsthataretobeinthisworldinflictedfordisobediencetotheirearthlysovereign，andthosethatshallbeinflictedintheworldtocomefordisobediencetoGod，haveneedbetaughttodistinguishwellbetweenwhatis，andwhatisnot，necessarytoeternalsalvation。

Allthatisnecessarytosalvationiscontainedintwovirtues，faithinChrist，andobediencetolaws。Thelatterofthese，ifitwereperfect，wereenoughtous。ButbecauseweareallguiltyofdisobediencetoGod’slaw，notonlyoriginallyinAdam，butalsoactuallybyourowntransgressions，thereisrequiredatourhandsnow，notonlyobediencefortherestofourtime，butalsoaremissionofsinsforthetimepast；whichremissionistherewardofourfaithinChrist。Thatnothingelseisnecessarilyrequiredtosalvationismanifestfromthis，thatthekingdomofheavenisshuttononebuttosinners；thatistosay，tothedisobedient，ortransgressorsofthelaw；nortothem，incasetheyrepent，andbelieveallthearticlesofChristianfaithnecessarytosalvation。

TheobediencerequiredatourhandsbyGod，thatacceptethinallouractionsthewillforthedeed，isaseriousendeavourtoobeyHim；

andiscalledalsobyallsuchnamesassignifythatendeavour。Andthereforeobedienceissometimescalledbythenamesofcharityandlove，becausetheyimplyawilltoobey；andourSaviourhimselfmakethourlovetoGod，andtooneanother，afulfillingofthewholelaw；andsometimesbythenameofrighteousness，forrighteousnessisbutthewilltogivetoeveryonehisown，thatistosay，thewilltoobeythelaws；andsometimesbythenameofrepentance，becausetorepentimpliethaturningawayfromsin，whichisthesamewiththereturnofthewilltoobedience。

WhosoeverthereforeunfeignedlydesirethtofulfilthecommandmentsofGod，orrepentethhimtrulyofhistransgressions，orthatlovethGodwithallhisheart，andhisneighbourashimself，hathalltheobediencenecessarytohisreceptionintothekingdomofGod：forifGodshouldrequireperfectinnocence，therecouldnofleshbesaved。

ButwhatcommandmentsarethosethatGodhathgivenus？Areallthoselawswhichwer