One Hundred and Ninety Sermons on Psalm 119

Again, it may be considered as to the exaction of the Law, and as a Rule of the Gospel.

1. As an exaction of the Law, and so Christ urged it to the young man that was of a Pharisaical institution to abate his pride and confidence, Mat. 22. 37. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. Certainly these words there have a legal importance and signification, for in another Evangelist, Luk. 10. 28. it is added, do and live, which is the tenor of the Law. And Christs intent was to abate the Pharisees pride, by propounding the rigour of the first Covenant. The Law requireth complete ⟨p. 16⟩love without the least defect, according to the terms of it, a grain wanting would make the whole unacceptable. As a hard Landlord, when all the rent is not brought to the full, he accepteth none. It is good to consider it under this sense, that we may seek God in Christ, to quicken us that we may value our deliverance by him from this burden which neither we nor our fathers were able to bear; a straggling thought, a wandering glance, the least out-running of the heart had rendered us accursed for ever.

1. As an exaction of the Law, and so Christ urged it to the young man that was of a Pharisaical institution to abate his pride and confidence, Mat. 22. 37. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. Certainly these words there have a legal importance and signification, for in another Evangelist, Luk. 10. 28. it is added, do and live, which is the tenor of the Law. And Christs intent was to abate the Pharisees pride, by propounding the rigor of the first Covenant. The Law requireth compleat