A fourth volume containing one hundred and fifty sermons on several texts of Scripture…

3. In reading and hearing the Word, receive all the Parts of it; Acts 20.27. I have not shunned to declare to you all the Counsel of God. The Receipts of a Physician must not be altered, neither by the Apothecary nor Patient; so We must not alter God's Receipts, nor You neither; We must not shun to declare, nor You to receive the whole Counsel of God. For instance, there is the History of Salvation: the Doctrinal and Historical Part must be kept pure, that's the Foundation. You read, in Gen. 26.20. there was a great strife between Isaac's Herds-men, and the Herds-men of Gerer, about Wells: O certainly we should earnestly contend for the Faith that was once delivered to the Saints, Jude 3. these are Wells of Salvation. Take away one of the Natures of Christ, or destroy one of his Offices, and you lose a Fountain of Comfort, there is a Well of Salvation dammed and stopped up. So the promissory and hortatory Part is necessary to quicken us, that we may not look for more than God hath promised, an earthly Kingdom without the Cross, or imperfect Justification that needs our Merit, or perfect Sanctification without the Relics of the Flesh. But especially let us have regard to the mandatory part of the Gospel, there we are apt to flinch and start aside; but we hearken not only to what God hath done for us, but what he requires of us, that we may obey the Counsels, as well as believe the History of the Gospel. The Covenant is mutual, there is an Obligation upon God, and an Obligation upon us; therefore we read, Exod. 24.7, 8, 9. that half of the Blood was sprinkled upon the Altar, to note God took upon him his part of the Obligation; and half upon the People, to note they must take upon them their part of the Obligation. It is true, that God in the Covenant of Grace gives the Condition, as well as the Blessing promised; but our Obligation is to be acknowledged; though it be wrought of God, yet it is to be done by us. And there must be a Restipulation, the Answer of a good Conscience towards God, 1 Pet. 3.21. What Answer do you make to God's Proposals and Articles? It is an Allusion to the manner of admitting Persons to Baptism in those days, they were to answer to Questions; Credis? Dost thou believe? The Person to be baptized was to answer, Credo, I do believe. Abrenuncias? Dost thou renounce the World? he answered, Abrenuncio, I do renounce. Spondes?