Sentence of Condemnation upon him notwithstanding this because though in Christ he be justified yet he is not absolved until such time as he hath his particular Pardon as for example A company of Persons for Rebellion against their Soveraigne are actually proclaimed Traytors and if taken are by the Law adjudged to dye the young Prince desirous to save the lives of some of these gives his Father a Ransome for them the persons ransomed known only to the Prince and his Father are now pardoned and so esteemed in sight of the Prince and his Father yet because the names of these Persons are concealed and it is a secret to whom this belongs the Law therefore which proceeds not upon secret but knowne grounds takes no cognizance thereof but though many of them be justified and the Princes Son hath a general Pardon in his hand for them yet in regard the particular Pardons are not given forth the Law not acknowledging them pardoned because in a Legal way they are not followes the general Sentence upon all without exception until such time as the particular Pardon is produced and then as each hath his particular Pardon produced so the Law actually acquits him and not before This is the Comparison the Application is In Adam's Fall we all were proclaimed Traytors and adjudged to dye Christ willing to save a certaine number of these condemned persons gives his life a ransome for them which God accepts and hereupon Christ hath a general Pardon given to him by vertue of which all these persons considered in the Lump as in him their common Person are pardoned yet because it is a secret known to God and Christ alone who they are which are pardoned the Law of God therefore which proceeds not upon secret but manifest things takes no notice of this but followes the general Sentence of Condemnation upon all until such time as each one hath a particular Pardon drawne out of the general given an applied to him so that a man may vertually be justified in Christ as his common Person and yet justly under an actual sentence of Condemnation from the Law 2 From the effects of that Sentence viz. Punishments here on Soul and Body as they flow from Divine Wrath and are for the satisfaction of Justice not that Souls in Christ are freed from all sufferings in Soul and Body for they suffer through Adams Fall in both as well as others but these their sufferings are Fatherly Chastisements not legal Punishments inflicted out of wrath to satisfie Justice which for them is already by Christ satisfied yea Death it self which they with others suffer is not a Legal punishment but a translation to a better life Now punishments are the effects of this Sentence only as they are Legal punishments all which they are freed from and so from all the effects of this Sentence 3 From the Final execution thereof viz. the Condemnation of Hell this such as are in Christ are freed from also 1 Thess 1. last 2 But why must this be so Ans 1. Because a soul in Christ is one actually united to him and one with him and being so no Sentence of Condemnation can fall upon him but the same must light upon Christ himself who is one with him As a Woman after Marriage though shee owe ever so many Debts yet the Arrest doth not light upon her but upon her Husband 2 Because the Law which should condemn him hath satisfaction given now to condemn after satisfaction received were unjust and illegal 3 Because such a one hath a pardon given him Now after pardon there is no sentence of Condemnation though before there might now they have a Pardon and such a one as is 1 With satisfaction to the Law therefore not a forced or constrained Pardon but a most just one 2 Purchased and therefore due by debt though not to us God owes us nothing yet to Christ he is in debt As the Pardon respects us it is all Free Grace free grace in God to accept of Christs payment for us he might have made us paid the Debt our selves As it is the courtesie of the Creditor to accept a Surety hee might make the Debtor pay himself Free Grace when he hath accepted of it to give forth the Pardon to this or that Soul rather than another another might have had it and thou and I have wanted it yet as the Pardon respects Christ its Debt he paid dear for it 3 Sealed with Bloud the New Testament which brings this pardon is sealed with the bloud of the Testator now after such a pardon there can be no condemnation 4 Because he is by a publick act of God acknowledged a just and righteous Person I doe not say he is accounted an innocent person because once he was guilty but a just and righteous person because though once guilty yet not now Now this publick justification of him hath more in it than a bare pardon for that only remits Sin and takes away unrighteousness this conferres grace and gives righteousness so as that such a person is now no longer looked upon not only as no sinners but as a righteous person that hath obeyed all the commands of God And this Justification is such that as none can bee more legal so none is of more force to keep off Condemnation he being justified both by the party offended and the Judge himself for God is both these and it is God that justifieth Row 8.33 and what can bee more for any mans justification 5 He is in the hands of two omnipotent Keepers who as they have power sufficient to defend him so are resolved never to deliver him up to Justice Joh. 10.28 29. God and Christ But what if the Keepers differ within themselves then hee may bee delivered up No saith Christ no fear of that for I and my Father are one vers 30. 