NExt to the Precepts of the Law, we are to consider the duties which the Gospel does require of us, namely that we should repent and believe; That we should be careful to perform, to continue, and increase in all those particular duties and graces, which are comprehended under these two general heads.
So that from hence we are directed to pray
1. For Repentance; That since God hath in love to our souls, vouchsafed unto us in his Gospel this Priviledge of repentance, which the Covenant of Works did not admit of, that he would also give us hearts for it, (Act. 11.18) granting us repentance unto life; That he would convince us of the danger and folly and pollution of our sins, enabling us to mourn over them, bestowing upon us broken and contrite spirits: Dissolving our stony hearts into that godly sorrow which worketh repentance to salvation, (Psal. 51.17) (2 Cor. 7.10) not to be repented of. That we may search and try our wayes, and turn unto the Lord:1 Bringing forth fruits meet for repentance: Labouring to draw nigh unto God, by cleansing our hands and purifying our hearts. (James 4.8)
2. For faith; that God would discover to us the great need of a Saviour, and since he hath set forth his Son to be a Propitiation through faith in his blood; (Rom. 3.25) (Heb. 5.9) and hath made him the authour of eternal salvation to all that obey him: That he would win over our souls to an earnest endeavour of acquaintance with him, and high esteem of him.
That God, who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse, would shine into our hearts, (2 Cor. 4.6) to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ; That he would make us more especially inquisitive after the saving, experimental knowledge of him, in whom are laid up the treasures of wisdome and knowledge, (Col. 2.3) whom to know is perfect wisdome and eternal life.
That he would count us worthy of his holy calling, (2 Thes. 1.11, 12) and fulfill in us all the good pleasure of his goodnesse, and the work of faith with power, that the name of the Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in us, and we in him. That Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith, (Eph. 3.17, 18) that we being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all Saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that we may be filled with all the fulnesse of God.
That we may truly value the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindnesse towards us through Christ Jesus: Glorying in his Gospel, (Eph. 2.7) as being the power of God to salvation: Counting all things but losse and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus;2 that we may win him and he found in him, not having our own righteousnesse, which is of the Law, but that which is through the faith of Christ.
That in all estates and conditions we may learn to live by faith.
1. In regard of our temporal life, with all the various uncertainties of it, whether Prosperity, that by this grace of faith we may keep our hearts in an holy frame of humility, meeknesse, dis-ingagement from the world, and all outward confidences; or Adversity, wherein this grace may serve to sweeten our afflictions, to support us under them, teaching us to profit by them, to bear them meekly, to triumph over them; assuring the heart that nothing befals us but by the disposal of Gods Providence, who is infinitely wise, and merciful, and faithfull.
2. In regard of Spiritual life, both for our Justification, that we may not expect it from our own services or graces. (Phil. 3.9) Not having our own righteousnesse, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousnesse which is of God by faith. And so for the life of Sanctification, that we may not live unto our selves, (2 Cor. 5.15) but unto him who died for us, (Phil. 1.27) and rose again. That our conversation may be as becometh the Gospel of Christ, standing fast in one spirit with one minde, striving together for the faith of the Gospel. Alwayes remembring that we are not our own, (1 Cor. 6.20) but bought with a price, and therefore should make it our businesse to glorifie Christ with our bodies and spirits, which are his.
(Jam. 2.20) That he would work in us such a lively faith, as may make us rich in good works, that we may demean our selves, as becomes our professed subjection to the Gospel of Christ; walking worthy of that vocation wherewith we are called,3 as becomes children of the light:4 Being holy in all manner of conversation: Putting on the Lord Jesus Christ: Exercising our selves unto godlinesse: Walking uprightly, according to the truth of the Gospel: Diligently following every good work: Shewing out of a good conversation our works with meeknesse and wisdome: That we may adorne the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things; Considering that we are created in Christ Jesus unto good works, that we should walk in them: Having our conversation in heaven,5 walking worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitfull in all good works. (Gal. 1.10) That every one of us who professeth the name of Christ, may depart from iniquity: Because for this reason was the Gospel preached to those that are dead in sin, (2 Tim. 2.19) that they might live according to God in the Spirit. (1 Pet. 4.6)
That we may give all diligence to adde to our faith, vertue; and to vertue, knowledge;6 and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godlinesse; and to godlinesse, brotherly kindnesse, and to brotherly kindnesse, charity; that these things being in us, and abounding, we may not be barren and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, but may hereby clear up unto our selves the evidences of our calling and election.
That we may deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts, living soberly, (Tit. 2.12, 13, 14) righteously and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed hope, and that glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purifie unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works: Considering that he shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire, (2 Thes. 1.7) to take vengeance on those that obey not his Gospel, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power, when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints, and to be admired of all them that believe in that day: (Heb. 10.28) For if he that despised Moses law, died without mercy, under two or three witnesses; of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the Covenant an unholy thing, and hath done despight to the Spirit of grace?
(1 Pet. 5.10) That the God of all grace, who hath called us into his eternal glory, by Christ Jesus, would make us perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle us.
(Col. 1.23) That we may continue in the faith, grounded and setled, and not be moved away from the hope of the Gospel, (Col. 2.7) being rooted, and built up, and stablished in the faith: Laying aside every weight, and the sin that doth so easily beset us, (Heb. 12.1, 2) and running with patience the race that is set before us: Holding fast our profession without wavering; that we may abide in Christ, and his words may abide in us:7 Continuing in the things which we have learned. Being faithful unto the death, that then he may bestow upon us a crown of life.
That the Word of Christ may dwell in us richly, in all wisdome: That we may grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: Being filled with the fruits of righteousnesse, which are by Jesus Christ, (Phil. 1.11) unto the glory and praise of God: That we may be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. (2 Tim. 2.1)
That having fought a good fight, and finished our course, and kept the faith, (2 Tim. 4.7, 8) we may receive that crown of righteousnesse, which at the last day, the Lord, the righteous Judge will bestow upon all those that love his appearing: That he would carry us on, through faith unto salvation.
And because, when we have reckoned all the duties we can, we shall leave out many particulars, therefore for the supply of those which we cannot specifie, we may use some general forme answerable to that exhortation of the Apostle, (Phil. 4.8) that whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any vertue, and if there be any praise, that we may think of, and do these things.
Being blamelesse, and harmelesse, (Phil. 2.15) the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom we may shine as lights in the world.
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