say yet lies upon the Law Be you who you will Believers or unbelievers regenerate or unregenerate the Law is of marvellous use to you 'T is a rule to all whether they be good or bad and as so none are exempted from it as is by several Divines sufficiently proved against the Antinomists and it hath too very good and useful effects upon all whether called or uncalled Saints or Sinners Our Apostle who here doth so much depress the Law in respect of Justification doth elsewhere in other respects speak much of its usefulness Rom. 3.19 Now we know that what things soever the Law saith it saith to them who are under the Law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God Rom. 7.7 What shall we say then is the Law sin God forbid Nay I had not known sin but by the Law for I had not known lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not covet Gal. 3.19 24. Wherefore then serveth the Law it was added because of transgressions till the Seed should come to whom the Promise was made and it was ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediator Wherefore the Law was our School-master to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by faith I must not launch out into this vast Ocean you have variety of * Taytor's Reg. Vitae Burg. Vind. Legis Boltons Bounds c. Baxter in several Treat with divers Others Facessat longè ex animis nostris profana ista Opinio Legem non este regulam Est enim inflexibilis vivendi regula Calvin Treatises upon this Argument namely to prove that the Law is still a Rule and still very useful in those great effects which have been mentioned I refer you to them for further satisfaction This I only touch upon as it lies in my way both that I may prevent dangerous mistakes and also shew you how you are to carry it towards the Law O let it be highly esteemed reverenced honoured by you yea bless God for it for though indeed 't is weak and unprofitable as the Covenant of Works yet as 't is a Rule and as it produces such effects upon the Conscience so 't is of great use and highly beneficial So much for the 2d Vse Thirdly Use 3. Was the Law thus unable to do for the Sinner what was necessary to be done then never look for Righteousness and Life from and by the Law For as to these it cannot do your work unless you could do its work it cannot justifie or save you unless you could perfectly obey and fulfil it O pray expect little from it nay nothing at all in this way you cannot answer its expectations and it cannot answer yours It highly concerns every man in the world to make sure of righteousness and life but where are these to be had only in Christ in the way of believing not in the Law in the way of doing We would fain make the Law stronger than indeed it is and 't is natural to us to look for a righteousness from it because there was our righteousness at first and that suits best with the pride of our hearts Man is not so averse to the Law in point of obedience but he is as apt to rest upon the Law for Heaven and Happiness if he can but do something which the Law requires O this he looks upon as a sufficient Righteousness and as a good Plea for Heaven Especially when Conscience is a little awakened then the poor Creature betakes himself to his doing to his obedience to the Law and this he thinks will do his work till God lets him see his great mistake As 't is * Hos 5.13 said When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judab saw his wound then went Ephraim to the Assyrian and sent to King Jareb yet could he not heal you nor cure you of your wound just so 't is with the convinced Sinner in reference to the Law both as to his practise and also as to his success I would not be mistaken in what I have said or shall further say as if I did design to take off any from Obedience to the Law God forbid all that I aim at is only to take men off from trusting in that obedience and from leaning upon that as their Righteousness We should be doers of the Law for * Rom. 2.13 not the hearers of the Law are just before God but the doers of the Law shall be justified yea we should go as far as ever we can in our endeavours after a Law-righteousness for though that be not sufficient to justifie us before God yet that must make us righteous in his eye * Vide Burg. of Justif 2d p. Serm. 22. p. 215. as to qualitative and inherent righteousness and so we are to understand that Text with many others of the same import * Deut. 6.25 It shall be our righteousness if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God as he hath commanded us But yet when we have gone the furthest the Righteousness which we are to rely upon is only the Gospel Righteousness or the imputed Righteousness of the Lord Jesus if we take up with any thing short of that we are * O nos miseros si vel tantillum nostra salus basi tam infirmá nitatur Beza in 1 Joh. 1.8 miserable and lost for ever As to the Law is it thus weak or rather are you thus weak and yet will you bottom your expectation and confidence there can you fulfil or satisfie it in its demands of perfect personal universal constant Obedience If you cannot then which nothing more certain it can never then do your business nay upon the least failure it will be your enemy to plead against you for the non-performance of its Conditions and so though it cannot as a Friend do you much good yet as an Enemy it can and will do you much hurt What a sad case is the legalist in the Law condemns him because he doth no more obey and the Gospel condemns him because he doth no more believe he 's lost on every hand O this is woful And yet how many precious Souls split themselves upon this rock millions of men look no higher than the Law that is the foundation upon which they build their confidence for Life and Salvation Could we but get into them and be privy to the Grounds of their Hope we should find that 't is not Christ and Faith in him but the Law and some imperfect Obedience thereunto upon which they bottom they deal honestly wrong no body live unblameably make some external Profession perform such duties are thus and thus charitable to the poor c. and hereupon they are confident of their Salvation Now I deny not but that these are very good things I wish there was more of them yet when any rest in them or upon them for Righteousness and Life they set them
the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe ch 3.22 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood c. v. 24 25 26 Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness ch 4.3 Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him but for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him that raised up the Lord Jesus from the dead who was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our justification v. 23 24 25 Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God thorough our Lord Jesus Christ ch 5.1 Especially read what the Apostle writes in drawing up the Parallel betwixt the two Adams ch 5.15 to the end of the Ch. I say read and consider what is before asserted over and over concerning Justification and then tell me whether the Apostle might not well thus infer There is therefore c. and whether there be not strength enough in these premises to bear the weight of the Conclusion There is therefore now no Condemnation c. for unquestionably the Illative therefore upon which the Proposition is bottom'd like the Handle in the Dial points to all that the Apostle had been speaking of concerning justifying Grace 2. The Priviledge is farther sure upon Sanctification From their Sanctification Such as are in Christ are always sanctified wherever the Union is with the Son there is Sanctification by the Spirit now such as are sanctified shall never be condemned Rev. 20.6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection on such the second death or Condemnation hath no power Sanctification doth not carry in it such a direct and intrinsick opposition to Condemnation as Justification doth nor is it any meritorious ground of Non-condemnation Yet where there is Sanctification there shall be no Condemnation for upon this the power and dominion of sin is taken away * Dum non essent in Christo consentirent concupiscentiae erat illis damnatio Nunc autem cum sint in Christo repugnent concupiscentiae nihil damnationis est illis quamquam ex carne concupiscant quia non pugnatores sed victi damnantur nec est damnabile si existant desideria â—â—rnalia sed si eis ad peccatum obediatur Anselm This must be understood of Condemnation in Event and that too as grounded upon the meer Grace of God vigorous resistance is made against it the bent of the heart is for God there 's the participation of the Divine Nature the Image of God is renewed in the Soul the Creature in part is restored to that original rectitude which was before the Fall with many such like considerations upon all which the sanctified person is secured from Condemnation God hath such a love to Grace it being the work of his own Spirit and to gracious persons they in sanctification being made after himself as 't is exprest Eph. 4.24 that he will never suffer such to perish eternally Grace merits nothing yet it secures from the greatest evils and entitles to the greatest good Nothing shall save where Grace is not nothing shall damn where Grace is The Sinner shall not live the Saint shall not dye O this Sanctification though it be imperfect yet how great good doth result from it Paul had sad remainders of sin in him but withall Grace was in him he had his double self as the Moralist expresses it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his renewed self and his unrenewed self the Law was spiritual but he was carnal sold under sin what he would not that he did what he would that he did not he was led captive by the Law of sin and death here was his unrenewed self Yet where he complains most of Sin even there he discovers much if not most of Grace he had a sinning Nature but he allow'd not himself in sin he consented to the Law that it was good it was not he that did so and so but sin that dwelt in him to will was present with him though how to perform he did not find he delighted in the Law of God in the inward man with his mind he served the Law of God c. here was his renewed self Do not these things evidence Grace was all this spoken in personâ irregeniti as some tell us No doubtless the Apostle here speaks as a * With my mind I serve the Law of God Ego qui in me significo quemlibet justum sub gratiâ constitutum Anselm Quod meo judicio tantam vim tantam emphasin habet ut illi planè humanae naturae corruptionem ignorare videantur si qui sint qui eam cum tali animi constitutione consistere posse putant nisi aliundè sit aliquatenus immutata Amyral Consid cap. sept Ep. ad Rom. p. 16. He might have gone higher â—haâ—â— aliquatenus immutata gracious man and in the person of gracious men And what doth he infer from all this There is therefore now no Condemnation c. Oh saith Paul I have sin enough to humble me but yet sin shall not damn me there 's too much of it in me but yet it hath not my heart with my mind I serve the Law of God the main bent of my heart is for holiness the corrupt Nature is very strong in me but yet it hath not its full strength its entire unbroken power and dominion over me that through Grace I am freed from I am though but imperfectly yet truly sanctified and hereupon though I may lie under much trouble here yet I am safe as to my eternal state there is therefore now no Condemnation to me I desire it may be observed that he doth not only infer Non-condemnation from the work of Grace in him spoken of in the closure of the former Chapter but as soon as he had laid down in common this great happiness of persons in Christ he presently confirms it as to himself from his sanctification and the dethroning of sin in him by the regenerating Spirit For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death And with respect to others he much enlarges upon it Rom. 6.5 6 7 8 21 22 23. Well then persons in Christ they being justified and sanctified are above the danger of Condemnation and these are the two great Pillars upon which the Therefore in the words is built From their union with Christ The Text affords us another Argument or Ground of Non-condemnation and that lies in the Subject it self There is no Condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus why so because they are in Christ Jesus for these words are not only descriptive of the persons to whom the priviledge belongs but they are also argumentative and contain a
to God daily for help against it well God will not lay particular failings thus circumstantiated to your charge The Damsel under the Law that was ravished if she cry'd out for help and did not consent to the fact was to be acquitted Deut. 22.25 so you do to God under the assaults of the Flesh and so God will do to you True sin is sin though it hath not full and deliberate consent but God is so gracious that where that is not he will not impute it I have also told you that you must distinguish betwixt (c) Non dicitur vivere secâ—ndum Carnem qui Spiritum ducem sequitur etiamsi aliquando extra viam vestigium ponat Justin lapses into sin and walking in sin thou sometimes fallest by the Flesh but yet thou doest not walk after the Flesh where the fleshly act especially if it be gross is not repeated where the Soul resists it where there is a rising again by repentance deep humiliation for for what is past and all diligent circumspection and stedfast resolation in God's strength for the time to come there 't is but a lapse and not a walking This I hope is your case and if so then what you alledge against your selves will not amount to make you walkers after the Flesh And as to the positive part the walking after the Spirit though you come short as to degrees and are not so rais'd in the spiritual life as you ought yet in such a measure which God accepts you do live it The Spirit is your Principle your Guide spiritual objects have your affections the Heart inclines and bends chiefly to that which is good your great end is to enjoy and glorifie God O be of good comfort this is walking after the Spirit You are imperfect in it yet sincere you aim at more than what you can as yet arrive at God accepts of you and will deal with you as persons really ingrafted into Christ your holy walking discovers your Vnion and your Vnion secures your Non-condemnation What have you to do but to beg of God that he will yet guide you and more and more fix and stablish you in this your spiritual walking He that knows the goodness of your Way knows also the weakness of your Graces O pray much for strengthening Grace that you may stedfastly continue in your holy course to the end Psal 17.5 Hold up my goings in thy paths that my footsteps slip not Psal 119.117 Hold thou me up and I shall be safe and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually So much for the Application of this Point Two things should therein have been further spoken to but now must be omitted namely 1. To vindicate the true Notion of the Spiritual Life against all the false MONASTICK glosses and interpretations which Some do put upon it 2. To answer those usual and common Objections which too many do raise against it But the due handling of these two Heads would take me up some considerable time and they will in the following Verses again offer themselves and I fear I have already been too long upon this Verse therefore at present I shall not meddle with them I have done with the First Verse There is therefore now no Condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit 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 CHAP. IV. Of the Sinners being made free by the power of the Spirit from the power of Sin and Death Of the Connexion of this Verse with the Former Some bring in the Words by way of Prolepsis The proper import of the Particle For cleared and made good against the Papists In the Words something imply'd something express'd All reduc'd to three Heads A gracious Deliverance the Subject the Author of that deliverance What Sin is here mainly intended How far the being made free from it doth reach Whether it points to the Guilt or Power of Sin What is meant by the Law of Sin Of deliverance from the Law of Sin and Death Paul instances in himself as the Subject of it How that is to be taken Why he speaks in the Singular Number The Law of the Spirit c. opened A Fourfold Exposition of the Words What that is which is in Christ Jesus is it the Life or the Spirit or the Law of the Spirit In the close one Truth briefly handled That the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Life How or in what respects he is so Some short Application made thereof The Connexion of this Verse with the Former THe Apostle having in the former Verse more succinctly laid down that great Truth upon which he designed to build his following discourse he here in this Verse falls upon the amplifying and enlarging of himself about it and all that he says from this Verse to the Seventeenth is but by way of amplification upon what he had more concisely said in the First 'T is obvious at the first view that this Verse doth not onely immediately follow but that in its Matter it is link'd and imbodied with the Former the particle For plainly shows that 't is brought in to prove or to explain something there asserred For the Law of the Spirit c. Now the Apostle having there 1. propounded the happy state of persons in Christ and 2. having describ'd and characteriz'd those persons a Question here doth arise Which of these Two doth he in this Verse design to prove or open I say to prove or open for the Words may come in by way of illustration as well as by way of proof or argumentation For answer to which I see nothing of reason why * Hinc utrumque depender quod Versu praecedenti statuit Prius c. Lud. de Dieâ— both may not be taken in the Words will bear a fair reference both to the One and to the Other too 1. First as to the Priviledge He had said there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus now this being the great prop or pillar of the Believers faith and hope he will therefore fasten it sure he is not satisfied barely to affirm it but hee 'l confirm and make it good and also show how 't is brought about For the Proof of it he first brings this Argument They who are freed from the Law of Sin and Death to them there is no condemnation But such who are in Christ are thus freed from the Law of Sin and Death Ergo c. All the difficulty lying in the Minor Proposition he shewes how this freedom from the Law of Sin and Death is effected and as to that he saith 't is by the Law of the Spirit of Life Which being done in this method in and for Believers they are in no danger of condemnation For the explication of it if you take the Words in that notion the Apostle
peccatorum remissio quâ liberamur non ex parte sed plenè perfecteque à peccatorum quorumcunque remissione Rolloc Paulò post satis patebit de absolutione gratuitâ loqui c. Calvin Some interpret the Words of Freedome from the guilt of sin they making them chiefly to point to that grace which is given out in Justification (c) Liberavit regenerando ad novam vitam Baza Ut intelligamus Legem Spiritus non solum hoc in nobis agere quòd non condemnemur propter imputationem justitiae sed vim peccati in nobis extinguere ut jam non regnet in nobis peccatum sed Gratia virtus Christi Muscul Others interpret them of Freedome from the power of sin they referring them to that grace which is proper to Regeneration The Opinion of the Latter I prefer and shall follow in the insuing Discourse I conceive the Law of Sin mainly refers to the power of Sin and therefore the freedome from the Law of Sin must also mainly refer to the being freed from the power of Sin As to the taking away of its Guilt that the Apostle speaks to in the following Verse for that 's the condemning of it there mentioned in this Verse the taking away of its dominion was chiefly in his eye You have him Chap. 7. sadly complaining of the Law in his Members of the Law of Sin now nothing more evident than that he thereby designs to set forth not Sins guilt but that great though not full power and strength which Sin had in him and if that be the proper notion of the Law of Sin there then why not here And besides the Word here used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath made free both in Scripture and also in Common Authors usually notes the freeing of One who is under bondage and slavery it doth not so properly note the freeing of a Malefactor from his Guilt and from that condemnatory sentence which he deserves as the freeing of a Slave or Captive who is under the Tyranny and Dominion of another and so it falls in exactly with that notion of freedome which I am upon Therefore the Arabick Translator well renders it by Emancipavit me à lege peccati mortis and * Tertull. de Resur Carn cap. 46. legit manumisit me Fuimus enim quasi mancipia peccati mortis sed à Christo manumissi libertate donati sumus A-Lapide Tertullian by Manumisit me in allusion to the Manumission of the Romans when they set their Servants or Slaves at liberty O when a man is once regenerated he hath a blessed manumission he being made free from that cursed servitude wherein he liv'd before under this cruel Master Sin I say this is the strict and proper notion of the word which though 't is true it be here applied to Death as well as to Sin yet that is either in a more large and improper Sense for the Apostle having first spoken of freedome from sin and set it forth by that term which was proper to it he was not sollicitous to be so accurate as to vary his expression for the Other but would make the same to serve for both or else because there is a bondage in Death as well as in Sin and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will agree with it as well as with sin And I desire that this may be considered which I lay a great stress upon the Apostle in this Verse speaks of the Spirit personally considered as in the next Verse of the Son personally considered also it being so we must then interpret their several making free from sin according to that which is proper to them in their personal consideration Now 't is the Spirits personal act to free by regeneration from Sins power as 't is the Sons personal act by satisfaction to free from Sins guilt therefore the First is meant in this Verse where the Spirit is mentioned as the Second is meant it the next Verse where the Son is mentioned 4. The Law of Sin 'T is a Metaphor which our Apostle often uses and in which he seems much to delight you have it often Rom. 7. V. 21. I find a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me V. 23. But I see another Law warring against the Law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the Law of sin which is in my members V. 25. With my mind I my self serve the Law of God but with the flesh the Law of sin What this Law of sin is and in what respects it passes under this Appellation hereafter shall be opened at present onely in General observe that this metaphorical expression notes the (a) Ex adverso Legem peccati mortis appellat Carnis imperium quae inde consequitur mortis tyrannidem Calv. A peccato inhabitante quod instar Legis mihi imperabat malas actiones ad eas me impellebat Piscat Est Lex peccati quia ad peccatum movet incitatque velut Lex quaedam Estius A Lege peccati i. e. à Lege fomitis quae inclinat ad peccandum vel à Lege peccati i. e. à consensu operatione peccati quod hominem tenet ligatum per modum Legis Aquin. Dum absolvuntur à Dominio peccati super ipsos ab obligatione conformandi voluntarias suas operationes Legi peccaâ—i à quo vinculo non absolvebat Lex Cajetan A Lege peccati h. e. à dictamine jure dominatu reatu concupiscentiae A-Lap Power Dominion Tyranny of sin Some make the Law of sin to be no more than barely sin it self but I think it carries a special reference to and super adds the Adjunct of Sin the power of it And (b) Elegantiùs vertisset à jure peccati Erasin Some would have us read it the Right of sin rather than the Law of sin the matter comes much to one So much for the being made free from the Law of Sin In the opening of which as yet I have not taken any notice of the O pinion of Some who make the Law of Sin to be the Old Mosaical Law but by and by I will It follows and Death Now this is either one and the same with sin as being onely an Epethite for it so (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecum Apostolus conjunctionem interposuit codem tamen sensu ac si peccatum mortiferum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dixisset Piscat Several expound it Sin and Death that is deadly Sin or Sin which is of a deadly nature As the Spirit of life is the living spirit so Sin and Death is no more than deadly sin 't is an expression like that of the Poet Pateris libavit auro i. e. aureis pateris Or else you may take it as distinct from sin and so there is a double Deliverance held forth in the Words One from the Law of Sin an Other from the Law of Death thus the most
large to be written out Ambrose expounds it The Law saith he of the Spirit of Life it is the very Law of Faith * Chrysostome distinguishes much to the same purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in loc The Law of Moses was a Spiritual Law because it forbad Sin but it was not the Law of the Spirit of Life because it could not remit Sin and so quicken the dead But this Law of Faith is the Law of the Spirit of Life because it doth not onely restrain Sin but it also restores from death c. This Law in Christ Jesus that is by Faith doth free the Believer from the Law of Sin and Death The Law of Sin is that which dwells in the members which persuades to that which is contrary to the Will of God the Law of Death is the Law of Moses because it kills Sinners And no wonder that this Law should be the Law of Death when the Gospel is to some the savour of death unto death and so he goes on in the further explication of it Amongst modern Interpreters Pareus follows this Exposition making the Law of the Spirit of life to be the Doctrine of the Gospel and the Law of sin and death to be the Law of Moses The Gospel saith he is the Law of the Spirit because 't is attended with the conveyance of the Spirit the Law of Moses was spiritual but not the Law of the Spirit because it did not convey the Spirit And that was the Law of Sin because it discovered sin irritated sin made sin to be sin and of Death too because it had a killing virtue in it 2 Cor. 3.6 The letter killeth but the spirit giveth life Thus Pareus who after he had laid down and opened his Opinion thus concludes With submission to other mens judgments I judge this to be the most plain and genuine meaning of this place This way very many * Lex Spirituâ— c. est doctrina Evangehi fide apprehensa Osiand Fortasse legem Mose intelligit per legem peccati mortis à quâ etiam lege liberati sumus in vulgato Jesu Christi Evangelio Massus Utraque est Spiritus Sancti ut actoris utraqne est Spiritus nostri directivaâ— sed haec est Spiritus Sancti quatenus est vivificator noster in Jesu Christo c. Cajetan Legem peccati vocat literam Legis quae peccatum excitare solet damnationem revelare Vatabl. Opponitur haec Lex Spiritus Legi Mosaicae Crell Posset etiam per Legem peccati mortis intelligi Lex Mosis c. Perer. Vide Lud. de Dieu in loc Baldwin Dr. Hammond in Paraphr Others go either as to the whole or as to the most considerable part of it But neither shall I close with this Interpretation and that for two Reasons I. Because though the Gospel may very well be stiled the Law of the Spirit of life yet it sounds somewhat harsh to call the Mosaical Law God's own Law the Law of sin and death There is I grant something of truth in it and it may admit of a very fair and sound explication but then there must be a great deal of stating and limitation and cautioning before you can come at it And therefore many * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrysost Legem peccati mortis non ausim cum quibusdam accipere pro Lege Dei c. Quamvis enim peccatum augendo mortem generet Paulus tamen ab hâc invidiâ consultò supra deflexit Calvin His verbis non significatur Lex Mosaica c. Pet. Mart. Expositors do not approve of the application of this title to the Mosaical Law Nay our Apostle himself warns us against it whose way and custome it was whenever he had touch'd upon any thing which might seem to reflect any disparagement upon the Law presently to subjoin something for the vindication of its honour Rom. 7.7 What shall we say then is the law sin God forbid when the commandment came sin reviv'd and I dy'd and the commandment which was ordained to life I found to be unto death c. yet saith he the law is holy and the commandment holy and just and good was then that which was good made death to me God forbid but sin that it might appear sin working death in me by that which is good that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful No man did ever depress the Law more than Paul did in the matter of Justification yet in other respects none did ever more vindicate and exalt it Well! this is one Reason why I shall not fall in with this Sense A Second is this because the Apostle here is not treating of the Law-state or Gospel-state or of the Covenant-aà ministration proper to either but he is more closely treating of the State of Nature and of Grace of freedome from Condemnation by the taking away of sins power and guilt in pursuance of which he pitches upon Sanctification by the Spirit and Satisfaction by the Son And therefore though the Former Notion may be taken in yet certainly that which directly falls in with the Latter as that Sense will which I shall presently give must be most agreeable to the Apostles Scope in this place 3. Thirdly by the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus Some understand nothing but the very Spirit of Christ Jesus They make the Law of the Spirit to be the very Spirit it self and nothing more thus * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Theophyl Oâ—cumen Theodor. say the same Lex Spiritus i. e. Lex quae est Spiritus Aquin. Chrysostome and his Followers This is a very good foundation to build upon but yet without some further addition it will not so fully reach that special matter in the Words which hath a great weight and emphasis in it 4. Fourthly therefore Others do interpret them not onely as pointing to Gods Spirit but to make it the more express they consider the Spirit of God as renewing as regenerating as working the new and heavenly life in the Soul with great power and efficacy The Spirit is stiled the Spirit of life both as he is a living Spirit himself and also as he is a quickening Spirit to the Creature as he makes Sinners who were * Eph. 2.1 dead in trespasses and sins to live by working Grace and Regeneration in them and so life thereby But what is the Law of the Spirit of Life why 't is the mighty power of the regenerating Spirit put forth upon men in order to the freeing of them from the power and dominion of sin There are I know sundry other explications given of it (a) Lex-Spiritus vitae una eademque est quae Lex Dei sicut una eademque est Lex peccati mortis Nihil damnationis erit his qui Lege peccati quae est Lex mortis liberantur Legi Dei quae est Lex
Duty as the Soul is quickned so proportionably 't is comforted In order therefore to this how doth it concern you to improve the Spirit of God as the Spirit of Life who can thus animate and enliven you but he he who freed you from the Law of Sin and Death must also free you from all that dulness and deadness of Spirit which sometimes possesses you therefore when David was desiring this mercy he puts the Spirit before it Thy Spirit is good c. Quicken me O Lord for thy names sake Psal 143.10 11. Indeed as none can cleanse the filthy heart but the purifying Spirit nor soften the hard heart but the mollifying Spirit so none can enliven the dead heart but the quicking Spirit When the Child was dead the Prophet sent his staff but that would not do the work the Child did not revive till the Prophet came himself so you may have quickning Means and quickning Ordinances and quickning Providences but if this quickning Spirit doth not come himself you will be dead still O therefore whenever you find the Heart under inward deadness presently carry it to this quickning Spirit for quickning Grace I would not have any here mistake me to put a wrong interpretation or make bad inferences from what hath been spoken so as to slight neglect cast off External Means Ordinances Duties because they are but dead things of themselves and 't is the Spirit onely which gives life Some infer such a practise from the premises but they do it very unwarrantably For 't is true that the Spirit of Life onely quickens but then he doth this for men when they are in the use of and in attendance upon the Means he first quickens to duty and then in duty and by duty his way and method is to give out his enlivening influences when the Soul is waiting in holy Ordinances And therefore these must be highly valued and duely attended upon though it be the Spirit onely which works in them effectually upon the heart 'T was the the Angel moving the Waters that did the Cure yet the poor Cripples were to lie by the Pool side so 't is here 'T is a good Caveat therefore that of Musculus upon the Words Ista Spiritus Dei efficacia c. that efficacy of the Spirit saith he is always to be pray'd for yet we must take heed that we have a due respect for those outward Means which the Spirit will have us to make use of But no more of this 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 CHAP. V. Of the Law or Power of Sin under which all Men are by Nature The whole Matter in the Words drawn into several Observations The main Observation broken into Three The First of which is spoken to viz. That every unregenerate person is under the Law of Sin That Law of Sin is opened in the twofold notion of it Two Questions stated 1. How doth Sin act as a Law in the Unregenerate 2. How it may be known when 't is the Law of Sin or wherein doth the difference lie betwixt the Power of Sin in the Regenerate and in the Unregenerate The Point applied by way of Information to inform us 1. of the bondage of the Natural State The Evil and Misery of that set forth in some Particulars 2. To inform us of the necessity power and efficacy of restraining and renewing Grace Both spoken to HHaving opened the Words and fixed upon that Interpretation of them which I judge most proper and genuine The Observations raised from the Words which was my work the last time I come now to fall upon those Observations which are grounded upon and do best therewith It hath been already observed First that the Holy Spirit of God is the Spirit of Life this I have given some short account of and will add nothing further upon it I might Secondly observe That this Spirit of Life is in Christ Jesus the regenerating Spirit is in Christ though not as the regenerating Spirit according to our common notion of Regeneration This was also cleared up in some Particulars when I was upon the Explication of the Words and in the following Verses I shall have occasion to handle it fully therefore here I 'le pass it over There 's a Third Observation which takes in the principal matter in the Text that therefore I shall onely insist upon namely That all regenerate persons by the Law of the Spirit of Life are made free from the Law of Sin and Death For this is that which Paul here affirms concerning himself and he speaking here not as an Apostle but as One regenerate quatenus regenerate that which he saith of himself is applicable to all such they all are made free from c. The General Observation broken into Three This being more generally laid down just as it lies in the Words of the Text and it being very comprehensive I will therefore more particularly branch it out into three Observations 1. That every man in the world as he is in the natural and unconverted state 1. Obs before the Spirit of Life or the regenerating Spirit takes hold of him is under the Law of Sin and Death 2. That such who are truly regenerate are made free from the Law of Sin and Death 2. Obs 3. That 't is by the Law of the Spirit of Life that these are made free from the Law of Sin and Death 3. Obs Each of these Points are of great weight and importance therefore I shall distinctly and largely speak to them First Observ handled I begin with the First which you may shorten thus Every unregenerate man is under the Law of Sin and Death In the handling both of this and also of the two other I shall mainly direct my Discourse to the Law of Sin as to the Law of Death that I shall onely speak to in the close of all This first Doctrinal Proposition is not so express in the letter of the Words as the two following but 't is strongly implied and very naturally deducible from them Paul himself that * Acts 9.15 chosen vessel who was so eminent in the Love of God the Graces of the Spirit the work and priviledges of the Gospel till it pleas'd the Lord savingly to work upon him was under the Law of Sin for he says here he was made free from it implying there was a time when he was enslaved under it As to the civil freedom of a Roman he tells us he was born to that Acts 22.28 but as to Evangelical freedom from the command and bondage of Sin he doth not say he was born free but made free this was not the result of Nature Birth or any such thing but the meer effect of divine grace Further he saith the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free whence it follows that till
this Law of the Spirit had taken hold of him he was under the Law of Sin before the mighty power of the regenerating Spirit did effectually work in him to convert and sanctifie him Sin had its full power and dominion over him He gives a sad account of this Eph. 2.3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh c. And Tit. 3.3 For we our selves also were sometimes foolish disobedient c. 'T is true even after Conversion you have him complaining of the Law of Sin Rom. 7.21 I find a law that when I would do good evil is present with me c. but there was a great difference between that Law of Sin which he was under before conversion and that which he was under after conversion as you shall hereafter understand And thus it is with all men in the world before regenerating Grace in the natural and unconverted state all are under the Law of Sin Every man is born a subject and vassal to Sin and is as he comes into the world under the power tyranny and domination of a cursed Nature Sin is that truly Vniversal Monarch which hath all men before they be converted under its Empire and Soveraignty let them be High or Low Bond or Free in other respects till they be renewed and rescued by the Law of the Spirit of Life they are all under Sin 's command and regency For the proof of this in the General I shall onely refer you to Rom. 6. from the 12. to the end where you have the Law of Sin and the Sinners bondage under its dominion set forth in great variety of Expressions I will not recite any of them 't is best to take them together as they lie in the whole discourse of the Apostle For the better handling of the Truth before us I will 1. Open this Law of Sin and show what is included in it and why that is set forth by this Metaphor Then 2. prove that Men whilst unregenerate are under this Law of Sin How Sin is a Law what this imports Yet since without any prejudice or disadvantage to the Matter contained in each of these Heads they may be spoken to conjunctly as well as apart and because too the putting of them together will somewhat shorten the work therefore that shall be my Method The word Law as a * Dr. O of the Power c. of Indwelling Sin ch 1. 2. Worthy Person hath observed to my hand is taken either properly or improperly Properly so it is the Edict or Sanction of a person or persons in Authority wherein he or they do order and enjoyn something to be done backing his or their Commands with promises of rewards as also their Prohibitions with threatnings of punnishment this is the nature of a Law in the strict and proper notion of it Now if you insist upon this its exact consideration and take in all in this Description so Sin cannot be said to be a Law or to impose a Law upon the Creature the reason is obvious because it hath no Right of Dominion or rightful Authority which is essentially requisite to the Law-maker and to the validity and obligation of the Law The power of Sin is but usurp'd it hath dominion de facto but not de jure God never gave the corrupt Nature in Man any Authority to be or to make a Law which should bind his Creatures He himself hath made excellent Laws which are unquestionably and universally obligatory and he hath set up Magistrates his Vicegerents to whom he hath delegated a power of making Laws which shall in a lower degree be obligatory also but now for Sin what hath that to do with this Law-making or Law-obliging Authority So that this Consideration of a Law doth not at all suit with it yet there is something in the Description that will suit with it well enough insomuch that it may be truly called the Law of Sin Sin is a Law as it commands the Sinner For 1. A Law is a commanding thing It lays its imperative injunctions upon men and expects their Obedience it doth not barely notifie or represent to Men what they are to do or not to do nor only advise and persuade them to do so and so but it commands Authoritatively It carries dominion in it Rom. 7.1 Know ye not the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth this is wrap'd up in the very nature of it and is inseparable from it Now in this respect Sin is a Law it commands the Sinner to act so and so lays its precepts upon him in a very imperious manner assumes a strange kind of Authority over him though justly it hath none therefore you read of the reigning of Sin of obeying Sin of the dominion of Sin Rom. 6.12 14. this is the nature of a Law in general in reference to which Sin hath this appellation of a Law In this respect such as are in the Natural State may too justly be said to be under the Law of Sin for it hath the Command over them and doth from time to time lay its Commands upon them the Subject is not more under the Law of his Soveraign nor the Servant of his Master than the Sinner is under the Laws of Sin it commands very proudly and he as tamely obeys O there 's the Law of Sin There are indeed two things in a Law 't is a commanding and 't is a condemning thing it first commands men to order their actings according to what it prescribes and if they do not so do in case of disobedience then they are by it try'd and condemn'd Unregenerate persons are in both of these respects under the Law of Sin 1. Sin hath a commanding power in them O that is upon the throne in their Hearts it rules them and with a strange kind of Soveraignty orders them to do what it pleases it * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kings and * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lords it over them as the words are Rom. 6.12 14 And as there is this domination on Sins part so there is subjection on the Sinners part no sooner doth it command but 't is presently obey'd it doth but speak the word and 't is done if it will have such a Lust gratified the Sinner readily yields to it As the Centurion speaks of his Soldiers Matth. 8.9 I am a man under authority having Soldiers under me and I say to this man go and he goeth come and he cometh do this and he doth it just such a power or soveraignty hath Sin in and over graceless persons they are at its beck according to its commanding propensions they order and steer their Course may they not therefore be said to be under the Law of Sin Then 2. for the Other property of a Law as 't is a condemning thing that belongs to Sin too ô 't is not
