A SERMON Preached before the QUEEN AT WHITEHALL, On Sunday, MARCH 22. 1690/ 1. By EDWARD FOWLER, D. D. Chaplain in Ordinary to Their Majesties. Published by Her Majesty's Special Command.  
LONDON, Printed by T. M. for Ric. Chiswel at the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Church Yard, 1691.   

Dr. FOWLER's SERMON Preached before THE QUEEN, March 22. 1690/ 1.   

A SERMON Preached before the QUEEN.  james 2.10. For whosoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one Point, he is guilty of all. 
THERE are several Passages of our Saviour and his Apostles, which at the first hearing do sound very harshly, and seem to savour of overgreat Severity, that upon due Consideration are found to have nothing in them, but what is highly Reasonable. To omit others, this Text is one of those Passages; and many, no doubt, have been startled at it, and been ready to say as the Disciples of our Saviour did upon another Occasion, This is an hard saying, who can hear it? For can this Doctrine be true, that whosoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one Point, is guilty of all, and we be in the mean time dealt with according to the Gentleness and Clemency of a Covenant of Grace? Is this the GOSPEL we talk so much of? Is this the Glad-Tydings which our Saviour hath brought us? We find none so bad, we read nothing so sad, in all the Old Testament. The worst Passage there is, and that is bad enough, Cursed is he that continueth not, in all that is written in the Law to do it. It is no where there said, that he who is never so careful to observe the whole Law, if he chance to transgress in any one Point, shall be looked upon as a Transgressor of all the Commandments, and dealt with like such a one. That other Saying is a very terrible one, but this is much more terrible.  
If this be so, we may well Repeat that other Question of the Disciples, Who then can be saved? In many things we offend all; if therefore he who keepeth the whole Law, and yet offends in one Point, be guilty of all, how Desperate must the Case not only of the Generality needs be, but of every Individual Person?  
I must confess that these Words may well Confound us, and fill us with Amazement, were they to be understood in the severest Sense they are capable of; but we are certain they are not so to be understood; and therefore that the forementioned Paraphrase upon them, is by no means a true one: And the Context showeth, that this is the plain Meaning of them, viz. Upon Supposition that a Man were careful to observe all the Laws of God but one, his living in the Breach of that one, shall be so far from being connived at upon the Account of his Obedience to all the rest, that he shall be liable to the Punishment which is due to the Transgression of the whole Law: That is, the same Punishment for kind, not for degree; there being nothing more plainly revealed, than that the more and the greater Sins Men are guilty of, the greater and severer shall be their Punishment. And in saying that such a one shall have the same Punishment for kind, I mean that which consisteth in being forever Banished from the Presence of God; and which is called Eternal Death.  
Now the Reasonableness of this Assertion of our Apostle, thus understood, may be fully made to appear by these following Considerations.  
First, He who refuseth Obedience to any One of the Divine Laws, may as truly be said to Contemn the Divine Authority, as if he lived in the breach of all. Men in wilfully Disobeying any One Law, do put as true an Affront upon the Lawgiver, tho' not so High a one, as they do in Disobeying all. This Reason St. james gives in the Words next following, for what he affirms in the Text: For he that said, do not Commit Adultery, said also do not Kill; now if thou Commit no Adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a Transgressor of the Law. That is, it is the same Lawgiver who hath forbidden Adultery and Murder; and His Authority is as truly Contemned in Transgressing one, as both of these Laws.  
Every deliberate Act of Disobedience is flat Rebellion, and so for forth a Renouncing of God's right to Govern us; It is a virtual denial of His Authority to Prescribe any Laws to us, and lays a foundation for Universal Disobedience. For if God Almighty's Sovereignty be Disacknowledged in any One Instance, it may as well be so in all other. The same Reason that leads to the Violation of one Law, doth Enervate and render invalid all other Laws. Again,  
Secondly, He who wilfully Disobeys any One of the Divine Laws, is no Sincere Observer of any of the rest. For whosoever allows himself in any one Act of Disobedience, hath no True Love either for God or Goodness; but it is necessary to the Sincerity of Obedience, that it proceed from that Love which hath both these for its Objects. That it proceed from Love to God, and (which is indeed Materially the same) Love to Goodness: Goodness (Or Universal Righteousness, Purity and Benignity) being that upon the account of which God Almighty is a Lovely Being.  