3 But what is that which frees those which are in Christ from Condemnation Ans 1. NEGATIVELY Not the righteousnesse of old Adam although the unrighteousnesse of old Adam brought Condemnation upon us yet the righteousnesse of old Adam cannot free us from it the best of old Adams righteousnesse since the Fall is marred by his unrighteousnesse so that although once it were sufficient to bring us to glory yet now it is lame yea through the Fall sinful and altogether imperfect that which will help forward our Condemnation instead of freeing us from it so as that though a man should never in all his Life-time commit any part of the unrighteousnesse of old Adam yet such now is his righteousnesse that in following of that hee might hasten his condemnation But secondly and POSITIVELY Our freedome is through the righteousness of Christ the new Adam Rom. 3.20 21 22. chap. 5.18 19. which righteousness is two-fold Active Passive the Active gives us Title to glory the Passive frees us from condemnation as our Justification to life eternal hath respect to Christs active obedience so our
justification from death eternal hath respect to his passive Rom. 5.10 Christs Passive obedience viz. his death and sufferings is that frees us from condemnation for herein hee bare the curse of the Law and was condemned for us So that all the free dome poor souls have from that guilt which is brought in by sin and the consequence thereof viz. a sentence of condemnation here with its effects and the final execution thereof hereafter is by the death of Christ his blood his passive obedience 1 Joh. 1.7 Rev. 1.5 Hence these and such like Scriptures which attribute justification to the blood death and sufferings of Christ speak not of justification fully but onely of a part of it viz. Justification from death eternal Hence also wee learn how exceedingly every Saint is beholding to Christ for dying for had hee not dyed wee had been all to this very day under the fearful sentence of condemnation with all the effects thereof and should have been under the final execution thereof for ever in hell hereafter and also for fulfilling the Law of God actively for him which had hee not done though his death shoud have freed him from hell yet could hee not have had an entrance into Heaven 4 But wherein doth it appear that this freedome from condemnation is such a great and glorious priviledge Answ 1. Is it not a great and glorious priviledge for a man to have all his accusers mouths stopped This is the priviledge of those who are freed from condemnation Suppose a Malefactor under sentence hath a pardon that very act stops all his accusers mouthes as to that thing for which hee was condemned So the act of Gods pardoning grace stops sins mouth consciences mouth the Devils mouth As there can bee no legal condemnation without a precedent accusation so there can bee no accusation as touching things remitted after pardon When Satan accused Joshua Zach. 3. begin Christ stops his mouth Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire So when the Devil accuseth any soul which hee hath delivered from condemnation Christ stops his mouth is not this Satan one whom I have freed from condemnation Have not I plucked him out of the fire Are not his sins pardoned Why then Satan doest thou rake up these old businesses again 2 Is it not a great and glorious priviledge to bee freed from that which to bee under would make one unspeakably miserable for ever Soules freed from condemnation are so under condemnation and under the wrath of God which burnes like devouring flames of fire I Under condemnation and under all the plagues and judgements of God under the weight of all thy sins each of which will one day weigh like a mountain of lead under all the dreadful curses of the Law under the sting and biting of a tormenting conscience under the power of the Devil under all afflictions as legal punishments for sin c. 3 Is it not a great and glorious priviledge to have ground to beleeve that I shall injoy an eternal life with God in glory after this short life is ended This is the soules that is freed from condemnation Christ would never have freed him from the one