onely of a commanding but also of a condemning nature And which is not usual where it commands and is obeyed there it condemus which shows the difference betwixt the Law of sin and all other Laws they do not condemn where they are obeyed 't is onely the breach or non-performance of them which makes a person liable to Condemnation but herein lies the cursedness of the Law of Sin upon the obeying of it it becomes a condemning Law and it onely condemns where 't is obey'd But observe how this comes about for there is a difference in this double Act of the Law of Sin to command that is Sins proper and natural act to condemn that is Sins act onely eventually or meritoriously it rules of it self directly and propenly but it condemns onely as it lays the foundation of Condemnation by another for there is another Law which formally is the condemning Law viz. the Law of God upon the violation of it And this speaks the inexpressible misery of the Unregenerate they are under that Law which tyrannically commands them here and which upon their obeying of it will most certainly condemn them hereafter Sin a Law as it backs its Commands with Promises and Threatnings 2. Secondly that I may further clear up this Expression of the Law of Sin let me compare it with other Laws Divine and Humane Take the Law of God or Men they are usually back'd with * Some therefore defins a Law Ordo rectam gubernandi rationem includens ex prudentiâ prodien◠transgredientibus prenam obtemperantibus praemium decernens See Wendel Polie l. 2. c. 11 Rewards and Punnishments and 't is convenient it should be so if not for the strengthening of the Laws in themselves yet however for the furtherance of mens Obedience to them for men generally do not obey them upon the Authority of the Legislators or the intrinsick goodness of the Matter of the Law but as they are thereunto either allured by Rewards or deterred by Punnishments these are the things that do most prevail with them to yield their Obedience to the Laws both of God and Men. Answerably now to this Sin Indwelling in the Corrupt Nature will be backing its Commands with Promises and Threatnings it will be pretending to Rewards and Punnishments which though in themselves they are but sorry things yet they have a great power and efficacy upon besotted Sinners For instance Sinner saith Sin I enjoyn thee to fall in with me and my ways to do as I bid thee do I will that thou dost go and swear and steal and be filthy and profane Sabbaths and please the flesh c. here 's the Laws or Commands of Sin well how doth it strengthen and back them why thus Sinner do but obey me and here are such Profits Pleasures Delights Honours Preserments all of which upon thy complyance with me shall be thine if thou wilt but be my loyal Subject and do what I would have thee thou shalt live at ease flourish in the world pass thy days in mirth be respected by all with a great many more Promises of this nature therefore why do'st thou demur why do'st not thou presently submit and obey Particularly you read of the pleasures of sin Heb. 11.25 now it represents and heightens these to Sinners and by them urges and almost enforces Obedience to its Commands O saith Sin do but hearken to me and do thus and thus then what a delightful pleasant Life will you live how will all Comforts then flow in upon you then your good days will begin when you once resolve to comply with my Laws but 't will never be well till then And are all these promises and sollicitations of Sin in vain no! the poor deluded Sinner believes hearkens yields closes with them and knows not how to resist its Commands back'd with such promises and rewards But if these soft and mild insinuations these enticing and alluring Arguments will not do Sin then appears in the Lionsshape and begins to menace and threaten it alters its language and saith Sinner wilt thou cast off my Laws and chuse to be subject to some Other then look to thy self and take what follows wilt thou engage in a course of Duty and fall in with a strict and godly life then know what will be the fruit of this much better than thine O thou cursed Lyar thou must expect the loss of all that is good the undergoing of all that is evil thou must look for nothing but prisons reproaches derision contempt poverty persecution and what not thou must bid adieu to all thy Comforts prepare for the carrying of an heavy Cross live a pensive afflicted Life this will cost thee deer expose thee to the loss of Liberty Estate Relations Credit nay of Life it self O how doth Sin to draw and hold the Sinner in vassalage to it self and to keep him off from the way of holiness bestir it self and summon in all its Threats and Menaces And may not unrenewed Souls too truly be said to be under the Law of sin in these respects with what efficacy doth it entice them to what is evil by what it promises and deter them from what is good by what it threatens Do not these promises and threatnings of Sin carry it with men in their natural state the former for Sins of Commission the latter for Sins of Omission that they know not how to withstand them O that what we do see every day was not too full a demonstration of their being under the power of Sin as promising and as threatning By this you understand what there is in a Law in the strict notion of it that is applicable to Sin upon which the Apostle might ground his Metaphor of the Law of Sin 't is a commanding thing and it urges and seconds its Commands with promises and threatnings both of which are proper to a Law One thing further I desire you to take notice of and 't is this that Sin considered as simply commanding so 't is not a Law but it then becomes formally and compleatly a Law when it commands and the Sinner obeys so that he owns the power of it and willingly subjects himself to its dominion ô now 't is a Law indeed As it is in the Laws of Vsurpers they meerly as imposed by them are no Laws because not made by persons in lawful Authority but if a people freely own these Usurpers and willingly put themselves under subjection to them them to them their Laws become valid and obligatory so here as to Sin it hath not the least right to any dominion over the Soul it hath no power but what is by usurpation and therefore its Laws are meer nullities but yet if men which is the Case of the Unconverted will voluntarily put themselves under its Government and consent that it shall rule them to them de facto it becomes a Law and hath the force and authority of a Law though de jure it
can challenge no such thing This for a Law in its proper sense Sin is a Law according to the improper acceptation of a Law 2. Secondly the word Law is taken improperly for any thing that hath an impelling or impulsive virtue in it which though it be not strictly and properly a Law yet it may pass under that appellation because it hath the virtue and force of a Law and doth that which a true and proper Law uses to do And so an inward operative lively Principle that which efficaciously moves and acts a man or impells and urges him so and so to act may be stil'd a Law because of its powerful and authoritative influence in and upon the man in his acting a Principle is a Virtual Law or that which is equivalent to a Law inasmuch as it inclines urges impells with power and efficacy to such and such operations which are suitable to it And therefore when Sin is the Principle which acts a person in his general course and which doth efficaciously excite and impell him to those things which are suitable to its own nature I say when 't is thus there Sin may be called a Law and there 't is the Law of Sin So that when Paul here supposes himself before his Conversion to be under the Law of Sin he means that then Sin was his principle the sole and active principle in him that which with a strange kind of power and efficacy did urge excite impell him to wicked and sinful acts all along in that state The Law of Sin notes the power of Sin as hath been shown now that is twofold Moral or Physical I will not upon several accounts undertake to justifie this distinction in the rigid acceptation of things I onely make use of it to help your conceptions in that which I am upon Sins moral power lies in its being a Law for that 's the power of a Law its physical power lies in its being a Principle for that 's the power of a principle As to its Moral power it directs and regulates prescribing to the Sinner what it would have him to do and in a sense commanding him to do accordingly as to its Physical power it doth so and so excite and act by its inward effectual powerful inclinations and impulsions I distinguish here between a Law and a Principle because I now consider the Latter strictly in it self and not according to the improper application of the word Law to it And I make use of this distinction of Sins twofold power not as designing to assert any specifical difference betwixt them possibly something might be objected against that I onely design thereby to set forth the several ways and modes wherein Sin doth exert its power for though 't is very true that Moral and Physical power as considered in themselves and when applied to such and such things are distinct kinds of power yet when they are applied to sin they are but different modes the Nature of the thing admitting nothing more Now to bring this to the Point in hand Unregenerate persons are under the Law of Sin inasmuch as in that state Sin the depraved Nature is the principle which acts them and which strongly effectually nay impetuously inclines and excites them to what is sinful Every Agent hath its principle which acts it strongly and irresistibly as Natural Agents in natural acts have their principle working with great efficacy in them the Fire burns and cannot do otherwise because 't is determin'd and influenc'd by that natural principle which is in it so Moral Agents in Moral acts have their efficacious principles too which work as strongly and powerfully in them the difference being always preserv'd 'twixt Natural and Free Agents But now these principles are very different according to mens different state where 't is the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus there the Spirit is the principle and the New Nature too in the Soul as the principle doth with a great deal of power and efficacy excite and quicken to what is good 2 Cor. 5.14 The Love of Christ constraineth us But where it is the Law of Sin there Sin is the principle which doth also strongly excite to what is evil The Natural man hath no other principle than this and 't is very active in him it ever workng with great power and strength to draw out his corruption and so he is under the Law of sin I conceive this Law of Sin as to its most proper import notes the activeness and efficacy of a principle rather than the authority or Soveraignty of a Law though that be the word here used But however 't is best to take in both notions and in both the Doctrine holds true so long as any man is unrenewed Sin is both a Law to him to command rule and govern him and also a principle powerfully and efficaciously to act him in his whole course in both respects before regeneration 't is nothing but the Law of Sin By which expression the Apostle seems to superadd something to what he had said Ver. 1. he had there spoke of walking after the Flesh thereby intimating the Flesh to be the principle by which men out of Christ do act but now here in calling it the Law of Sin or of the Flesh he intimates the power and strength of that principle in those persons 't is a commanding principle in them which takes in the sum of both the significations which I have been enlarging upon it rules and acts them as it pleases it hath over them the authority of a Law and in them the energy or efficacy of a principle both of which do center and are comprehended in one word the power of Sin So much for the First Thing to show what the Apostle means by the Law of Sin and in what respects 't is so stiled 1 Quest Wherein doth Sin act as a Law in the Vnregenerate Two Questions here arise the answering of which will give further light into the Doctrine the First is this How or wherein doth Sin as a Law exert and put forth its power and dominion in and over unregenerate persons In the answering of this should I fall upon particulars Answ to set forth the various workings of Sin in the matter or kind of them or the various arts and methods of Sin in the manner of its working it would occasion a discourse too large for my present design I will therefore limit my self to two General Heads under which the several particulars will fall The Law of Sin shews it self partly with respect to what is Evil and partly with respect to what is Good You may understand its workings in the Vnregenerate by its workings in the Regenerate for 't is the same in both onely in different degrees Now how doth it work in these that you shall see in our great instance in the Text Paul complaining of this Law as in himself shews how it did
put forth its power and strength in him namely thus 1. it did strongly excite impell and draw him to what was evil so Rom. 7.15 That which I do I allow not what I hate that do I V. 17. It is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me V. 19. the evil which I would not that I do V. 23. I see another law in my members c. 2. it did strongly oppose resist hinder him as to what was good V. 15. what I would that do I not V. 18. To will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I find not for the good that I would I do not V. 21. I find then a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me Thus Sin acted in Paul in whom its power and strength was much broken and thus it doth in a much higher degree act in the Vnregenerate in whom it is in its full strength and vigour 1. Sin in such exerts its power in its vehement urging and impelling of them to what is evil I say to what is evil for indeed all its impulsions are to that Sin is for nothing but Sin Sin in the Habit is altogether for Sin in the Act Indwelling Sin is wholly for dwelling in Sin it bends and works entirely that way urget ad Peccata Peccatum And no wonder that it so doth since the principle always moves and excites to those acts which are consentaneous to it self therefore Sin agreeing with Sin the sinful Nature solely stirs up a person to that which is sinful And how entire restless unwearied impetuous is it in this the truth is though there was no Devil to tempt the graceless Sinner yet that Law of Sin which is in himself would be enough to make him sin in a great measure as he doth as to many Men and many Sins of those men 't is but the Devils over-eagerness which puts him upon tempting of them for without that the thing would be done to his hand as dry wood would burn without blowing Corrupt Nature is continually egging solliciting exciting the unsanctified man to what is evil 't will not let him alone day or night unless he gratifie it and its motions are so urgent and violent that he poor creature either cannot or will not make any considerable resistance What an instance was Amnon of this he was under the Law of Sin it had such a power and Soveraignty over him and was so impetuous in its workings in him that he walked sadly pined away fell down-right sick and all because he knew not how to satisfie that Lust which wrought so strongly in him towards his own Sister read 2 Sam. 13.2 c. So Ahab Sin put him upon the coveting of Naboths Vineyard and this it did with such violence that he would eat no bread because he could not have his will 1 Kings 21.5 Solomon tells us of some who sleep not except they have done mischief and their sleep is taken away unless they cause some to fall Prov. 4.16 O the Law of Sin it sollicits to this and that evil and its sollicitations thereunto are so pressing and earnest that it will receive no repulse yea the Sinner is so over-powered that he is even carried away with it like an empty Vessel in a fierce and rapid stream In whatever point the Wind stands it blows so fiercely so strongly that there 's no standing against it I mean whatever the Lust be in which the Sin of Nature vents it self whether Vncleanness or Ambition or Coveteousness or what you will that comes with such a force and violence upon the natural man that he falls before it and yields to it We speak much in another sense of the Law of Nature truely the grand Law of Nature as depraved is to command and incline men to sin against God and this it must needs do with a mighty power and efficacy in those in whom 't is wholly depraved 2. Secondly this Law of Sin shews it self in its opposing and hindring of what is good 'T is a Law which always runs counter to Gods Law it will be sure to further what that forbids and to hinder what that commands for it always sets it self in a direct opposition thereunto Doth that call for such and such Duties are there some Convictions upon the Sinners Conscience about them doth he begin a little to incline to what is good how doth Sin now bestir it self to make head in the Soul against these convictions and good inclinations how doth it endeavour to nip the blossoms to stifle and smother the initial propensions to what is good to kill the Infant in the Cradle as Herod would have done with Christ to make all Conceptions in order to Obedience and Holiness to prove abortive There is in Sin a fixed rooted aversation to whatever is holy and spiritual which it puts forth to its utmost wherever 't is upon the throne it doth not onely work a loathness to duty but a loathing of duty it countermands where 't is in its full power all the motions and excitations of the blessed Spirit thereunto O sometimes the Spirit comes to a man and says thou hast neglected prayer hitherto 't is high time now to set upon it thus long thou hast liv'd and all this time thou hast not minded the reading of the Scriptures the hearing of the Word preached c. come now let them be minded all thy days thou hast been a stranger to holiness now be holy thou hast been a despiser of Christ hitherto now love fear receive honour him thus the good Spirit would draw on the Sinner to what is good Well! is indwelling Sin quiet now O no! it puts forth it self with its greatest vigour and strength in opposition to the breathings of the good Spirit it saith Sinner let Word and Spirit say what they will do thou hold on thy course keep on thy way God is merciful fear it not Duty is burdensome meddle not with it what need is there of all this praying hearing believing repenting holy walking c. These are the bold oppositions and subtil insinuations of Sin against what is good set forth by the lustings of the Flesh against the Spirit Gal. 5.17 these are its cursed renitencies and reluctancies against duty Now till the regenerating Spirit comes with his victorious grace to conquer them the Sinner is wholly under their power so that they do most effectually and prevailingly keep him off from what is good You have it exemplified in the Young-man Matth. 19.22 in Felix Acts 24.25 and in several others This is the very Case of men before Conversion whether you consider the Law of Sin as it puts forth it self with respect to Evil or with respect to Good the Unconverted are under it it hurries them on to what is wicked and as powerfully holds them off from what is holy in both respects they are entirely under the command of it as a Law
and entirely acted by it as a principle 't is no better than thus and worser it cannot be with unregenerate persons Let this general Answer to the First Question be sufficient 2 Quest Of the difference betwixt the Law of Sin as 't is in the Regenerate and as 't is in the Vnregenerate A Second is this How may it be known when persons are under the Law of Sin or How may we distinguish betwixt the Law of Sin as 't is in the Vnregenerate and as 't is in the Regenerate For even the Latter find too much of this Law in them Paul here saith he was freed from it and yet in the foregoing Chap. he sadly laments it as you have often heard renewed and sanctified Souls do by sad experience feel the corrupt Nature strongly urging and pressing them to what is evil and as strongly opposing and hindring them in what is good yea in both often prevailing may not they therefore as well as Others be said to be under the Law of sin if not where lies the difference or what is it that doth indeed denominate a man to be under that Law This being a Question of great importance I shall be larger in the answering of it than I was of the Former Answ yet not so large as the Nature of the Subject would admit of nor as Some of our own Divines are who write upon it I shall reduce all to Three Heads 1. First where the whole bent and tendency of the heart is towards sin that the propensions of the Soul thereto are entire and unmixt there 't is the Law of sin and that Law of sin which is proper to the Vnregenerate this speaks Sin to be upon the throne indeed that its power and dominion is habitual plenary and absolute A Child of God may have very strong corruptions in him and they sometimes too may break forth into external acts the sinful Nature may vehemently incline him to what is evil and sometimes prevail too yet the bent of his heart is for God against Sin and the stream doth not run wholly one way he hath propensions unto good as well as unto evil whereupon he is not under the Law of sin But take an unsanctified person 't is otherwise with him his heart is in sin and set for sin that 's the thing to which it altogether bends inclines and works there is not a stronger bent in heavy bodies to descend or in light things to ascend than there is in such an one to sin against God and further he 's not divided in what is evil he 's all of a piece the sinful Nature in him is entire and doth all now where 't is thus certainly there 't is the Law of sin Paul in his saddest complaints of this Law as in himself yet says It is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me 't was not he that did it because the bent of his heart was against it and he says With the mind I my self serve the law of God the habitual tendency and inclination of his Soul was towards Good and as he was himself it was thus with him for he puts I my self onely to the serving of the law of God not to that of the law of sin So that though the Law of sin was in him yet he was not under it strictly as the Law of sin Sin had too great a strength in him but it had not the sole and full command of him 2. Secondly when all the several Faculties of the Soul are altogether on Sin 's side and wholly take its part then 't is the Law of sin and that which is proper to the Vnregenerate if this Head be not distinct from the Former yet it may be useful as a more particular explication of it In such persons Vnderstanding Will Affections all are engag'd on Sins side and therein lies its power and dominion over them the Vnderstanding assents the Will consents the Affections answerably are drawn out ô here is the Law of Sin or Sin regnant The Vnderstanding gives in its final and positive dictate that Sin is good represents it as eligible to the Will the Will upon this closes with it embraces it cleaves to it the Affections desire joy delight c. run out upon it where 't is thus the case is determin'd But this must be taken with a threefold Proviso 1. That the assent of the Vnderstanding be deliberate for even a Child of God upon a sudden surprisal pro hic nunc may judge better of sin than it deserves 2. That the consent of the Will be plenary and full for there may be in gracious persons sometimes a broken half-consent to what is evil 3. That both Assent and Consent be understood of a Course in Sin for as to particular Acts no question but one who is regenerate under the power of a temptation may do both of these This threefold Proviso being taken in the thing is clear whosoever shall be so far besotted as upon deliberation to judge a sinful course to be the best course and thereupon shall choose imbrace fall in with and continue in it yea shall delight and please himself in it unquestionably in this man 't is the Law of Sin Sin never gets thus high where Grace is For the proof of which we must recur to our great instance Paul after his Conversion found Sin to be too powerful in him which was his great burden yet notwithstanding the fixed acts of the several Faculties of his Soul were for God against Sin As for example in his Vnderstanding he assented to the goodness of the Law of God but not to the goodness of the Law of Sin Rom. 7.12 wherefore the Law is holy c. in his Will he also consented to this V. 16. If then I do that which I would not I consent unto the Law that it is good and for his Affections he saith I delight in the Law of God after the inward man now these being as I said the fixed acts of the several Faculties in Paul in him it was not the Law of Sin And thus for the main it is with every gracious Soul but for Others in whom Sin hath all all the Faculties Vnderstanding Will Affections in their proper acts being entirely for it 't is evident that they are under the Law of Sin Of all the Faculties the Will doth most discover the power of Sin for there its Dominion and Soveraignty is chiefly seated and acted ô when it once gains that then it ascends the throne indeed that 's the time as it were of its inauguration when 't is invested in all its Regalities It comes to the Sinner and says art thou willing that I should rule thee yes saith he with all my heart I like thy Commands and Government I am thine I submit to thee to be at thy dispose I here swear Fealty and Allegiance to thee c. Dreadful language ô that ever it
should be uttered by the heart of man Sinner do'st thou know what thou saist pray thee make a little pause be persuaded to consider what thou do'st is this spoken in good or rather in bad earnest do'st thou resolve upon it wilt thou stick to it ô then thou art a meer vassal thou putt'st thy self under the reign of the worst Tyrant in all the world from this day forward thou must carry chains and fetters about thee from this act of thine Sins reign commences therefore if it be not yet done let it never be done if it be done let it be rescinded speedily but I forget my self The lowest act of the Will in order to the constituting of this Law of Sin is Election or Choice there 's Good and Evil Holiness and Sin set before the Soul and it chooses the evil before the good this is a sad evidence of Sins power Isa 65.12 but did evil before mine eyes and did choose that wherein I delighted not Isa 66.3 4 c. they have chosen their own ways and their Soul delighteth in their abominations c. But though I say that this is the lowest act of the Will in Sins being a Law yet even this is enough to put a person under that Law The godly man chooses the way of Holiness Psal 119.30 I have chosen the way of truth the Sinner chooses the way of Sin this he prefers before the Other Now should there be nothing more than this choice supposing it to be deliberate full and peremptory that would be enough to evince Sins dominion for wherever it hath the preference it hath the power But there are higher acts of the Will than this which do more highly constitute and more fully demonstrate the Law of Sin and which are to be found onely in the Vnregenerate As namely when the Will doth not meerly choose embrace prefer Sin before Holiness but 't is pertinaciously set for Sin its full purpose and resolution is for Sin against Holiness the Sinner says he hath sinn'd and so he will do still he 's fixed and obstinate in his wickedness instead of cleaving to the Lord with full purpose of heart as Barnabas exhorted the Christians at Antioch to do Acts 11.23 he cleaves to Sin with full purpose of heart Jer. 2.25 I have loved strangers and after them I will go Jer. 8.5 They hold fast deceipt they refuse to return Jer. 44.16 As for the word that thou hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord we will not hearken to thee but we will certainly do whatsoever goeth out of our own mouth c. Now wherever it comes to this that Sin is thus enthron'd in the Will there most certainly 't is the Law of Sin But I must yet go one step further there is one act of the Will higher than this too viz when the heart is wholly set for Sin and is not onely resolvedly but also impetuously carried out after it Eccles 8.11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil Jer. 50 38. They are mad upon their idols Eph. 4.19 Who being past feeling have given themselves ever unto lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness Jer. 8.6 Every one turned to his course as the horse rusheth into the battel Here the power of Sin rises high indeed when the Will doth not barely consent to it but 't is eager and fierce for it ô this speaks not onely its own great wickedness and most woful depravation but also the Sinners full subjection to Sin this is the Law of Sin with a witness where 't is thus it may easily be known who bears Rule in the Soul Sin never arrives at this heighth of power in the Regenerate this is altogether inconsistent with Grace upon Conversion the Will is sanctified and the sanctified Will can never carry it thus towards Sin You see what that is in the interiour faculties of the Soul which doth constitute and evidence the Law of Sin in unregenerate persons I might instance also in the exteriour parts of the Body for though Sins power doth mainly reside and put forth it self in the Former yet it reaches to these also therefore the Apostle brings them in upon this account Rom. 6.12 Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies c. 13. neither yield you your members instruments of unrighteousness unto sin c. 19. As ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness c. When the Body is prostituted to Sins drudgery the several parts thereof imploy'd in its service as the Eyes to let in external Objects for the exciting and feeding of Lust within the Feet to run on Sins errands the Tongue to utter vanity and frothiness c this is a great demonstration of a mans being under the Law of Sin 'T is true it chiefly reigns in the Heart there 's its imperial Seat or the Pallace where it hath its imperial residence that 's the inward Citadel where its main strength doth lie but yet from thence it issues out its Laws and Edicts to the Body also and that is its out ward Fort or Territory where it hath a great strength and command also Indeed the Law of Sin is best discerned as to Others by its venting of it self in and through the Body for so long as Sin keeps in its power within the interiour Faculties of the Soul 't is known onely to the Sinner himself but when that once breaks out in Sins committed in and by the body as intemperance drunkenness uncleanness c. then it becomes discernible to all to whom such Sins shall be known And though 't is certain that Sin may have its full dominion in the heart without the external eruptions of it in the Life in gross and corporeal acts yet where they are added they infallibly discover that Sin lords and domineers O therefore how evident is it that all who abuse and defile their bodies who use them as instruments for Sin and wear them out in its service are most perfectly under the Law of Sin But 't is not thus with any who are truely sanctified Sin hath not the command of their Bodies they * Rom. 6.19 yield up their members servants to righteousness unto holiness they look upon their Bodies as the * 1 Cor. 6.19 Temples of the Holy Ghost and accordingly they keep them holy they know they are themselves * 1 Cor. 6.20 bought with a price and that their Souls and Bodies are both Gods and therefore both to be imploy'd in the glorifying of God they scorn to let their Bodies be drudges to Sin and Satan and in this respect they are not under the Law of Sin 3. Thirdly the Law of Sin and its different workings in the people of God and Others may be opened by the modification of the act of Sin As 1. Where Sin is committed industriously and designedly there 't is the
Law of Sin and that which is peculiar to the graceless Some there are who set themselves to sin 't is the thing they aim at which they deliberate contrive muse how to bring about their serious thoughts from time to time are at work in order to it like to that person whom David describes Psal 36.4 He deviseth mischief on his bed he setteth himself in a way that is not good like to the wickedness of men before the Deluge Gen. 6.5 c. Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was onely evil continually 't is meant not onely of imaginations which had Sin in them materially and subjectively but also of those which were for Sin and in order to Sin intentionally and finally The Apostle sets it forth by making provision for the flesh Rom. 13.14 when the Sinner hath his forecasts and projects for Sin Now * When the Flesh hath the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 providenâ—ial projecting and forecasting ability at command and at her service it is certain her supremacy is in the full Mr. Rich. Bifeild The Gospels glory c. p. 235. where 't is thus unquestionably 't is the Law of Sin this doth most certainly discover the absolute unbroken full power and dominion of Sin Joh. 8.34 Whoever commits Sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who makes it or frames it as an Artist doth a thing which is proper to his trade or art who sins de industriâ datâ operâ what of him why he is the servant of sin that is he is fully under its Command and is a perfect slave and vassal to it 'T is never thus with regenerate persons this * Deut. 32.5 spot is not the spot of Gods Children 1 Joh. 3.9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit Sin he doth not frame sin or contrive how to sin in the sense named but now It cannot be denied but that even a Child of God may sin after deliberation nay as to some particular sinful act he may deliberate in order to the doing of it there was a great deal of deliberation in Davids killing Vriah 't was a plotted contrived sin that which was brought about by many deliberate thoughts ô but in such an One this is very rare and seldome 't is but in this or that particular act 't is not a thing that he holds on in God forbid it should be so And therefore though this be a great aggravation of sin when it is committed deliberately and a sad evidence that it hath too much power and strength in the heart yet every deliberate sin is not enough to prove a man to be under the Law of sin when the designing and contriving is customary and that too as to a Course in sin ô then 't is the Law of sin 2. When the Temptation easily prevails and there is little or no resistance and opposition made to sin then 't is the Law of sin and that which is proper to the unregenerate If the Town be surrendred and yields upon the first Summons 't is a sign the Assailers are very strong and the Defendants very weak if the tinder takes fire upon the first little spark that falls into it surely 't is very dry so here when Satan doth no sooner lay the temptation before the Sinner but he immediately closes with it and falls before it and yields to it this argues that Sin and Satan have a full power in and over him But I lay the main stress of this Head upon little or no resistance to the motions suggestions commands of sin Possibly it no sooner commands but the Sinner readily obeys if he chance to make some some opposition 't is as bad as none at all 't is not lively vigorous resolute but cold dull faint and languid ô this is a sad demonstration of Sins heighth and regency in the Soul The bare Commands of Sin as hath been said do not make it to be a Law but when there is a ready willing subjection to those Commands then 't is a Law Rom. 6.16 Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness 'T is a brand upon Ephraim that he was * Hos 5.11 willingly walked after the Commandment may not this be charged upon men before renovation with respect to the Commands of Sin We read of Satan that he takes some captive at his will 2 Tim. 6.26 and truly so it is with the sinful Nature too it doth with the unregenerate what it will it commands governs orders them even as it will it meets with little or no resistance upon all occasions it doth but speak the word and the thing is done The true Convert stands upon his guard fights it out to the last hee 'l dye rather than yield Sin doth not so easily do his work in him he may sometimes â—e a Captive to it as being overborn with its strength but he will not be a Subject to it so as to give willing obedience to it which shows that he is not under the Law of Sin When 't is willingness in the way of duty then 't is the day of * Psal 110.3 God's power when 't is willingness in the way of sin then 't is the day of Sins power There may be some resistance made to Sin and yet its dominion may be high but when 't is no resistance then its dominion is high indeed A Sinner sometimes from the stirrings of Conscience may make a little opposition but Sin having his Will in its entire consent that opposition soon goes off and so Sins Sover aignty is as absolute as ever it was 3. When Sin carries it in spight of all opposition then 't is the Law of Sin and that power of Sin which only suits with the unregenerate state when 't is committed with little opposition ab intra and in spight of all opposition ab extra I assure you then it hath a great power Many there are who are so much under the strength and dominion of the hellish Nature that nothing shall hinder them from what is evil As the sincere Christian set never so many hinderances and discouragements before him yet being under the Law of the Spirit he will be and do good so è contrà the man that is destitute of Grace set what hinderances or discouragements you will before him yet being under the Law of Sin he will be and do evil Let the threatnings of the Law of God stand in his way like the Angel with a drawn sword in his hand yet hee 'l sin let the Scepter of the Gospel be held out to him yet hee 'l sin set the Love Grace Mercy of God before him yet hee 'l sin set the Wrath Justice Severity of God before him yet hee 'l sin set the Death Sufferings Agonies Wounds Blood of the Lord Jesus before him yet hee 'l sin let Conscience smite him let Word