Now it is Evident, that those who live in any Disobedience to God, do not Love Him. They love him not according to the Scripture-Notion of Loving God; because whatsoever that is for the sake of which we can find in our hearts to Disobey Him, must needs be valued and Esteemed above Him; And the Scripture-Notion of Loving God, is the Esteeming Him above, and Preferring Him before all Creatures. He who hath No true Love for God, may Obey Him in many instances, as the poor Pagan's Worship the Devil, out of a Slavish Fear and Dread of Him; He may Obey him too as a mere Mercenary, I mean, for the good things of this Life, and a Sensual kind of Happiness in the Other: But this Obedience is far from being Genuine, or the true Evangelical Obedience, as is Easy to show.  
And again, it is no less apparent, that the Love of Virtue and true Goodness, is inconsistent with harbouring any thing in our breasts that is contrary there to.  
Thirdly, He who lives in disobedience to any One Law of God, as he Obeys none Sincerely, so is he prepared to break all other Laws, and that in the grossest manner, whensoever forceable Temptations may assault him. For if the Divine Authority can't prevail with a Man, to Abstain from this or that Sin, how is it to be Expected it should Restrain him from Other Sins, when he may happen to be incited to them by alike strong and Violent Temptations?  
Such a one may forbear not a few sins while he is not at all, or not very violently set upon by a tempter; but if God should once suffer him to be sharply encountered, either from without or from within, it is not hard to divine what Success such Temptations would have upon him.  
Hazael once thought that 'twas impossible he should incur the Gild of such horrid Villainies, as he was foretold he would; such as dashing young Children against the stones, and ripping up Women with Child: What, replied he to the Prophet, Is thy Servant a Dog, that he should do such things? But for all that, when he came into other Circumstances, and so to have such Temptations, as he never before met with, he was such a Dog as to commit such Barbarities.  
And if we will not be prevailed with, to forsake in Will and Affection every Sin, we shall scarcely stick longer at any Sin, than our forbearance thereof is consistent with the Satisfaction of that Lust which is dearest to us.  
We have judas also for an Example of this: He was doubtless, as to Outward Appearance, a very Moral Inoffensive Man; for our Saviour would not have given such Scandal, as to have taken him, had he not been so, into the Number of his Constant Associates; yet this Judas loving the Bag, being a secretly- Covetous Wretch, could persuade himself, even most basely to betray his Blessed Master, when alured by the Bait of Gain to it; and that a very sorry Bait too.  
Fourthly, Whosoever makes no Conscience of transgressing some one Law, as he is Prepared to break all other upon strong Temptations, so he actually disobeys other Laws, according to that Latitude of Interpretation which our Lord hath given them; and which ought to be given them. Such a one may tremble at the Thoughts of breaking those two Commandments, Thou shalt not commit Adultery, Thou shalt not kill; but Lusting in his Heart, or Hating his Enemy, will be Venial Sins with him, though his Saviour hath told him, that these are Transgressions of those Commandments.  
This Man may punctually keep the First and Second Commandments, as to the shunning of those Sins, which in express terms are forbidden by them: He may abhor to acknowledge any other God but jehovah: he may abominate Graven Images in the Worship of God; but while he preferreth the World, either the Riches, or Honours, or Pleasures thereof, before God (as whosoever lives in the Allowance of any known Sin doth) he is a very Idolater, as the Apostle hath told us.  
Fifthly, Living in the Breach of but one Law, would as truly Deprave men's Natures, and make them unmeet for the Enjoyment of God, as living in the Breach of all. It would do so as truly and really, though not in the same degree. One Sin allowed, one Lust cherished, robs the Soul of the Divine Image, renders it unlike to God, and consequently makes it uncapable of taking Satisfaction or Complacency in that Best of Being's, who is pure Light, and in whom is no Darkness at all. It is thereby unqualified for the Heavenly, and it sinks it down into the Hellish State. We say, One Leak will sink a Ship as sure as a Thousand: And, upon this Account, One Sin entertained, must needs as certainly ruin our Souls, if we will not part with it, as never so many. Our Four First Considerations make it highly Reasonable that it should be so, but this Last makes it Necessary. Necessary from the very Nature of the thing; not only, nor yet Primarily, from the Will of God. I shall now Present you with Several plain Inferences from what hath been said. As,  
I. THat we ought not to account any Sin a Light or a small thing; such a thing as God Almighty will not Concern Himself about: Such a thing as we may allow ourselves in, and yet be Objects of the Divine Favour.  