but in order to the other Hee would never have plucked him out of hell but in order to the putting him into Heaven and therefore once freed from hell and thou art safe for ever returning thither again Joh. 5.24 There is a passage from death to life but none back again 4 Is it not a great priviledge to bee in such a condition wherein I can triumph over all my enemies spiritual and temporal Soules freed from condemnation are in this condition they can triumph over sin because they see the guilt thereof taken away and have the promise and strength of Christ to mortifie it in them over the Law because the curse is gone Gal. 3.13 over the Devil because they see principalities and powers spoyled over death because it s but an entrance into life and so far as there is evil in it it s swallowed up into victory over hell because Christ hath delivered them from wrath to come over the malice reproaches contumelies of the world because Christ hath overcome the world and also they behold all the malice of the world bound up in a chain and that chaine to bee at the disposal of their Father 5 Is it not a great and glorious priviledge to know assuredly that although through infirmity I fall into sin yet sin shall never be laid to my charge This is that souls also which is freed from condemnation Rom. 8.33.34 6 Is it not a great and glorious priviledge to have a share and propriety in all that is Christs this is their's they are heirs of God and coheires with Christ and so Christs life death riches wisdome righteousness strength grace glory all is theirs 7 Is it not a great and glorious priviledge to have all our afflictions and crosses turned into blessings and mercies This also is their's they meet with no affliction but it is a mercy to them if in poverty their poverty is a mercy if in sickness if in temptation under reproach under losses yea death it self yet it is a mercy 8 Is it not a great and glorious priviledge to have God and the whole Creation at peace with a man This likewise is theirs God is at peace with that soul Col. 1.20 and all the creatures which are at war with others are at peace with him Such are in Covenant with God and being so God makes a Covenant for them with all the creatures as Job 5.23 Hos 2.18 9 And lastly Is it not a great and glorious priviledge to have all things working together for our good Health if wee can have it strength parts riches honours if wee can have them Satans temptations Gods hidings c. all things conspiring as it were our good This is the priviledge of called souls who are freed from condemnation Rom. 8.28 Object O but will some poor soul say Were I freed from condemnation surely the Devil would not bee so busie with mee by his temptations I should not bee so under his power as I am Answ 1. It is one thing to bee under the power of Satan by way of Divine permission God permitting Satan to have a power over thee another by way of voluntary subjection Christ was under the power of Satan by way of Divine permission when his body by Satan was transported from place to place So also Peter when hee was left to be winnowed by Satan and Paul when buffeted yet none under Satans power by way of voluntary subjection 2 Thy temptations rather argue that thou art freed from condemnation than otherwise Satan doth not use to trouble his friends but those that are his enemies or in a way to bee so Object But I finde corruption strong within mee which surely would not bee were I freed from condemnation Answ 1. It is one thing to have the guilt of
sin removed which brings under condemnation and another to have the being and acting of sin removed Paul had the guilt removed yet not the being or acting Rom. 7. 2 It is one thing to be under sin as sins captive another as sins servant Thou art under sin but is thy will against it The evil that thou doest doest thou hate and count it thy burden and hell desiring as earnestly the mortification as pardon of it thou art then not under sin as sins servant but onely as its captive as Paul was Rom. 7.24 and yet hee triumphs There is no condemnation Object O but were I freed from condemnation I should have more life in Duties Ordinances than I have Answ 1. There is a difference betwixt the having of life and the feeling of it do not say because thou doest not feel life therefore thou hast none 2 Thy feeling the contrary to wit a want of life argues thou hast it for a dead man feels nothing Use 1. See then what a vast difference there is betwixt the condition of one that hath interest in Christ and another mans the one is freed from condemnation the other is under it There is as much difference as is betwixt one man going up the gallowes to bee hanged and another going from the gallows with a pardon in his hand to the Court there to sit at the Princes Table 2 How blessed then is the condition of every soul interessed