A41649:616
A word to sinners, and a word to saints The former tending to the…
A word to sinners, and a word to saints The former tending to the awakening the consciences of secure sinners, unto a lively sense and apprehension of the dreadful condition they are in, so long as they live in their natural and unregenerate estate. The latter tending to the directing and persuading of the godly and regenerate unto several singular duties. As also a word to householders stirring them up to the good old way of serving God in and with their families, from Joshua's resolution, Josh. 24. 15. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Set forth especially for the use and benefit of the inhabitants of St. Sepulchres Parish, London by Tho. Gouge, late pastor thereof.A word to sinners, and a word to saints The former tending to the awakening the consciences of secure sinners, unto a lively sense and apprehension of the dreadfull condition they are in, so long as they live in their natural and unregenerate estate. The latter tending to the directing and perswading of the godly and regenerate unto several singular duties. As also a word to housholders stirring them up to the good old way of serving God in and with their families, from Joshuah's resolution, Josh. 24. 15. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Set forth especially for the use and benefit of the inhabitants of St. Sepulchres Parish, London by Tho. Gouge, late pastor thereof.
London: printed for George Sawbridge, 1668
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
2. Our exact walking consisteth in having respect to the inward and spiritual part of the Law; as well as to the outward and external. In every command of God there is both an outward and external part, and also an inward and spiritual part. The former I may call the letter of the Law: the latter the Spirit of the Law. This our Saviour excellently clears in his Sermon on the Mount, where reciting the sixth Commandment,1 he saith, Thou shalt do no Murder, there is the letter of the Law, And then adds by way of Explanation, But I say unto you, whosoever is angry with his Brother without a cause, shall be in danger of Judgement; there is the Spirit of the Law. So afterwards reciting the seventh commandment saith, Thou shalt not commit Adultery, there is the letter of the Law,2 And then adds, But I say unto you, that whosoever looks on a Woman to Lust after her, hath committed Adultery with her already in his heart. There is the Spirit of the Law, or the Spiritual part thereof. The most diligent observation of the letter or external ⟨p. 174⟩part of the Law, without a care of the inward and spiritual part, is as a body without a soul, a dead thing, which is no way acceptable unto the living God. Hence our Saviour spent so many words to convince the Pharisees, who were many of them punctual in their outward observations, that they were yet horrible Hypocrites, violating that Law in their hearts, which they so boasted of, and pleaded for with their mouths, being Murderers in heart, Adulterers in heart, though they committed no such wickedness in the outward man.
2. Our exact walking consisteth in having respect to the inward and spiritual part of the Law; as well as to the outward and external. In every command of God there is both an outward and external part, and also an inward and spiritual part. The former I may call the letter of the Law: the latter the Spirit of the Law. This our Saviour excellently clears in his Sermon on the Mount, where reciting the sixth Commandment,1 he saith, Thou shalt do no Murther, there is the letter of the Law, And then adds by way of Explanation, But I say unto you, whosoever is angry with his Brother without a cause, shall be in danger of Iudgement; there is the Spirit of the Law. So afterwards reciting the seventh commandment saith, Thou shalt not commit Adultery, there is the letter of the Law,