This is Evident from what we have said; or rather is our Text itself in other Words.  
But I add, for the farther Clearing of the Truth hereof, that that Sin which we are apt to Fancy so Light a matter, is either a Transgression of God's Law or 'tis not; if it be not, we may not acknowledge it to be a Sin: For Sin, as saith the Apostle, is the Transgression of the Law; and where there is no Law there is no Transgression. But if it be a Transgression of the Law, how can it be a Light or a Trivial thing? If it be really so, then must God needs so account it, for He judges of things as they are; but how can God so account it, when He hath made a Law against it? Will His Infinite Wisdom suffer Him to make a Law, which He matters not whether it be Observed or no? Such a Law would be a very Vain and Needless one, and therefore cannot be of God's making. No Wise Man would be the Maker of such a Law.  
But because some Sins are accounted small and others Great, this Distinction is not to be born, except we mean, that some Sins are small ones in Comparison of others; not that any are absolutely and in themselves small.  
Indeed Considering Sins as Transgressions of God's Law, so all are alike; for one Sin is not more contrary to the Law than another: All are as Contrary to the Law as can be. That Stoical Paradox 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, All Sins are Equal, Tully gives this true Explication of: Parva inquis Res est, at Magna Culpa; Thou sayest this is but a small thing, but I say 'tis a Great fault: in quo peccatur, id potest esse aliud alio majus aut minus; That in which a Man Offends, may be a greater or a less thing: ipsum autem Peccare, quoquo te verteris unum est. But the Offending (the Sinning) itself, is ever one and the same thing. And this amounts to what was now said, That considering Sins; as Transgressions of the Divine Laws, so all are alike: But considering them according to various Circumstances, some may be Comparatively small, or much less than others.  
Some are committed with less of the Will than others; and those, Men fall into upon a Surprise, and before they are aware, are nothing so great in that respect, as those which are committed with Deliberation. I mean upon Supposition, that a naughty Custom doth not occasion the Inadvertency. There are those who profane the Sacred Name of God by rash Oaths, and by taking it into their Mouths lightly and wantonly, and (when reproved) profess they were not aware they did so: But this is no Extenuation of their Fault, because such insensibility can proceed from no other Cause, than men's having acquired a wretched Habit of so making bold with and abusing God's Name, through their Minds being void of any awful Sense of His Glorious Majesty.  
Some Sins are committed against less Light and Knowledge than others; and Sins against greater actual Knowledge, or better Means of Knowledge, are in that respect the Greater Sins; and therefore our Lord hath assigned the greater Punishment to them, Mat. 10.15.  
The greater Obligations, and the more Mercies Men sin against, the greater are their Sins upon that Account. The more of Disingenuity and hateful Ingratitude there is in sins, the more Heinous and Provoking are they.  
Sins are greater or less, according as the Effects of them are more or less mischievous. Those which injure ourselves only, are not in that respect so great, as those which injure our Neighbour together with ourselves. And those which are injurious to our Neighbour's Souls, are the greatest that can be committed against them. Those which are mischievous to the Community are as such, much greater than those which are so only to Particular Persons.  
The worse End a Man hath in a Sin, the greater is it. The more of ill-Nature, and a Vile Devilish Temper is in a Sin, the more exceedingly Sinful ' 'tis.  
Those which are Transgressions of the Rules of everlasting Righteous, are greater as such, than those which are only Transgressions of Positive Precepts. The former are more intensively Evil; they are Evil not only as Violations of a declared Law, but there is also Turpitude and Malignity in the Matter of them: Which Malignity is the Reason of the Law against them. And of this Nature are generally those things which are forbidden in the Gospel of our Saviour.  
And to these may be added other Instances. But though upon these and other Accounts, some sins are less than others, yet (as hath been sufficiently proved) it is impossible that any Sin should be Simply, and in itself Little.  
Which, by the way, is a sufficient Confutation of that dangerous Doctrine of the Church of Rome; That there are a sort of Sins which are Venial in their own Nature, and that cannot put us out of God's Favour, tho' committed never so frequently or deliberately.  
