SERMON XVIII. DOING THE COMMANDMENTS. [SEXAGESSIMA SUNDAY.] REVELATIONS xxii. 14. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. TRUE religion consists in keeping the commandments of God. Obedience to the laws of our Maker, our Sovereign, our Benefactor, our Judge, constitutes our perfection and our happiness here and hereafter. He who made us has so framed our natures, and so bound us to him by the strongest obligations, that our substantial happines is connected with our duty, and both inseparable from obedience to his commands. Obedience was, in Paradise, the condition of the enjoyment of its blessings, and of immortal life. Obedience, rendered practicable by the grace, and acceptable by the merits, of a Saviour, is still the condition on which fallen man is re'stored to the lost favour of his Maker, and to the forfeited joys of immortality. b a "Fear God, and keep his commandments "." is the voice which patriarchs, and prophets, and holy men, the messengers of the Eternal, uttered to mankind. "He that keepeth my commandments, he it is that loveth me "" was the declaration of the Son of God, who came to restore the guilty race of men to the favor of his Father. That faith, which receiving Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the only Mediator, is considered by inspired Apostles as the principal condition of salvation, is also considered by them as impious and vain, unless it leads to that "holiness without which no man shall see the Lord "," unless it excites its professors to keep the commandments of God. Thus, through the whole of the sacred volume, through every dispensation of God to the world, obedience is the indispensable condition of enjoying his favor. And in that book, from which my text is taken, which closes the sacred canon, which traces, under symbolic language, the destinies of the Church until the consummation of all things, the Apostle who endited it, and who was the beloved of his Master, describing in sublime strains, and in highly figurative language, the happiness of heaven, Eccl. xii. 13. John xiv. 21. Heb. xii. 14. makes obedience to the commands of God the indispensable condition of obtaining it. "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." In this passage, I. There are certain characters described, "they that do the commandments of God." II. The assurance is given to them of an exalted blessing. "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right, &c." and III. Lastly-The blessing itself is exhibited in symbolical language-" that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." The text thus declares, that-doing the commandments, is rewarded with eternal life. I. First, then, let us consider the characters on whom eternal life is conferred-in what sense they "do the commandments" of God. 1. They do his commandments from a right principle. 2. They do them sincerely, and not merely in profession. 3. They do them universally, and not partially. 4. They do them uniformly, and not occasionally. 5. They do them with perseverance, and not transiently. They only who thus do the commandments of God will be "blessed"-will have "right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." 1. They do his commandments from a right principle. Actions are always to be estimated from the principle which regulates them. And correct principles only will lead to a consistent course of virtuous action. Man is to keep the commandments of God, not as a pure and perfect, but as a fallen creature. It rests, therefore, with that almighty Being whom he has offended, and by whom he is to be judged, to determine on what principle his obedience must be performed, in order to be acceptable. This principle God declared by those whom he commissioned to be the heralds of salvation to a guilty world, is faith. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ d." By Jesus Christ was an all-sufficient atonement made for sin; and thus the forgiveness of penitent sinners was rendered consistent with the justice and holiness of God. By Jesus Christ was the law of God fulfilled to the uttermost; and thus eternal life, the reward annexed to Acts xvi. 31. this law, merited for all those who should sincerely though imperfectly obey it. But then their obedience must be founded on faith in that Saviour, by whose grace alone this obedience is rendered practicable, and through whose merits alone it becomes acceptable. Let none then deceive themselves with the expectation, that, destitute of a lively faith in the merits and grace of Jesus Christ, they can render a service acceptable to God. If they disregard the merits of a Saviour, where will be their defence from that justice which demands the punishment of their sins; and their answer to that holiness which pronounces frailty and corruption on their best deeds? Destitute of that lively view of the infinite goodness and mercy of God, in providing a Redeemer for a condemned world, their hearts are not warmed by that glow of love which urges to high and and animated virtue. Their obedience is cold, cheerless, constrained. See then, brethren, that in your course of duty you cherish, with all the powers of your understanding, and affections of your heart, the important truth, that "there is none other name given among men whereby they can be saved, but only the name of the Lord Jesus Christ," the only Mediator between God and man, "in whom we have redemption." For it is that faith which em |