in Christ Such are freed from condemnation David Psal 32. saith Blessed is hee whose iniquities are forgiven Why because such a one is freed from condemnation take away the cause you remove the effects so take away sin and condemnation ceaseth the blessedness therefore lyes in this that such are freed from condemnation O who would not then seek an interest in Christ what Drunkard Swearer in this Congregation but would do it when the condition of such is so blessed A man when frantick or mad though condemned to dye yet hee thinks his condition as good as the best but when hee comes to himself and sees where hee is then hee cryes out O that I were in the condition of such a one and such a one So when men are mad after their lusts and besotted with them they think their condition good though under a sentence of condemnation but when such shall at the houre of death or judgement come to themselves and see where they are then shall they cry out O that I were in such a ones condition and such a ones Balaam when hee came to dye would dye the death of the righteous So when men come to dye O then that I were such a one whom if they could they would have hanged while they lived 3 Then how great a sin and how much below their condition is unbeleef in the people of God Soul hath Christ freed thee from condemnation and wilt thou distrust him for salvation And doth Christ say as much to thee and wilt thou by unbeleefe give Christ the lye Deale not thus O soule by thy loving Saviour 4 This casts many persons and brings most men in the Countries Towns and Parishes of the world under condemnation Why they have not interest in Christ and such and onely such are freed therefore all others are under it still 1 Art thou one who livest and walkest in prophane courses a Drunkard Swearer unclean person c. thou art one cast by this doctrine for as yet thou hast not interest in Christ 1 Joh. 1.6 If wee say that wee have fellowship with him and walke in darkness wee lye and do not the truth If such have not fellowship with Christ then no actual interest in him communion flows from union if it bee a lye to say they have communion much more to say they have actual interest and consequently union 2 Art thou a moral man and restest here thou also hast as yet no interest in Christ Heathens many of them did excel in Morality yet knew not Christ The Scribes and Pharisees came behinde none of our Moralists yet hear what Christ saith to them Matth. 5.20 For I say unto you that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees yee shall in no case enter into the Kingdome of Heaven 3 Art thou a Religious man or an outward Professor resting here in thy outward Profession and the performance of some external duties Stand thou by too thou hast not as yet interest in Christ Rom. 2.28 29. For hee is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh but hee is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God Object But though I have not interest in Christ is there no hope for a soule in this condition Answ No continuing in it but mistake not hope there is thou mayest yet come to Christ and so come out of it and so although for the present thou hast not interest in Christ yet possibly coming to Christ thou mayest have it and then there is hope for thee I say soul which soever of these conditions is thine there is hope thou mayest come to Christ and in this way there is hope for thee Art thou a prophane sinner a persecutor read 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief Mark 3.28 Verily I say unto you All sins shall bee forgiven unto the sons of men and blasphemies wherewithsoever they shall blaspheme Art thou a moral man so was Nicodemus Joh. 3. Art thou an outward professor only and so an hypocrite indeed read Isa 65. vers 2. with 5. I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people which walketh in a way which was not good after their own thoughts which say Stand by thy self come not near to mee for I am holier than thou these are a smoak in my nose a fire that burneth all the day 5 And lastly This is comfort to the Saints against the guilt of all sin whatsoever Are souls in Christ freed from condemnation Then poor soul thy sins shall never condemn thee they may rob thee of thy peace and comfort here but shall never of thy Crown and glory hereafter they may bring corrections upon thee but never condemnation for thou art freed from that Amen SERMON II. ROM 8.1 There is therefore now no Condemnation THree Observations I have raised from these words 1 That it is a Saints priviledge to be freed from Condemnation 2 This comes from our in-being in Christ 3 Those who are freed from Condemnation are such who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit I handled the First the last day now for the Second viz. Doct. That our freedome from Condemnation comes from our in-being in Jesus Christ In the