II. What hath been said may serve to Vindicate our Saviour's Dealing with the Young Man in the Gospel, from being too severe. Such as are apt to pass hasty Judgement upon the Actions of others, without duly considering the Reasons of them, may be apt in reading that Story, not only to Pity the young Man, but to take his Part: As thinking him too hardly dealt with, in not being accepted for his having Observed the Ten Commandments even from his Childhood, but having such father Terms imposed upon him, as forced him to go away sorrowful.  
Surely, may such say, our Lord was utterly averse to the bestowing of Eternal Life upon this poor Man. It is said, Blessed are they that do his Commandments, for they shall have Right unto the Tree of Life, but here is one who must be excepted, since Obedience to the Whole LAW, and that of so long a standing too, might signify nothing to the intitling of him thereunto. Nay our Lord did at first plainly intimate to him, that keeping the Commandments should be all he would expect from him; for said he, If thou wilt enter into Life, keep the Commandments: But when he had replied that this he was not to begin to do now, but h●d ever done it, than was more required of him; and that no less than the Selling, and having sold, the giving away his whole Estate; which was very great. It seems as freely as Eternal Life was offered to Others, this Man must Buy it, and that with no less a Sum, than the Price of all he had.  
But we are to take Notice, that our Blessed Saviour designed to Try him by this Injunction, whether he really was, as he thought himself, Universally Obedient; and it seem to be such another Command as that of God Almighty to His Servant Abraham, for the Offering of his only Son Isaac. But as Abraham by his readiness to obey that Command, demonstrated the Sincerity of his Love to God, as God Himself told him, so this Young Man by his Unwillingness to Obey this Command, gave as great a Demonstration of his having been nothing less, than a sincere Observer of all God's Commandments. In short, he was by this Means Convicted of wretched Covetousness; in that, as desirous as he was of Eternal Life, he preferred his Temporal Estate before it.  
That our Saviour did not thus treat him out of Prejudice to his Person, and with a design to affright him from Him, is plain from what we find in this Narrative, as St. Mark relates it. 'Tis said, Ch. 10 21. upon his telling him that he had observed all the Commandments from his Youth, that jesus loved him. Now it is very Clear from our past Discourse, that there was great Rèason, why this Young Man, as good as he was, should be sent away sorrowful, since he was no better. For though he was no Murderer, nor Adulterer, nor Thief, etc. in the gross Sense, yet he might be all these, according to the Spiritual Sense and Meaning of the Law; for 'tis certain that in this sense he was an Idolater, in that the World lay deepest in his Affections, and was esteemed above GOD, and Eternal Life.  
III. I infer from what hath been said, what a great Weakness it is in any Man to hope for Salvation, because he perceives that there are many who are far greater Sinners than himself, when yet he lives in the wilful Commission of some known Sins, or in the wilful Neglect of some known Duties.  
I doubt there are too many, who because they are not Drunkards, nor Unclean Persons, nor Profane Swearers, etc. as they see Multitudes are, do fa●●● all to be well with them, though they are conscious to themselves of being faulty, and that wilfully too, in other respects. They can possibly overreach their Brother, when they can do it slyly; or if they stick at plain Injustice, they can do Hard things; which will be found another day to be Unjust also, and which those know to be so now, who take their Measures of Right and Wrong from their Saviour's Golden Rule, Matth. 7.12. They can make an Idol of the World, are enamoured with either the Riches, or Honours, or Pleasures thereof; if not with all, yet with one or other of these, and are with great difficulty drawn to Works of Mercy and Charity.  
Some seem mightily Devout, and Zealous for the Duties of the First Table, and therefore take themselves for good Christians, tho' they are as Remiss in Reference to divers Duties of the Second. Others again are seemingly very Observant of those of the Second Table, are Sober, Orderly, Governable, good Subjects, quiet and inoffensive Neighbours; when perhaps they are as Culpable in Relation to the Duties of the First: Live under little Sense of God, of their Dependence on Him, and their Obligations to Him: Worship Him with their Bodies, when their Hearts are far from Him; and content themselves with a mere External, tho' not with a mere Ritual Righteousness.  