all bondage but that which is the worst The * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato Alcib 1. Moralists by the Light of Nature had true notions about this for they could say that Vertue and Goodness onely did entitle to Liberty that Vice and Wickedness were always attended with Servitude The * Persius Sat. 5. An quisquam est alius liber nisi ducere vitam Cui licet ut voluit licet ut volo vivere non sum Liberior Bruto Liber ego unde datum hoc sumis tot subdite rebus An Dominum ignoras nifi quem vindicta relaxat Servitium acre Te nihil impellit nec quicquam extrinsecùs intrat Quod nervos agitet sed si intus in jecore aegro Nascantur Domini qui tu impunitior exis Satyrist falls severely upon some high pretenders to Liberty because they were their own Masters at their own dispose did what they pleased were not they free he answers them sharply shewing there might be external and Civil Liberty and yet they might be under bondage if Vice had the mastery and command of them nay if any one Vice or Lust did prevail over them whether Covetuousness or Intemperance c. that would be enough to prove them no better than Vassals and Slaves let their outward condition be never so high and good Now surely we may be more clear and positive in this than they who by Scripture-light know more of the Law of Sin than they could do by the bare light of Nature Every regenerate * Vide Philon. Jud. in Tract cui titulus Quod omnis probus liber p. 670. good man is free but every unregenerate wicked man is a very slave and under most dreadful thraldom Now it being thus that I may the better convince your of the evil and misery of this bondage and also excite you to the most vigorous endeavours to get out of it let me lay a few particulars before you As The Evil and Misery of spiritual Bondage resulting from the Law of Sin set forth 1. Consider that bondage to Sin is always accompanied with bondage to Satan Whoever is under the Law of Sin he is thereupon also under the Law of Satan for Sins and Satans power always go together the truth is these two are as it were Allies and Confederates nay they are copartners in dominion they ever share in the government of the Soul and rule jointly so that he who is under the power of the one is under the power of the other also There is an oneness of interest and dominion betwixt them as Satan gets up Sin gets up and as Sin gets up Satan gets up too The Devil's Reign depends upon the Reign of Sin where 't is not the Law of Sin his power is very low 't is said of him that * Eph. 2.2 he rules where or in whom why in the Children of disobedience where 't is disobedience to the Laws of God and obedience to the Laws of Sin there Satans Kingdome is very high there he rules and doth what he will as he is said to take some men captives at his will 2 Tim. 2.11 Now is not this a dreadful thing the most deplorable bondage that a Creature can lie under what to be the Devils Subject a Slave to him who is in chains himself ruled by him who is the grand Rebel and the Head of all the lower Rebels against God what more woful Sinner when wilt thou consider it shall a damned Creature be thy Lord and Soveraign shall he be thy Ruler here who will be thy tormentor hereafter wilt thou live in jubjection under him who is but a Jaylor and Executioner of Gods displeasure what bondage can be so great so much to be detested as this 2. Secondly let be considered what sin is both as it is in it self and also as it manages its power command and regency in and over the Sinner 1. Look upon Sin in it self 'T is the basest the vilest thing that is the whole world hath nothing in it of so vile a nature as it 'T is that onely thing which God never made other things may seem to be vile and comparatively they may really be so yet they being Gods Creatures there is something of excellency in them but as for Sin God hath nothing to do with it onely as he doth dispose and over-rule it to his own glory 'T is the onely thing that God cannot do there are many things which he will not do but Sin is the onely thing which he cannot do God can make a world uphold a world destroy a world he can do all onely he cannot sin Now whoever thou art let this be thought of shall a thing so vile and base so contrary to God's Nature shall that have the Rule and Command of thee how can the Spirit of a Man bear a thing so indecent so unworthy of him but if he will stoop to what is so much below him what slavery and bondage must needs result from it It 's sometimes matter of affliction to us to see vile and base men exalted to places of high power and dignity Psal 12.8 The wicked walk on every side when the vilest men are exalted yet this must be submitted to because the all-disposing God in the methods of his wise providence hath a hand in it as we read Dan. 4.17 that the most High ruleth in the Kingdom of men and giveth it whomsoever he will and setteth up over it the basest of men But that a man by his own Act and Choice should set so base a thing as Sin upon the throne and put himself under the dominion of it this is most strange and indeed would be incredible did we not see it done every day To be subject to a Prince of high extraction that hath Greatness and Majesty in him who refuses that but to be subject to a fellow taken off from the Dunghil that was born for the Kitchin not the Throne to hold the Plow rather than the Scepter who can bear that the application is obvious as to that which I am upon Sin is of so vile a nature that every heart should rise against its power All subjection doth not infer bondage but when 't is to a Person or Thing that is below ones self then 't is bondage now that 's the case as to Sin 'T is sad that that which is so much below us in worth and excellency should be above us in power and dominion 't was Noah's Curse upon Cham to be a Servant of Servants Gen. 9.25 what a servant or slave is he who is a servant to Sin and the several Lusts thereof 2. Look upon Sin in the management of its power and by that you will the better see into the evil and misery of that bondage which arises from subjection to it What are the Laws of Sin always evil Usurpers amongst men often make good Laws our own Histories as to matter of Fact
tell us that some of our Kings who had the worst Titles made the best Laws and indeed they had need use their power well who get it ill But now Sin doth not only usurp that power which of right belongs not to it but it also manages its power very wickedly particularly with respect to the Laws which it makes and imposes upon its Subjects ô 't is sad living under its government The Philosopher tells us that the intention of the Legislator is to make his Subjects good certainly 't is either so or it should be so but when Sin gets upon the throne and assumes a legislative Authority to it self its intention is only to make its Subjects bad for the worse they are the better they suit with it 'T is a blessed thing to live under the Rule of Christ because of the holiness purity goodness of his Laws but 't is a woful thing to live under the Rule of Sin because its Laws are quite contrary hellish and wicked for here it holds true like Lord like Law Nay the Laws of Men I do not say all have real goodness in them so far as they are founded upon * Lex est nihil aliud nisi recta à Numine Deorum Ratio imperans honesta prohi◠ens contraria profectò ita se res habet ut quoniain vitiorum emendatricem Legem esse oportet commendatricemque virtutum ab eâ vivendi doctrina petatur Cicero de Legib. l. 1. Reason and designed for good Ends viz. to excite persons to what is good and to restrain them from what is evil and so far 't is the happiness of any to live under them and their duty readily and cheerfully to comply with them But 't is not thus with the Laws of Sin inasmuch as they are always contrary to right and sound Reason and always tend to what is evil which therefore so far as any man is subject to he must needs be miserable 'T is commonly said Ex malis moribus bonae Leges bad manners sometimes produce good Laws but bad Laws especially when they are written in the heart and are the principle of action as the Laws of Sin are can never produce good manners if Sin make the Law I know what will be the Life Further this Sin is not onely out of measure sinful in the exercise of its power where it is uppermost but 't is also out of measure tyrannical There have been too many Tyrants in the World but never was there such an one as Sin all the Nero's Caligula's Domitians c. that ever lived were nothing to it this first acted the part of a Tyrant in them before they acted the part of Tyrants over others The tyranny of Sin appears in many things I 'le instance in a Few 1. Its Commands are innumerable there 's no end of its Laws and * In corruptissimâ Republicâ plurimae Leges Tacit. multiplicity of Laws always speaks either a bad people or a bad Prince 2. Its Commands are contrary one Law thwarts another the poor Sinner under its dominion is haled contrary ways that he scarce knows whether to go or what to do Lust clashes with Lust one draws one way and another another so that the poor inslaved Soul is at a loss and knows not how to please all Tit. 3.3 serving divers Lusts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divers for their Number and divers for their Nature and Kind also O quam multos habet Dominos qui unum non habet how many Lords and Masters hath he who hath not Christ onely for his Lord 3. 'T is very rigorous in its demands it must have full Obedience or none at all Eph. 2.3 fulfilling the Lusts of the flesh partial and half-Obedience will neither satisfie an holy God nor an unholy Nature and as God for whom the All is too little so Sin too for which the least is too much is for the doing of all it requires 4. Its Commands are never at an end Let the poor bondman sin to day he must sin again to morrow and so on in infinitum yea the more he doth in obedience to it the more it grows upon him in its Commands just as Tyrants and hard Masters use to do 5. When Sin once gets upon the throne 't is so imperious and cruel that its Vassals must stick at nothing Be the thing never so base the costs and hazards never so great yet if Sin calls for the doing of it it must be done Sinners you must waste you Estates blast your Credit impair your Health destroy your Bodies damn your Souls you must part with God peace of Conscience Heaven it self you must quit all that is good and venture all that is bad in its service and in compliance with its Edicts ô what an imperious insolent insatiable thing is Sin here 's the Tyrant indeed both in Titulo and also in Exercitio And now is not the poor unregenerate Sinner very miserable who lives under such a Tyrant is not his bondage exceeding great who that is not highly besotted would be willing to continue under Sins power that may be brought under the holy gracious excellent government of the Lord Jesus 3. Thirdly the Evil of this bondage arising from the Law of sin appears from its principal Subject 't is a Soul-bondage Of all Evils Soul evils are the worst Soul-famin is the worst famin Soul-death the worst death Soul-plagues the worst plagues and so here Soul-bondage is the worst bondage The bondage of Israel in Egypt was very evil yet not comparable to this which I am upon because that was but corporal and external but this is spiritual and internal when the best part is inslav'd that must needs be the worst slavery There may be a servile condition without and yet a free and generous Soul within as * Errat siquis existimat servitutem in totum hominem descendere pars melior ejus excepta est corpora obnoxia sunt adscripta Dominis mens sui juris est c. Sen. de Benef. l. 3. c. 20. Seneca observes of Servants but if the Soul it self be under servitude then the whole man the very top of man all is in servitude Sin is of so proud and aspiring a nature that no place will serve it for its pallace or principal Seat but the very Soul ô there it delights to have its residence and to exercise its dominion And this is its subtilty as well as its pride for it knows if it can but rule the Soul that then the Soul will easily rule the Body as the main Fort within the Town being gained that will with ease command all the outward Forts And 't is the whole Soul too that Sin must have God who made it will have the whole Heart and Sin which designs to enslave it will have the whole Heart too 't is not satisfied with this or that Faculty but all must be subject to it it must reign in the Vnderstanding
by Darkness Ignorance false Conceipts of God prejudices against the good ways of God c. it must reign in the Will by Perverseness Obstinacy and Rebellion against God it must reign in the Affections by disorder earthiness and sensuality it must reign in the Conscience by insensibleness and searedness ô how great is Sins ambition nothing will serve it but an Vniversal Empire so as that all Men and all in Men may be under its dominion Now what a dreadful thing is this that the Soul the whole Soul should be thus under the Law of Sin who can express the greatness the sadness of this bondage that the best in man should serve the worst in man for the Soul is the best and Sin is the worst in him that that which was immediately created by God and for God which did at first participate of the image of God and was designed for the fruition of God here and hereafter that so glorious so excellent a Being should be subjugated enslaved to such a cursed thing as Sin ô the misery and evil of this is inexpressible and yet thus it is with all who are unregenerate 4. Fourthly Of all bondage this is the most unprofitable As to other bondage there may be some profit in that but there 's none in this the Master may be cruel enough to his poor Servant and hold him to very hard and slavish work but then he makes him some amends by giving him good wages but here 's the Sinners unhappiness he serves that Master which pays him no wages at all death excepted what doth he get by all his service drudging and toyling for sin ev'n nothing but what he may put into his eye I mean to mourn and weep over what fruit had you then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed Rom. 6.21 O this Sin is the basest Master that any can serve God is the best there 's enough to be gained under him but Sin the worst for there 's nothing to be got in its service but broken bones terrours of Conscience the loss of Gods favour and Hell at last You must drudge for it from morning to night be at its Call and beck upon all occasions grind in its mill run upon its errands carry its burdens c. and what recompence shall you have for all this I 'le tell you the loss of all that is truly good and the bearing of all that is truly evil you shall have shame before men trouble in your own Souls and the eternal wrath of the great God these are the rewards and recompences of Sin Now are not they miserable who serve such a Master and yet so it is with all men before Conversion 5. Fifthly Sins bondage is the worse because they who lie under it are altogether insensible of it Where 't is external and civil bondage men are sensible enough of that ô they groan under it would fain be rid of it all their thoughts are imploy'd to contrive how they may get out of it The people of Israel sigh'd and groaned and cryed to God because of their bondage Exod 2.23 and you read in this Chapter how the poor irrational Creatures being under the bondage of corruption do groan after deliverance Ver. 21 22 the poor Christians in slavery under Infidels what a sense have they of their thraldom how would they rejoice might they be but set free But here 's the evil of spiritual bondage men do not feel it nay they will not believe it they have other thoughts of themselves than that they are under any such thing who thinks himself so free as he that is a vassal to Sin The poor deluded Sinner like some distracted persons plays with his chains sports himself with his fetters and looks upon them as if they were his crown ô how doth Sin where 't is in its full command and power besot its Subjects and make them carry it as though they were in a plain frenzy Have you not sometimes been in Bedlam 't is mercy you have been there onely as spectators of the misery of others where you saw poor creatures in a very dismal and deplorable condition chained beaten almost starved lodg'd in straw sadly used and yet how do these carry it why they laugh sing are merry behave themselves as if they were the happiest persons in the world who so jovial as they is not this a dreadful sight Ah my Brethren the World in a spiritual sense is little better than a large Bedlam where Sin hath men in its chains and fetters doth with them what it pleases keeps them under cruel bondage and yet they eat drink feast game live a merry life and feel nothing ô how insensible how stupid are Sinners in the Natural state Nay they are so far from lamenting and groaning under this bondage as their infelicity that they affect it and make it the matter of their choice they love to have it so and refuse to have it otherwise they refuse the Olive the Vine and chuse rather the Bramble to reign over them I allude to that parable Judg. 9.7 c. they had rather swear Allegiance and Fealty to sin than to God Christ's government and dominion is rejected and sin 's is preferred they rather hold their bondage than their bondage them according to that of the * Senec. Ep. 22. Moralist Paucos servitus plures servitutem tenent In a word they are slaves and it pleases them exceedingly to be so Now here 's a twofold aggravation of the evil of this bondage partly that it is voluntary for of all servitude that 's the worst which is voluntary * Senec. Ep. 47. Nulla servitus turpior quam voluntaria and partly that 't is not laid to heart I know God hath a judicial hand in this as also in the power it self which Sin hath over the Sinner but yet the Sinners own Will is as free full and intire in his closing with it and submitting to it as though God was not at all concerned in it 6. Lastly this bondage is the most hurtful and most dangerous bondage for it is deadly yea it makes way for and most certainly ends in Eternal Death Death puts an end to other bondage the slave when he is dead is a slave no more There the prisoners rest together they hear not the voice of the oppressor the small and great are there and the servant is free from his Master Job 3.18 19. but the worst of spiritual bondage follows after death this ends in death but it doth not end with death And other bondage doth not make any liable to eternal death for that simply considered is nothing either to Heaven or to Hell God may love and save the true penitent though in chains and condemn the impenitent though never so free und flourishing in the world the everlasting Concerns of the Soul do not at all depend upon civil liberty or civil servitude but where this spiritual servitude is there
God hath no love there the Sinner must dye eternally You have in the Text the Law of sin and the Law of death coupled together ô what a dangerous thing is the Law of sin where Sin hath its full power over the creature to make him wicked Death upon this will have its full power also to make him miserable So Rom. 6.16 Know you not that to whom you yield your selves servants to obey his servants you are to whom you obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righreousness V. 21. For the end of these things is death V. 23. the wages of sin is death And is it so who then would be Sins servant who would serve that master who pays no better wages than death you that are Servants would you enter into the service of One that would pay you such wages such a master sin is and such wages it doth pay ô therefore quit its service be wise for your Souls be sensible of the danger of continuing under the Law of sin otherwise this Law of sin will soon be turned into the Law of death And indeed it is this which ends in death 't is not barely sin which condemns but 't is the Law of sin which condemns when it hath the Supream and Soveraign commanding power in the Soul and reigns there as Lord paramount then 't is killing and damning And now Sirs may not that which hath been spoken be sufficient to convince you of the evil of that bondage that miserable hereditary bondage which you all lie under so long as you are in the natural and unregenerate state and will you not be prevailed with to endeavour speedily to get out of it by the Law of the Spirit to be made free from the Law of Sin You may be freed from this bondage if you will Christ is come as for other ends so for this to give liberty to the captives and to open the prison to them who are bound Isa 61.1 to knock off Sinners bolts and chains and to make them free indeed Joh. 8.36 in his name I do this day tender freedom to you and deliverance from Sins vassalage will you not accept of it And here 's the Law of the Spirit too to make you free from the Law of Sin why then shall not this be done Will you still like Sins yoke I assure you Christ's is not so easie but Sins is as uneafie will you have its dominion yet kept up in you are you loath to part with your old Master then your ears must be boared for Sin and Sathan * Exod. 21.5 6. as the Servant under the Law was to be served who might have been set at liberty from his Master but he had no mind to it If it be thus I can say nothing more onely pray that the Lord will convince you what the reign and power of Sin is what a miserable bondage attends it that you may with the greatest earnestness press after Conversion and the Law of the Spirit of Life in order to freedom from it So much for the First Branch of this Vse of Information 2. Branch of Information concerning the Necessity c. of restraining and renewing Grace Secondly it informs us further of the Necessity Power and Efficacy of restraining and renewing Grace I 'le speak to them apart 1. For restraining Grace By which I mean that grace whereby God keeps in mens corruptions and sets bounds and limits to them in Sin so as not to suffer them to be as vile and wicked as otherwise they would be That such a thing is done by God all grant he that bounds the Sea that it doth not break forth and overflow all 't is most elegantly set out Job 38.8 10 11. Who shut up the Sea with doors when it brake forth as if it had issued out of the womb And brake up for it my decreed place and set bars and doors And said hitherto shalt-thou come but no further and here shall thy proud waves be stayed as also Jer. 5.22 which have placed the sand for the bound of the Sea by a perpetual decree that it cannot pass it and though the waves thereof toss themselves yet can they not prevail though they roar yet can they not pass over it I say he that thus bounds the Sea that unruly body doth also bound the wickedness of mans heart a far more unruly thing than the Sea it self this God keeps in or lets out as seems good unto him You see it in the case of Abimilech whose Lust did strongly work in him towards Sarah but saith God Gen. 20.6 I withheld thee from sinning against me therefore I suffered thee not to touch her the like you have in several other instances Now this Law of Sin proves both the necessity and also the mighty power and efficacy of this restraining Grace for the making out of which be pleased to take notice of the following Particulars 1. That the most of men are under the Law of Sin All are born under it and the most continue under it for the most are in the state of Nature and in that state the Law of Sin carries it Here and there you have a Soul brought in to God converted savingly wrought upon * Jer. 3.14 one of a city and two of a family but the generality of men are strangers to this work and therefore they are under the full power and dominion of a cursed nature It being so how necessary is restraining grace for the less there is of regenerating grace the more need there is of restraining grace 2. Men naturally being under this Law it doth vehemently and impetuously put them upon sin for herein lies its being a Law and a Principle as you have heard The depraved Nature doth not barely dispose men to sin or faintly persuade them to sin but it doth powerfully and efficaciously incline urge impell nay necessitate them to sin they cannot cease from sin 2 Pet. 2.14 3. It is not this or that sin which this Law urges men to but if it be left to it self it urges to every sin yea to the very worst of sins This indwelling sin contains all sin in it the corrupt Nature is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Seminary or Seed-plot of all wickedness in that one sinful habit all sinful acts do lie seminally and radically and Sin where it is a Law is for all Sin it will excite instigate provoke not onely to lesser evils such as the world puts a fairer interpretation upon but also to those which are most enormous hideous and horrid as Atheism Blasphemy Murther Theft Adultery c. 4. This Law of Sin hath great advantages in and over men for 't is a Law that is in them an innate ingenit inbred Law 't is written and engraven in their very nature Sin is now connatural to them yea 't is as natural in some respects for apostatized man to sin as 't is for the fire to burn
or the stone to descend I have told you and there is too much of truth in it that the great Law of Nature it being considered as depraved is to sin against God This Law of sin is written in the heart and that gives a mighty power and efficacy to it and must needs strongly incline a person to comply with it as God when he would have men readily and effectually to close with his Will * Jer. 31.33 he writes his Law in their heart and that being done they cannot but do what that Law enjoyns just so it is with Sinners in reference to the Law of Sin upon the writing of it in their hearts These things being considered and put together what 's the reason that there is no more sin in the world God knows there is too much of it the Law of Sin is too prevalent in the hearts and lives of the most but yet I say what is the reason that there is no more of it for certainly this Law of Sin leads the Unregenerate to do more evil than what many yea any of them do Doubtless there are divers who are fully under Sins power who yet are kept from many external gross acts of it and are not altogether so bad as it and Satan would have them to be Sometimes it breaks forth in this or that unconverted person but why doth it not do the same in every such person and sometimes too it breaks forth in this or that act but why doth it not so do in every act yea in the grossest acts whence is it that every unconverted man is not a Cain a Judas a Nero c. the Law of Sin inclining him to all this wickedness I answer the reason why it is not so is wholly grounded upon the restraining grace of God It pleases God for the Good of the World of humane Society especially for the good of his own people to keep in and bound that wicked nature which is in wicked men that it shall not in all such at all times in all acts proper to it vent it self as it pleases And was it not for this mighty restraint which God in his Providence lays upon Sin and Sinners there would be no living in the world there would be nothing but killing and slaying and stealing c. and in a word the perpetration of all villanies imaginable Was it not for this whither would not the Law of Sin carry men they being under the full dominion of it what would they stick at ô but God restrains them he lets out so much of their corruptions as may be to his own glory and the residuum or overplus he keeps in according to that of the Psalmist Psal 76.10 Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee the remainer of wrath shalt thou restrain How necessary therefore is restraining grace 't is necessary in respect of the good much more in respect of the bad even they do need it for themselves but these much more for others Ravenous and fierce Creatures must be kept in chains or else they would worry and tear all that should come within their reach if God had not Devils and Men in chains they would be so exorbitant that the world could not long subsist blessed be God for restraining mercy And how doth this also hold forth the mighty power of this mercy when Sin lords it at such a rate in the hearts of men hath such an absolute power over them◠doth so impetuously urge them to all kinds and degrees of evil that yet they should be so bounded and limited that some Order and Decorum should be kept up in the world ô the power of restraining providence 'T is like the Fires not burning into which the Three Children were cast or like the Lions not tearing of Daniel when he was in the very midst of them which certainly proceeded from the mighty restraint which God laid upon the One and upon the Other in the suspending and hindring of them in their natural operations 't is no less power that which God puts forth in the restraining of mens sinful Natures that they do not so fiercely break forth in all wicked acts as otherwise they would And if this be so admirable in the restraining of Men how much more admirable is it in the restraining of Devils their power rage malice wickedness is greater by much than that in men ô therefore why do not they do all the mischief they could and would why do not they destroy and worry all before them especially as to the Saints whom they most hate why do they not tear them in pieces every day why no thank to themselves they cannot do it because God restrains them binds and bounds them as he pleases here 's the great demonstration of the power of restraining Grace 2. Secondly it shows us also the necessity power and efficacy of Renewing Grace There 's more in this Grace than in the former in restraining grace Sin is a little curb'd and kept in but yet it retains its inward strength and power as 't was with Sampson when he was onely bound or as 't is with fierce Creatures when they are in cages or chains but in renewing grace Sin is subdued conquered much weakened in its strength divested of its former absolute power not onely kept in but brought under and the Soul brought over to the will and command of God Now this being effected in and by renewing grace 't is evident that there is a mighty power and efficacy in that Grace for that which frees from so great a power as that of Sin before Conversion must needs have a great power it it If renewing grace was a weak thing or did act in a weak manner it could never do what it doth was there not the Law of the Spirit in it the Law of Sin would be too hard for it 'T is not to be imagin'd that Sin will ever be persuaded to resign or tamely to quit its power and dominion which it so dearly loves and so fiercely contends for no it must be forc'd to this and plainly overpower'd or else 't will keep what it hath therefore in regeneration God comes with that effectual almighty grace which shall infallibly pull Sin off from the throne let it do its worst with that power which all the power of Sin cannot withstand and so the work is done As you see in the case of Peter that I may open it by an allusion you read Acts 12.5 c. how he was kept in prison bound with two chains the Keepers before the door kept the prison besides he had Souldiers by him and he sleeping betwixt them one would think that now Herod had him fast enough and yet Peter is brought out how why the Angel of the Lord comes in the strength of God awakens him bids him arise makes his chains fall off from him breaks open the prison doors and so sets him free The like you read of Paul and
Silas Acts 16.23 they were thrown into prison the Jaylor charged to keep them safely he throws them into the inner prison made their feet fast in the stocks yet for all this they were delivered how Suddenly there was a great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison were shaken and immediately all the doors were opened and every ones bonds were loosed what could have brought these persons under these circumstances out of prison but the miraculous interposures of the mighty power of God and that did it effectually Thus 't is with men in their Natural State Sin and Satan have them fast bound secur'd in chains and fetters they cannot stir hand or foot to help themselves are fully under the power of their enemies how are these now released why God comes and the Spirit comes by renewing grace and therein he opens the doors of their hearts though shut up very fast knocks off their fetters conquers the Guard that is set upon them breaks all the power and force of Sin and so rescues them from that thraldom and bondage which they were under ô the power of renewing grace well might Paul say Eph. 3 20. according to the power that worketh in us The truth is in the freeing of a Soul from the Law of Sin no less power is put forth than that very power of God put forth in the raising up of the Lord Jesus from the dead so the Apostle makes the parallel Eph. 1.19 20. and that was much above that power which was exerted in the rescuing of the forementioned persons out of their confinement It had been morally impossible that ever the Children of Israel should have been freed from the power of Pharaoh and that woful bondage they were under if God himself had not made bare his arm and brought them out with a strong and mighty hand as 't is Deut. 6.21 Psal 136.12 but 't is a much harder thing to free the Sinner from his spiritual bondage he being under a sadder captivity and held therein by a far greater strength than what Pharaoh had ô surely no deliverance could be expected from Sins dominion unless infinite power was engag'd in the bringing of it about therefore how necessary as well as efficacious is renewing Grace but more of this when I come to the third Observation One Use I have finished several Others should have been made of the Point in hand as to shew you yet further how you may find out your particular Cases whether you be under the Law of Sin or not how you may be freed from this Law if as yet you be not so why you should labour after this freedom c. But these things will as well fall in under the next Observation and therefore I will there insist upon them 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 CHAP. VI. Of Regenerate Persons being made free from the Law of Sin The Second Observation spoken to viz. That persons truly regenerate are made free from the Law of Sin This is 1. cleared and stated where 't is shown that the freedom is not to be carried further than the Law of Sin How Sin is in the best yea and hath a great power in them and yet they are not under the Law of Sin when persons may be said to be so or what that is which constitutes the Law of Sin That not to be found in those who belong to God The Observation 2. confirmed by Scriptures and Reasons 'T is 3. applied First by way of Examination Mistakes about things which look like freedom from the Law of Sin and yet are not so Five Particulars instanc'd in Secondly all are exhorted to make out after this freedom One Direction in order to it Thirdly suth as are made free c. are exhorted 1. To be humble 2. To stand fast in their Liberty and also to walk suitably thereunto 3. To bless God Fourthly Gracious persons are comforted from hence THe Sum of these Words after the giving their proper sense and meaning hath been drawn into three Observations The 2. Observ spoken to the First of which hath been spoken to the Second now follows and 't is this That persons truly regenerate are made free from the Law of Sin this is the priviledge of all such and that which always accompanies the State of Grace or Regeneration viz. freedom from the Law of Sin Paul being such a person here saith he was made free from the Law of Sin For the better opening and stating of this Truth the first thing to be done The opening and stating of it I must necessarily inmind you of some things which in the explication of the Words and elsewhere too I have had occasion to insist upon As 1. Though the Apostle here speaks in his own person the Law of the Spirit of Life hath made me free c. yet the thing spoken of is not to be limited to him individually considered but to be extended to all who are regenerated and sanctified his knowledge of it might be somewhat special but the thing it self is common and general in all Saints 2. That the freedom mentioned in the Text refers to the being made free from the commanding reigning power of Sin rather than to the being made free from the condemning power of Sin 3. The Apostle speaks of it as an act that is past hath made me free c. therefore that freedom from Sin which the Saints shall have hereafter in their glorified estate is not here primarily intended but rather that which they have already upon their sanctification 4. This especially must be observed which I must more enlarge upon that the thing which the Saints are freed from is but the Law of Sin So the Apostle here states it Saints freed from Sin only in the Notion of its being a Law and therefore the Words are to be carried no further than to deliverance from that in Sin which doth properly denominate it to be a Law or which doth belong to it in the notion and appellation of a Law so far the Saints in this Life are made free from it but no farther For the preventing of mistakes and the due bounding of the Point two things must be laid down and made good As 1. That this freedom is not to be taken simply and absolutely for perfect deliverance from the very being and inhesion of Sin but only for deliverance from Sin in the notion of a Law The highest Saints God knows and they themselves know too well in their present state are far from being wholly compleatly perfectly made free from Sin in this respect yet the very lowest Saints are truly and really made free from the Law of Sin There 's a great difference 'twixt the inbeing and the Law of sin 'twixt the residence and the reign of sin betwixt Sins mansion and Sins dominion Sin will have a being in Gods people
make some resistance to Sin and therefore they conclude they are not under its power But alas this will not prove it for 1. this resistance may be but a faint weak half resistance 2. it may be bus to this or that Sin nor to every Sin 3. it may be to Sin but not as Sin that is Sin may be resisted because of the Effects and Consequents of it as it kindles God's wrath brings punnishment ends in Hell exposes to shame before men c. and yet as considered in its own nature as 't is an offence to God a breach of the holy Commandment an aberration from the straight Rule so no resistance may be made to it but the Sinner readily closes with it and likes it well enough now such a resistance as this will not amount to a proof or evidence of not being under the Law of Sin There is a resistance indeed which will undeniably prove it as when 't is hearty thorough vigorous universal when 't is such that the utmost strength of the Soul goes out in it against Sin when 't is made to every sin and to sin as sin where 't is thus 't is no Law of Sin he that thus opposes and resists it 't is most certain he 's none of Sins slaves and subjects if therefore it be thus with any of you 't is well but you must not bottom too much upon meer resistance if it be not thus qualified and stated Indeed no resistance is a good affirmative Argument to prove Sins dominion but every kind of resistance is not a good negative Argument to prove no dominion thereof Sincere Christians may fetch much comfort from their resistings of sin but as to those which are common and ordinary in Others little comfort can be fetch'd from them 2. Persons may be free from very many Sins may not have such violent inclinations to some particular Sins and yet for all this be under the Law of Sin The reason is this because there may be some Other sins in which though not in these it may exercise full authority over them possibly they are not proud but they are covetuous they are not openly vitious but they are worldly they are not unclean but they are spightful and malitious now reigning Sin never limits it self to any one Sin though it be not obey'd in this or that if its Commands be observed in any other sin 't is enough willing and full subjection to it in any one sin I speak not of particular acts but of the kinds of Sin evinces its dominion Thou pleasest thy self because such Corruptions and Lusts do not prevail over thee I but if any other single Lust rules thee so that it hath thy heart and thou yieldest free and entire Obedience to it this sufficiently determins thy Case thou art under the Law of Sin As * Jam. 2.10 whoever keeps the whole Law of God and yet offends in one point is guilty of all so whoever opposes the whole Law of Sin and yet in some one point resigns up himself to it he is as truly under the power of it as if he obeyed it in all its Commands There needs not thirty Tyrants at once to enslave a people one is enough 3. Sin may seem to lye still and quiet in the heart to let Sinners alone that they shall not feel its urgings and impulsions to what is evil especially in such a violent and impetuous manner and yet they may be under its full strength and empire For this stillness and quietness of sin may proceed meerly from the entireness of its reign or because it meets with no opposition the Soul doth whatever it will have it do no wonder then that 't is still Pharaoh himself was so till the people of Israel would cast off his yoke but then he bestirr'd himself and march'd in all his rage and fury against them O when the Sinner begins to think of changing his master when Christ and Grace are competitors with Sin who shall rule how doth it then though it was quiet before shew it self and put forth all its strength for the securing of its dominion We say Natura vexata seipsam prodit when Sin is vex'd and cross'd a little then you shall see and feel what it is but so long as 't is pleas'd all is still and calm And do any say they feel not the impetuous risings stirrings motions of Sin doth not this proceed from their insensibleness if so then Sins power is very high for the less is the Sinners sense the greater always is Sins power if all be in peace 't is a sign the strong man keeps the house Luk. 11.21 Sin evermore hath the fullest dominion where it gives the least disturbance where it troubles least it rules most if there be little or no sense no conflict no trouble 't is a very bad sign that Sin is entire upon the throne 4. There may be some trouble upon the Conscience after the commission of sin and yet it be the Law of Sin 'T was so in Cain in Ahab in Judas c. where there is no after-grief Sin indeed reigns there may be some after-grief and yet for all that Sin may reign too Upon the commission of some known Sin natural and enlightned Conscience may fall upon a man and vex him sorely Sin usually hath not that power in the Conscience which it hath in the other Faculties it may entirely have the Will and Affections whilst yet Conscience stands off and is not so fully on its side no that unless it be a cauteriz'd Conscience will give in its dictates against Sin and if it be not hearkened to it will smite and vex and gaul the Sinner to some purpose And because sometimes 't is fast asleep and neglects to do its office therefore God himself interposes to awaken and set it on the Sinner Conscience saith God go and do thine office make such a man know what he hath done tell him of his Sin and spare him not pursue him from place to place with the sense of his guilt c. Well! now all this may be but in order to his smarting and not in order to his healing this trouble may be only penal and not medicinal or penitential and therefore doth not amount to any proof of freedom from the Law of Sin I would not discourage any true penitent know therefore Sin never reigns where the Soul grieves for it provided 1. that the ground of this belief be right viz. because God is offended the good Spirit grieved the holy Law violated c. 2. that the effect of this grief be * Poenitentia est mala praeterita plangere plangenda iterum non committere Ambr de Poen Inanis est Poenitentia quam sequens inquinat Cu'pa nihil prosunt lamenta si iterantur peccata Aug. reformation and the leaving that Sin which the Soul seems to mourn over if there be not these two things accompanying the trouble