him of the spiritualnesse of his own conversation as a pattern for him to imitate vers 10. stirring him up thereto vers 14. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned them So also to Titus having in Chap. 1. marked out and warned Titus of a dangerous sort of men vers 10. and 16. In the two next Chapters hee puts Titus on to minde and follow spiritual and practical matters But speake thou the words which become sound doctrine Chap. 2. vers 1. c. In Rom. 14.17 When there were contentions in the Church about observing dayes and eating meats hee labours to withdraw them from questions of this nature to the minding and attending of things more spiritual as not to offend their weak brethren vers 13. and to minde righteousnesse peace and joy in the Holy Ghost vers 17. So when there was strife in the Churches of Galatia about Circumcision and legal Ceremonies some being brought to beleeve and practice these things the Apostle recalls them to spirituals Chap. 5.6 and Chap. 6.15 telling them that in Christ or in the dayes of the Gospel these were not the things to bee minded but the new creature and faith which worketh by love In Coloss 2. When many were drawn to strange and sottish errors and practices that others who were yet pure might not bee defiled and led a way as hee saith vers 4. hee calls them to minde spiritual things vers 2 3 6 7 8 9 10. telling them that the onely cause of others miscarriage was the neglect of these vers 19. Yet farther in Heb. 13.9 The Apostle having admonished beleevers to beware of errors and strange doctrines hee gives them this rule for a preservative to labour that their hearts might bee established with grace To end in Jude 20.21 The Holy Ghost having deciphered in the former verses the false Apostles and given them their doom hee exhorts to this very duty as the best remedy against such evils But yee beloved building up your selves on your most holy faith praying in the Holy Ghost keep your selves in the love of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life All which Scripture allegations wherein I have been more large than is usual by reason of the usefulness of this truth and sutableness thereof to these times argue the truth of the Doctrine viz. That the onely and special way for a Saint to bee delivered from the Errors and Evils of the Times hee lives in is to have his heart as much as may bee taken up with and his spirit exercised about high and spiritual things In the further carrying on of this I shall handle two things 1 What I mean by spiritual things 2 Why the exercising the heart in these is such a special way to preserve a Saint from the errors and evils of the times hee lives in Concerning the first By spiritual things I understand such things as either tend to the glory of God the edifying my brother the winning of souls the begetting and increasing of my own peace the mortifying of sin in mee the quickning of grace c. Such things as these I call Spiritual and all principles and practices whatsoever which produce these or such like effects I may terme spiritual truths and spiritual works And on the other side whatsoever opinion or practice it is which doth not produce such like effects but the contrary I may justly exclude from the name of Spiritual Thus you have a general notion of what I mean by spiritual things but now for our helpe in the exercising of our hearts about spiritual things it is very needful that wee have yet a more distinct and particular knowledge of those spiritual things our hearts should bee exercised about which things though they are many more than I am able to speak of or if I were have time to do it yet for the helpe of those who for want of matter are at a losse what to exercise their hearts about and so usually take that which comes next to hand which oftentimes turns to their undoing I shall therefore having a large field before mee glean together some few handfuls of spiritual things which may serve for matter for us to exercise our hearts about As to begin with that in finite eternal incomprehensible love of God to poor sinners how freely God loved them when as yet there was nothing lovely in them yea how this love was towards them from all eternity and continues to eternity again And also how fruitful this love and grace of God towards them hath been appearing as in electing and choosing them in his Son Christ from all eternity to bee vessels of glory and heires of salvation who naturally were of that very lump whereof many become vessels of dishonour and heirs of damnation so also in the fulness of time in sending his onely begotten and beloved Son who was fore-ordained to bee a Prince and a Saviour out of his own bosome into the world there by him to accomplish his own eternal decree concerning the salvation of his Elect. This