But why should any of us think ourselves in a Good State, because we live not in any of the Scandalous Sins? Were not those Laws made to be Obeyed which we Break, as well as those we Keep, or at least think we Keep? And, if so, how can we Expect God's Favour, and live in such Contradiction to His Will? Will you approve of that Servant who wilfully Disobeys some of your Commands, because he observes others? No surely, all Masters will Expect to be in every thing obeyed; or at least that their Servants should endeavour to obey them in all things.  
God will say another day to the Partially Obedient, These things ought you to have done, and not to have left the other undone.  
But how came it to be ever imagined, that God will be put off with a Partial Obedience? The mischief is, those who live not in Open Sins, the world, not seeing farther, hath a good Opinion of them; and therefore they will please themselves with a Conceit, that God Almighty hath the same. Or it may be their own Party will applaud those things in them, which are far from being Praiseworthy. But let us not be deceived, God is not mocked, as men are; nor will He flatter us as men do. Let no man deceive us, nor let us deceive ourselves with vain words or thoughts; for, for the sake of whatsoever Sins we will not part with, be they what they will, the wrath of God will fall upon us, except it be diverted by timely Repentance; that is, by timely Reformation.  
Was the Pharisee accepted of God, because he could say, God I thank thee that I am not as other men are, Extortioners, Unjust, Adulterers, or even as this Publican? We know he was not; for tho' he was free from the Sins of many others, yet was he a Pharisee still: There were Secret and less Observed Sins, which he allowed himself in; and therefore that Publican he so despised, being a true Penitent, went away justified before him.  
IV. Methinks those who make none, or but very little, Conscience of their ways, and dare to live in open Sins, should not be able to forbear being mightily Concerned at what hath been said. For as the Apostle saith, If the Righteous scarcely be saved (or have such a Portion of Misery in this life) where shall the Wicked and Ungodly appear? We may say, if those who are seemingly Righteous, or have a regard to most of God's Laws, not heartily Endeavouring to Obey them all, shall fall short of Salvation, what shall become of such as are apparently, and in the Eye of the World, Wicked and Ungodly? Profane and Debauched people are universally acknowledged to be Objects of the Divine displeasure; and therefore whatsoever vain hopes those, who are not guilty of the Crimes which speak men such, may have of the goodness of their State, one would presume that these could have no Temptation to hope well of themselves, while they Continue impenitent and Unreformed.  
Some men's Sins, 
1 Tim. 5.24.  saith St. Paul, are Open before hand, going before to judgement; and some, they follow after. Some men's Sins are so Conspicuous, that they may be pronounced to be in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity, in this life: The Sins of others are more secret, the judgement of whom is to be reserved to the Great Day.  
But alas, such is the nature of Sin, that the Greatest Sinners are least Sensible of their Danger. None shall be more forward than they, to persuade themselves of God's Pardon; Especially if after a Wretched life they can but make a good End, as the Phrase is; that is, be sorry for their Sins, for fear of Hell, when they can Sin no longer, and Call upon their Saviour at the last Gasp. But if the Hopes of a man who can't be prevailed with, to be entirely Obedient, be Vain and Groundless, than the Hopes of such Sinners as these, must needs be (do I say vain too? they must be) Mad Hopes.  

job, 27.8.  What is the Hope of the Hypocrite, when God taketh away his Soul? Said Upright job: And therefore what Hope can those have, who to that time have lived dissolutely, and been Open Violators of God's Laws?  
And now I shall shut up this Discourse, with seriously Applying myself to those, who dare not run with the now mentioned sort of Sinners to their Excess of Riot, but yet Harbour in their Breasts some Secret Sins still. I beseech you think well of the words of our Text, which taken in the most Candid Sense may well scare You also; may throughly Convince you of the Absolute Necessity of Entire Obedience. And that you may be effectually persuaded of it:  
First, Consider how wonderfully you are Obliged to your infinitely Good God, in that He hath, through Christ, declared Himself so Exceedingly willing, to pardon all Sins not allowed and lived in. Can you be so Foolish and Ill-natured, as thus to requite the Lord?  
Is it not matter of Unspeakable Thankfulness, that God will be Reconciled to Sinners upon any Terms possible, and can we desire He should be, upon more Reasonable Terms? 
Psal. 130.3, 4.  If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquities, O Lord who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with Thee, that thou mayst be feared. This is the use we ought to make of the goodness of God, and His readiness to forgive; and 'tis an Argument of an intolerably bad Temper, not to be induced to fear to Offend Him, by the Consideration hereof.  
