S. JOH. xiii. 17.

If ye know thefe Things, happy are ye if ye do them,

DOCTRINE I.

E fhould ftrive to know our Duty.

WE i. What kind of Knowledge?

1. Clear and diftinct, 1 S. Pet. iii. 15.
2. Scriptural, S. Joh. v. 39. Ifa. i. 12..
3. Effectual.

4. Univerfal, Pfal. cxix. 6... 5. Growing, 2 S. Pet. iii. 18. 2. What Duties ?

1. To GOD.

1. Repentance, S. Matt. iv. 17.
Confisting,

1. In Sorrow for Sin, Joel ii. 12, 13.
Ezek vii. 16.

2. Averfion from it, Ezek. xxxiii. 11. 3. Converfion to GOD, Zach. i. 2, 3. 2. Faith.

1. In GOD the Father, S. Job. xiv. 1. 1. That He is our Creator, Gen. i. 1.

2. Preferver, A&t. vii. 28.

3. Governour, S. Matt. viii. 29, 30. 2. In GOD the Son, S. Joh. xiv. 1. 1. That He came from the Father, S.Job. xiv. 11. and xvii. 21. 2. Is our only Saviour, A. iv, 12. 3. Able to fave all that believe, Hebr. vii. 25.

3. Love

3. Love to Him above all Things, S. Matt. xxii. 37.

1. As the Chiefest of Goods, S. Luk, xviii. 19.

2. As the Fountain of Goodness and Happiness, Pfal. xxxvi. 9.

4. In Fear and Reverence, S. Matt. x.28. 5. In Defire, and seeking Him before all Things, S., Matt. vi. 33.

2. To Man.::.

1. Love, S. Matt. v. 44.

2. Juftice, S. Matt. xxii. 21. and vii. 12. 3. Mercy, S. Luk. vi. 36.

4. Humility, S. Joh. xiii. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, &c. 3. Why fhould we know our Duty?

1. Because the Law and Gofpel were both
written for this end, S. Job. xx. 31.
2. To know a Duty, is itself a Duty com-
manded, 1 S. Pet. iii, 18.

3. We can perform no Duty, without we
first know it, Rom. X. 2.

USE.

Labour to know your Duty.

Confider,

1. Ignorance is the Caufe of all Error, S. Matt.

xxii. 29.

2. You have all Means requisite for this Knowledge;

1. The Scriptures, S. Joh. v. 39.

2. The Ordinances, Rom. X. 14, 15, 17, 18. 3. Prayers, Jam. i. 5.

3. Confider therefore it is your own Faults, if you know not how to ferve GOD, Hef.

xiii. 9.

4. Hence you will be inexcufable at the Day of Judgment.

T 4

5. And

5. And fo have greater Condemnation at the Day of Judgment, S. Job. iii. 19.

II. DOCTRINE.

We should do what we know.

1. How fhould we perform all the Commands of Chrift?

1. From fuch Principles as Chrift com-
mands.

1. Love, Gel. v. 6.

2. Obedience, Rom. xiii. 5. 1 Sam. XV. 22. 3. A Defire to please GOD, 1 Theff. iv. 1. 2. In a right Manner.

3.

1.

Understandingly, 1 Cor. xiv. 15.

2. Willingly, Pfal. cx. 3.

3. Chearfully, Rom. xii. 8. Pfal. xl. 8.
4. Believingly, Rom. xiv. 23. Hebr. xii. 6.
5. With our whole Might, Ecclef. ix. 10.
8. Humbly, S. Jam. iv. 6.

1. So as never to think we can do e-
nough, S. Luk. xvii. 10.

2. Nor merit any Thing, Gal. ii. 16.
3. But that our beft Duties are full of
Infirmities, Ifa. Ixiv. 6.

To a right End.

1. Negatively.

1. Not for Vain-Glory, Mal. vi. 1.
2. Or temporal Interest.

2. Pofitively. But

1. For GOD's Glory, S. Matt, v. 16. 1 Cor.

X. 31.

2. In order to our own Salvation, 1 Cor.

ix. 27.

2. Why fhould we perform all the Commands of Chrift?

1. This was His End in commanding them.

2. The only way whereby to manifeft our-
felves to be His Difciples, S. Job, xiv.

15.

3. He that does not keep all, keeps none,
S. Jam. ii. 10.

USE.

1. Reproof to fuch as know and do not, you all know that you ought,

1. To believe in Chrift, At. xvi. 31.
2. Love GOD above all Things, S. Matt.
xxii. 37.

3. Love one another, S. Joh. xv. 17.
4 Be juft and righteous in your Dealing,
S. Matt. vii. 12.

5:

Not take the Name of GOD in vain,
S. Matt. v. 34.

6. Read the Scriptures, S. Job. v. 39.
7. Pray, S. Matt. vii. 7. S/Luk. xviii. 1.
8. Hear the Word conftantly.

2. Exhortation. Do what ye know.
Confider,

1. Whose Commands they are; Christ's.
2. You vowed in Baptifm to keep them.
3. Keeping His Commands, is all He ex-
pects from us, for what He hath done
for us, S. Matt. vi. 8.

4. And it was the End of all He hath done
for us, Act. iii. 26.

5. It is the End alfo of what He still doth, in giving us His Scriptures and Ordi

nances.

6. He will judge us according to these Laws, S. Jam. ii. 12.

7;

It is the only Way to Happiness.

III. Do

III. DOCTRINE.

They that do GOD's Gommands, are happy. 1. Happy in this Life.

1. In the doing the Commands, Pfal. xix.

11.

1. In that we need not fear the Curfes of the Law, Mal. ii. 2.

2. Nor the Wrath of GOD, Pfal. vii. 11. 3. Our Confciences will be clear,2 Cor.i.12. 4. Our Souls kept in right Order, Ifa. Ivii. 20, 21.

5. We have the Affiftance and Communion of the Holy Ghoft, S. Job. xvi. 7.

2. Happy by keeping them.

1. GOD will still be prefent with us, Ifa. xli. 10. and xliii. 2.

2. He will direct us, Prov. iii. 6. Pfal. XXV.

12.

3. Protect us from Evil, Pfal. xlvi. 1, 2. and cxxi. 7, 8. Prov. iii. 21, 22, 23. 4. Make all Things work together for our Good, Rom. viii. 28.

5.

Hereby we may difcover the fpecial
Love of GOD to us, and ours to
Him, S. Joh. v. 3.

6. The Truth of our Faith, S. Jam. ii. 20,
22, 26...

7. That we are the Children of GOD, S. Joh. i, 12.

8. And fo have a true Title to everlasting Life, Mal. xix. 16, 17.

2. Happy in the World to come; happy,

I Cor. ii. 9..

1. In our Freedom.

1. From Pains, Rev. xxi. 4..

2. Cares, S. Matt. vi. 25. S. Luk. xxi. 34

3. Fears