is a thing our hearts should bee much taken up with and our thoughts exercised about Again How that this Jesus Christ the onely begotten of the Father being sent into the world did willingly part with for a time all the glory that hee was right heire unto and possessor of above and took upon him that so hee might accomplish the work of our redemption our nature being made man and born of the seed of David according to the flesh so exceedingly honouring humane nature far above the nature of Angels which hee took not by uniting it to the Divine Again which our hearts should bee much exercised about how that together with this our nature hee tooke upon him the infirmities and miseries thereof being poor hungry made a reproach persecuted and tempted c. that hee might bee in all things like unto his brethren and bee made a merciful and faithful High Priest and such a one as might bee touched with a feeling of our infirmities and might sympathize with us in and under them all and how that after hee had finished all things which were to bee done by him for our good hee last of all offered up himself a sacrifice for us bearing our sins in his own body on the Tree together with all the wrath of his Father due to us for all our sins whereby pouring out his soul unto death and making it an offering for sin hee gave full satisfaction to his Fathers Justice for the transgression of his people whom by his death hee delivered from wrath to come blotting out the hand-writing that was against them and contrary to them taking it out of the way and by this one offering perfecting for ever all them that were sanctified or set apart by the Father Again farther How that having dyed for our sins he is risen again
because Ishmael was borne of the Bond-woman who had no absolute right and could therefore convey none to her seed but Esau of Rebecca who was a Free-woman had a right to convey which Esau despiseth Upon this Principle another follows viz. That carnal and slighty Gospel professors of which Esay was a Type doe prove to bee worse and more vile than meer legalists of which Ishmael was a Type for observe Esau having despised his Birth-right degenerates into a prophane person Heb. 12.16 but Ishmael not so for after that he was cast out of his Fathers Family hee was yet very strict as I shall shew hereafter By what wee have said it is now clear enough that the Moral Law as it is Sarahs Law the Law of the New Covenant so it is not to bee cast out because it belongs to the Free-woman who must not be rejected But for so much of the Moral Law as belongs to Hagar i. e. is a part of the Old Covenant and not brought by Christ into the New all that is to be cast out for it belongs unto the Bond-woman and what saith the Scripture Cast out the bond-woman c. From this double consideration of the Moral Law as it is the Law of Hagar the Old Covenant and as it is the Law of Sarah the New several useful lessons doe arise 1 Hence we may learne how to reconcile such Scriptures as seeme to have opposition and contradiction in them about the Law as namely Rom. 7. where the Apostle tells us vers 4. Wee are dead to the Law and vers 6. delivered from the Law yet saith vers 12. The Commardement is holy just and good vers 14. The Law is spiritual vers 16. I consent saith he to the Law that it is good vers 22. I delight in the Law of God after the inner man vers 25. with my minde I my selfe serve the Law of God How may we reconcile these doth not the Apostle speak contradictions Not so for in verses 4.6 hee treats of the Law as it is the Law of Hagar the Old Covenant and so he saith we are dead to it delivered from it in the following verses he treats of the Law as it is the Law of Sarah or of the New Covenant and so hee calls it spiritual holy just and good consents to it delights in it serves it c. So Gal. 2.19 I through the law am dead to the law i.e. the Law hath set mee wholly free from the Law Is not this a contradiction No for the Apostle speakes of the Law under its twofold consideration as it is the Law of the old Covenant and as the Law of the New and so his meaning is this I through the Law through receiving embracing or having to doe with the Law as it is the Law of the New Covenant am dead to the Law that is am set wholly free from the Law and have nothing to doe with it as it is the Law of the Old Of the like interpretation are those words Rom. 8.2 For the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death i.e. By the Law of the New Covenant or the Law as it is the Law of the New Covenant which the Apostle calls the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus because the New Covenant-ministration is a ministration of the Spirit a ministration that giveth life 2 Cor. 3.6.8 and hath Christ for the Mediator of it Heb. 8.6 chap. 9.15 chap. 12.24 and the Bloud of Christ as the seal or