upon the Conscience it speaks nothing against the dominion of sin 5. Men may do that which materially is very good and may hold on in so doing for some time and yet be under the Law of Sin O there are many who pray hear the Word attend upon Ordinances give alms c. and yet Sin is still regent in them because 1. though they do all this yet the heart is not at all changed in them now Sins power never goes off till the heart be made new 2. because which is more demonstrative the heart is rotten in all this Christ hath the external duty but Sin hath the heart some outward respect is shown to God but yet the heart is set for some Lust against God as you read of those Ezek. 33.31 And they come unto thee as the people cometh and they sit before thee as my people and they hear thy words but they will not do them for with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetuousness 'T is a thing too common for men even in their external serving of God to serve Sin more than God and Gods work is done by them for the matter of it but Sin so far interposes its authority and strength as that it carries it in the Sinner as to his Ends in what he doth and if it can but sway and order him in them God may have the external act but still it hath the soveraiguty and power within The same holds true too as to a plausible outwardly good Conversation external piety is too well consistent with the internal reign of Sin it rules in the fair professing-Hypocrite as well as in the gross and scandalous Sinner By this you see you may run your selves upon great mistakes in taking up with such Evidences as will not prove your being made free from the Law of Sin O that the consideration thereof might make you the more careful lest you as many thousands are to their eternal undoing should herein be deceived as also quicken you to the tryal of your selves by those things which will infallibly prove the thing in hand What are they why no allowed subjection to Sin no tame quiet submission to its commands inward renouncing nay abjuring of its authority a rooted vigorous opposition to it in all its cursed suggestions an utter dislike and hatred of it the bent and impetus of the heart set against it universal resignation of a mans self to the Law and Will of God an hearty willingness nay desire to come under the rule and government of the Lord Jesus c. these are the things you are to enquire after and to judge by for these are sure Evidences which you may relye upon Happy is that man who finds these in himself he may with confidence build upon them that he is indeed made free from the Law of Sin but he that is confident upon any thing short of these will sooner or later find he was too credulous So much for this Use VSE 2. To exhort Sinners to make out after this freedom The next shall be to exhort you and others yea all men in the whole world if I could reach them to labour after and make sure of a share and interest in this blessed freedom from Sins power and dominion Regenerate persons you hear have it shall the Vnregenerate sit still and be quiet and contented under the want of it God forbid To be made free from the Law of Sin what a mercy or priviledge is this ô how much is there in it to excite draw allure Sinners to desire love and value it and to be industrious after it He that can upon good grounds say over the words of the Text needs no higher happiness 't was more for Paul to say the Law of the Spirit of Life c. than if he could have said that God had given him all the Kingdoms Crowns Diadems Riches Honours Pleasures of this world You see he applies it to himself and surely he had comfort enough in that application now Sinners when will you be able to say the same of your selves that you also by the power of the Spirit are made free from the Law of Sin ô as Eliphaz once said to Job hear it and know it for thy self Job 5.27 so I would say to you hear this and know it for your selves so as to get it for and to be able to appropriate it unto your own selves so as to take the me here as coming out of Pauls mouth concerning himself into your mouths one by one concerning your selves Sirs this is a thing of such importance that we Ministers cannot speak too much or be too earnest about it 't is the great end of our Lord and Master in his employing us in the work of the Ministry to open your eyes to turn you from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God Acts 26.18 and therefore though I have said so much already to press the thing upon you yet I must further plead with you in order to the more effectual pressing of it Therefore consider hath not this Sin tyranniz'd long enough over you are you willing still to continue under its thraldom and vassalage must this cursed Vsurper forever sit upon the throne shall it yet command and give Law to you What woful and miserable bondage attends its empire and government hath been described largely shall all that be nothing to you to be slaves the very worst of slaves shall that be but a little thing in your eye Other bondagé not half so bad you cannot bear you detest and dread it shall the worst bondage only be tolerable nay eligible 'pray look * Pag. 189 c. back to the description of Sins bondage and methinks your hearts should rise at it 'T is an astonishing thing to consider that so excellent a Creature as Man who hath such an excellent Being in him as a reasonable and immortal Soul should so tamely submit to so base aâ—thing as Sin and make no more of servitude to it Doth God in the Gospel so graciously tender Liberty privative and positive to you and will you not accept of it may you be made free and will you not ô stupendious folly is this after the manner of men with respect to external liberty or bondage When God sent Moses to deliver Israel out of their bondage what madness would it have been in them not to have accepted it let there be a ransom sent to the poor Captives under Turkish cruelty would they not readily embrace it ah Sinner the Lord Jesus came from Heaven on purpose to redeem thy poor captive Soul out of the hands of Sin and Satan he hath on his part effected what he came about he now offers his Merit and Spirit to make thee free nay he invites intreats sollicits beseeches thee that thou wilt accept of the liberty purchased for thee and yet wilt thou hug thy chains play with
You are now God be blessed for it made free but how long was it before this was done how many years did you pass over in the unregenerate state in which you were as much under the command and at the beck of Sin as any how great a part of your life hath been spent in its drudgery and vassalage for how long a time did you tamely submit to its yoke when you would by no means be brought to submit to the yoke of Christ do you not remember how it was with you a few days or years ago when the Scepter was in Sins hands and it rul'd and acted you even as it pleased should not this now be thought of with the greatest grief and sorrow ô the bondage rebellion enmity of the natural state should even by converted ones often be remembred and bitterly bewailed That 's a Soul-humbling Heart-melting word * Eph. 2.3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts c. who can read that sad description of a Sinner before Conversion Ezek. 16.3 4 5 c. and not be affected Secondly you must be humbled upon the consideration of what is present 'T is better than it hath been yet not so well as it might and should be Sin hath lost its absolute full entire power but yet it lives nay yet it hath a great strength and power in and over you I and against you too so as that 't is still able to do you much hurt notwithstanding its being weakened as Sampson though he was much debilitated when his locks were cut yet he had strength enough left to do mischief to the Philistins Do not you to this very day find the corrupt Nature very strong and powerful Sin rising and stirring in you with great vigour many very evil inclinations assaulting you with such vehemency that you scarce know how to resist doth not Corruption this and that Lust too often foil you and triumph over you as its Captives Now though these things are not enough to evince Sins dominion yet surely they call for deep humiliation it doth not rule you here it shall not damn you hereafter but it defiles you often separates 'twixt you and your God draws you off from him prevailingly hinders you from what is good and prevailingly also excites you to what is evil is not this sad is there nothing to afflict a gracious heart but only the unbroken power of Sin ô why are you not more in crying out ô wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death He that gloried here in his deliverance from the Law of Sin in one sense was as much abased before because of the Law of Sin of which he felt so much in another sense The wise God orders it thus that Sin shall not only have a being in his people but also a considerable power over them in this life amongst other ends for this that he may keep them humble and draw out and heighten their godly sorrow and indeed there 's more in the relicks of Sin to humble the true Christian than in all the outward Evils that either do or can befall him O never think how it hath been how yet it is without great self-abasement and humiliation when you begin to be * 2 Cor. 12.7 exalted above measure remember what you were consider what you are To stand fast in their liberty 2. Are you made free from the Law of Sin let me say to you what Paul once said to the Galatians in reference to their being made free from the Ceremonial Law * Galat. 5.1 Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage Is Sin brought down be sure you keep it down 't is pity it should get up again or ever recover its pristine power When a people have once got the Vsurper off from the throne it concerns them to look to it that he doth not regain it for should he so do their condition then would be much worse than before Saints just so should you carry it toward Sin That 's brought under at present I but it watches all opportunities for the regaining of that power which it hath lost for 't is of a proud nature and cannot bear the loss of superiority you must therefore always be upon your guard with your weapons in your hands ready to make resistance against it in all its attempts or else it will soon rally its forces and make head again upon you and endanger all I know all its attempts are in vain as to the recovery of its former dominion God will not suffer it again to lord it over you as before it did yet if you be careless especially if you in the least side with it 't will strangely get ground and grow upon you Therefore as Christ once charged the healed man Joh. 5.14 Thou art made whole sin no more so would I charge you you are made free ô sin no more that you may never come under its bondage again Though God had so miraculously brought Israel out of Egypt and out of that miserable servitude that there they were in yet upon all occasions how desirous were they to be in Egypt again shall it be thus with you shall your gracious deliverance be so undervalued have you such low thoughts of Sins servitude as that you can be willing to come under it again 'Pray learn how to put a due value upon your liberty prize it at an high rate and so prize it as to continue in it and to maintain it to your utmost Amongst other Conditions which were anciently impos'd upon those who were set at liberty this was one that they should not servitutis jugum iterum sponte suscipere willingly submit to the yoke of bondage again and is not this obligation laid upon Souls in their being made free by Christ and the Spirit The * Libertatem nemo bonus nisi cum animâ simul amittit Salust in Conjur Cat. Historian tells us a good man will lose his life as soon as his liberty ô how should you defend that spiritual liberty which you have by Christ and by Grace I beseech you take heed lest by your carelesness and little compliances with Sin you provoke God to permit its former power and tyranny in a great measure to return upon you that he may thereby let you see the difference 'twixt His and Sins government read and apply Deut. 28.47 48. 'T would be sad it God should deal with any of you as once that Master in Athens did with his Servant whom he had formerly made free but upon some unworthy carriage he reversed and retracted that freedom saying to him * Superse deo te habere civem tanti muneris impium aestimatorem c. Abi igitur esto servus quoniam liber esse nescisti Val. Max. l. 2. cap. 6. The City shall never have one
who shall deliver me from the body of this death I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord Titus 3.3 4 5. For we our selves also were sometimes foolish c. but after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost he lays it upon the kindness and love of God which indeed are admirable in the freeing of a Soul from the Law of Sin by the regenerating Spirit this kindness of God should draw out the thankefulness of every gracious heart So much for this Vse of Counsel VSE 4. Comfort to regenerate persons upon their being made free from the Law of Sin A word in the fourth place for Comfort I would have every truly gracious person upon this Truth to be even filled with joy what glad tidings doth it bring to thee whoever thou art upon whom regenerating Grace hath taken hold it tells thee thou art made free from the Law of Sin Sin may and doth trouble thee but it doth not rule thee it lorded it over thee too long but now its dominion is gone from the very first moment of thy Conversion thou hast been made free believe it and take the comfort of it What think you had not Paul great joy in himself when he uttered these words the Law of the Spirit c. thou maist say the same concerning thy self the new birth having pass'd upon thee why therefore shouldst not thou be brimful of joy also This is so great a thing that the sense and comfort of it should revive and cheer thy Spirit under all outward evils the Laws of Men possibly may be somewhat heavy upon thee thou maist groan under such and such external pressures there may be much of bondage in thy outward condition but the Law of Sin is abolish'd thy Soul is made free the spiritual bondage is taken off is not this well very well Under the Law how were the poor Servants overjoy'd when the year of Jubilee came which gave them a release from all their servitude ô Christian thou hast liv'd to see a glorious Jubilee wilt not thou rejoyce So also when oppressed Subjects are freed from cruel Vsurpers 't is a time of great rejoycing mens joy then runs over and will be kept in no bounds or limits what a full tide of joy should be in their Souls whom God hath graciously delivered from Sins tyranny and usurpation ' True Sin never had any right to rule yet de facto rule it did therefore triumph over it as though its authority had been just as the * Hoc illi in malis suis indulgente fortunâ ut de eo populus Romanus quasi de vero Rege triumpharet Florus lib. 2. cap. 14. people of Rome once did with a mean person That Sin which once had you under is now brought under it self and 't is subdued therefore cannot much hurt you Adonibezek himself when in chains Bajazet when in an Iron Cage the fiercest Enemies when broken in their power cannot do much mischief God be blessed so 't is with Sin and therefore as to the main state fear it not I know you lie under many discouragements you feel such cursed inclinations to evil Sin doth so often prevail over you repeated back-slidings afflict you greatly your corruptions daily pursue you c. Well! I would have you to be very sensible of these things and mourn over them but yet know the reigning commanding power of Sin is gone notwithstanding all these yet 't is not the Law of Sin How much good may an unregenerate person do and yet Sin reign in him and how much evil may a regenerate person do and yet Sin not reign in him Under the Law every scab did not make one a Leper neither doth every prevalency of Sin make one a slave to it The Spirit of Life hath freed you from its dominion that being duely stated and that too in such a manner as that you shall never again be brought under it Sin shall not have dominion over you c. Rom. 6.14 Is all this nothing or but little in your thoughts is not here sufficient matter of great joy ô know what God hath done for you and make the best of it Being freed from the Law of Sin you are freed from Guilt Wrath Hell eternal condemnation for the Apostle having said there 's no condemnation c. he proves his assertion by this for the Law of the Spirit of Life c. And where 't is not the Law of Sin there 't is not the Law of Death these two Laws are link'd and fast'ned each to the other therefore he that is delivered from the one is delivered from the other also Believers there is but one thing remaining to be done for you which in due time shall most certainly be done too and that is to free you from the very being of Sin and from all those remainders of power which yet it hath in you do but wait and a little time will put an end to these also be of good comfort Sin is dying and weakening and wearing out every day shortly 't will dye indeed so as never to molest you more As you are justified its guilt is gone as you are sanctified its power is gone it will not be long before you will be glorified and then it s very being shall be gone too here in Grace Pharaoh's yoke is broken but above in Glory Sin shall be like Pharaoh drowned in the bottom of the Sea ô let every regenerate Soul greatly rejoice in these things So much for the Second Observation 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 CHAP. VII Of the power of the Holy Spirit in the making of persons free from the Law of Sin The Third Observation viz. that 't is the Law of the Spirit of Life which frees the Regenerate from the Law of Sin How this is brought about by the Spirit by the Spirit of Life by the Law of the Spirit c. what this imports Of the necessity sufficiency efficacy of the Spirits power for and in the production of this Effect The particular ways and methods of the Spirit in it opened Of its workings at the first Conversion Of its subsequent regency in the renewed Soul Vse 1. Of the greatness and glory of the Spirit his Godhead inferr'd from hence Vse 2. To show the true and proper Cause of freedome from the Law of Sin where men are exhorted 1. To apply themselves to the Spirit for this freedome 2. In case it be wrought in them to ascribe and attribute the glory of it only to the Spirit Saints exhorted 1. To love and honour the Spirit 2. To live continually under the Law of it 3. To set Law against Law The third Observation handled
of Sin for though that puts forth a great efficacy in the manner of its working yet it doth not rise to such a pitch or degree of efficacy in what is evil as the Spirit of God doth in what is good Set corrupt Nature never so high yet 't is but a finite thing and so hath but a finite power but the Spirit is an infinite being and in his saving and special workings he puts forth an infinite power and therefore He must work more efficaciously than Sin can do the Law of the Spirit must carry it against and notwithstanding the Law of Sin for though both pass under the same appellation of Laws yet they are Laws of a different kind and nature with respect to their power and efficacy This Law or power of the Spirit is that which I will speak to and for the better opening of the Truth in hand which mainly points thereunto I 'le do two things Two things propounded for the opening of the Observation 1. I 'le speak to the necessity sufficiency efficacy of the power of the Spirit in order to the freeing of men from the power of Sin 2. I 'le shew in what Way or Method the Spirit doth work and exert his power in his rescuing of Souls from Sins power In the First of these Heads three things are put together which must be spoken unto apart The Necessity of the Spirits power to free from Sins power 1. First of the necessity of the power of the Spirit Concerning which I may confidently affirm that 't is indispensably absolutely necessary for the divesting Sin of its long possessed soveraignty no less a power than the mighty power of this Spirit can bring down Sins power ô it s no easie thing to rescue the poor enslaved captive-soul out of its bonds Omnipotency it self is requisite thereunto that 's the * Luk. 11.21 22. strong man which keeps the palace till Christ through the Spirit which is stronger than it comes upon it and overcomes it Israel had never got out of their bondage under Pharaoh if God himself had not brought them out of it through a mighty hand and by an out-stretched arm as you read Deut. 5.15 and so 't is here Let 's bring it to a particular case take a Sinner who is under the Law of Vnbelief as there are too many such God knows nothing shall ever free this Sinner from the power of his unbelief unless a divine and an almighty power from above be put forth upon him 'till this be done all the Calls Commands Invitations Promises of the Gospel are all weak and ineffectual therefore 't is said to be the faith of the operation of God Col. 2.12 and the Apostle pray'd that God would fulfil the work of faith with power 2 Thes 1.11 and says the Prophet who hath believed our report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed Isa 53.1 without the revealing of Gods mighty arm there 's no believing and you read that God in sanctification and the working of Faith doth put forth the exceeding greatness of his power according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead Eph. 1.19 20. what can be spoken higher than this You see the Law of the Spirit is necessary to the freeing of a person from the Law of Vnbelief and is it not so in all other things wherein Sins power shows it self The power of Nature which some do so much magnifie can never conquer the power of Sin alas 't is impar congressus there 's no eaven match betwixt them and besides Natures greatest strength is on Sins side its relicks onely where 't is good are for God against Sin but its full and entire strength as 't is bad are for Sin against God God hath but its shattered sorces as it were but Sin hath its full Body what can enfeebled Nature what will depraved Nature do against Sin Let it be considered if the power of Grace in the Regenerate be so small that by that alone without the concurrence of divine and special assistance from above they can do nothing which Christ affirms Joh. 15.5 no not so much as think a good thought as the Apostle affirms 2 Cor. 3.5 what then can be expected from meer Nature in the Vnregenerate in whom Sin is in its full strength as to the weakning or subduing of it In things of a spiritual nature the Scripture doth not onely deny the act but the power too Joh. 6.44 No man can come to me except the Father draw him 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God c. neither can the know them because they are spiritually discerned Jer. 13.23 Can the Aethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil So in that which I am upon 't is not onely the Sinner doth not free himself from the Law of Sin but of himself without the mighty power of the divine Spirit he cannot so do he that is not strong enough to subdue some one particular Lust how shall he be able to subdue the whole body of Sin in all its united and combined force as he that cannot conquer one single Souldier can much less conquer the whole Army If God leave a man to grapple with Sin meerly by his own strength woe be to him The necessity of the Spirits power to free from Sins power made out in some Particulars That the power of the Spirit is absolutely necessary to free from the power of Sin will be very evident if you consider those several advantages which it hath for the securing and holding up of its power in the Sinner As 1. 't is in possession 2. It hath been so a long time may be twenty forty theescore years to be sure from the time of the Sinners coming into the world for its power and his birth are of the same date now Vsurpers in possession and who have long been so are not so easily conquer'd 3. It s dominion is entire it hath all on its side the whole Soul is for Sin insomuch that when the Spirit of God comes to grapple with it he finds nothing there to side with him or to take his part which argues the necessity of his infinite power When there is a party within a Kingdom ready to fall in with the foreign force that comes to depose the Tyrant he may with more facility be vanquished but if all the people unanimously stick to him then the conquest is the more difficult As Christ once said * Joh. 14.30 the prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me so the poor Sinner may say the Sin-subduing Spirit comes but he finds nothing in me to close with him 4. The natural man likes the power of Sin it hath his heart which is worst of all for the securing of its empire he
faculty And whereas he finds it under darkness blindness woful ignorance he is pleased to act as a Spirit of Illumination irradiating the mind with beams of divine light dispelling the opposite darkness filling the Soul with heavenly and saving knowledge This is the Spirits proper act and that which carries a marvellous power in it 't is no easie thing to open a blind eye this is just such a thing as that when the World lay in the abyss of darkness it required Omnipotency to say * Gen. 1.3 Let there be light no less a power is requisite to the saving enlight'ning of the Sinner who is not in darkness but darkness it self Eph. 5.8 But this being done Sin is exceedingly broken in its power by it for ignorance is one of the great supporters of its throne one of its royal Forts wherein its main strength lies where that is in the head Sin domineers in the heart and life You read Eph. 4.19 of some who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness here was the Law of Sin to purpose Sin at the very heighth and top of its dominion how did things come to this pass why ver 18. their Vnderstanding was darkened and they were alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that was in them because of the blindness of their heart what a friend to Sin is ignorance how by this is the Sinner at its beck even to do whatever it would have him No wonder then that the Spirit when he comes to take Sin down first removes this ignorance Acts 26.18 To open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God c. here 's the order or method in which the Spirit acts he first opens mens eyes and turns them from darkness to light and so he frees them from the power of Sin and Satan Again whereas the Vnderstanding lies under sad mistakes misapprehensions misjudgings having false notions of things and accordingly passing false judgment upon them by which Sins power is highly strengthened and kept up therefore the Spirit doth rectifie it delivers it from these mistakes c. makes it to judge aright of things and things brings it to pass true dictates that Sin is evil Christ good holiness excellent c. gives that sound mind which the Apostle speaks of 2 Tim. 1.7 This too being done Sin as commanding exceedingly falls and sinks upon this there 's a great abatement and diminution of its power for that never continues absolute and entire in a rectified judgment the convincing Spirit working as such always destroys commanding Sin It s kingdom stands by lyes and falshoods let but the Soul be enabled to see into them and thorough them so as no longer to be deluded by them and down goes that kingdom to be made free from a * Isa 44.20 deceived and a deceiving judgment is the way to the being made free from the Law of Sin therefore the Spirit will be sure to have that done Once more the Vnderstanding is full of high and proud thoughts of strange imaginations and reasonings which lift up themselves against God and subjection to his Will ô saith the Spirit these I must take a course with these must be thrown out of the heart or else Christs kingdom will never go up in it till something be done to bring these down Sins regency will continue as high as ever wherefore I 'le do it effectually 2 Cor. 10.5 Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ I assure you this is an act of great power but the Spirit goes thorough with it when he comes as a Sin dethroning Spirit thus he exerts his power in the Understanding Vpon the Will 2. He then proceeds to the Will where you have heard Sin chiefly exercises its dominion and which of all the faculties is most enslaved to it and by it The liberty of the Will is very much cry'd up by many and in such a sense none can deny it but out of that sense there 's nothing in man more under bondage than his Will 't is not now liberum but servum arbitrium as * See him de Servo Arbitr Luther us'd to phrase it and * Vide Jansen August l. 1. p. 3. c. 3. 5. Austine long before him In natural and purely moral acts there 's no question but it yet retains its freedom but in things of a spiritual and supernatural nature that upon Adams fall it hath wholly lost since which 't is only libera quatenus liberata free no further than as 't is made free Well! the Spirit undertakes this faculty lays forth his power upon it that he may rescue it out of the hands of Sin and bring it over to God and surely 't is most necessary he should so do for till the Will be effectually wrought upon and subbued how can it be imagin'd that ever the Law of Sin should be abolish'd Of all the faculties Sin contends most for the Will which when it hath once gained it will not easily part with whatever it loses that it will not lose it puts forth its utmost strength to defend and make good its Conquests over that And so too of all the faculties the blessed Spirit contends most for the Will that being the determining faculty with respect to Sins Reign he puts forth the greatest efficacy of his Grace for the setting of that right and straight for God that it may chuse close with cleave to his good and holy Commands in opposition to what it was wont to do to the Laws and Commands of Sin But 't will be ask'd How far or wherein doth he exert his power upon the Sinners Will in order to the freeing of him from Sin as a Law I have already answer'd this in what I said but now when I affirm'd that the Spirit doth not work upon it only in a persuasive way barely presenting some alluring Considerations or Motives for the inclining of it to this or that but still leaving it under a perfect indifferency so as that the Sinner may after all yet chuse whether he will believe or not repent or not cast of Sins yoke or not but he doth efficaciously incline bow overponâ—er determine it so as that it shall most certainly yet most freely consent to what is good and close with it And if God by his Spirit did not thus determine the Will either the Sinner would never be converted or if he should be converted the compleating of his Conversion would be brought about by the determination of his Will as his own act God doing no more than only leaving it to its own indifferency and so he would (a) Domine gratias ago tibi quod supernaturale auxilium mihi contuleris misericcrditèr nempe posse velle
the Spirit He 's the great agent in your Regeneration deliverance from Sins Soveraignty illumination conviction turning to God believing mortification c. from him your light life strength liberty joy peace do all proceed why do you not more love and honour the Spirit O love the Son for what hath been done without but love the Spirit also for what he hath done within the whole management of Soul-work within in order to salvation now lies upon the hands of the Spirit let him be adored and honoured by all Saints 2 To live under the Law of the Spirit As you have found the Law of the Spirit in your first Conversion so you should live under the Law of the Spirit in your whole Conversation There is the power of the Spirit at the first saving work that is here spoken of and there is in what sense you have heard the continuation of it in the whole life now this you are to labour after I mean two things 1. you are to live under the constant influences 2. under the constant government and rule of the Spirit Blessed is the man that hath it always working in him and ruling of him what a life doth he live who ever lives under the Spirits authoritative guidance Col. 3.15 Let the peace of God rule in your hearts c. I and let the Spirit of peace rule in your hearts 'T is a great motive to men to come under the rule of Christ to consider that where he rules there he saves and 't is also a great motive to sanctified persons to live under the rule of the Spirit to consider where he rules there he comforts his governing and his comforting go together he that is acted by the Spirits command and yields up himself to the Spirits guidance shall neither want peace here nor come short of Heaven hereafter 3 To set Law against Law Set Law against Law the Law of the Spirit against the Law of Sin You yet find too much of this latter Law and it goes to the heart of you that Sin should yet have so great a power over you well what have you to do in this case why set Law against Law power against power the power of the Spirit against the power of Sin this should humble you that should support you That power which could baffle Sin when in its full strength can it not subdue it in the remainders thereof that power which could bring you in to God in spite of all opposition is it not sufficient to keep you now you are brought in to God 1 Pet. 1.5 We are kept by the power of God through Faith unto salvation that very power is put forth for your establishment now which was put forth for your Conversion at the first ô fear not the Law of Sin against you so long as the Law of the Spirit is for you When you are beset and enemies press hard upon you see that you improve both for duty and comfort this power of Gods own Spirit Thus I have finish'd the three Observations which take in the summe of this Verse Rom. 8.2 Reader the Contents of this Chapter were insisted upon only in the close of a Sermon I having under the former Head the Law of Sin exceeded the bounds allowed by the Press cannot upon this Head the Law of Death make any considerable enlargement From the Law of Sin and Death CHAP. VIII Of the Law of Death The connexion 'twixt Sin and Death Where 't is the Law of Sin there 't is the Law of Death Regenerate persons are made free from this Law that opened with respect to Death temporal and Death eternal Vse 1. Men persuaded to believe that Sin and Death go together dehorted from thence not to sin Vse 2. Of the happiness of Gods people Of the Law of Death THe Apostle here sets a twofold Law before us the Law of Sin and the Law of Death the former I have been large upon the latter I must dispatch in a few words And Death The word Law is not repeated but according to that interpretation which some put upon the Words 't is to be * Ut Lex ad utrumque ex aequo referatur Erasm Of the twofold Sense of the Words repeated 't is the Law of Sin and 't is the Law of Death too as if the Apostle had said The Law c. hath made me free both from the Law of Sin and also from the Law of Death In the * See pag. 152. opening of them I told you there is a twofold Sense given of them 1. Some tell us there is in them the Figure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein one thing is set forth by two words therefore they render this and Death as being onely an Adjective or Epethite of Sin thus the Law c. from the Law of Sin and Death that is from deadly Sin or from the Law of Sin which is of a deadly nature 2. Others take the word substantivè making the Law of Death to be a Law by it self as well as the Law of Sin as if this Death was not to be melted into Sin and the deliverance from it into the deliverance from Sin but that they are distinct things and point to distinct deliverances Now both of these Senses are very true and good and indeed I know not which to prefer From the First The Matter contained in them one single point offers it self to us viz. That Sin is a deadly thing From the Second these three which mutatis mutandis perfectly answer to the three former under the Law of Sin 1. That men by Nature and before Regeneration are under the Law of Death 2. That upon Regeneration or such as are Regenerate are made free from the Law of Death 3. That 't is the Law of the Spirit of Life which frees from the Law of Death The due handling of these Heads would take up a great deal of time but I having already staid too long upon this Verse and upon some other Considerations I am necessitated to contract and therefore for the better shortning of the work I must pitch upon another method wherein I may draw all into a narrow compass Three things abserv'd in the Words That Sin and Death go together Three things onely shall be observ'd 1. That Sin and Death go hand in hand together There 's an inseperable connexion or conjunction betwixt them they come here in the Text very near each to the other there 's but an and betwixt them and that too is copulative the Law of Sin and Death And well might the Apostle put them together when God himself in the methods of his Justice and in the threatning of his Law hath so put them together and surely what he hath so joyn'd no man can put asunder When Sin came into the world Death came along with it the one trod upon the heels of the other if man will sin he shall
