Religion & morality > Human nature in its four-fold state ... in several practical discourses

fcad III. to recover himfelfr fkc. 19^
God : If thou lackeft one Thing, thou art un¬
done; for the Law denounceth the Curfe on him
that continueth not in every 'thing written therein,
Gal. Hi. 10. Thou muft give internal and external
Obedience to the whole Law; keep all thfe Com¬
mands in Heart and Life. If thou br?akeft any
one of them, that will enfure thy Ruin. A vaui
Thought or idle Word, will ftill fhut thee up un-
.der the Curfe. (3.) It muft be Perfect in refpedt of
Degrees ; as was the Obedience of Adam, while
he ftood in his Innocence. This the Law requires,
and will accept of no lefs, Matth. xxii. 3 7. thou
jljalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy Heart, and
with all thy Soul, and with all thy Mind. It one
Degree of that Loye required by the Law, Be want¬
ing ; if each Part ot thy Obedience be not fere wed
up, to the greateft Height commanded; that VVarii
is a Breach of the Law, and fo leaves thee ftill un¬
der the Curfe. One may bring as many Buckets of
Water to a Houfe that is on Fire, as he is able to
carry : And yet it may be conlumed ; and will be
fo, if he bring not as many as will quench the Fire.
Even fo, although thou Ihouldft do what thou art
able, in keeping the Commands ; if thou fail in the
kaft Degree ot Obedience, which the Law enjoins $
thou art certainly ruined for ever Uplefs thou
take hold of Chrift, renouncing all thy Righteouf*
nefs as filthy Rags. See Rom. x. 5. Gal. iii' 10.
Daftly, It muft be perpetual, as the Man Chrift!s
Ob-dience was, who always did the Things that
pleafed the Father j for the Tenor of the Law is,
Curfed is he that continueth not in aH things written
in the Law, to do them. Hence, tho* Adamft O-
bedience was for a while abfolutely perfea:; yec be-
eaufe at length he tripped in one Point, 'viz. in5 eat-