ratification of it Heb. 9.16 17 18. I am freed or delivered from the Law as it is the Law of the Old Covenant which as such is called A law of sin and death because sin is discovered by the Law of the Old Covenant but not mortified by this discovery but rather enlivened and the soul findes it self inwardly more provoked to it Rom. 7.5 7 8 9 10 11. Hence the discovery of sin which is by the Old Covenant not killing sin but rather making it to increase it consequently kills the soul and so it becomes a Commandement unto deaths a law of death a ministration of death 2 Corinth 3 7. So also Rom. 6.14 the Apostle speaking of Beleevers saith We are not under the law but under grace yet 1 Cor. 9.21 speaking of himselfe who was a Beleever he saith he was under the Law to Christ Are not these contradiction No because in the first place the law is spoken of as it is the Law of the Old Covenant administred by Moses so Beleevers in Gospel-times are not under it in the latter the Law is spoken of as it is the Law of the New Covenant administred by the Lord Jesus so Paul himself and all Beleevers who are willingly subject to Christ are also willingly subject to his Law Againe 1 Tim. 1.9 it is said The law is not made for a righteous man i. e. the righteous person is one that hath nothing to doe with the Law nor the Law with him so that in effect the Law is made voyd to him it is to him as though it were nothing and he to it as though there were no Law in the world yet Rom. 3. last it is said Doe wee make voyd the law through faith nay we establish the law what may we judge of these expressions The answer is still what I have said The Apostle in the former place confiders the Law only as it is the Law of the Old Covenant in which respect he saith it is not made for the righteous man i. e. he hath nothing to doe with it he is not under it in the latter only as it is the Law of the New Covenant and in this respect the preaching of faith doth not nul the Law to the Beleever but doth rather establish it as I am coming to shew Thus we see how this distinction about the Moral Law both doth and will bring all those opposite Scriptures which concern the Law to a sweet concord and harmony one with another 2 Hence wee may learne That the Moral Law doth still remaine as a rule to Saints even in Gospel-times for mark it the Moral Law is Sarahs Rule as well as Hagars now though Hagar the Servant in Gospel-times is an outcast yet Sarah the Mistris still remaines in the Family and governes there The Moral Law therefore as it is Sarahs Rule remaines in as full force even in Gospel times as ever Now because some not understanding this distinction have weakly and unadvisedly cast the Moral Law wholly out of doores as being a thing of no use to Beleevers under the New Testament as there are others that hand over head will bring it in I shall therefore establish this Position that the Moral Law is yea must bee a Rule to Saints even under the New Testament and that by these following Arguments Arg. 1. If the coming of Christ doth not destroy the Law as a Rule but
threat of death in case of disobedience and the promise of life upon condition of obedience by assuring her seed in giving forth this rule unto them that they are already most certainly freed from death and possessed of life and that therefore shee gives not forth this rule unto them to bee as a way or meanes through the observance of which they may escape the one or obtaine the other but only as a declaration of their Fathers will and their duty that by it they may bee instructed how they ought to walk and to please God Hence the obedience of Sarahs Children so farre as they are subject to their Mother Sarah only receiving their Law out of her hand is pure Gospel obedience i. e. obedience springing from the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them as the principal efficient cause from love and thankfulness to-their Father as the moving cause from an earnest desire that their Father might have some service from them and glory by them as the final cause and this is pure Gospel obedience when God is Agent Motive and End in all we doe 4 Hence wee may learn That a true Beleever as he doth not expect life and salvation from his obedience to the Law so should hee not fear death and condemnation either by his falling short in obedience or by his disobedience This Position will sound harsh in some cares and be accounted a leavened Principle but doe but observe how naturally it flowes from what hath been laid downe and proved for if the promise of life and salvation upon condition of obedience and the threat of Death and Condemnation to the disobedient bee proper to the Law as Hagars Law and if the Law as Hagars Law be now cast out then hath a Beleever nothing to doe with the Law as it is a law promising life to the obedient or threatning