dye Rom. 5.12 Wherefore as by one man Sin entred into the world and Death by Sin even so Death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Ver. 17. For if by one mans offence Death reigned by one c. here 's Death and the Law of Death too by Sin it hath got a power over men so as to reign over them Had there been no Sin there had been no Death if man had continued in his sinless and innocent state he might have been * Vide Grot. de Sat. c. 1. p. 18. mortal i. e. under a posse mori he being but a Creature and made up of contrary principles but he had not actually dyed much less had he been under a necessity of dying if he had not sinn'd Death did not come into the world upon Gods meer dominion and Soveraignty or meerly upon the frailty of the humane Nature as Pelagians of old and (a) Mors non erat poena vel effectus transgressionis Adami sed conditionis naturalis consequens Socin de Statu primi hominis Vide Praelect Cap. 1. contra Paccium Cap. 5. Socinians of late assert but as the (b) Calov Soc. Prost p. 250. Hoorn Soc. conf vol. 1 l. 3. c. 4. p. 583 c. Franz Scho Sacr. Disp 1. p. 7. fruit and punnishment of Sin Immortality was a part of (c) Molin Enod Grav Qu. de statu Innoc. Tract 3. p. 62. Gerhard Loc. Com. de Imag c. t. 1. c. 4. p. 199. Zâ—â—em de Imag. c. c. 8. Art 2. Moretâ—n's threefold state of man p. 1. c. 2. p. 35. Gods Image at first imprinted upon man that image being defac'd mortality took place You know in Gods dealing with our first Parents how he back'd his Command or Prohibition with the threatning of death Gen. 2.17 Of the tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye they disobeyed this most equitable Commandment and thereby brought death both upon themselves Gen. 3.19 and also upon all their posterity Besides the guilt of this Sin made over to all mankind by imputation there is mens personal sin habitual and actual which renders them yet more obnoxious unto death and that too not onely to temporal but also to eternal death Rom. 6.21 the end of those things is death v. 23. the wages of sin is death The Apostle in James 1.14.15 treats of the first and last of Sin shows where it begins and where it ends sets down its rise progress and final issue But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed Then when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished it bringeth forth death Sin is the issue of Lust and Death is the issue of Sin So that our Apostle here in the Text might upon very good grounds link and couple Sin and Death Where 't is the Law of Sin there 't is the Law of Death 2. Observe that 't is the Law of Sin and the Law of Death which is here coupled together so that where 't is the Law of Sin there and there only 't is the Law of Death When Sin is reigning and commanding then 't is ruining and condemning 't is the power of Sin that exposes to the power of death Rom. 6.16 Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness 'T is true every sin in its own nature deserves death the Scripture knows no such thing as venial sin it being judge all and every sin is mortal indeed as to event the Apostle saith there is a Sin not unto death 1 Joh. 5.17 but as to merit every Sin be it what it will deserves death Yet God is so gracious as that Sin shall not condemn and end in death where it doth not command 'Pray mark it how in the words the Law of the Spirit is join'd with Life and the Law of Sin with Death as where the power of the Spirit is there is Life so where the power of Sin is there is Death I know the Death in the latter Clause doth not carry a direct opposition to the Life in the former for the Life there referring to Grace and Regeneration and not to Glory hereafter the Death which refers to eternal Condemnation and the misery of the future state cannot be look'd upon as directly opposite to that Life yet there is a truth in the Parallel As upon the Law of the Spirit there is Life spiritual and eternal so upon the Law of Sin there is ' Death spiritual and eternal too Further I know there is a great disparity betwixt the Spirits working Life and Sins working Death the Law of the Spirit works Life in the way of proper Efficiency and Causality the Law of Sin works Death only in a final consequential meritorious way yet here also we may speak by way of Parallel as the power of the Spirit works Life in its way so the power of Sin works Death too in its way That which I drive at is very plain if I be so happy as to express my self clearly about it Regenerate persons are made free from the Law of Death 3. Observe that such who are brought under the power of the regenerating Spirit they are made free from the Law of Death This was Paul's happiness here laid down and 't is the same to all that are regenerate the proof of which I need not insist upon for this deliverance undeniably follows from the former they who are made free from the Law of Sin by that Grace are also made free from the Law of Death it being the Law of Sin which subjects the Creature to the Law of Death The power or right of Death stands or falls by the power of Sin so that if the person be freed from the latter as you have heard every regenerate person is it certainly follows in the course and methods of Gods Grace that every such person shall be freed from the former too for the Law of Death is penal or the effect of the Law of Sin now take away the Cause and the Effect ceases Quest How is this to be understood But a little explication will be necessary How may Regenerate Persons be said to be made free from the Law of Death For answer to this Answ you know Death is either temporal or eternal I do not instance in spiritual Death because though 't is very true that the Saints upon the Law of the Spirit are made free from this Death yet I conceive that is not so much intended here the former lies in the separation of the Soul from the Body for a time the latter in the everlasting separation of both Soul and Body from the love and favour and presence of God This separation from God is
legis impotentiam aliò ut Legem absolvat à culpá quam dat carni viz. nostrae i. e. corruptae nostrae naturae Muscul Ne quis parum honorificè Legem impotentÃae argui putaret vel hoc restringeret ad Ceremonias expressit nominatim Paulus defectum illum non à Legis esse vitio sed Carnis nostrae corruptelâ Calvin through our Flesh 't is not so in and from it self but only through our depraved nature 't is meerly by accident et aliundè that it lies under this impotency The Law is not to be blamed but we had not we finn'd the Law would have been still as able and mighty in its operations as ever it was did it but meet with the same subject it would soon appear that it hath the same power which it had before Adam fell So that I say the Law is not at all in the fault but only we because of the Flesh Observe here the wisdom and care of our Apostle where-ever he seems to tax the Law there he will be sure to vindicate it As where he speaks of its irritating of corruption he there layes the blame upon his own wicked nature not at all upon the holy Law Rom. 7.8 9 10 11. Sin taking occasion by the commandment wrought in me all manner of concupiscence for without the Law sin was dead For I was alive without the Law once but when the commandment came Sin revived and I died And the commandment which was ordained to life I found to be unto death For Sin taking occasion by the commandment deceived me and by it slew me Yet vers 12 13 14. The Law is holy and the commandment holy and just and good Was then that which is good made death unto me God forbid But Sin that it might appear Sin working death in me by that which is good that Sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful For we know that the Law is spiritual but I am carnal sold under sin And thus we should carry it with respect to the Laws weakness O in it self 't is mighty and powerful but there is sin in us by which only the Law is made weak there therefore the blame must lye Could we but get rid of this Sin we should soon find what a mighty thing the Law is so mighty that nothing would be too high or too hard for it 2 Secondly Take heed that you do not cast off the Law upon this pretence 'T is indeed weak as to such ends but yet 't is a Law and that which is obligatory to all even to Believers themselves under the Gospel State and Covenant Shall we because of this weakness especially it being occasioned by our selves cast off the Law and pretend that we are not under the obligation of it we must not so argue Observe it in the Apostle even when he was proving the weakness of the Law as to Justification and shewing that God had found out another way for that viz. the way of Faith yet foreseeing that some might run themselves upon this rock and infer from hence that they had nothing to do with the Law he therefore adds * Rom. 3.31 Do we then make void the Law through Faith God forbid yea we establish the Law in its proper place and Sphere The Creature as a creature is under a natural and therefore indispensable obligation to this Law so as that nothing can exempt him from that obligation It commands to love fear serve honour obey God wherein it obliges so strongly that God himself with reverence be it spoken cannot free the creature from its obligation to these duties True indeed Believers are not under the curse rigor or bondage of this Law or under it as it is the condition of life but they are and it cannot be otherwise under the obligation of its commands as to an holy life There may be and blessed be God there is a great change as to circumstances a great relaxation as to the Laws rigors severitys and penaltys but for the main duties of Obedience and Holiness it is eternally obligatory and never to be abrogated O therefore do not look upon your selves as made free from this Law though it be weak and unable to justifie and save you it can damne upon the breaking of it though it cannot save by the keeping of it 3 Thirdly Neither must you upon this look upon the Law as altogether weak or useless I say not as altogether weak for though as to some things it be under a total impotency yet as to other things it still retains its pristine power It cannot take away sin or make righteous or give life which it promis'd at first and for which it was appointed for the commandment was ordained to life Rom. 7.10 here 's the weak side of the Law as to these 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But as to the commanding of duty the directing and regulating of the life the threatning of punishment upon the violation of it here it can do whatever it did before The Laws preceptive and punitive part where 't is not taken off by Christ are yet in their full strength only as to the promissory part of it viz. its promising life upon the condition of perfect Obedience there 't is at a loss In a word its authority to oblige to duty or punishment is the same that ever it was but its ability to give righteousness or life in which respects only the Apostle here speaks of it is not the same If God open this Law to you and set it home upon your Consciences you will find it hath yet a very great strength and efficacy in it let it not therefore be altogether weak in your eye Nor altogether useless For Some will be ready to say if the Law be thus weak then what use is there of it to what end doth it serve what is to be looked for from that which can do so little for us But do not you thus reason For though the Law be not of use to you as to Justification I mean in a way of immediate influence upon the Act or State a remoter influence it may have yet in other respects 't is of great and admirable use viz. as a Monitor to excite to duty as a Rule to direct and guide you in your course as a Glass to discover sin as a Bridle to restrain sin as an Hatchet to break the hard heart as a * Gal. 3.24 Schoole-master to whip you to Christ The Lord Jesus indeed hath taken Sin-pardoning God-atoning Justice-satisfying Soul-saving work into his own hands he would not trust this in the hands of the Law any longer because he knew the weakness of it but for other work the awakening and convincing of a Sinner the terrifying of the secure the humbling of the proud the preparing of the Soul to close with Christ though this last act be only eventual and accidental as to the Law all this work I
stand before him as in our flesh dying and suffering for it if God will become Man the guilt of meer man shall not be so able to damn as the merit of God-man to save O thou true penitent be thy sins never so many never so great yet do not give way to despairing thoughts Bring out thy sins * Dr. Sibbs on 1 Tim. 3.16 p. 59. saith one weigh them to the utmost aggravation of them and set but this in the other scale God manifested in the flesh to take away sin now will all thine iniquities seem lighter than vanity yea be as nothing in comparison of that which is laid down as a propitiation for them And again saith he What temptation will not vanish as a cloud before the wind when we see God's Love in sending his Son and Christ's Love in taking our Nature upon him to reconcile us by the Sacrifice of his blood But some may object 't is a great while since Christ took flesh and in that flesh made satisfaction to God is not the efficacy and merit thereof impaired by that no not in the least Christ's merits are as fresh and have as great an efficacy now as they had at the first moment of his Incarnation and Passion may not that of the Apostle Heb. 2.16 have some reference to this where he speaks of Christ's taking flesh in the Present Tense as if 't was done but now for 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he taketh not on him the nature of Angels but he taketh on him the seed of Abraham I speak this for the comfort of Christians but not so as to give advantage to the Socinian who because the words run in this Tense would therefore have them to be no proof of Christ's Incarnation Do your many defects the imperfections in your Graces and Duties trouble you you have Christ's perfect Manhood his perfect Holiness and Obedience in that Nature to fly unto The Apostle Col. 2. sets down the Hypostatical Vnion Vers 9. In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily well suppose it doth so what 's this to Believers why it follows immediately V. 10. And ye are compleat in him Christ being such a Person so full and perfect a Mediator in him every believer is and must be compleat So that though the sense of imperfections in your selves must humble you yet it must not overwhelm you because in Christ you are perfect Are you afraid notwithstanding all the Calls Invitations Promises of the Gospel yet to close with Christ O do not give way to such fears If you come to him cast your selves upon him will he cast you off he hath assur'd you he will not Joh. 6.37 Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast off Besides his word you have this to secure you he in his Person came from heaven to you and if you by Faith shall go to him do you think he will not give you kind reception I am sure and I will venture my Soul upon it that the gracious promises and encouragements of the Gospel to draw sinners to Christ shall all be made good for since he was pleas'd to take my flesh I have not the least reason to doubt but fully to be assur'd that he is real hearty in good earnest in all of them Many things of this nature might here be spoken unto but 't is full time to put an end to this subject ROM 8.3 4. And for sin condemned sin in the Flesh That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us CHAP. XIII Of Christ's being a Sacrifice and expiating Sin thereby A Fifth Head in the Words discussed viz. the End of God in sending his own c. or the Effect thereof How the Wisdom of God is secured by this End Of the placing of the Words for sin The whole a little descanted upon What the condemning of sin is opened more generally more particularly in three things The condemning of sin for sin opened a twofold interpretation given of it Of the Flesh in which sin is said to be condemned The Observation raised from the Words where 1. Of Christ's being a Sacrifice for Sin How he excels the Old Law-Sacrifices and of their reference to him Six things in those Sacrifices which are all to be found in Christ the true Sacrifice 'T is enquired 1. What a kind of Sacrifice he was proved that he was an expiatory Sacrifice Of the difference and distinction of the Jewish Sacrifices Four Heads insisted upon for the confirming of the main Truth As 1. that our sins were the meritorious Cause of Christ's Sufferings 2. that he did substitute himself in the Sinners stead where two Questions are briefly answered 1 Whether he underwent the same punishment that was due to the Sinner or only that which was equivalent thereunto 2 Whether he took the guilt of sin upon himself or only submitted to the punishment thereof 3. that he was killed and slain and his blood shed in correspondency with the Levitical expiatory Sacrifices 4. this is prov'd from the Ends and Effects of his Death viz. Atonement and Expiation both of which are opened Of the concurrence of the Heathens in their notions about Sacrifices 'T is enquir'd 2. When and where Christ was an expiatory Sacrifice 't is answered when he dy'd upon the Cross 2. Of the Effect of his Sacrifice the condemning of Sin Parallel expressions cited Of the nature of the expiation of Sin Of the extent of it with respect to the Subject and Object Whether were all Sins expiated by the Law-Sacrifices Use 1. I infer from the premises 1. The verity of Christ's Satisfaction 2. The true Nature and principal Ends of his Death 3. The vanity and falshood of all humane satisfactions 4. The true notion of the Lord's Supper 5. The happiness of Believers under the Gospel above theirs who liv'd under the Law 6. The excellency of Christ's Priesthood and Sacrifice 7. The Evil of Sin 8. The severity of God's Justice Use 2. Several Dutys urged from hence as Holiness the Love of Christ c. Use 3. This improved several ways for the Comfort of Believers A Fifth Head viz. the End of God in sending his Son c. or the Effects thereof IN the preceding Words God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh Four things have been observed and opened in these now read a Fifth Head offers it self to our consideration and that is the Effect of Christ's mission incarnation and of what followed thereupon or God's End in all this Did he pitch upon so admirable a Way and Method surely some high and glorious Effect must be produced thereby and so there was for thereby sin was condemned and surely too therein the Wise God must propound to himself some great and very considerable End to be accomplished and so he did for he aim'd at nothing lower than that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in Believers In the Words then
demanding of active Obedience must be taken in and that too as that which is primarily and principally intended by it therefore 't is (c) Significat eam rectitudinem quae praecipitur in lege P. Martyr Justitia quam Lex exigebat Vatabl. Totum quod Lex praecipit Alap 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ipsa legis praecepta c. Perer. Justitia Legis est justitia quam praecipit Lex Estius Implere justum legis est totum quod Lex precipit efficere Tolet. Ut justificatio legis i. e. justitia quam lex prescribit exigit impleretur c. Staplet Antidot p. 627. Ut ad impleret opus praeceptorum legis Ver. Aethiop Ut nos praestaremus omnia quae in lege Mosis per se honesta sunt Grot. Jus justitia justificatio legis in eo consistit ut per omnimodam cum lege conformitatem justi atque inculpati habeamur coram Deo De Dieu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is any thing that God hath thought meet to appoint or command his people Dr. Hammond generally opened by that The Scripture speaks of the Law of righteousness Rom. 9.31 of righteousness by the Law Gal. 3.21 of the righteousness of the Law Rom. 2.26 and in the Text Some difference there is betwixt these but that I shall not stand upon the latter is all that duty righteousness obedience which the Law requires with the penalty which it threatens and will have inflicted upon disobedience What is it to fulfil the Laws righteousness 3. We are to enquire what this fulfilling of the Laws righteousness is Answ The former Head being rightly apprehended there will be little or no difficulty in this To fulfil the righteousness of the Law 't is fully to answer all its demands to come up to perfect and universal conformity to it to do whatever it enjoyns or to suffer whatever it threatens or both For so it was fulfilled by Christ in his active obedience as to the one in his passive obedience as to the other as he was perfectly holy he did what the Law commanded and besides this as he was made * Gal. 3.13 a curse he underwent what the Law threatned 'T is questioned whether one of these be not enough for us either to obey or to suffer but all grant that both were necessary on Christ's part and that both were done by him and so he fulfilled the Laws righteousness This is the genuine and plain notion of the word yet I know other interpretations are given of it The righteousness of the Law was fulfilled inasmuch say * This interpretation noted and confuted by Burg. of Justific P. 361 362. some as that righteousness which it did foretel was actually accomplished in Christ Rom. 3.21 But now the righteousness of God without the Law is manifested being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets that righteousness which before was witnessed promised foretold in the Law receiv'd in Christ its full accomplishment and therein lies the fulfilling of its righteousness But this exposition of the word is I conceive not so proper to the thing here spoken of 't is another fulfilling which is here intended not so much that which is the bringing into act what was foretold or which is the verifying of a prophesie or prediction in which sense it hath usually joyned with it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Matth. 13.35 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Jam. 2.23 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Luk. 24.44 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Matth. 13.14 as the perfect obeying of what was enjoyned in the Command and the doing to the full what the Law as preceptive did require rather than what the Law as predictive did foretel Again * Bodius in Eph. c. 5. v. 28. p. 799. who yet afterwards sets down that notion which I close with Impleri quoque dicitur cum perfectè praestatur observatur quod â Christo pro nobis factum est etsi eâ praestatione vitam aeternam non dicatur nobis acquisivisse Some make this fulfilling of the Law to be no more than adeptio finis the bringing about of that which was the great end of it what was that why to drive Sinners to Christ By its discovering sin and guilt for the Law was added because of transgressions Gal. 3.21 and wrath the consequent thereof and the Sinners utter inability to help himself eventually it was a means to bring such to look out for help in Christ Therefore Gal. 3.24 't is said The Law was our School-master to bring us unto Christ and in this sense some take that passage Rom. 10.4 Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness i.e. that which God mainly design'd in the Law and which was the great end that he aimed at therein it was to drive Sinners to Christ to obtain righteousness in and through him This explication I do not close with neither for I suppose the Apostle is not here speaking so much of the fulfilling of the end of the Law as of the fulfilling of the matter of the Law for he speaks of that which is imputable to us as you will hear now 't is Christ's performing the matter of the Law and not the end of the Law in it-self which comes under imputation That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled that is say * Deodate in loc others that it might not be commanded in vain nor without effect as it is in respect of Vnbelievers But this exposition will carry us to that fulfilling of the Law which is in our own persons which is not here intended and this will better suit with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 2.26 and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 2.27 rather than with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the text These and such like explications of the word therefore being rejected I stick to that which was first laid down to fulfill the Laws righteousness it is fully exactly to do and to suffer whatever that righteous Law demanded How the righteousness of the Law may be said to be fulfilled in Believers 4. The resolution of the 4th Enquiry will take me up more time How are we to understand the fulfilling of the Laws righteousness in the Saints that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us he means in such who are in Christ Jesus and who do believe on him Every true believer is a fulfiller of the Law but how or in what sense he is so there 's the difficulty in one sense nothing more true in another nothing more false In the resolving of this a fourfold Answer is given and a fourfold Interpretation put upon the words The first Answer or Interpretation about it viz. that the righteousness of the Law is perfectly and personâ—lly fulfilled by the Saints themselves 1. First say some the righteousness of the Law is perfectly and personally fulfilled by the Saints themselves This the POPISH Writers in their
Polemical discourses and also in their Commentaries upon the Text do assert wherein yet to give every one their due they * Hinc Patet persolam Naturam Legem sine gratiâ Christi hominem in hâc corruptione non posse totam legem totumque Decalogum implere A-Lapide differ from the old PELAGIANS For whereas they held that a man by the meer power of Nature might perfectly keep the whole Law these hold that a man cannot do this without the assisting grace of God but that being vouchsafed they say regenerate persons may keep the whole Law Thus they expound the words and then from them they endeavour to prove against us a possibility of perfect obedience to the Law of God by the Saints in this Life insomuch that say they Saints may here live without all Sin Venial sins only excepted which break no squares betwixt God and the Creature that they may do all the good which the Law requires nay that this perfect conformity to the Law is not only possible but easie nay that such who are high in grace may not only do just what the Law demands but that they may superogate and do more than what it demands This is the Doctrine which †Concil Trident Sess 6. c. 18. Bellarm. de Justif l. 4. c. 10 c. Becan Man Controv. l. 1. c. 17. Perer. Disp 3. in c. 8. ad Rom. Ut justificatio Legis c. i. e. ut nos legem impleremus idque faciendo justi essemus quia factores legis justificabuntur Estius Peccato in nobis per redemptionis Christi gratiam abolito factâque cum Deo reconciliatione legem implere nobis est jam possibile facile Tolet. Vide Justinian Catharin Staplet Rhemists in loc c. Nemo miretur quod dixerim posse nos absque omni culpâ absolute esse Nam iterum dico posse per Dei gratiam libetum arbitrium hominem perfectam assequi justitiam coram Deo immunitatem scilicet ab omni peccato modo voluntas ejus non desit adjuvante diviná ope C. Mussu◠they of the ROMISH-Church teach and maintain with great zeal We are not asham'd to declare * See Calvin Instit l. 2. c. 7. sect 5. Chemnit Exam. De bonis Operibus 3. Qu. p. 181. Chamier t. 3. l. 11. Whittak contra Duraeum de Parad. l. 8. p. 201 202. Bradsh de Justif c. 11. our dissent from them in this proud Opinion which in a great measure owns its descent from the old Pharisees We believe that since Adams fall no man Christ only excepted did ever thus in himself fulfil the Laws righteousness Indeed in the state of innocency man had a power to do this but not since and to hold the contrary is to confound the two states and to make little difference between man as standing and man as fallen The Laws righteousness is a draught or copy of mans primitive holiness so that to say that he can now in himself come up to that righteousness is in effect to say he is as holy and righteous as ever he was and no wayes impaired by Adams Fall By that we are all made unrighteous and such as are unrighteous can never perfectly fulfil a righteous Law He must be sinless do no evil who will exactly reach the Laws righteousness but are any * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Constit l. 2. c. 18. such here on earth 1 Kings 8.46 There is no man that sinneth not Eccles 7.20 For there is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not Jam. 3.2 In many things we offend all 1 Joh. 1.8 If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Prov. 20.9 Who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sin reade Psal 130.3 Psal 142.2 Job 9.2 3. Job 15.15 c. Rom. 3.19 Gal. 3.22 Further he must not only do good all good but he must do it in the most intense and highest degree that he is capable of or else he doth not fulfil the Laws righteousness Matth. 22.37 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy Soul and with all thy mind but where 's the man who thus loves God now if there be but a * Peccatum est cum non est charitas quae esse debet vel minor est quà m esse debet Aug. de Perfect justitiae gradual defect the Law is not fulfilled It s righteousness extends to the inward man and to the inward acts the Soul as to external acts if evil especially if grossely and scandalously evil 't is possible for one to refrain from them if good 't is possible for one to come up to them but this will not amount to the perfect keeping of the Law unless there be an abstaining from Heart-evils from evil thoughts and concupiscence within so Christ the Maker and Expounder of the Law opens it against the Pharisees Matth. 5. and unless also there be the doing of what is good from a right principle to a right end If the righteousness of the Law did lie only in external acts something might be said but when it reaches to internal acts who can say that there all is right O how great is the Laws strictness Deut. 5.32 Ye shall observe to do therefore as the Lord your God hath commanded you you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left And its demands are so severe that if you fail in any one point you are gone you fail in all Gal. 3.10 Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them Jam. 2.10 For whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all and if so he must be strangely arrogant and ignorant too that will pretend to come up in himself to the Laws righteousness If any could so do to him the reward would be reckoned not of grace but of debt Rom. 4.4 his justification would be by works whereas the Scripture excludes any from being justified that way Rom. 3.19 20. Gal. 2.16 his righteousness would be of the Law and so as to him Christ died in vain Gal 2.21 If the Laws righteousness was fulfillable in this sense why did the Apostle in the Verse foregoing speak of the Laws 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or weakness whence doth that proceed but from our weakness and utter inability perfectly to obey it If it be said as it is that Christ came in flesh for this very end to take off this weakness that we might be able fully to keep it in our own persons that we peremptorily deny he came that the righteousness of the Law should be fulfilled for us and in us imputatively but not personally Had he designed the latter 't is strange that we should not have one Instance in all the New Testament of
nobis factus est sub lege ut eos qui sub lege erant redimeret idcirco utraque pars obedientiae Christi i. e. tota ejus obedientia nostra facta est cessitque in salutem nostram Zanch. in Phil. c. 2.8 p. 115. See Calvin Instit l. 2. c. 16. sect 5. This way goes Junius in thes de Justif Polanus in Syntag. l. 6. c. 36. in Comment in Dan. p. 186. c. Brocmand de Servat Jesu Christo Art 16. Sect. 12. Qu. 4. Gomarus de Justif against Kargius Rivet against Camero Lutius against Piscator and Gataker Downeham of Justif l. 1. c. 4. p. 24. c. Burgesse of Justif 2. part Serm. 34. p. 338. Divines of great note and that not only by some of them by the by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also by others who do largely insist upon the proof and making of it good against those who think otherwise The Reasons upon which they ground this Opinion are such as these 1. Arg. for the imputation of Christ's active Obedience 1. As the disobedience of the first Adam in which he brake the Law is imputed to men upon which they become guilty so the Obedience of Christ the second Adam even that in which he kept the Law must be imputed also to them that thereby they may be made righteous For their guilt and righteousness must not only be convey'd in the same way or manner viz. by imputation but these being opposites must proceed from like opposite Causes and therefore if their guilt arises from Adams breach of the Law which is imputed to them answerably their righteousness must arise from Christ's Obedience to the Law which therefore must also be imputed to them So the Apostle draws the parallel or comparison Rom. 5.19 As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Where observe 1. He speak of Christ's Obedience in the general by the obedience of one c. wherefore to limit this to one branch of his Obedience his passive obedience as though by it alone Sinners were made righteous is neither safe nor warrantable 2. If we will proceed in that way so as to single out this or that part of Christ's Obedience and ascribe righteousness to it then the Antithesis will carry it for his active rather than for his passive Obedience for that being the Obedience which stands in direct opposition to Adams disobedience it must by the rules of Opposition most properly here be understood 3. The Apostle makes the imputation of both to run parallel according to the acts and effects which are proper to each As by the disobedience of one many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous So that as the one act is imputed for guilt so the other is imputed for righteousness and as in the one person he being a publick person and Head we broke the Law so in the other he being a publick person and Head too we perform the Law If it be said that Adams disobedience did not lie in the transgression of the Moral Law but only of that particular positive Law which God gave him of not eating of the tree of knowledge and so that Christ's Obedience did not lie in the keeping of the Moral Law but in his obeying of that positive Law which God laid upon him namely of laying down his life which if so then the Text proves nothing of that for which 't is alledged but rather the quite contrary I answer though 't is very true that in Adams disobedience immediately and proximately there was only the transgressing of that positive Law yet in the transgressing thereof there was virtually and collaterally the breach of the whole Moral Law all this Law being * In hâc lege Adae datâ omnia praecepta condita recognoscimus quae posteà pullulaverunt data per Mosen c. Igitur hâc generali primordiali Dei Lege omnia praecepta Legis posterioris specialiter indita fuisse cognoscimus quae suis temporibus edita germinaverunt Tertull. adv Jud. c. 2. summ'd up in and guarded by that Lex primordialis as Tertullian calls it The Argument then from the comparison holds good as Adam violating the Moral Law his active disobedience is imputed for guilt so our Lord Jesus obeying the Moral Law his active obedience thereunto is imputed for righteousness which is the thing to be proved 2. That Obedience of Christ must be imputed without the imputation of which the righteousness of the Law is not 2. Arg. or could not be fulfilled in believers this cannot be deny'd for 't is brought in here expresly as the end of God's sending his Son that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us Now I assume but without the imputation of Christ's active Obedience the Laws righteousness is not and could not be fulfilled in believers ergo This I prove from what hath been already said the Laws righteousness consists in two things 1. in its requiring perfect conformity to its Commands 2. in its demanding Satisfaction or the undergoing of its penalty upon the violation of it This being so how can the Laws righteousness be fulfilled in Saints either by the active or by the passive Obedience of Christ apart and alone put them both together and the thing is done there is that in both which is fully adaequate to the Laws demands but divide them and it is not so The passive Obedience satisfies as to the Laws penalty and secures from the Laws curse but where 's our performing of the Duty which the Law requires if the active Obedience be not imputed also And 't is conceived that this righteousness of the Law doth mainly and primarily refer to the preceptive and mandatory part of the Law and but secondarily to the penal and minatory part of the Law For in all Laws Civil or Sacred that which is first intended in them is active Obedience the bearing the penalty is annexed but to further and secure that so that he who only bears the penalty doth not answer the first end and the main intention of the Law Whence I infer since the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in believers as the Apostle here saith it is that therefore the commanding part of the Law must be fulfilled in them that being the main branch of its righteousness and that which is principally designed by it but that cannot be unless the active Obedience of Christ be imputed to them This Argument with submission to better judgments is to me of great weight And I desire the words may be well observed 't is not said that the righteousness of the Law might be endured suffered or undergone by us as if it did relate to the penalty of the Law but that the righteousness of the Law might be filfilled in us which surely most properly must relate to the doing part of the Law doth he
yet in your sins un-justified persons you lie open to the wrath of that God whose Law you have violated can make no good claim of life for the Law is not done its condition of life is not performed and which is very dreadful if the Laws righteousness be not fulfilled in you the Laws curse will most certainly be inflicted upon you God will have a perfect righteousness and obedience some where or he will not justifie and save if therefore the perfect righteousness and obedience of Christ be not imputed to you what will you do what will become of you wo to that man who when he shall come at the great day to stand before God's Tribunal shall not be judg'd in and through Christ a fulfiller of the Law that shall then be found without the garment of Christ's imputed righteousness how will the Law fall upon him for non-obedience and thereupon demand satisfaction of him in the suffering of eternal torments Pray think of this in time so as to get an interest in Christ's fulfilling the Laws righteousness Some dispute whether his righteousness be imputed to any let your enquiries you taking the thing in thesi for granted be about something else viz. whether in particular it be imputed to you and what you may be and do that it may be imputed to you For your direction and help in both of these enquiries look to three things Vnion with Christ Faith the Spiritual conversation these are the evidences of the priviledge and also especially the two former the grounds and means of obtaining it The us of whom the Apostle speaks in whom the Laws righteousness is fulfilled are 1. Such who are in Christ 1. Cor. 1.30 2. Such who believe Rom. 3.22 Rom. 4.24 Phil. 3.9 3. Such who live the Spiritual Life for so they are here characteriz'd that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit So that would you either know whether Christ obey'd the Law for you and that that his obedience be imputed to you or would you take some course in order to the securing of this grace to your selves these are the things which your eye must be upon that you be in Christ that you be true believers that you be holy and spiritual in your walking God never intended that his Sons Obedience should be imputed to any but only to such as these 2. You who pretend to the having an interest in this glorious priviledge I would with the greatest earnestness exhort you to go as far in your own persons as is possible in the fulfilling of the Laws righteousness And this I would with the more vehemency press upon you because of those ugly aspersions and calumnies which some do cast upon this precious Truth and the worthy Assertors of it How do * Ita nunc juxta hujus bestiae Sanctimoniam he means Beza renatus in Christo credens in eum Christi que justitiam forti fide apprehendens fornicetur inebrietur omni spurcitiâ contaminetur peccatum pro nihilo habetur utcunque supersint reliquiae ejus in nobis Staplet Antidot p. 630. Haec 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sunt daemonum praestigiae quibus Legem Dei eludere c. Vid. Conâ—â—â—n in loc Qu. 1. Papists let fly whole volleys of bitter invectives against Protestants because they assert the imputation of Christs Obedience and so expound these Words And there are some Others who are high enough in their censuring and calumniating of this Doctrine as if it tended to nothing but to make men careless and loose and profane as if it opened a wide door to all licentiousness and did cut the sinews of all piety and godliness O therefore I would intreat you to be the more strict exact holy obedient in your course that you may live down all these scandals and that your conversation may be a â—isible confutation of them 'T is no new thing for the Doctrines of imputed righteousness of not resting on the Law for justification the decrying of Works for righteousness the crying up of Faith as the great condition of righteousness and life I say 't is no new thing for these evangelical Truths to be reviled by some and perverted by others Therefore as to the latter the Apostle when he was speaking of them was fain ever and anon to interpose something by way of Caution that he might obviate those misinterpretations perversions abuses which some might make of what he had said * Rom. 3.31 Do we saith he make void the Law †Gal. 2.17 is Christ the minister of sin And surely we have need to do the same as to that which I am upon O say some did Christ in our stead obey the Law is his fulfilling the Law made over to us then we have nothing to do we are under no obligation on our part to obey too is not Christ's perfect fulfilling the Law enough what can be further required of us what need we trouble our selves about any obedience or holy walking But God forbid that any of you should thus reason We are indeed too prone to such reasonings 't is very natural to us to catch at any thing that may comply with the gratifying of the flesh and with the easing of us as to the severities of an holy obediential course and hence it is that we suck poison out of the sweetest flowers turning the grace of God into wantonness But I assure you there 's nothing in Christ's Obedience and in the imputation thereof that hath any tendency or gives any encouragement or patronage to any such loose inferences for though he obey'd the Law for us yet we our selves must obey it too his obedience must not justle out ours both together upon different accounts do very well agree Indeed he having obey'd the Law we are not bound to obey it for such an end as for satisfaction and merit for righteousness and life yet in other respects and for other ends as that we may conform to the Will of God and so please him that we may in our sphere imitate our holy Saviour that we may testifie our love and gratitude to God c. so we are as much bound to keep and obey the Law as ever O 't is such an excellent Law in the commands and injunctions of it that all should delight in conforming to it as 't is the Law of works calling for perfect and personal Obedience and giving no strength thereunto so 't is burdensom but as it is puts the creature upon works and is the rule and matter of obedience so the gracious Soul will delight in it Wherefore though Christ hath fulfilled it for you yet it becomes you too to live in all obediential complyance with it and subjection to it And I say herein go as far as is possible You cannot perfectly fulfil it blessed be God that is not required of you but yet you should do as much