Seeing God is pleased to assure us of His Pardon through the Sacrifice of His Son, so we will do what lieth in us for the time to come to please Him, He is as Gracious to us as we can Reasonably wish He would be. With what Face then can we desire to persist longer in any one instance of Disobedience?  
There is no Honest Soul, but thinks it extremely too much, that He sometimes Trangresseth against his will, and before he is aware, and his Weaknesses and Infirmities do very heartily afflict him; then surely if we are sincere, we shall not endure to add Wickednesses to our Weaknesses, nor Deliberate Presumptuous Sins to those of Infirmity. It will grieve us at heart, that we find ourselves constrained to beg Pardon so often for Weaknesses; so far shall we be from making through Wilfulness, or Carelessness, more work for Repentance.  
Secondly, Consider how Gracious God hath been to you, in continuing His Restraining Grace, whereby you have been kept from Scandalous Sins; whereas He hath had most just Provocations to leave you to yourselves, in regard of your allowance of secret ones. Many fearful Examples there have been of those who have been thus punished, for their Hypocrisy and playing fast-and-loose with God; Obeying Him in some things, and making bold with Him in others: And 'tis God's infinite Mercy that you are not yet in the Number of such Examples.  
While any Corrupt Affection is gratified by us, we are Prepared (as hath been showed) to Close with the very worst of Temptations, when so ever we may be violently assaulted by them. Now it is only the good Providence and Grace of God, which hath hitherto kept off such Temptations; and the Wicked One not flinging the most fiery darts he hath in his Quiver at us, is wholly to be imputed to the Divine Restraints: But how soon we may be Abandoned by the Divine Providence, to the Rage and Fury of that Roaring Lion, which goeth up and down seeking to devour us, we cannot tell; but have Cause still to be expecting so great a Judgement, while we refuse to be Entirely God's Servants.  
Thirdly, Let the partially Obedient Consider, what unaccountable Folly and Madness it is, to Disobey God in any thing. What can you say for yourselves, why you should obey Him but just so far?  
Is there not the same Reason, why you should be in every thing Obedient, that there is, why you should be in any thing so? Is it most Reasonable to Obey Him in some things, and is it not so to Obey Him in all things? Can we say that God goes beyond His Power in imposing some Laws; or that those we dislike, are less Reasonable than His other Laws? Surely we dare not admit such a Thought.  
Is it possible then, that we can think it Fit or Tolerable, that the great Creator and Governor of the World should be in any thing Disobeyed? Such a Worm as thyself art highly offended with thy Servant, when he willingly disobeys thee; and too often when he does so against his Will: But is thy Authority over thy Servant equal to God Almighty's over thee? Are the Obligations in which he stands to thee, like those in which thou standest to God? Or is there any Comparison between those Encouragements, thou art able to give thy Servant to please thee, and those which God gives thee to please Him? Who would not think himself greatly Affronted, to have such Questions seriously put to him?  
And this minds me to Entreat you,  
Fourthly, To Consider what a Glorious Reward is assured to us, to Encourage us to Obey. It is called a Crown of Righteousness, a Crown of Life, and a Crown of Glory. There are given to us, for this End, exceeding great and precious Promises, as St. Peter calls them. A Promise of seeing God even as He is: Of being forever with our Lord jesus Christ: Of Beholding the Glory which the Father hath given Him; and of Partaking too of His own Glory, and that to all Eternity: A Promise that the Righteous shall shine forth like the Sun in the Kingdom of the Father: Of their being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Equal with the Glorious Angels: And of Christ's most Glorious Body.  
Which, and many other such like, Promises our Lord Confirmed by Innumerable Miracles, Wonders and Signs; and then Sealed them With His Blood, and next, by His Resurrection from the Dead, and Ascension into Heaven: Whither He declared He went, as the Forerunner of His Obedient Disciples, there to prepare a Place for them; that where He is, there they may be also. And lastly, He Confirmed these exceeding great and precious Promises, by sending the Holy Ghost, according to His Promise before He left the World.  
