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A57159 A sermon preached before the King upon the twenty eighth of March, 1669 by Edward Lord Bishop of Norwich. Reynolds, Edward, 1599-1676. 1669 (1669) Wing R1284; ESTC R36786 19,736 44

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any we can discover to have belonged unto Adam and his natural posterity had they persisted in that integrity wherein they were created For then the Reward would only have born proportion to the obedience whereunto it related but now it shall have its dimensions from the dignity of the Person and excellency of the price whereby it was purchased both which do infinitely surpass both the person and obedience of Adam or any other meer man 3. By the Gospel there is more divine and supernatural help afforded to Believers to carry them through their course of obedience unto glory then there was unto Adam in Paradise To Adam was given a posse non peccare si vellet a power not to sin if he would and a power to have willed if he would so have done but he had not special supernatural assistance given him to will for if he had had that he had persevered But unto believers there is such grace given qua efficitur ut velint It is God that worketh in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure saith the Apostle Phil. 2.13 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power saith the Prophet David Psal. 110.3 I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgements and do them saith the Lord Ezek. 36.27 This point is excellently handled by that renowned champion of the grace of God St. Austen in his book De correptione Gratia II. The excellencie of the Gospel will appear if we compare it with the Law of Moses The Priesthood thereof a nobler Priesthood after the order of Melchisedec the Covenant thereof a better Covenant established upon better promises as the Apostle proveth at large in his Epistle to the Hebrews 1. The Law moral considered singly and alone is a ministration of death and condemnation a killing enthralling inexorable insupportable Law insomuch that the people were not able to endure the commands thereof Heb. 12.20 Why should we dye say they This great fire will consume us If we hear the voice of the Lord our God any more then we shall dye Deut. 5.25 But the Gospel is a ministration of the Spirit and Righteousness and therefore more glorious as the Apostle argues 2 Cor. 3.7 8 9. 1. Hereby the curse of the Law is removed for Christ came to bless us Act. 3.26 That repentance and remission of sins might be preached in his name 2. Hereby we are delivered from the Law as a Covenant of life though not as a Rule of living the righteousness of Faith being substituted in the room thereof as the Apostle teacheth us Act. 13.39 Rom. 3.20 28. Gal. 2.16.3.10 13. 3. Hereby the Rigour of the Law is corrected Christ procuring acceptation of sincerity instead of perfection He is the Altar which sanctifieth all our oblations so that the Lord notwithstanding their defects is well pleased with them pardoning that in them which comes from our weakness and accepting and rewarding that which comes from his own Grace 1 Pet. 2 5. Isa. 56.7 4. Hereby the Coaction of the Law is sweetned by healing and assisting grace that whereas the Law doth onely drive by terrour and bondage unto the doing of duty which otherwise we should rather have left undone Mallent licitum quod male delectat as St. Austin speaks the Spirit of Grace in the Gospel shedding abroad the love of Christ into our hearts doth cause us with delight to run the ways of Gods commandments c Vt non sit terribile sed suave mandatum for the yoke of Christ is easie and his burden light and his Commandments not grievous 1 Joh. 5.3 5. Lastly hereby the Irritation of the Law is rebuked that whereas the restraints thereof did before exasperate corruption that like an obstructed River Ab obice saevior iret it gathered strength by suppression now all the channels of the heart being opened by grace the course of obedience goeth on with more freedom and lust is not able to gather head against it as it was wont to do 2. The excellency of the Gospel will appear if we compare it with the ceremonial Law For though quoad substantiam Foederis the Covenant was the same to them and us Christ theirs and ours the new Testament hidden in the Old and the Old expounded in the New as St. Austin speaks yet quoad modum Administrandi there is as much greater excellency in the Gospel then in the Law as there is in the body or substance then in the picture or shadow whereby it is represented 1. The Law was dark and obscure a veil over the eyes of that people but in the Gospel Christ is evidently set forth Gal. 3.1 We see with open face the glory of God 2 Cor. 3.18 Though the Jews had the same promises of eternal life and an heavenly Country with us yet they were overshadowed with the Types of an holy Land and temporal blessings there and therefore the Apostle telleth them of another rest besides that of their Sabbath and Canaan There remaineth a rest for the people of God Heb. 4 9. 2. The Law was exceeding Burdensome in many chargeable and painful observances a yoke which they were not able to bear Act. 15.10 Whereas the yoke of Christ is light and easie unto the bearing whereof he encourageth us by glorious promises and assisteth us by the supplies of his Spirit of grace 3. The Law is weak and unprofitable not able to make the comers thereunto perfect to expiate sin to pacifie God to quiet conscience or procure salvation It is true by vertue of divine Institution it was profitable to the uses for which it was designed namely to prefigure and lead unto Christ for that salvation which it self could not give But Christ being come the use of it is wholly ceased and it become to all intents weak and unprofitable And therefore Moses and Aaron both dyed before the entring of Israel into Canaan the Lord thereby signifying as Tertullian hath observed the mortality of the Law and its impotency to bring men into the possession of the Promises that it was to give way to Christ who had an unchangeable Priesthood and to his Gospel which was an everlasting Gospel Rev. 14.6 Thus we see the excellencie of the Gospel above the Law for by it onely is ministred Grace to pardon the sins committed against and to perform the duties required by the Moral Law and by it is Christ exhibited to accomplish the Prefigurations of the ceremonial Law For the Law came by Moses but Grace and Truth by Iesus Christ. III. The excellency of the Gospel appeareth if we compare it with any other the most noble perfections acquirable by the uttermost improvement of natural abilities either in Genere notitiae or in Genere morum 1. The highest knowledge attainable by humane