Gospel as well as under the Law Page 13 'T is not only No Condemnation to Believers but positive Salvation Page 16 Of the dreadfulness of Condemnation Page 25 How it may be avoided Page 32 Persons exempted from it are to be thankful and chearful Page 37 c. What the Condemning of Sin is Page 460 There may be troubles in the Conscience after Sin and yet Sin may reign Page 212 The Contrariety of the two Walkings Page 95 The Corrupt Nature set forth by Flesh Vide Flesh The Covenant of Redemption touched upon Page 298 Of the New Creature Page 65 Of the crucifying the Flesh Page 66 D. The Law of Death opened Page 152 249 Sin and Death go together especially when 't is the Law of Sin Page 250 How the Regenerate are freed from the Law of Death Page 253 c. Comfort from hence to such against the Fear of Death Page 257 In temptations to Sin 't is good to consider that 't is Sin and Death Page 254 Comfort to Believers as to Death from their Vnion with Christ Page 81 Christ's Death a strong Dissuasive from walking after the Flesh Page 128 The main Ends of Christ's Death made good against the Socinians Page 518 c. Man had not died if he had not sinned Page 250 Of the Saints Dignity from their Vnion with Christ Page 96 Of the Dominion of Sin See the Law of Sin E. The converting Spirit works efficaciously and irresistibly Page 234 Of the spiritualness of a mans Ends. Page 111 Expiation of sin by Christ's Sacrifice Page 449 That finished on Earth not done in Heaven Page 505 The Nature of this Expiation Page 510 The Extent of it Page 511 Vide Sacrifice F. God the Father's Love to be admired in his sending of Christ Page 303 Saints are to think well of God the Father as well as of God the Son Page 305 Faith the Bond in the Mystical Vnion Page 49 Faith to be repeated in fresh applications to Christ Page 553 There are but few in Christ Page 118 Flesh is in the Best Page 91 All particular Sins comprehended in Flesh Page 97 Of being in the Flesh and walking after the Flesh ibid. Flesh taken for corrupt Nature Page 99 Why that is set forth by Flesh Page 100 Flesh considered more Generally Page 99 Particularly Page 101 The Philosophical notion of Flesh and Spirit Page 105 What it is to walk after the Flesh Vide Walking What the Flesh is by which the Law is made weak Page 263 Of Christ's being sent in Flesh that opened Page 375 He did not bring his Flesh from Heaven Page 376 Of the verity of his Flesh against the antient Hereticks Page 377 379 380 That proved ibid. How he was sent in the likeness of sinful Flesh Page 406 c. And but in the likeness of sinful Flesh Page 410 c. Of the excellency of Christ's Flesh Page 417 He as sent in Flesh is to be believed on Page 424 Of Freedom from the Law of Sin Vide the Law of Sin Freedom from its Guilt and from its Power Page 150 Of Christ's Fulfilling the Law Vide Law G. The eternal Generation of Christ the Son of God proved Page 324 c. The difference between that and common Generation Page 356 Its mysteriousness Page 354 Of the excellency of the Gospel and Christian Religion Page 415 The Priviledges of Believers under the Gospel above those under the Law Page 450 Grace set forth by Spirit and the Reasons why 't is so Page 104 c. There should be in Saints a Growth in Spiritualness Page 137 Of the Spirits being a Guide Page 108 Whether Christ took our very Guilt upon him Affirmed Page 490 H. Heaven made credible upon Christ's Incarnation Page 447 Holiness press'd from Vnion with Christ Page 75 From being made free from the Law of Sin Page 225 From the Incarnation of Christ Page 437 The Holiness and sinlesness of Christ's Humane Nature Page 411 The necessity thereof Page 414 The difference of the Humane Nature as in Christ and as in us Page 386 Of the advancement of the Humane Nature by Christ's assuming it Page 451 Christ to be highly Honoured 'T is shewn wherein Page 363 Humiliation the way to Consolation Page 5 6 Saints to be humbled that they were so long under the Law of sin and that sin still hath such a power in them Page 217 c. As also that there should be that Flesh in them by which God 's own Law is made weak Page 271 Humility press'd from Christ's taking our Nature Page 437 Of the HypostaticalVnion Vide Vnion I. About the Idem and the Tantundem With respect to Christ's Sufferings Page 489 To his Active Obedience Page 608 c. Of the Imputation of Christ's Active Obedience Vide Obedience How the imputation thereof is to be stated Vide ibid. The Incarnation of Christ largely discoursed of Page 372 c. His Mission and his Incarnation two distinct things Page 376 The Latter not impossible not incredible Page 386 The Grounds laid down why Christ was Incarnate Page 387 c. Prophesies and Types of it ibid. Seven Propositions insisted upon for the explication of it Page 393 c. What benefit had they by Christ who lived before his Incarnation Page 397 Why he was Incarnate just at that time when he was incarnate Page 398 A firm Assent is to be given to the Verity of Christ's Incarnation as also a firm Adherence to him as incarnate Page 420 c. Many other Duties urged from this Incarnation Page 426 c. As also the Comfort of it to Believers is set forth in several Particulars Page 441 c. Whether if Man had not sinned Christ had been incarnate Neg. Page 406 Of Inclinations Good or Evil and their difference in the Godly and Others Page 110 The severity of God's Justice in Christ's being a Sacrifice Page 543 The Law unable to Justifie Page 266 Whether there be two distinct integral parts of Justification Page 602 In the Justifying of Sinners God proceeds upon the fulfilling of the Laws righteousness Page 610 As to Christ we are justified by Works as to our selves by Faith Page 610 L. Law of Sin what it is Page 151 What the Law of the Spirit is Page 159 All Vnregenerate persons under the Law of Sin Page 169 c. How Sin is a Law opened in the proper improper notion of a Law Page 172 c. Wherein Sin acts as a Law Page 177 How it may be known when it is the Law of sin That particularly opened Page 179 c. All the Regenerate are freed from the Law of Sin Page 154 203 c. They are freed from Sin only as 't is a Law Page 149 203 206 Their freedom from the Law of Sin proved from Scripture and Argument Page 207 c. How fâ—r men may go and yet not be freed from the Law of Sin Page 210 A serious Exhortation to all to get free from it
Page 214 c. One Direction given in order to it Page 217 What is incumbent upon those who are made free from the Law of Sin Page 217 c. Comfort to such Page 225 c. Of the Law as weakned by the Flesh Of what Law doth the Apostle speak Page 259 How 't is said to be weak Page 263 Wherein 't is weak Page 260 266 267 Grounds or Demonstrations of its weakness Page 268 Yet the Law is holy and good and 〈◊〉 disparag'd by this Page 272 c. Nor to be cast off as useless Page 274 Nor is it altogether weak in other respects Page 275 There 's no looking for Justification or Righteousness by the Law Page 276 c. Of the Law as Christ fulfilled the righteousness thereof Page 567 Which is to be understood of the Moral Law ibid. Of the Righteousness of that Law Page 569 In what respects Christ is said to fulfil it Page 570 584. How the Laws Righteousness is fulfilled in Believers Four Opinions about it Page 572 c. Christ was made under the Law opened in Five things Page 579 Whether the Law requir'd both Suffering and Doing too Page 600 Of the Honour that God had for his Law Page 611 All to get an interest in Christ's fulfilling the Law Page 612 Believers themselves to go as for as ever they can in the fulfilling of the Law Page 613 The admirable Love of Christ in being willing to be made under the Law Page 616. The Comfort that resâ—â—ts from thence to Believers ibid. Christ hath fulfilled the Moral Law but we our selves must fulfil the Evangelical Law Page 615 Saints being made free from the Law of Sin must stand fast in their Liberty Page 219 And walk suitably to it Page 225 Also be very thankful for it ibid. Christ to be loved greatly for his readiness to come when he was sent Page 306 The Love of the Father in sending Christ Page 366 Of Lust or Lusts the most natural act of the Flesh Page 101 c. Lusts distinguished Page 102 121 M. Of Christ's Manhood Page 375 He was a real Man Page 377 Had a Soul and Body as we have Page 383 Yea he submited to all our sinless Infirmities Page 385 The excellency of Christ's Manhood Page 419 Marks and Signs grounded upon Sanctification not to be neglected under the Gospel Page 115 Our Sin the Meritorious Cause of all Christ's Sufferings Page 467 Whether there be a Medium betwixt not guilty and righteous Page 601 Of Christ's Mission V. Sending The Misery of all out of Christ Page 25 The Moral Law as given to Israel not only a Covenant of Works Page 260 N. The two Natures in Christ united but not confounded nor converted Page 403 Negative Promises carry a great Emphasis Page 16 Negatives in Religion not sufficient Page 94 O. Of Christ's Obedience Active and Passive Page 570 His Obedience imputed to us Page 576 He being bound to obey how doth his Obedience become imputable to us or meritorious for us That cleared up in Three things Page 582 Whether his Active as well as his Passive Obedience is imputed Four Opinions about it Page 585 c. Arguments to prove its imputation Page 588 c. Whether it be imputed as done in our stead Aff. Page 595 Arguments to prove it Page 596 c. Ten Objections against both answered Page 598 c. Though Christ obey'd yet we also are bound to obey Page 606 The Opposition which Sin makes to what is good Page 178. P. Against PAPISTS it is proved That in all in this life there is that which deserves Condemnation Page 8 That inherent Righteousness is not the proper Cause of Justification Page 145 That their granting of Christ's being come in the Flesh doth not acquit their Supream Head from being Antichrist Page 421 That no man in this Life doth or can personally and perfectly fulfil the Law Page 572 That their Calumnies against Protestants as if they were against Inherent Righteousness and Good Works are false and groundless Page 116 That their Humane Satisfactions are vain and groundless Page 523 That the Lords Supper is not a Sacrifice but a commemoration only of Christ's Sacrifice Page 528 c. Pardon of Sin plenary Page 14 Persevenrance inferr'd from Vnion with Christ Page 83 Of the different Principles by which men are acted Page 105 The Spirit the Principle in the Regenerate Page 107 Sin the Principle which acts the Vnregenerate Page 175 176 All the Promises seal'd by Christ's taking Flesh Page 443 When Propensions to sin are entire it is the Law of Sin Page 180 Protestants Vindicated Page 116 The people of God are lyable to Punishment for sin Page 7 But not under the notion of Satisfaction or in a vindictive way Page 524 R. Christ's fitness to be a Redeemer Opened in some Particulars Page 299 c. The Work of Redemption a great Work Page 352 All Believers have an equal share in Remission Page 15 Remission of Sin not the fulfilling of the Law Page 577 Of the Necessity and Efficacy of Renewing Grace Page 200 Also of the necessity and mighty power of Restraining Grace Page 197 Resurrection sure from our Vnion with Christ Page 82 Also from Christ's Incarnation Page 446 The Laws Righteousness Page 569 S. Christ a real proper Sacrifice for sin proved Page 471 All the old Sacrifices Types of Christ the great Sacrifice Page 472 They receiv'd all their virtue from him Page 473 They all began and ended with him Page 478 Six Things in the Levitical Sacrifices all which are answerably to be found in Christ Page 476 Christ a propitiatory and expiatory Sacrifice Page 478 Four Heads much enlarg'd upon to prove Christ to be such a Sacrifice Page 481 Of Atonement and Expiation and the true notion thereof by his Sacrifice according to what was done by the Jewish Sacrifices Page 494 c. to 502 c. Christ was a Sacrifice when he dy'd upon the Cross That proved Page 504 c. Of the Nature and Extent of the Expiation of Sin by Christ's Sacrifice Page 508 c. The excellency of Christ's Priesthood and Sacrifice Page 539 Duties incumbent upon us in reference to this Page 544 c. The Comforts which flow from it to Believers Page 560 c. Whether the old Sacrifices were meerly typical Page 474 The Division and Distinction of the Jewish Sacrifices Page 479 Whether they did expiate all sin opened Page 511 Of the Gentile Sacrifices and their notions in them Page 502 c. Evangelical Sacrifices now to be offered up by Christians Page 558 Salvation under the Law and Condemnation under the Gospel Page 14 The truth of Christ's Satisfaction proved Page 515 The Vanity of Humane Satisfactions Page 523 c. Of the Sending of Christ Page 282 c. When the case of Sinners as to the Law was desperate Christ was sent Page 282 God the Father sent him Page 283 Christ came not till sent Page 288
wickedness O let such take heed lest God hear them in a dreadful manner I hope I speak to none of these you I trust have a dread of God and of the things of eternity upon your spirits let exempt on from Condemnation be the matter of your prayer and do but joyn the right manner with the right matter and this will secure your Souls forever God never yet condemned a praying man he that fears and prays shall never feel what he fears and prays against Fifthly 5 Dir. Make sure of Faith I mean true saving justifying Faith where that is yea but the least dram of it there shall be no Condemnation It secures from this both as 't is the Grace which unites to Christ and also as 't is the great condition of the Gospel upon which it promises life and salvation Unbelief is the damning Sin and Faith is the saving Grace If thou be'st a sincere Believer 't is not only thou shalt not be condemned but thou shalt most certainly be saved both are sure from the frequent often repeated declarations attestations promises of the word the whole Gospel-revelation centers in this God is as gracious to acquit justifie save the Believer as he is righteous to charge punish condemn the Unbeliever He * Gratia Dei speranda est acceptanda ad normam propositum miserentis Dei reque enim convenit or quiâ—condemnationis reusest formulas Gratiae praescribat ei à quo justè potest condemnari sed requiritur ut praescriptum Gratiae ab allo accipiat grato animo amplectatur Muscul in praefat ad Ep. ad Rom. may set down what condition or conditions he pleases in order to the giving out of his grace which when they are performed he is engaged to make good what he promises upon them O therefore get faith for this is the grand Gospel-condition if you believe not the Gospel it self cannot save you if you believe the Law it self cannot condemn you I do not enlarge upon these things 6 Dir. because that Direction which is proper to the Text is this As you desire No-condemnation get into Christ so as to be in Christ Jesus For they and they only are the persons who are out of the danger of Condemnation The Priviledge and the Subject are of the same extent and latitude just so many as are in Christ are safe and no more If thou beest one of these do not fear if otherwise do not flatter thy self with false presumptuous and ungrounded hopes All that were not in the Ark perished in the common Deluge all out of Christ are lost When 't is a Christ 't is no Condemnation when 't is no Christ 't is nothing but Condemnation When the guilty pursued Malefactor had got into the City of Refuge then he was secure O thou poor awakened Sinner fly to Christ 't is for the life of thy precious Soul and get into Christ the alone City of Refuge for the poor guilty Creature then Guilt many pursue thee but it shall never hurt thee And here I would admonish all to take up with nothing short of Vnion with Christ You are members of the Church but are you members of Christ you are joyned to the Church upon Baptism but are you joyned to Christ by a true and lively faith here lies your security from Condemnation The first Adam hath brought Guilt upon us and consequently Death how we being united to him So the second Adam frees us from this and makes over righteousness to us how in the same way and upon the same ground viz we being united to him without this all that Christ is hath done or suffered will avail us nothing But I shall more fully insist upon this in that which will follow VSE 3. Believers are to admire God for exemption from Condemnation Thirdly I would speak to those who are in Christ to excite them to be very thankful and highly to admire the Grace of God What No condemnation not one condemnation O the riches the heighths bredths depths lengths of the love of God! How should such be even astonished because of this inexpressible mercy They who deserve millions of condemnations that yet there is not one condemnation belonging to them they that have in them matter enough to condemn them over and over that yet they shall never be condemned how should God be admired by those to whom this blessedness belongs Such as are not in this state how should they be filled with self-awakening thoughts such as are in this state how should they be filled with God-admiring thoughts O you that are in Christ what will you think of this happiness when you shall see it accomplished the truth is as Sinners will never know nor ever be suitably affected with their misery till they feel it in Hell so the Saints will never know or be suitably affected with their happiness till that day shall come wherein they shall be put into the possession of it in Heaven When God shall pick and single you out of the common crowd and shall say I here acquit you before all the world from all your guilt I here pronounce you to be righteous persons and I will by no means pass a condemnatory sentence upon you though I know what I might have done to you and what I will do to others I say when it shall come to this how will your Souls be drawn out and if you had a thousand more Souls how would they all be drawn out in the adoring and magnifying of the Grace of God! But something should be done now whilst you are here though but in the hopes and expectation of this felicity Where there is no condemnation there should be much thankfulness How doth the Traitor admire the grace and clemency of his Prince who sends him a pardon when he expected his tryal and sentence to dye And as you must be thankful to God the Father so in special to Jesus Christ 't is he * 1 Thes 1.10 who hath saved you from wrath to come 't is he who was willing to be condemned himself that he might free you from condemnation judgment passed upon him * Is 53.8 he was taken from prison and from judgment that it might not pass upon you he was * Gal. 3.13 made a curse that he might deliver you from the curse when Adam had entail'd guilt and wrath upon you Christ came and cut off this sad entail and procur'd justification for you * Rom. 5.18 As by the offence of one judgment came upon all to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all to justification of life 'T is upon Vnion with him that there is no condemnation to you O let your whole Soul go out in thankfulness to Christ He as your Surety paid your debt else you had been arrested and thrown into prison forever in him there was nothing to deserve condemnation and yet he
Vincula Vnionis the Means or Bonds of this Union the Spirit and Faith 5. Here is also the Effect or Consequent upon this Union namely mutual and reciprocal Communion each with the other This will be opened in what will follow Only at present let me open the fourth Head the Means and Bonds of the Mystical Union In all Unions there is something which binds and knits Thing and Thing Person and Person together what is it then which binds knits conjoyns Christ to Believers and Believers to Christ I answer 't is the Spirit and Faith The Spirit unites Christ to us and Faith unites us to Christ First the Spirit is the bond of this Union on Christs part for by this he takes possession of Believers * Christ lives in us not by local presence but by the special supernatural operation of his Spirit Perkins upon Gal. 2.20 p. 216. dwells in them lays hold of them apprehends them as the word is Phil. 3.12 In * De Trinit de Poenit. Tertullians Dialect Spiritus nos Christo confibulat the Spirit doth joyn and button Believers to Christ And then Faith is the bond or ligament on our part Eph. 3.17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts how by Faith Christ lays hold on us by the Spirit and we lay hold on him by Faith he comes to us by the Spirit and we go to him by Faith The Spirit of God does not only discover and make out the Union of the Soul with Christ Hereby we know that he abides in us by the Spirit which he hath given us 1 Joh. 3.24 but he works promotes and brings it about As 't is in that Vnion which is amongst the Saints themselves * 1 Cor. 12.13 by one Spirit they are all baptized into one body So 't is in the Vnion which is betwixt Christ and them by this One Spirit they are all made one with Christ Therefore saith the Apostle * Rom. 8.9 If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his he means he hath neither interest in him nor union with him And then there is Faith which unites on our part for that is the uniting Grace the Sinew or Ligament which knits and binds the Soul to Christ that by which the Soul clasps and clings about Christ By faith we apply our selves to Christ and Christ to our selves and that application is the ground of union So also by Faith we * Joh. 1.12 receive Christ upon which receiving of him we are united to him and made one with him The spiritual ingrafting too is by this as you may see Rom 11.19 20 and this is our eating Christs flesh and drinking-Christs-blood upon which he dwells in us Joh. 6.56 Thus the Union is brought about both on Christs part and on the Believers part and this is the Mystical Vnion Of the Law-Vnion Secondly There is the Legal or Law-Vnion betwixt Christ and Believers The ground of this Union is Christs * Heb. 7.22 Suretyship he as the Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Surety struck hands with God as the word imports put himself into their stead took their debt upon himself and bound himself upon their account to make satisfaction to God Now from this act of Christ there results that Law-Vnion which I am upon Saints as 't is said by some are united to Christ three ways Spiritu Carne Vadimonio as they are partakers of his Spirit as he hath assumed their Nature and as he hath engaged for them as there Sponsor or Surety You know in Law the Debtor and the Surety are but one Person the Law looks upon them as One and makes no difference betwixt them and therefore both are equally liable to the debt and if the One pay it 't is in the eye of the Law as much as if the Other had paid it So 't is with Christ and us he is our Surety for he took our debt upon himself engaged to pay whatever we owed as * Philem. 18.19 Paul once did to Philemon for his Onesimus entred into bond though not with us yet for us Upon this Christ and we are but One Person before God and accordingly he deals with us For he makes over our Sins to Christ and also Christs righteousness and satisfaction to us he now in a legal notion looking upon both but as One person And this Consideration is of great use and so accordingly 'tis improved by the Orthodox against Socinians to clear up and confirm those great Truths which concern Christs Sufferings and the Believers benefit thereby For if it be ask'd How could Christ he being a Person perfectly innocent suffer in a penal manner as he did he being altogether guiltless in himself how could the Father with justice fall upon him as though he had been guilty Or grant that he did thus suffer yet how can any good by his suffering redound to others I say if any shall raise such Questions the Answer is ready That Christ and Believers in Law are but one Person he having submitted to be their Surety in a voluntary substitution of himself in their stead and susception of their Guilt whereupon it came to pass that their Guilt was imputed to him upon which the Father might without the least impeachment of his justice severely fall upon him and his righteousness merit satisfaction was imputed to them for that being performed by their Surety 't is theirs to all intents and purposes as if they had perform'd it in their own persons Briefly upon this Law-Vnion resulting from Christs Suretiship our Sins were very well imputable to him and his merits to us This doth so exactly fall in with the common notion and case of Suretyship amongst Men that I need not any further insist upon the illustration of it The Adversaries therefore who deny that Christ either did or could suffer in the Sinners stead or that there is any imputation of his Merit to Believers are so pinched with this his being a Surety that they oppose it to their utmost wholly deny that too and are feign to make good one denial with another But here I digress Two things I shall add upon this Head and then dismiss it 1. That the Oneness of Person 'twixt Christ and the Saints which hath been affirmed of them more than once or twice in the opening of the matter in hand is not to be carried further than that particular Sense and respect in which 't is affirmed I mean this They are not one Person in respect of Nature Essence or any personal Vnion onely they are so in respect of that Mystical and Legal Oneness of Person that is betwixt them And this latter Oneness is very well consistent with the different Natures of the Subjects united though the former is not so 2. That this Law-Vnion is only proper to Christ the Second Person The mystical and the moral Union in some sense doth reach to the other Persons
in the eye of the world We walk in the Flesh 't is as if he had said we are poor frail mortal men as well as others made with them of the same flesh living in the same flesh and incompassed with the same infirmities of flesh and there is nothing from our outward condition and appearance to gain us any honour esteem or success amongst men thus saith the Apostle we walk in the Flesh But then he adds we do not war after the Flesh h. e. we do not carry on our work and business as we are the Apostles and Ministers of Christ by the flesh it is not humane power or any fleshly advantage which we go upon 't is only a divine power that helps assists and prospers us by vertue of which God's work in our hands doth and shall go on in spite of all opposition from Men and Devils This clearly seems to be the Apostles meaning for it immediately follows v. 4. The weapons of our warfare are not fleshly and carnal but spiritual and mighty through God Well! but now walking in the Flesh or after the Flesh here in the Text carries a quite other sense along with it For the finding out of which we must first enquire what is meant by Flesh Now as to this Enquiry to give you the several acceptations of the word Flesh would be both tedious and unnecessary Expositors generally agree about its sense in this place only I find some few a little varying in their Explications of it They by Flesh here understanding at least wise taking in that sense as well as that which is usual and common the Jewish * Fortasse per Carnem Ceremonias Legis intelligit vultque dicere Christianos illos à condemnatione exemptos liberos â—ffe qui Christo Jesu serviunt non carnali illâ ceremoniarum observatione sed spirituali Mussus Ceremonial Law with the several rites ceremonies appurtenances thereof and so they make the Words to run thus Such are exempted from condemnation who serve the Lord Jesus Christ not according to the fleshly observation of the Ceremonies of the Law but in a spiritual and evangelical manner Now 't is true those may come under this title of Flesh for they are called carnal ordinances Heb. 9.10 and Paul in part speaking of them calls them Flesh over and over Phil. 3.3 4. Yet I conceive they do not fall within the great intendment of our Apostle in these words Our * There is therefore now no obligation lying on a Christian to observe these Ceremonies of Moses's Law Circumcision c. nor consequently danger of damnation to him for that neglect supposing that he forsake those carnal sins that the circumcised Jews yet indulged themselves in and perform the evangelical obedience in doing what the mind illuminated by Christ directs us to that inward true purity which that circumcision of the flesh was set to signifie that is now required by Christ under the Gospel Dr. Hammond learned Annotator in his Paraphrase upon the Text and also upon the following Verses though for the main he opens it as Others do yet he makes it more specially to refer to the Jews as under the Law and to Christians as under the Gospel What there may be of that notion in the Words I shall not meddle with but rather come to the general and unquestionable interpretation of the word Flesh as 't is here used Where I will consider it 1. more generally 2. more particularly Of Flesh in its more general Notion 1. More generally So Flesh in Scripture commonly notes that corrupt sinful depraved vitiated nature that is in man as he comes into the world This Nature is variously set forth Sometimes by the old man so Eph. 4.22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the Old man c. Sometimes by the Law in the members warring against the Law of the mind so Rom. 7.23 Sometimes by Sin in the general so Rom. 7.8 Sin i e. the corrupt Nature taking occasion by the commandment wrought in me all manner of concupiscence Sometimes by indwelling sin so Rom. 7.17 Sometimes by the sin which doth so easily beset us so Heb. 12.1 And sometimes by Flesh so here and so in several other places Joh. 3.6 That which is begotten of the flesh is flesh Joh. 1.13 Born again not of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Rom. 7.18 I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing and v. 25. So then with the mind he means the renewed and sanctified Nature I serve the Law of God but with the Flesh he means the corrupt Nature the Law of Sin Gal. 5.17 The Flesh lusteth against the Spirit c. Once indeed in Scripture this corrupt Nature is set forth by Spirit Jam. 4.5 The Spirit that is in us lusteth to Envy but usually 't is set forth by Flesh And several Reasons might be given of that appellation I 'le name some few but will not in the least enlarge upon them The sinful Nature in man is stiled Flesh Why the corrupt Nature is set forth by Flesh 1. Because 't is convayed and propagated as the Flesh is 2. Because 't is propagated by the Flesh or by fleshly generation 3. Because 't is very much acted in the Flesh or fleshly part 4. Because 't is nourished strengthened and drawn forth by the Flesh or by fleshly Objects 5. Because of its baseness sordidness and degeneracy And by the most of these things the corrupt Nature in Man is distinguished from the corrupt Nature of the Apostate Angels Their's is set forth by * Eph. 6.12 spiritual wickedness because it vents it self in spiritual not in carnal acts such as are envy hatred pride blasphemy fretting at God himself and at his dispensations c But Ours is set forth by the Flesh because 't is conveyed through the Flesh and acted in the Flesh and drawn forth by the Flesh What it is to walk after the Flesh in the general notion of it Now if you take Flesh in this general notion then to walk after it it 's this To have the corrupt sinful Nature to be a mans principle and guide and Not to walk after the Flesh 't is not to have that Nature to be ones principle and guide For the Text brings in these two Flesh and Spirit as different and opposite principles and guides and therefore they who make Flesh their principle and guide they walk after the Flesh as they who make the Spirit their principle and guide they walk after the Spirit Take men our of Christ and such as are unregenerate they walk after the Flesh how why Flesh is their principle and Flesh is their guide the Flesh is that which they act from there 's their principle and 't is that which they act by there 's their guide That which is the spring of action that 's the principle that which puts upon and orders
though it be not a Law to them a residence in them though it doth not reign over them a mansion though it be cast out of dominion There are none on this side of Heaven so pure but that there is some mixture in them they have corruption as well as grace as the best grain hath its chaff and the brightest marble its spots and flaws the Regenerate themselves whilst here on earth are but like gold in the ore which hath much of baser matter mingled with it O this Sin cleaves fast to us it will live as long as we live and will not dye till we dye 't will be in the Soul so long as the Soul is in the Body upon Conversion 't is cast down but not wholly cast out and therefore all that we can safely ground upon from the Text or that is designed in the present Truth is deliverance onely from the Law of sin 'T is here according to what you read of * Dan. 7.12 Daniel's Beasts they had their dominion taken away yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time Sins dominion at the the first moment of the Sinners Conversion is taken away yet for some time it lives and hath a being in the Soul Or as you read of the Canaanites they were to be be divested of all their power yet God for some reasons would have them to * Exod. 23.28 c. continue in the Holy Land and not cut them off all at once just so he orders it with his people in reference to Sin You have in the Words according to some a double freedom one from Sin and another from Death now we are not absolutely freed from Death but only from the Law of it that is from the tyranny and curse of it so neither are we absolutely freed from Sin but only from the Law of it that is the power and tyranny of it Nay 2. Even the deliverance of regenerate persons from the power of Sin must be taken but in a limited and qualified sense Not as if they were wholly freed even from that so as that Sin should have no power in them for as to that too in this life they come short Alas 't is the affliction of true Converts not only to have Sin Habitual and Actual but which is much worse that Sin hath a great power and strength in them and over them True indeed it hath not such a power in them as it hath in the Vnregenerate for its power is very much broken and is not so entire and absolute in them as it is in the other yet it hath too much of power even in them also By which I do not mean only Sins * Of these things and of Sins Dominion as to the whole read Sedgwick's Anatomy of Sin ch 4. molesting power as it can and doth here greatly mobest disturb disquiet trouble vex the deerest of Gods Children nor onely Sins assaulting power as it can and doth often invade and set upon the Saints wherever they are or'whatever they are about in order to the overcoming of them nor onely Sins tempting and provoking power as it doth strongly excite urge provoke sollicit them to what is evil we may go higher than so it hath a worser power than all these namely a prevailing power now at some times and in some cases Gods own people may be brought even under that O Sin may carry the day and be victorious over them it may with great efficacy and success prevail even in them both in the keeping of them from what is good and also in the drawing of them to what is evil Is this a thing to be questioned though the truth of it is much to be lamented do we not see it by sad experience made good in our selves and others did not Paul himself who here saith he was made free from the Law of Sin yet which hath often come in my way a little before when he was in the same state in which here he was make sad complaints about it I find saith he a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me as if he had said others may dream of perfection and please themselves with the thoughts of their high attainments but as to my self I cannot pretend to any such thing for my part I find a Law c. there is such a Law such a corrupt cursed nature in me which hath too much strength and power over me and saith he this Law I find I plainly perceive it and cannot but take notice of it I do not onely hear of it but I find and feel it in my self in the sad fruits and effects of it yea saith he this is no weak or languid thing but that which hath a great power in me for it wars against the law of my mind and leads me captive c. thus this great Saint did groan under Sins power And if a Paul thus complains how may others complain if Sin had such a power in him what hath it in poor Christians of a far lower size and sâ—â—â—â—re We have too many Instances not onely of the having and bare inbeing of Sin but of the prevailing power of Sin even in truly yea eminently gracious persons David commits adultery plots the death of Vriah numbers the people c. Noah is drunk Lot incestuous Hezekiah proud Job impatient Peter denies Christ c. ô the strength and efficncy of Sin even in the Regenerate themselves It may and it doth sometimes prevail in the strongest though it never rules in the weakest yet you must know that these partial successes of Sin do not amount to the Law of Sin it may conquer and yet not command its prevalency doth not evince its regency the Invader may win the field in some barrels and yet for all that not be upon the throne But I say Sin pro his nunc may have a prevailing power even over the best notwithstanding their being made free from the Law of Sin All then that we can warrantably and truly fix upon in this matter is this that such who are in the state of grace in whom the Spirit hath wrought as the Spirit of Life they are made free from the Law of Sin that Law being taken in its strict and proper notion according to the explication which hath been given of it and as noting something more than the bare power of Sin with respect to some particular acts In some sense Sin may be said to be a Law in the regenerate namely in regard of that power and strength which it hath in them but yet 't is not a Law to the regenerate because they do not own it or submit to it as to that which hath the authority or dominion over them You have heard there are two things which make Sin to be a Law One is authoritative commanding on its part the Other is full and free resignation on the Sinners part to its Commands and impulsions now the