Now, who can have any worthy Sense of the Reward of Obedience, and think much of Obeying in any one Instance, tho' much more were required of him than there is? If the Apostle said of the Sufferings of that Present Time, (which were Extraordinary and Prodigious Ones, and especially those which himself underwent) that they are not Worthy to be compared with the Glory which shall be revealed in us; much more may this be said of the Services of this Life, of all the Duties to which our Creator and Redeemer have obliged us. And therefore,  
Fifthly, Let it be likewise considered, that, as vastly great as the Reward of Obedience shall be, there is no more required of us under the Gospel Dispensation, than, all things considered, needs must. It may with the greatest Assurance be affirmed, that nothing is now commanded, but what is necessary to make us capable of the Glorious Inheritance purchased for us; or doth tend to the better Enabling us for those Duties, which are of indispensable Necessity to this End: And that nothing is Forbidden us, which doth not either directly or consequentially tend to make us unmeet for that Inheritance. So that to complain of any one of our Lord's Precepts, is the same thing with finding fault with Him, for designing to make us such Happy Creatures.  
Sixthly, Consider also, that the LAWS which are given us, as they are most necessary, so they are not so many, as that we need to be scared at them. Many are apt to think, that because the Bible is a Great Book, the Divine LAWS are almost Numberless. But the far greater Part of the Bible consists of History, and Relations of Matters of Fact, and of Pious men's devout Prayers and Praises, etc. And in the Preceptive Part, there are very many Laws which are Abrogated, and never concerned Christians: And those which are of Force, are many of them abundance of times Repeated and Inculcated.  
In short, our whole Duty may be brought into a very Narrow Compass. St. Paul reduceth it to Three Heads, Sobriety, Righteousness and Godliness: And our Blessed Saviour to Two, The Love of God, and our Neighbour; and the particular Instances of each of these, are easily and quickly learned. Nay they are generally written in our Hearts, 
Rom. 10.8.  as St. Paul tells us; i.e. are the plain Dictates of Natural Reason.  
Seventhly, Let us farther Consider, that there is so close a Connexion between them all, that Obedience to one Law will enable us to obey another, and so on: And the Performance of one Duty, will prepare us for another, and make it easy to us. And on the other hand, the Breach of one Law will cause Carelessness in keeping other Laws; and no Sin goes alone. So that 'tis but a bare Supposition in the Text, that a Man may keep the Whole Law, and offend but in one Point, or slight one Law, and observe all the rest; for there can really be no such thing; as is evident from what hath been now discoursed.  
Eighthly, I may also add, that there is no necessity of being very solicitous, about any more than one thing, in order to our keeping God's Laws; and that is the Vigorously possessing our Souls with the Love of God. This, saith St. john, is the Love of God, that we keep His Commandments, (or, this is a necessary expression thereof) and His Commandments are not grievous: Namely to those that Love God.  
And what can we imagine so Natural to Creatures Capable of understanding God, as Loving Him with all their hearts, Considering the infinite Loveliness of His Nature, and the Inexpressible Obligations He hath laid upon them?  
What so Agreeable to our Nature, as to love Him who is the Author of our Being, after whose Image we were made, who is the Centre of our Souls, and in whom alone consisteth our True Happiness? And 'tis very easy to show, that the Love of God will naturally draw after it, all those duties which relate, either immediately to Him, or to our Neighbour, or to our own Souls and Bodies.  
Now, Considering these things, well may God Almighty Expostulate with Partially Obedient Christians, as once He did with such jews, and that with greater reason, O my people, what have I done unto thee? 
Mica. 6.3.  And wherein have I wearied thee? Testify against me. He hath been indeed so far from wearying us with His Impositions, that every good Christian's Experience is able to Testify that the greatest satisfaction, the truest self-Enjoyment, ariseth from the Observance of His Laws. Nor can it be otherwise, since Love, and the Love of God, is the fulfilling of them. For what so Pleasant as Love, and much more as love placed on such an Object as God is? We ought therefore to be so far from thinking much of yielding Obedience to all His Laws, that we are highly disingenuous, if we be not heartily thankful to Him, for giving us so few, and those such as in Obedience to which consists such Pleasure.  
In the last place, and with these words I will Conclude, What a sad thing, and miserable disappointment, must it needs be, to come near to the Kingdom of Heaven, and yet at last fall short of it, for want of going a little farther?  
May all Partially Obedient Professors of Christianity, Consider this also, and lay it well to heart.  
FINIS.