death to the disobedient and if so then cannot he expect life and salvation from it though hee should obey it nor need hee fear death though hee disobey it This necessarily follows that which hee hath nothing to doe with is dead to delivered from c. hee can neither expect good no nor fear evil from But the Law as Hagars Law hee hath nothing to doe with is dead to it delivered from it therefore he can neither expect good nor need he fear evil from it Obj. But it will be said Such a principle as this dâ—th open a wide gap to all manner of licention nesse Ans Not so but contrariwise it is co a gracious heart the most powerful motive and the greatest help that can bee to holinesse for as there is nothing moves such a one so strongly as doth this perswasion upon the heart that whatsoever it hath is of the free love of God only and that this love is such as that nothing can separate from it so nothing affords the Soule more firme help and reliefe against sin and temptations to sin than doth the knowledge and assurance of this that sin and temptation though it should conquer cannot condemn for so long as the Soul looks upon a possibility of being condemned by sin if vanquished by it he is in continual fear and therefore whensoever hee findes the motions of sin or temptations to sin stirring in himself hee presently grows weak and faint through this fear I shall bee vanquished and so condemned and as a fainting man is not in a capability to stand up against an enemy assaulting him with full strength so this fainting Soul whose strength through fear is gone before it is assaulted sinkes downe presently under the assault and is without any great resistance made a captive to that thing it hates which thing the Apostle Paul had large experience of in himself when hee said Sinne taking occasion by the Commandement wrought in mee all manner of concupiscence for without the law sin was dead for I was alive without the law once but when the Commandement came sin revived and I dyed and the Commandement which was ordained to life I found to bee unto death for sin taking occasion by the Commandement deceived me and by it slew me Rom. 7.8 9 10 11. But now when a Soul apprehends this that Hagars condemning Law hath nothing to doe with him and can from the clear knowledge of this say beleevingly to sin and temptation when hee feeles it beginning to stirre O sin O temptation though I should now yeeld to thee which is the thing thou wouldest have yet know this that thou shalt never condemn me which is the thing thou seekest hereby he doth as I may say disanimate the strength of sin and temptation and mightily encourageth himself and so adds to his owne strength that whereas be ever before encountred sin with disadvantage hee doth now encounter it with advantage and fights with the greatest resolution that can bee and without faint-heartednesse which faint-heartednesse comes in by the doore of this fear if I am conquered I am undone but if this fear be removed from the heart and the Soul once throughly perswaded of this my condition doth not depend at all upon the event of this Combate but whether I conquer or am conquered that is the same then shall it finde its hands made strong to fight and its heart also mightily resolved Such a state or condition as this I am speaking of there is but it is knowne only of those whom God hath brought out of Hagars School and who are in the School of Sarah my meaning is such as God hath enlightned to see and enabled to receive in the love of it this blessed truth that rigid servile Hagar is an out-cast and hath no longer rule over them having neither punishments to inflict nor rewards to bestow upon them but milde and loving Sarah is their only Mother and hath the sole government of them whose Children though they may be corrected with gentle rebukes yet can they never become out-casts and bee disinherited as Hagars may Till wee come into Sarahs Schoole we cannot learn this lesson yea Sarahs Children whilst they continue in Hagars Schoole will be offended at it Thus we have done with the First Question viz. what we are to understand by the Old Covenant I come now to the Second viz. Quest 2. What kind of Covenant this Old Covenant is Ans This is indeed the knotty Question and if there be any peece of the Doctrine of the Covenants that seemes to have perplexing difficulties in it this is it Before I can deliver my thoughts hereof positively it is necessary that something bee laid downe Negatively in opposition to that common principle which holds this Old Covenant to bee a Covenant of Grace and to differ from the New only in respect of administration so making the Old and the New not to be two diverse Covenants but two administrations of one and the same Covenant the one more dark the other more clear but the Covenant to bee for substance the same and