be told there 's poyson in it and that if he drinks it he 's a dead man ô the stupendious folly nay madness of men we tell them from Gods own mouth there 's death at the bottom of sinful practises and yet because these suit with and please their sensual part they will venture upon them The fear of temporal death to be inflicted by the Magistrate keeps off many from those enormous acts which otherwise they would commit they dare not thus and thus transgress the Law by stealing killing c. though they have a good mind to it why because they know if they so do they must dye Ah Sinner God backs his Laws with the penalty of eternal death to which thou makest thy self liable by the violation of them and yet wilt thou dare to do it shall the fear of this not at all restrain thee from what is evil Here 's the Devils cunning in his temptations he presents the bait but hides the hook he tempts from and by the pleasure delight contentment that is in sin but conceals the death that will follow upon it nay he doth not onely conceal the evil threatned but either in thesi or in hypothesi he flatly denies it This lying Spirit will tell the Sinner he may sin without danger what dye for it no there 's no such thing thou shalt not dye Thus he began in his first assault upon our first Parents Gen. 3.4 And the serpent said to the woman ye shall not surely dye and thus he doth with Sinners to this very day He always sharpens his temptations by blunting the edge of the Laws threatning assuring the poor besotted Creature that he may sin and yet not dye Now I beseech you do not hearken to him or believe him for he is what he always was a lyar and so a murderer Joh. 8.44 Let the temptation be never so inviting and alluring yet 'pray consider * 2 Kings 4.40 death is in the pot and therefore there is no meddling with it let the enticements of Sin be never so specious and plausible yet know nothing less than eternal death will inevitably follow upon it and doth not the evil of that infinitely weigh down all the good which Sin promises Sin is the falsest thing in all the world its promises are very fair but its performances are quite contrary it pretends to this and that which takes with the Sinner exceedingly but the very upshot and end of all is everlasting destruction Suppose it be as good as its word as to some temporal concerns yet alas its good is soon over and gone but its bad abides forever the pleasant taste of its hony in the mouth is but short but its gall lies fretting in the bowels to all eternity now what madness is it for a man for a few minutes delight to run himself into everlasting and endless torments 'T is one of the saddest things that is imaginable that men do and cannot but know that 't is Sin and Death and yet in a stâ—â—nge defiance of God and in a bold contemning of all that he threatens yea even of eternal death it self they will venture upon Sin Rom. 1.32 Who knowing the judgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death not onely do the same but have pleasure in them that do them But surely did they but know and consider what this death is they would not carry it thus I cannot now enter upon any particular description of it onely let me tell them what there is in it the absence of all good the presence of all evil is not this enough that in short 't is the summary and abridgment of all that misery which the Humane Nature is capable of and should not such a thing make a poor Creature tremble As to this death the Sinner would fain dye but cannot he must live though he be dead even whilst he lives at the * Mors prima pellit animam nolentem de corpore mors secunda detinet animam nolentem in corpore Aug. de Civit. Dei l. 21. c. 3. first death the Body and Soul are loth to part but in the second death they would fain part if they might but the just God will keep them together that as they sinn'd together so they shall suffer together What a sad meeting will there be 'twixt these two at the general Resurrection when they shall be reunited onely in order to their being eternally miserable Now do not Sinners tremble at this do they not dread that which will bring all this upon them if not what can we further say or do As to you dearly Beloved I hope you are not given up to a reprobate mind to this desperate hardness of heart to make nothing of dying eternally 'pray therefore * Psal 4.4 stand in awe and sin not do not dare to live in that for which you must dye and perish forever let Sin dye that you may never dye for it must be either its death or yours If you live sin you love death and is death a thing to be lov'd Prov. 8.36 He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own Soul all they that hate me love death Methinks that 's a very sad description of the carriage of the poor amorous Wanton under the enchantments of the whorish Woman Prov. 7.21 22 23. With much fair speech she caused him to yield with the flattering of her lips she forced him He goeth after her straightway as an oxe goeth to the slaughter or as a fool to the correction of the stocks Till a dart strike thorow his liver as a bird hasteth to the snare and knoweth not that it is for his life Sirs will you carry it thus under Sins enchantments not considering that it aims at your life and exposes you to eternal death A fool sees but a little way but a wise man looks to the issues and consequences of things you know what I mean Simply to dye is not so much but to dye eternally ô that 's a formidable thing as you would shun that shun sin for itâ— house is the way to Hell going down to the chambers of death Proverbs 7.27 VSE 2. Comfort to all Regenerate Persons 2. Let the people of God see their happiness and take the comfort of it You that by the power of the regenerating Spirit are made free from the Law of Sin know that upon this you are also made free from the Law of death ô precious and admirable mercy what a cordial is this to revive you under all your faintings As to temporal death you are not wholly exempted from it that 's common to you as well as to others yet 't is a quite other thing to you than what it is to others ô whenever it shall come bid it welcome and do not * Non est formidandum quod liberat nos ab omni formidando Tertull. Ejus est mortem timere qui ad Christum nollet
Mihi placet ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nominativus positus sit absolutè loco Genitivi ut sensus sit cum enim effet impossibile c. Erasm Fateri necesse est Panli orationem mutilam esse imperfectam nifi dicamus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 positum esse absolute loco secundi Casus quo Graeci eo firmè modo utuntur quo Latini Casu auferendi c. Justin Some would read it absolutely and change the Nominative Case into the Genitive the Greeks using that Case as the Latines do the Ablative in that form of expression thus for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they turn it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law being unable in that it was weak through the flesh God sent c. Some take it in the Accusative Case and put in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the impossible part of the Law God performed or made good by the sending of Christ Some change the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 putting in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what was the impossible of the Law or to the Law that God supplied by the sending of his Son this comes neerest to our Translation * Impossible legis i. e. impossibilitas implendae legis ex eo procedebat quoniam Lex infirma erat per Carnem Tolet. Some make the impossibile Legis to be taken Substantivè for impossibilitas implendae Legis which impossibility of fulfilling the Law proceeded from hence because the Law was weak through the flesh ‖ So Camerarius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Articâ constructione usitatà accipi commodè potest pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza Propter impotentiam Legis eò quod per camem erat infirmata Pare Some tell us the Words are an Atticism and they make a double Atticism in them 't is first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then the sense of them runs thus For the impotency and inability or because of the impotency and inability of the Law therefore God sent his Son The * Quùm impotens esset Lex propter infirmitatem carnis c. V. Syr. Ob defectum virium legis quo laborabat in carne c V. Arab. Et cum impotentes cramus ad praestandum mandata legis c. V. Ethiop Ancient Versions bring it in with a Since or Because Since there was an utter impossibility or inability in the Law to justifie or recover lost man therefore God pitch'd upon another way viz. the Incarnation Obedience Satisfaction of his own Son I thought it not amiss to put down these several Explications and Readings of the Words for the satisfaction of more inquisitive persons concerning the Expression it self and the Coherence of the Matter but as to the plain Sense that our Translators as I said before give us very well For what the Law could not do or because of the Laws inability to do in that it was weak through the flesh therefore God sent his Son c. The Sum of the Words in Two Proposi ions I pass from the Letter of the Words to the Matter contain'd in them and that may be sum'd up in these Two Propositions 1. There was something to be done by and for the Sinner 1. Prop. which the Law could not do it was under an impossibility of doing it 2. Therefore the Law could not thus do 2. Prop because it was weak through the flesh For the better understanding of which Propositions 4 Questions answered it will be necessary to resolve these Four Questions 1. Of what Law doth the Apostle here speak 2. What was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which the Law could not do 3. How is the Law said to be weak 4. What is meant by the Flesh from which the Laws weakness proceeds First Of what Law doth the Apostle here speak 1. Quest What Law is here meant when he saith What the Law could not do I answer Of Gods own Law and that too in its strict and proper acceptation Answ For the Word Law is taken sometimes in an improper allusive Metaphorical notion as in the Verse foregoing where you read of the Law of the Spirit and of the Law of Sin which is nothing but the power and commanding efficacy of the Spirit and of Sin But here in this Verse 't is to be taken in the strict and proper notion of a Law viz. as it notes that declaration or revelation which God the great Law-giver hath made of his Will therein binding and obliging the reasonable creature to duty I know Some understand the Law here of that * Lex mentis quae impleri non poterat propter carnem peccati Tolet. Crediderim ego non hic legem Mosis sed legem illam mentis accipiendam esse Justin Potest de lege mentis intelligi quam supra dixit velle facere bonum sed per infirmitatem fragilitatem carnis implere non posse Orig. Law of the Mind spoken of Chap. 7.23 which lies in strong propensions efficacious and commanding impulsions to what is holy and good springing from the Sanctifi'd nature in regenerate persons But I conceive this interpretation is not so genuine nor so well suiting with the Apostles Scope in the words where he is treating not of the Law which is in some persons but of the Law which is imposed upon all of that Law the righteousness of which was to be fulfilled as it follows Vers 4. and therefore it must be understood of Gods own Law that being it which Christ was to fulfil and satisfie and not any other Law Since then the Words point to the Law of God we must bring the Question into a narrower compass and enquire What Law of God is here spoken of For answer to which that I may as much as I can avoid unnecessary excursions I shall only say this That 't is either that Primitive Law which God impos'd upon Adam and in him upon all mankind upon the keeping of which he promised Life upon the breaking of which he threatned death it being the Summary of the Covenant of Works Or else 't is that Law which God gave the people of Israel from Mount Sinai namely the Decalogue or Moral Law Which Law was but a new draught of the Law first made with Adam for that being by his Fall much defac'd nay almost quite obliterated as it was written in his heart it pleas'd the Lord to copy it out again and to write it afresh in Tables of Stone in fair and legible Characters And this too was a Scheme or Transcript and Summary of the Covenant of Works first made with Adam though it was not given to the people of Israel purely and absolutely as the Covenant of Works for in reference to its end and design there was much
in it of the Covenant of Grace For Matter and Substance they were both but one and the same Law the Terms and Conditions of both were the same * Rom. 10.5 Do and Live but there were certain appendixes of Grace to the Moral Law which were not in that made with Adam in the state of innocency as is fully made out by several * Camero de tripl Foedere Coceius de Foedere Bulkely on the Covenant p. 57. Writers upon the Covenant so that it was a mixt thing there being something in it of the Covenant of Works and something also of the Covenant of Grace Now the Law considered as first given to Adam and then as renewed to the people of Israel so far as in both it was the Covenant of Works is the Law here spoken of as being concluded under an impossibility of doing what was requisite to be done 'T was not the Ceremonial Law which the Apostle here had in his eye but the * Legem dicit non praecepta Sacrificicrum et caetera quae erant umbra usque ad tempus Christi data sed illam quam c. Hieron Quare nihil est quod quisquam cavilletur illud quod Paulus ait Impossibile fuisse Legi non ad Moralem sed ad Ceremonias referri P. Martyr Moral Law it self which if it was necessary might be evinc'd by several Considerations but this one is enough he speaks of that Law the righteousness of which was to be fulfilled in Believers For Law in the 3 verse must be expounded by Law in the 4 verse now 't is the righteousness of the Moral Law which is fulfilled in us Ergo. 'T is very true Paul insisting upon the Laws weakness doth sometimes direct his discourse to the Ceremonial and sometimes to the Moral Law and it would be of great use to us to understand his Epistles if we could exactly hit upon the true notion of that Law of which he occasionally speaks but undoubtedly here 't was the Moral Law as the Covenant of Works of which he affirmeth that it could not do c. Let this suffice for answer to the First Question The Second is 2d Quest What is the thing which the Law could not do What doth this impossible of the Law refer to or what is the thing in Special which the Law could not do To this 't is answered several wayes You read vers 1. of exemption from condemnation now this the Law could not do the Law in separation from Christ and especially in opposition to Christ can condemn millions but it cannot save one person from condemnation thus * c. nempe condemnationem ab homine auferre Piscat Some do open it You read vers 2. of being made free from the Law of sin and death herein too was the Law impotent it might lay some restraints upon sin but it could never bring down the power of Sin †Aptissimus mihi sensus videtur ut illa verba non modo sequentia sed multo magis praecedentia respiciant c. ut in carnis contumaciam domandam vires non haberet Contz Some apply it to this There is the blessed empire or regency of the Spirit over the Flesh as also the full and perfect obeying of the Laws commands neither of these could the Law effect so ‖ Duo quantum ad propositum spectar subordinata sunt quae Lex nequit efficere Alterum est Dominium Spiritus super carnem alterum hinc consequens est perfecta praeceptorum Legis executio Cajet Cajetaine opens it There is the amendment and reformation of the life and manners this the Law could not do this explication †Dr. Hammond Some six upon The Text speaks of the condemning of sin this the Law could not do it can condemn the Sinner but it cannot in a way of expiation condemn sin it self So * Quae erat impossibilitas Legis nempe id facere quod Deus deinde fecit in Carne Filii sui condemnare peccatum Lud. De Dieu De Dieu paraphraseth upon it ‖ Quid est illud quod legi erat praestitu impossibile Abolere peccatum reddere justos liberare à jure peccati mortis dare ut justitia quam docebat exigebat in nobis impleretur Muscul Musculus puts many things together What is it saith he that was impossible to the Law he answers to abolish sin to make righteous to free from the Law of Sin and Death to give that the righteousness which it taught and exacted should be fulfilled in us All these several explications are very true but further there 's the reconciling of God and the Sinner the atoning and propitiating of an incensed God the satisfying of infinite justice the paying of vast debts contracted the justifying of the guilty the giving of a right and title to Heaven with many other such-like great things Now the Law was under an impossibility of doing or effecting any of these insomuch that God must send his Son or no * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athan. Significat Legem fuisse imbecillem invalidam ad justificandom hominem Peter Disp 3. in c. 8. ad Rom. justification no reconciliation no atonement no satisfaction no paiment no pardon no righteousness no salvation which will be by and by particularly made out in the two most eminent branches of the Laws impotency I must mind you that I am in all this speaking of the Moral Law The inability of the Ceremonial Law abstracted from Christ who was the pith and marrow and who put energy and efficacy into all the types rites shadows of that Law I say its inability to do any thing further than to point or direct and lead to Christ is easily granted 'T is the very thing which the Apostle largely insists upon the proof of in his excellent Epistle to the Hebrews Chap. 7.18 19. For there is verily a disannulling of the Commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof for the Law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope did by the which we draw nigh unto God Heb. 9.9 Which was a figure for the time then present in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices that could not make him that did the service perfect as pertaining to the conscience So Heb. 10.1 For the Law having a shadow of good things to come and not the very image of the things can never with those Sacrifices which they offered year by year continualy make the commers thereunto perfect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here 's a total negation of the power of the Ceremonial Law And that Law had its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also for the Apostle adds vers 4. it is not possible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the blood of Bulls and Goats should take away sins thus it was with that Law of which 't is very clear Paul speaks in these places And it was
but little better with the Moral Law it self though that was a far higher and better Law even this was and is as weak as the former This very Law which is so much for doing which requires and commands the creature to be so much in doing it self can do little or nothing The lost Sinner hath great things to be done by him and for him but in all these the Moral Law though God's own Law and an excellent Law cannot without Christ give the least help or assistance to him The Third Enquiry is 3d Quest How the Law is said to be weak What is the weakness of the Law here spoken of The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Answ which is used to set forth any debility or weakness whether it be natural or praeternatural as being occasioned by some bodily disease or distemper in which Sense 't is often used in the New Testament 'T is applied here to the Law and 't is brought in as the ground of its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before mentioned Else where the Apostle uses it he speaks of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the weakness of the Commandment Heb. 7.18 And speaking of the ordinances rites injunctions of the Ceremonial Law he calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 weak and beggarly elements Gal. 4.9 Here in the Text an higher Law was in his eye and yet he attributes weakness to it also it could not do because it was weak and it was weak because it could not do for these two do reciprocally open and prove each the other And let me add that this weakness of the Law is not * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex quâ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nascitur virium non imbecillitatem sed omnem destitutionem declarat Beza Non dicit quod Legi erat grave difficile sed quod c. quibus sanè verbis adimit Legi in universum justificandi vim c. Muscul Infirmitatem Legis accipe quomodo solet usurpare Apostolus vocabulum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non tantùm pro modicâ imbecillitate verùm pro impotentiâ ut significet Legem nihil prorsus momenti habere ad conferendam justitiam Calv. Quamquam per verbum infirmari 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab Interprete versum sit vis tamen illius verbi Graecè potius significat vires nullas quam imbecillas Salmer tom 13. p. 532. gradual or partial but total 't is not the having of a lesser strength but 't is the negation of all strength 't is so weak that it hath no power at all to accomplish what is here intended The Apostle carries it up to an impossibility he doth not say it was somewhat hard or difficult for the Law to do thus and thus or that it could do something though but imperfectly but he says this was impossible to it as being utterly above its power and ability A man that is weak may do something though he cannot do it vigorously exactly and throughly but now as to Justification and Salvation the Law considered in its self is so weak that it can do nothing it cannot have the least influence into these effects further than as God is pleased to make use of it in a preparatory or directive manner It s weakness as to the great things of the Gospel is like the weakness of the body when 't is dead 1 Cor. 15.43 It is sown in weakness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is the same word with that in the Text concerning the Law it is raised in power a dead body is so weak that it cannot put forth one vital act it may be weak in part whilst it lives but when 't is dead it lies under a total weakness Such is the weakness or impotency of the Law in reference to the taking away of guilt and the making of a person righteous before God Fourthly 4th Quest What are we to understand by Flesh It will be query'd What the Flesh is here by which the Law is made thus weak The word Flesh occurs thrice in this Verse c. Answ in that it was weak through the Flesh God sent his Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh and for sin condemned sin in the Flesh As 't is us'd in the first place it carries in it a very different sense from what it doth in the two following places and t is not unusual in holy Writ for one and the same Word in one and the same Verse to be taken in different senses as you may see Matth. 26.29 Matth. 8.22 When 't is said the Law was weak through the Flesh here Flesh is taken Morally for the corrupt nature in man but when 't is said God sent his Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh and so on there Flesh is taken Physically for the humane nature of Christ But to come to the business in hand The Law was weak through the Flesh By this Flesh the Manichees of old understood the very being and substance of Flesh that which constitutes the body in man but this interpretation is rejected by all Origen with some others expounds it of the * Puto quod stance of Flesh that which Legem Mâ—sis in duas partes Apostolus dividat aliud in eâ carnem aliud Spiritum nominat et illam quidem observantiam quae secundum literam geritur sensum caruis appellat illam verò quae accipitur spiritualitèr Spiritum nominat Impossibile Legis cò quod c. Intellectus qui secundum literam est accipi potest ipse enim impossibilis erat c. Orig. Vel per carnem infumabatur Lex i. e. per carnalem intellectum et per carnalem observantiam erat imbecilla non per seipsam Anselm Per Carnem h. e. Per carnalem Legis intelligentiam sive carnis infirmitatem cui deerat Evangelica Gratia Erasm Origenes Per Carnem intelligit crassam literalem et carnalem Legis intelligentiam atque etiam Legis infirmitatem in eò collocat quod impossibile fuer it Legis Ceremonias omnes secundum Carnem i.e. secundum Literam observare A. Lapide Ceremonial Law with respect to the gross and literal sense and meaning of that Law Now 't is true as hath been already observed that that Law may be stiled Flesh because it lay very much in fleshly things 't is called the Law of a carnal commandment Heb. 7.16 it stood only in meats and drinks and divers washings and carnal ordinances imposed till the time of reformation Heb. 9.10 And 't is also most true that they who looked no further than the fleshly part the letter of that Law who did haerere in cortice and only rodere literarum ossa as the Jews did to them it must needs be weak and unable to bring about any Evangelical and saving good But this is not the Law as you have heard which the Apostle here doth mainly intend * Distinguit hoc loco impurissimus ille scriptor Legem
in Carnem et Spiritum c. Beza in loc Beza is very sharp against Origen for this his exposition of the flesh Cajetaine interprets it of the Carnal state of the Jews under the Law they being in that state by means thereof to them the Law was weak But as to this explication our learned ‖ Dr. Hammond in Annot. a Annotator well observes that Flesh here is not so properly the State of men under the Law as that which is the means by which occasionally the Law became weak and unable to restrain men viz. the carnal or fleshly appetite which is so contrary to the proposals of the Law therefore he expounds it by that and †Caro i.e. carnales Judaeorum affectus vires ejus retuderant Act. 13.38 Heb 9.15 Grot. Grotius before him went the same way The fullest and best interpretation of this Flesh and that which is most * Per Carnem i. e. vitiatam hominis naturam Piscat c. i.e. Per camis desideria et per fomitem vitiorum qui est in came Anselm Ideo lex infirma est quia in vitiatam naturam incurrit P. Mart. Quum vel Legem infirmatam fuisse c. nemo sibi finget damnari hic substantiam carnis aut naturam corporis nam haec à Deo creata sunt bona sed per Carnem intelligit pravitatem corruptionem quae per lapsum Adami transivit in nostrum genus Idem generally followed is this 't is the corrupt sinful depraved nature that is in fal'n man O this is that which puts such a weakness and inability upon the Law to help and recover the undone Sinner 't is by this that the Law is so infeebled and debilitated as to its production of any spiritual or saving effects The Apostle layes it upon this the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh that is because it was weak through the Flesh For the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 valet hic Ruia more Hebraico Grot. Causal therefore 't is usually rendred here by quia quoniam quandoquidem eò quod c. And so it is in other places as Heb. 2.18 For in that he himself hath suffered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he hath suffered being tempted he is able to succor them that are tempted 't is as much as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 5.12 Sometimes indeed 't is only expressive of such a time or state or condition as Mar. 2.19 Can the children of the Bride-chamber fast while the Bridegroom is with them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sometimes again 't is rendred by whereas as 1 Pet. 2.12 1 Pet. 3.16 but here in the Text 't is taken causally Let it then be observed that the * Impotentia legis c. non fuit ex ipsa Lege quasi justificare homines eam praestantes nequiret sed ex carne h. e. ex corruptione naturae humanae quae hominem reddit impotentem ad praestandam legem Pare us Non infirmitatem illi impingit quasi intrinsecus inhaerentem sed quasi extrinsecus ratione carnis ei adjacentem Soto weakness of the Law is not properly inherent or from the Law it self only 't is adventitious accidental and from the state and condition of the Subject with whom it hath to do 'T is the wickedness of mans Nature which is the sole cause of the Law 's weakness If Man was the same now that at first he was the Law would be the same too now that at first it was and have the same power and ability that then it had but he being fallen now the Law is weak'ned 'T is not I say from any intrinsick defect or weakness in the Law but only because it meets with a Subject in which there is Flesh a depraved nature and so it cannot do that which before it did when the Nature was holy and good When Man was in the state of innocency the Law Sampson like was in its full strength and could do whatever was proper to it yea as to it self it is able yet to do the same but the case with us is altered we cannot now fulfil this Law nor come up to what it requires of us and therefore 't is weak True the Apostle layes it upon the weakness of the Law he saith it was weak but then he tells you what was the ground of that weakness namely our Fesh The Law is only weak to us because we are weak to it the strongest Sword in a weak hand can do but little execution the brightest Sun cannot give light to a blind eye not from any impotency in it self but meerly from the incapacity of the Subject and that 's the case in the Law 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with respect to the Sinner Pray observe the Law strengthens Sin and Sin weakens the Law 1 Cor. 15.56 The strength of Sin is the Law viz. as the Law gives it a killing and condemning power and as through man's corruption it makes Sin to be more active impetuous and boystrous thus Sin is strengthned by the Law But then the weakness of the Law is Sin for because of that it cannot now do what formerly it could Thus I have answered the Four Questions propounded under which I have cleared up the Words and also in part the Matter contained in them Which being done I might from the whole * The whole matter in the Words drawn into one Observation raise this Observation That the Law yea the Moral Law it self though it was an excellent Law the Law of Gods own making and design'd by him for high and excellent ends yet it having now to do with fallen man with Sinners that have Flesh a corrupt nature in them it is become weak and altogether unable to justifie and save I must not enter upon any large prosecution of this Point yet let me speak something to it both to fill up what I have hitherto but just touch'd upon and also to supply what as yet I have said nothing to There are but Two Things which I would further open 1. The Special Matter of the Laws weakness 2. The Grounds or Demonstrations of the Laws weakness The Laws inability to justifie and save For the First the Special Matter of the Laws weakness that will be cleared up 1. With respect to Justification 2. With respect to Salvation and Eternal Life What the Law could not do in that it was weak what was the thing particularly which the Law could not do what did its weakness especially refer to Answ The Scripture mainly fixes it upon these Two things it could not justifie it could not eternally save There are indeed many other things some of which have been already hinted which the Law could not do but these two are most usually instanc'd in in the Word when it speaks of or would set forth the Laws weakness 1. The Law upon its terms of doing
and working ever since mans Fall alwayes was and yet is unable to justifie it may possibly attempt such a thing or rather the Sinner may look for such a thing from it but it cannot carry it on to any good issue This I conceive Pauls thoughts were in special upon when he says what the Law could not do For 't is the Sinners justification which he in this place is discoursing of and he first begins with the Law as being impotent and insufficient to accomplish this justification God by Christ condemned sin i. e. he abolish'd and cut off Sins Guilt and by him he brought about a righteousness for the Sinner but the doing of this by the Law was a thing altogether impossible that could not make the Creature to cease to be guilty or to become righteous The proving of this truth was elsewhere his main business as namely in the 3d 4th 5th Chapters of this Epistle where he doth professedly and largely insist upon it That one place is a sufficient proof of it Chapt. 3.20 Therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight for by the Law is the knowledge of Sin He pursues the same Argument in his Epistle to the Galatians where he goes over it again and again Gal. 2.16 21. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but by the faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the Law for by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified I do not frustrate the Grace of God for if righteousness come by the Law then Christ is dead in vain Gal. 3.11 21 22. But that no man is justified by the Law in the sight of God it is evident for The just shall live by faith Is the Law then against the promises of God God forbid for if there had been a Law given which could have given life verily righteousness should have been by the Law But the Scripture hath concluded all under Sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe So also in his Sermon at Antioch Acts 13.39 By him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses How full and positive are the Scriptures in the denial of any power to the Law to justifie It can discover Sin accuse and judge for Sin but it cannot expiate Sin or make a man righteous before God There is indeed the righteousness of the Law and upon that righteousness by the Law but that now is altogether unattainable further than as 't is brought about and accomplished in the hands of Christ the Law in Christs hands can do great things but in ours it can do nothing So also the Law is weak in reference to Eternal life It could not do i. e. it could not save it never yet as separated from Christ carried one Sinner to Heaven 't is above the ability of the Law to save one Soul Consider it as the Covenant of works so its language is Do and Live Rom. 10.5 For Moses describeth the righteousness of the Law that the man which doth these things shall live by them Now man in his lapsed state cannot do according to the Laws demands therefore by it there 's no Life for him Had he continued in the state of innocency he had been able to have done all which the Law required and so would have attained Life by it in the way of doing but now the case is altered If Salvation depended upon the Creatures perfect and personal obedience not a man would be saved There must indeed be Obedience to the Law or no Salvation but should it be that very Obedience which the Law calls for and as the Law calls for it viz. as the condition of the first Covenant this would make salvation absolutely impossible You know Moses brought Israel to the borders of the Holy Land but Joshua must lead them into it so the Law as God uses it in subserviency to the Gospel may do something toward the saving of a poor creature but 't is the alone Merit and Obedience of the Lord Jesus applyed by Faith which must put the Sinner into the possession of the Heavenly Rest That which now saves is Christ not Moses the Gospel not the Law believing not doing I mean only in the old Covenant sense So much for the Matter of the Laws impotency The Grounds or Demonstrations of the Laws inability to justifie and save Secondly Let me give you the Grounds or if you will the Demonstrations of the Laws impotency and weakness to justifie and save He instance in Three 1. It requires that which the Creature cannot perform Before the Law do any great thing for a person it must first be exactly fulfill'd for that 's its way the terms and condition which it stands upon and 't is as high in these terms now as ever it was for though man hath lost his power the Law hath not lost its rigor it doth not sink or fall in its demands because of mans inability to answer them Though the Sinner be as the poor broken debtor utterly undone yet the Law will not compound with him or abate him any thing but 't will have full payment of the whole debt Now this in statu lapso as I shall shew when I come to the 4th verse is * Unde sequitur plus in lege praecipi quam praestando simus quia si pares essemus implendae Legi frustra aliunde effet quaesitum remedium Calvin Hic locus efficacissime convincit justificationem non esse ex opcribus c. P. Martyr Non implet Legem infirmitas mea sed landat Legem voluntas mea August impossible None but such an one as Christ could thus answer the Laws demands For nothing will serve it below perfection inherent righteousness actual obedience all must be perfect or else the Law despises them The Gospel accepts of Sincerity but the Law will ' bate nothing of perfection if there be but the least failure all is spoiled Gal. 3.10 For as many as are of the works of the Law are under the curse for it is written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them Jam. 2 1â— For who soever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all And is it thus are these the terms and demands of the Law what then can it do or rather what can we do it must needs be weak to us Because in these rigors we are so weak to it it cannot do much for us because we can do but little to it it cannot do what we desire because we cannot do what it demands O how exceeding short do the best come of the high measures of the
that the Apostle did very deservedly thus speak of the Law what the Law could not do c. So much for the opening of the matter held forth in these Words let me close this Head with some Application Use 1. To humble us in the sense of our Flesh by which the Law is weakened First Here 's matter of deep humiliation to us How should we lament that sinful Nature that Flesh which is in all of us we all come into the world under a sad and woful depravation of nature Well! suppose we do what of this O this should bitterly be bewailed by us because by reason of this the Law is weak that it cannot do that for us which otherwise it could and would have done As we were created at the first before our Nature was corrupted we were strong to the Law and the Law strong to us we could fulfil its highest demands and it could fulfil our highest desires we were able to keep it and it was able to save us its perfect righteousness was not above us and we had been righteous in that righteousness But now 't is far otherwise Sin hath got into us our Natures are now depraved and vitiated insomuch that even from this Law it self we can look for nothing 't is upon our degeneracy weak'ned to us to all intents and purposes and is not this sad O that there should be such Natures in us as even to debilitate and weaken Gods own blessed Law And would to God the sad effects of the Flesh in us staid here but it goes further it doth not only bring a weakness upon the Law but upon the Gospel too The Gospel it self the new and remedial Law though it be the * Rom. 1.16 power of God yet it would be altogether ineffectual to our justification and salvation if God did not accompany it with a mighty power It tenders and holds forth that in Christ which is every way sufficient for these great things yet we should be never the better for it this too could not do if God in spight of all opposition from our cursed Natures did not over-powre us to believe to close with Christ to accept of restoring Grace in the way of the Gospel Truly if God should leave us to our selves and should not rescue us from the power of Natural corruption neither Law nor Gospel could do our work notwithstanding both we should perish for ever Should not this be greatly bewailed and lamented by us that Sin should be sor rooted in our Nature and have such a strength in us as that it should be too hard both for Law and Gospel and bring both under an inability to do us good And is it so I might then from hence infer that certainly in the fal'n Creature the power of Nature is very low nay that with respect to the keeping and fulfilling of the Law 't is quite lost Pelagius of old with whom Some in latter ages do almost concur only they put a better varnish upon their Opinions held that though Nature by the Fall is somewhat weakened and impair'd in its strength yet still it can do great things yea especially with some ordinary assistance it may enable a man to fulfil the Law of God Now against this the * Quid hic dicent Naturalium virium praedicatores ac doctores Reddant rationem quare per camem infirma fuerit Lex Dei ita ut necessuas humanae salutis opus habuerit missione Christi c. Si virtus judicium rationis tam potens est ut quae bona praecipiuntur agnoscat approbet praestare valeat quomodo in illis non potuit qui sub paedagogio Legis fuerunt c. Muscul Paulus ait Legem sine Christo infirmam esse isti aiunt nos priusquam sunus participes Christi posse bene operari obtemperare Legi Dei P. Martyâ— Argument in the Text is considerable is the Law weak and yet is the Sinner strong is that under an impossibility and yet is this and that possible to the creature The Flesh is but extraneous to the Law and yet by reason of that it cannot do but 't is inherent in the Sinner and yet he can do what more absurd Especially it being considered that the Laws weakness is not attributed to it in respect of it self but only in respect of us so that if we now could perfectly obey perform keep the Law its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would then cease and if so why was Christ sent but no more of this Secondly Use 2. To vindicate the honour of the Law and to obviate bad Inferences c. 'T is necessary that I should vindicate the honour of the Law and obviate those mistakes and bad inferences which some possibly may run upon from what hath been spoken Three things therefore let me say to you 1 Notwithstanding this weakness of the Law yet keep up high thoughts of it and give it that honour and reverence which is due to it 'T is weak indeed but yet remember whose Law it is as also what an excellent Law it is in it self 't is a perfect draught or model and delineation of Original righteousness 't is the measure standard test of that purity and perfection which man would have had in the state of innocency yea 't is the copy transcript exemplar of Gods own holiness for God framed and modelled this Law according to his own purity and sanctity And let us be what we will still the Law in it self is all this and the same that ever it was though we be not so And therefore we should adore and reverence and magnifie it though now to us accidentally it be thus weak But doth not this weakness reflect disparagement and dishonour upon the Law Answ No not in the least Two things will sufficiently vindicate it as to any such reflections 1. The Apostle only says of it that 't was weak he chargeth nothing upon it but only weakness He doth not say that 't was any way impure or unholy or unrighteous he affirms the contrary * Rom. 7.12 The Law is holy and just and good only he saith 't was weak This the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Oecum Theophyl to the same purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodor. Greek Expositors take notice of and from it apologize for the Law 2. 'T is weak but how comes it to be so why * Ne legem incusare videatur culpam rejicit in carnem i. e. concupiscentiam quae fomes est peccati Estius Vide quanta arte Legem simul extollit deprimit excusat deprimit cum dicit quod non potuit peccatum damnare excusat cum dicit hoc non accidisse ejus vitio sed camis potius extollit quà m maximè cum coâ—cludit Christum advenisse ut Legi contra carnem subsidium ferret Mussus Transfert
of conformity and likeness to it so we may God may become very man but man cannot become very God he may be like to God by grace and holiness but that 's all thus we are to understand some passages of the * Factus est Deus Homo ut Homo fieret Deus Aug. de Nativ Divinitas Verbi aequalis Patri facta est particeps mortalitatis nostrae non de suo sed de nostro ut nos efficeremur participes Deitatis ejus non de nostro sed de ipsuis Aug. tom 3. p. 1051. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athan. de Incarn Verb. p. 108. l. 1. Antients which seem to be very high Now this is that which I would have you to labour after that as Christ hath taken of yours so you may receive of his as he was made like to you in what is proper to Man so you according to your capacity may be made like to him in what is proper to God Be thankful both for the thing it self and also for the revelation of it 7. Be thankful not in a common ordinary formal manner but in the most lively enlarged raised manner that is possible Where the mercy is high and great the thankfulness must bear some proportion to it Did Christ condescend to take your flesh for such gracious ends O where is your praising and magnifying of God should not the whole Soul be summon'd in to give its most united acknowledgement of so signal a mercy The Angels never reaped that advantage by his Incarnation which we do and yet as soon as ever that took place they were at praising-work Luk. 2.13 14. Suddenly there was with the Angels a multitude of the heavenly Host praising God and saying Glory to God in the highest c. Good old Zachary began his Prophesie with thanksgiving Luk. 1.68 69. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people c. and Simeon upon the sight of Christ in the Flesh was transported with joy Luk. 2.29 c. Then took he him up in his arms and blessed God and said Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace according to thy word For mine eyes have seen thy Salvation Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel To move you to this thankfulness I can say no more than what I have already said let but that be consider'd and you will daily heartily with the most raised affections bless God for a Christ incarnate And as you should do this for the thing it self so also for the revelation of it in the Gospel where the mystery which was kept secret since the world began is now made manifest as the Apostle speaks Rom. 16.25 26. This we had never known if God had not there revealed it and the deeper is the mystery the higher is his mercy in the disclosing of it * Matth. 13.11 To you 't is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven to others 't is not so how little doth the greatest part of the world know of a God in Flesh Nature may discover a God but 't is Scripture only which discovers God-man now why is that revealed to you which is hid to so many Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight Matth. 11.26 Nay further you have the clear revelation of this what was hid in darker Prophesies and Types to the Fathers under the Old-Testament is how under the New made as evident to you as the light of the noon-day you do with * 2 Cor. 3 18◠open face behold the truth and glory of Christ's Manhood you live under the dayes of the Son of Man that which others expected and waited for and saw but †Heb. 11.13 afar off is now accomplished and made good to you Under the Law believers looked for the Son of God in flesh you under the Gospel look on the Son of God in flesh their language was I shall see him but not now I shall behold him but not nigh as Balaam prophesied Numb 24.17 but under the Gospel the language is That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of life For the life was manifested and we have seen it c. 1 Joh. 1.1 2. I may say to you what Christ once did to his Disciples Luk. 10.23 24. Blessed are the eyes which see the things which ye see For I tell you that many Prophets and Kings have desir'd to see those things which ye see and have not seen them and to hear those things which ye hear and have not heard them O put the thing and the revelation thereof together how should God for both be magnified by us had we as many tongues as members was the whole body turn'd into this one member yet we should not be able for this high and glorious mercy sufficiently to speak out and celebrate the praises of the most high God as * Si certè omnia membra nostra verterentur in linguas ad rependendum tibi debitas laudes nequaquam sufficeret exiguitas nostra Aug. medit cap. 15. Austine pathetically expresses it So much for this Second Vse by way of Exhortation The third and last is for Comfort 3. Use The point in hand is every way as fruitful for Consolation as for Exhortation For Comfort◠to Believers Christ sent in flesh made flesh what abundance of matter is wrap'd up in this for the heightning of the true believers joy I have brought you to the very spring-head of divine Consolation O that you might feel it flowing forth and running into your Souls Abraham rejoyced to see Christ's day the day of his Incarnation he saw it and was glad Joh. 8.56 let me tell you you see that about it which he never saw will not you rejoyce and be glad Fear not said the Angel to the Shepherds for behold I bring you good tydings of great joy which shall be to all people what were these good tydings why Vnto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. Luk. 2.10 11. Christ born the Son of God incarnate good tydings indeed blessed be God that they were ever brought to our ears surely such tydings call for great joy If God would please to open your eyes to let you see what there is in a Christ sent in flesh to fix your thoughts upon it to help you to make the best improvement of it I cannot but assure my self that your hearts would be brimful of Comfort that your fears would vanish like the dark cloud before the bright-shining Sun that instead of your sad despondencies of Spirit you would triumph in Christ and lift up your heads with joy O how injurious are they to the Saints in their heavenly
Creature now he designing Life for Life therefore he pitch'd upon blood wherein the life did lye The Apostle tells us Heb. 9.22 And almost all things are by the Law purged with blood and without shedding of blood is no remission and if you look into the Levitical Sacrifices you 'l find what he saith to be true In the Burnt-offering for private Persons there was killing and blood Levit. 1.5 the same in the Peace-offerings Levit. 3.2 8 13. the same in the Sin-offerings Levit. 4.7 16 17 18. and so in the rest And the observation of these commands which run so much upon blood was so necessary that should any of the Priests have dared to have entred into God's presence in any other way than by Sacrifices and the blood thereof he would not have taken it well at their hands yea should they have brought into the Temple never so many Bullocks Rams Goats c. and not have slain them or having slain them had not presented their blood before him according to his Institution they would have done no good either to themselves or others for God to shew his Justice Hatred of Sin c stood upon blood and blood he would have From all this we may infer that those old Sacrifices did not expiate as bare Antecedents or Conditions without which God would not pardon or as the offering of them carried in it some Obedience to God's Commands both of which were common to many other things as well as to them surely there was more in it than so Dr. Stillingfl against Crell p. 516 c. for can we reasonably think that God would have been so positive and so express in his Injunctions about somany Sacrifices so severe in the punishing the neglect of them have ordered the taking away the lives of so many Creatures and have so much insisted upon their death and blood in order to expiation had he look'd upon them only as pre-requisite and remoter Conditions of pardon or common acts of Obedience and that as such only they should be expiatory Certainly had there been nothing in them more than this the merciful Creator would have spar'd the blood of the poor Creatures and would have pitch'd upon some other course which might have seem'd at least more consistent with his Wisdom and Goodness We may conclude them therefore to be Means instituted by God in order to atonement and expiation to the effecting of which by virtue of his own institution and the mevit of the great Sacrifice to come they had a direct and effectual tendency This foundation I have laid for the better understanding of the destroying killing shedding of blood that was in the typical Sacrifices I come now to build upon it with respect to the real Sacrifice Christ Jesus In conformity to them therefore Christ was slain died upon the Cross his body broken his blood spilt c. all which speaks him to be a true expiatony Sacrifice Had he not died and suffer'd he could not have been such but upon that he is not only such a Sacrifice really but eminently the dignity of his Person putting a superlative worth and â—fficacy upon his Death and Sacrifice O what was the death of Greatures to the death of God's Son what was the blood of Beasts to the blood of him who was God Acts. 20.28 for such aâ—person to die to shed his blood for the expiation of Sin here was a Sacrifice indeed And surely one great end of God in ordering the death of the old Sacrifices was to convince the World of the necessity of the death of this far greater Sacrifice by them he designed in ways best known to himself to lead men to a dying and bleeding Christ How much doth the Scripture spake of his blood and though his whole humiliation must be taken in as making up his Sacrifice yet in special what a stress and emphasis doth it put upon his Death and Blood wherein his greatest humiliation lay with respect to their influence upon the good of Sinners Eph. 1.7 In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins Rom. 3.25 whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood c. Rom. 5.9 Much more then being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him 1. Joh. 1.7 and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin Rev. 1.5 Vnto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood 1 Pet. 1.19 but with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot Mat. 26.28 This is my blood of the New-Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins Heb. 9.12 c. Neither by the blood of Goats and Calves but by his own Blood he entred in once into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us For if the blood of Bulls and of Goats c. Col. 1.14 having made peace through the blood of his Cross Surely there must be some special reason why this blood of Christ is so often mention'd and why the great benefits which Sinners receive by him are in such a way of eminency ascrib'd to it of which some account will be given in the following particular O the severity of God's Justice which nothing could satisfie but the blood of his own Son O the love of Christ who thought not the best blood in his veins too good for Sinners O the truth of his Satisfaction for what could such blood be spilt for but for that what end could be proportionable to such a medium but Satisfaction O the admirable harmony between type and antitype the shadow and the substance Sacrifice and Sacrifice under the Law 't was blood under the Gospel ' t was blood too only that was common blood but this excellent and precious The Fourth Head of the Ends Effects of the old expiatory Sacrifices and how they are applicable to Christ 4. Fourthly if we compare Christ with the Jewish Sacrifices in their Ends and Effects that will further demonstrate him to be a true expiatory Sacrifice What were they atonement and expiation by them God was to be atoned and Sin to be expiated now both of these were designed and admirably effected in and by Christ therefore he was what I am proving That those Sacrifices were of an atoning nature and appointed for that end what can be more plain Here the so often cited Text which indeed is the key to the whole body of the Levitical-Sacrifices doth recur Levit. 17.11 I have given it to you upon the Altar for what end to make an atonement for your Souls where the word used as in very many other places is Caphar which signifies to * This sense of the word justify'd by all Anti-Socinian Writers Franz Disp 15. th 38. Turretin de Satisf p. 208. Grot. de Sat. p. 39. Hoorneb Socin Confut. p. 607. Dr. Stillingfl p. 509. c. pacify
necessitas propitiationem requirit propitiatio non fit nisi per hostiam necessarium suit provideri hostiam pro peccato Orig. in Numb Hom. 4. Christ himself be made a Sacrifice for sin why must he take flesh and then die in that flesh why must his precious blood be poured out why must he feel the wrath of his Father be under a necessity of suffering and of such suffering too was there not a cause for this yes surely and what could that be but satisfaction God had great and weighty Reasons which made him to insist upon this so as that he would in this and in no other way let out his Love and Mercy to Sinners for instance he must vindicate his truth make good his threatning maintain his own honour as also the honour of his Laws make known his Holiness let the world see what Sin was what an extreme hatred he had to it keep up and assert his rectoral righteousness c. for though as * Vid. Hulsium in Theol. Jud. p. 473. Grot. de Sat. c. 2. pars offensa and creditor he might have done what he pleas'd yet as rector mundi he must do that which shall speak him to be just and righteous in his Government now were not these great and weighty reasons for God to do what he did and could these high ends have been attain'd without satisfaction All his Attributes were equally dear to him and thereupon shall all be advanc'd alike he was not for the advancing of Mercy only but of Justice also and therefore he will so carry it in his dealings with man as that he may glorifie the one as well as the other If he justifie the Sinner wherein he displays so much of Mercy hee 'l do it in such a way as that he may display his Justice too wherefore Christ must be a Sacrifice first to expiate Sin by his blood and then God will not charge it upon the Sinner Rom. 3.25 26. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past c. he goes over it again To declare I say at this time his righteousness wherein or son what end that be might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus what could the Apostle have spoken fuller plainer to determine the business in hand how can the Denyers of Christ's Satisfaction and of the necessity thereof stand before the light of this Scripture Propitiation must be made by blood by the blood of Christ that thereby God might declare his righteousness that he might be just not so much in himself and in the general as in this special act of the justifying of a Sinner Had we no other Text in all the sacred Records but this one me-thinks it should be enough to silence and convince gain-sayers 't is a bulwark for Faith which will stand firm in spite of all the little batteries that men can make against it But the truth of Christ's satisfying divine Justice will yet more fully appear from what follows in the next Head therefore I go on to that The true Nature and. Ends of Christ's Death 2. Secondly this may help us to right notions concerning the Nature and Ends of Christ's death For if it be ask'd How or in what manner he dy'd we see he dy'd as a Sacrifice if it be further ask'd Wherefore did he die or what were the main ends of his dying I answer he dy'd chiefly for such ends as are most proper to Sacrifices If God's own Son die undoubtedly there must be something special in his death and some great ends must be design'd to be promoted thereby * 2 Sam. 3.33 died Abner as a fool dieth but what were they Answ such as may best comport and suit with the common ends of all Sacrifices especially of those by which he was more directly typified therefore the pacifying of an angry God the purifying of a guilty Sinner being the principal ends in the death of the typical Sacrifices as you have heard answerably these must also be the principal ends of the death of Christ the real Sacrifice The SOCINIANS in this matter run into two dangerous Errors 1. they make that in Christ's death to be supream and principal which was indeed but subordinate nay 2. they make that which was but subordinate to be the sole thing therein altogether excluding and denying what was supream and principal Now this one thing which I am upon viz. Christ's being and dying as a Sacrifice in correspondency with the Ends of the Levitical Sacrifices was it rightly understood and firmly believ'd would be a sufficient confutation of and antidote against their pernicious tenents For do they say that the main end of the death of Christ was to turn men from sin the contrary appears because that was not the main end in the Law-Sacrifices or do they say that Christ died only for our good 't was not so because that doth not agree with the Law-Sacrifices which were offered not only for the Sinners good but in the Sinners stead or do they say that he died only as a Witness of the Truth as an Example c. 't was not so neither because it shuts out that which was the principal intendment of the Law-Sacrifices But besides this there are some other things of considerable strength which that we may the better take in we must more particularly enquire into those Causes or Ends of Christ's death which * Socin de Serv. p. 1. c. 3. c. et de Officio Christi Crellius de Caus Mortis Christi with all the rest Against them see Grot. de Sat. p. 26. c. Franz de Sacrif p. 400. c. et 606 c. Hoornb Socin conf l. 3. p. 492. c. Portus contra Ostorod p. 447. c. Turret p. 7. p. 247. c. Dr. Stillingst discourse concerning the true Reasons of the Sufferings of Christ with many Others they assign that by the removal of false Causes and Ends I mean in their exclusive sense the true ones may the better appear They say therefore 1. Christ dy'd for this End that he might bear witness to the truth confirm the Evangelical Doctrine and give assurance to the world of the verity of what he had taught To which we reply the question is not whether these were true and proper Ends that we readily grant but whether they were the principal much more the sole Ends of Christ's death that we utterly deny And our denyal is grounded upon these Reasons 1. All along in Scripture the confirmation of the Doctrine of the Gospel is laid upon Christ's Works and Miracles not upon his Death reade Act. 2.22 Joh. 10.25 passim And he having by these given a sufficient proof or evidence of the truth of what he had taught it cannot be imagined that he dy'd only or chiefly for this that by his
pleasing to God Phil. 4.18 But to do good and to communicate forget not for with such sacrifices God is well pleas'd Heb. 13.16 And to summe up all holiness of heart and life that 's an excellent Sacrifice excelling all the old Law Sacrifices whatsoever 1 Sam. 15.22 Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord Behold to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of rams Micah 6.6 7 8. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bow my self before the high God shall I come before him with burnt-offerings with calves of a year old Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rams or with ten thousands of rivers of oyl shall I give my first-born for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God The * Vis Deos propitiare bonus esto Satis illos coluit quisquis imitatus est Senec. Ep. 9.5 Non immolationibus sanguine multo colendus est Deus sed mente purâ bono honestóque proposito Idem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Porphyr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 2. p. 62. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Rhet. l. 3. with many more in Stuck de Sacrif p. 153. col 2. Saubert de Sac. c. 1. p. 4. HEATHENS themselves upon the light of Nature look'd upon moral goodness as the best and most acceptable Sacrifice I 'me sure Evangelical Holiness is so The wickedness of the Jews made God even to abhorre and slight the Sacrifices which were instituted by himself as we find Isa 1.11 c. Isa 66.3 Jer. 6.20 7.21 c. Amos 5.21 22. if we live in sin we may offer this and that to God but 't is all nothing nay that makes all our Sacrifices an abomination to him Prov. 15.8 Oh live the holy life keep the heart pure mortifie whatever is evil do good shun all excesses be heavenly in your affections in all things act in complyance with God's Nature and Will c. this will please him more than the most costly oblations which you can bring to him These are the Sacrifices which now under the Gospel we are to offer and surely we should offer them with all readiness and faithfulness our Lord having submitted to the bloody Sacrifice of himself on the Cross and left us none but these easie and delightful Sacrifices how reareadily should we close with them But so much for this Vse A third shall put an end to this Subject and that is of Comfort Was Christ a Sacrifice for sin Vse 3. For Comfort to Believers did he thereby condemn sin what doth this Truth drop but honey and sweetness to them who are in Christ I say to them who are in Christ for they are the persons only who can lay hold upon the grace contain'd in it as the non-condemnation of the person in the first verse so the condemnation of sin in this belongs only to such You that are in the number of these to you I bring glad tydings matter of great joy out of the bitter comes sweet for Christ to do die as a Sacrifice this was bitter to him but 't is sweet to you his death passion and whole humilation speak nothing to you but consolation Oh did Believers especially such as are under a troubled spirit but better understand and better improve this sin-condemning Sacrifice they would certainly have more of inward peace and comfort than now they have I must not in fist upon the particular and full drawing out of that consolatory matter which it affords therefore shall conclude with a brief review only of what the Text offers And so 1. here 's a Sacrifice for sin All men in ADAM having sinned wilfully after that they had receiv'd the knowledge of the truth there might have been no Sacrifice for their sin to allude to that Heb. 10.26 but the gracious God notwithstanding all this was pleas'd to admit of a Sacrifice yea himself to find out and ordain that Sacrifice here 's matter of comfort 2. Christ himself was this Sacrifice And if so how pleasing must it needs be to God! Eph. 5.2 and hath given himself for us an offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour I tell you there was infinitely more in this one Sacrifice to please God than there is in all your sins put them all together to displease God If Christ be the Sacrifice there must be an infinite efficacy and merit in it from the dignity of his person an infiniteness of merit must needs result if he will die and shed his blood what can be too high for you surely too there 's more in his Offering to save you than there is in Sin to damn you If he be the Sacrifice no question but the Father did accept of it and indeed of this he hath given sufficient evidence to the world not only by his carriage towards the Saints but also and chiefly by his carriage towards Christ himself for whereas of old he was wont to testifie his acceptation of the Sacrifices by consuming them by fire from heaven Gen. 15.17 Levit. 9.24 Judg. 6.21 2 Chron. 7.1 here with respect to Christ's Sacrifice he testify'd his acceptance in an higher way viz. by raising him from the dead taking him up to heaven re-admiting him into his presence and setting him at his Son had he not been well-pleased with his person and oblation Oh there 's a convincing evidence of this in his going to the Father Joh. 16.8 10. By this Sacrifice thus accepted you are made perfect as you have often heard out of Heb. 10.14 18. there 's nothing now to be done by Christ or by you but only to apply and improve what he hath already done is not this ground of strong consolation And know further for your comfort that the vertue of Christ's Offering is as great now as it was at the first his blood is as effectual with God for your good now as it was when it was just running warm from his veins and * Adeò magnum est hoc Sacrificium ut quamvis unum sit semel oblatum sufficiat ad aeternitatem Anselm so it shall be to the end of the world And that he may make the best of it he is entred into the holy place where 't is his business to present and plead the merit thereof he back 's his oblation on earth with his intercession in heaven and what can be spoken higher for your support comfort he that was the Sacrifice here is the Advocate there 3. By this Sacrifice Sin was condemn'd Sin condemn'd what a word is that that which would have condemned you and which only can condemn you that is by Christ condemn'd it-self condemning sin is condemn'd by a condemned Saviour And
the good of Believers there 's Merit So that in the words we have a further account of that full benefit and compleat Salvation which sinners have by the Lord Jesus and so much for their main Scope and the general explication of the matter contain'd in them Four things propounded for the more particular explication of the Words In the more particular opening of them Four things are to be enquired into 1. Of what Law doth Paul here speak 2. What he means by the righteousness of the Law 3. How this righteousness of the Law is said to be fulfilled 4. In what sense is it said to be fulfilled in us What Law doth the Apostle here speak of To the first of these Enquiries I shall answer very briefly 't is the Moral Law which is here chiefly spoken of That which is called the Law of Works Rom 3.27 in contradistinction to the Evangelical Law or the Law of Faith the Law which God at first made with Adam in the state of innocency and afterwards for the matter of it renew'd and copied out again to the people of Israel abridging it in the ten Commandements the Law which call'd for universal perfect constant Obedience and promis'd Life thereupon which was a draught or model and summary of all that duty which God required of man this is that Law which the Apostle here had mainly in his eye 'T is the same with the Law spoken of in the foregoing Verse What the Law could not do in that it was weak c. where I had occasion to speak * See pag. 259 260. something about it to which I refer you 'T is here said that the righteousness of the Law c. now the Law to which righteousness is annexed is commonly the Moral Law see Rom. 10.5 Phil. 3.9 et passim And that 's the Law which Christ in special fulfill'd therefore he having said * Matth. 5.17 Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfil he explains himself Vers 21 27 c. what Law he meant by instancing in some branches of the Moral Law And the Apostle having stiled Christ * Rom. 10â—â— 5. the end of the Law c. shows that he also by this meant the same Law as appears by what he immediately adds For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the Law that the man which doth those things shall live by them I add further 't is that Law the righteousness whereof is fulfill'd in us that is by imputation now 't is the righteousness of the Moral Law as fulfill'd by Christ which is most eminently imputed to us therefore that Law must here chiefly be understood I deny not but that there are other Laws besides this with which righteousness is coupled as those particular and positive Laws laid upon Christ with respect to the management of his Office when the business of his Baptism was before him he would have it done for saith he thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness Matth. 3.15 Yea the Ceremonial Law it self had its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that 's the Word Heb. 9.1 and 't is said of Zachary and Elizabeth Luk. 1.6 they were both righteous before God walking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord * See Dr. Hammond on Rom. 8.4 in Annot. b blameless where some distinguish making the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to refer to the commands of the Moral Law and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the rites and ordinances of the Ceremonial Law Neither do I deny but that other Laws besides the Moral Law were fulfill'd by Christ for he fulfill'd all and that his fulfilling of them also was for our good But yet 't was the Moral Law with which especially righteousness is joyn'd which Christ eminently fulfill'd and which fulfilling is in an higher notion imputed to us therefore I interpret the word Law here as mainly pointing to that and in so doing I have the concurrent suffrages of all the Expositors that I have look'd into one or two only excepted What is the righteousness of the Law 2. What is here meant by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or righteousness of the Law The Vulgar Ambrose Erasmus Tremelleus c. reade it the justification of the Law as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is translated Rom. 5.16 and the Greek Interpreters pitch upon the sense as to the thing that the righteousness of the Law c. that is say * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. they that the primary end and scope of the Law viz. to justifie for that was the end of the Law as given at first might be fulfilled in us Beza with divers others render it that the right of the Law c. the Law had a right to lay its commands upon the Creature and to exact his obedience thereunto it being God's own Law the declaration of his Will it having his authority stamp'd upon it and it enjoyning nothing but what was righteous just and good it was its right to command and to be obey'd when it did so command And in case it was not so it had a further right viz. to demand satisfaction in the enduring of its penalty for it had (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 duplex condemnandi peccatores rursus exigendi obedientiam perfectam Pareus Jus Legis ut qui peccaverant punirentur quiad vitam intrare volebant servarent mandata Streso 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illud quod requirit Lex nempe tum plenam Poenae reatibus nostris debitam luitionem ut a condemnatione libeâ—emur tum plenam legis praestationem ut ad aeternam vitam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inveniamur ex illâ promissione Hoc fac vives c. Beza See Burg. of Justif part 2. p. 358. a double right one as it did and might require active obedience the other as it did and might require satisfaction by suffering in case of disobedience and these two put together make up its righteousness (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seu jus legis nihil aliud est quam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 damnatoria sententia legis quâ maledictionis mortis aeternae supplicio c. Jacob. ad Portum Fid. Orthod Defens c. 34. p. 975. Vid. Pareum in loc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Some make this to lie in the Laws threatnings or damnatory sentence against Sinners in that curse which it denounces against the transgressors of it Gal. 3.10 as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spoken of Rom. 1.32 is God's punishing and avenging justice and that dreadful sentence passed by him that they who do such things are worthy of death so the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the penal or maledictory part of the Law But this is only a part of its righteousness and the secondary part thereof too its preceptive righteousness in its
any one person who ever did so fulfil the Law I know some are mentioned but all that is said of them doth amount only to integrity of parts not to perfection of degrees to eminency in Grace and Obedience but not to Law-exactness to Evangelieal but not to legal perfection Obj. But doth God enjoyn the Creature that which is * Bellarm. de Lib. Arb. l. 5. c. 18. impossible Answ Just thus the PELAGIANS of old argued for the possibility of mens keeping the Law and †De Nat. Grat. c. 43. De Peccat Mer. Rem l. 2. c. 6 7 9. AVSTINE writing against them was fain again and again to answer this very Objection We say what is ‖ Vid. Chamier tom 3. l. 11. p. 328. Thes Sedan Vol. 1. p. 479. Pet. Martyr in loc Quanquam si quis rectē c. simply and absolutely impossible God doth not impose upon the Creature but what he himself hath made impossible voluntarily and by his own default that the great Law-giver may and doth impose This impossibility doth no way entrench upon the goodness of God because the Sinner hath contracted and wilfully brought it upon himself I hope the Creditor may demand his debt though the debtor cannot pay it if through sloth prodigality bad husbandry he hath disabled himself thereunto that 's the Sinners case with respect to perfect obedience to the Law God may demand his right though the Creature hath lost his power This Objection at the first hearing seems to have something in it and it is very plausible to put an ugliness upon the PROTESTANTS doctrine but when 't is look'd into and duly weighed there 's nothing at all of strength in it Others for brevity sake I must omit It appears then that the fulfilling of the Laws righteousness in this sense viz. of the Saints perfect and personal fulfilling thereof in themselves is not according to truth and therefore must be rejected Second Interpretation The Laws righteousness is fulfilled in Saints personally but not perfectly 2. Secondly 't is said that the Law is fulfilled in and by the Saints inherently and personally but not perfectly Thus some of our own Divines do expound the words they making them to refer to that Obedience which belongs to Sanctification and which sanctified persons in themselves come up unto who though in the high and rigid notion they do not fulfil the Law yet in a soft and mild notion * Lex data est ut gratia quaereretur gratia data est ut Lex impleretur August de Spir. Lit. l. 1. c. 19. they do There is a begun inchoate Obedience in them thereunto which is continued and carried on higher and higher till it be consummate they do not only love and like the Law and consent to it that 't is good but they obey it in part which though it be but in part yet they being sincere therein and desiring to arrive at what is perfect God accepts of them as though they did perfectly fulfil it thus Evangelically though not Legally the Laws righteousness is fulfilled in them 'T is not unusual in Scripture to set forth inchoate partial imperfect Obedience by the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 2.27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by Nature if it fulfil the Law judge thee c. Rom. 13.8 He that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law Vers 10. Love is the fulfilling of the Law Gal. 5.14 All the Law is fulfilled in one word even in this Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self Gal. 6.2 Bear ye one anothers burdens and so fulfil the Law of Christ Now in this sense the Saints in themselves in this life may be said to fulfil the Laws righteousness They who go this way differ in this * Id quod nonnulli de justificatione interpretantur c. ideoque de Sanctificatione vitae intelligitur Nam quod objici potest nos non esse perfectos ideoque c. illud non sequitur quia etsi legem non compleamus simpliciter ac simul complemus tamen secundum quid secundum omnia praecepta inchoatâ obedientiâ successive Gomar in loc Balduin Deodat c. Some interpret the words solely of inherent and personal Obedience †Pareus in Dub. p. 780. P. Martyr Others take in that also which is by imputation I cannot deny the truth of what is here said as to the thing but whether it be the proper interpretation of the Text that I question I think not My reasons why I so think are these 1. The Apostle speaking of that Obedience or fulfilling of the Law which was one of the great Ends of God in sending his Son it must be most proper here to understand that Obedience and that fulfilling of the Law which was first effected in the person of this Son and then made over to Believers by imputation 2. This Lawfulfilling coming in as the high product of the Love and Wisdom of God it may very probably be conjectured that if there be one fulfilling of the Law higher than another the highest here must be taken and therefore it must not be that which is but inchoate and imperfect in us but rather that which was compleat full perfect in Christ 3. Though the fulfilling of the Law be sometimes taken in that lower sense which hath been mentioned yet the Law-righteousness more usually notes that exact universal Obedience which the Law requires which notion therefore we may the rather be induced here to follow 4. The Interpretation given by these worthy persons will not so well suit with what the Apostle is now upon he is in short summing up the grand benefits that Saints have by Christ shewing how they are secured from Condemnation and restored to a state of happiness In order to which he first sets down the expiation of Sin the satisfaction of God's Justice c. which were done by Christ's Sacrifice or passive Obedience in dying Then he goes on to that which was further to be done the Holiness of God and of his Law must be satisfied also eternal Life must be merited now these must be done by Christ's active Obedience or fulfilling the Laws righteousness therefore that he adds that the righteousness of the Law c. Wherefore we must here understand Christ's Obedience as imputed not our own as inherent if that word be proper otherwise we shall leave out one of the great benefits which we have by Christ viz. that which results from his active Obedience and one of the wayes wherein he did promote our salvation whereas the Apostle designs to set down both distinctly Third Interpretation the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in Saints perfectly yet not personally but imputatively 3. Thirdly Others open it thus the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in Believers perfectly yet not personally but imputatively Their meaning is this the Lord Jesus in his own person whilst he was here on earth did fully obey
the Law perfectly conforming to it in all its holy commands now this his most perfect obedience to the Law is made over reckoned imputed to his members as if they themselves in their own persons had perform'd it The Laws righteousness is not fulfilled in them formally subjectively inherently or personally but legally they being in Christ as their Head and Surety and imputatively so it is This is the fulfilling which suits with the words for 't is said that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us not by us but in us in us that is not only for our sake and for our good but as Christ's Obedience is ours by imputation If the former senses be rejected this must be received for since the Laws righteousness must be fulfilled in the Saints otherwise what the Apostle here affirms would not be true and since there are but two wayes wherein it can be fulfilled either by themselves or by some other it necessarily follows if they do not fulfil it the first way that the second must take place and so it must be fulfilled by Christ for them and his obedience be imputed to them And this is that Exposition of the words which our * c. Obedientia Christi quae in carne nostrâ exhibita nobis imputatur ut eo beneficio pro justis censeamur Calvin Quomodo justitia Christi in nobis impleta est per Christum Duplici nomine 1. imputative aliena justitia quae Christi est adeoque nostra c. 2. Quod per Spiritum Christi regenerati pro mensurâ Gratiae Dei vitam justitiam eam exprimimus quam Lex Dei exigit Magis placet prior Sententia hoc loco Muscul Vide Bezam in loc Vorstium in loc Justificatio legis quae requirit vel opera vel poenam impleta est in Christo per se ut sic dicam inhaesivè quia ipse praeterquam quod passus est etiam operatus est perfectissime in nobis vero impleta est per fidem ut sic dicam applicative nam per fidem fit ut Christi justitia nostra quodamodo evadat Rolloc See Fulke and Cartwright against the Rhemists Elton upon Rom. 8. p. 97. c. PROTESTANT Divines so far as imputation in general is concern'd do commonly give but about it many things are necessary to be spoken unto both for the explaining and also for the vindicating of it which therefore shall be done by and by Fourth Interpretation The Law is fulfilled in us as Sin is remitted 4. Fourthly the fulfilling of the Laws righteousness say some is no more than the remission of sin He that hath his sins pardoned is a fulfiller of the Law Christ by his death having procured for us the remission of all our sins upon that we are look'd upon by God as if we had done or kept the whole Law thus * Christus suâ morte nobis acquisivit remissionem omnium peccatorum ac proinde effecit ut habeamur pro iis qui perfectam Legi obedientiam praestiterint In Paraphr The righteousness c. quatenus Christus suâ morte eis acquisivit omnium peccatorum remissionem quod perinde est ac si perfectam legi obedientiam praestitissent aequipollent enim haec Nihil peccavisse perfectam legi obedientiam praestitisse In Observ Piscator opens the words And before him Ambrose speaks the same Quomodo impletur in nobis justificatio Legis nisi cum datur remissio omnium peccatorum how is the righteousness of the Law fulfilled in us unless it be in the remission of all our sins To which we may add that of †Retract l. 1. c. 19. Austine Omnia mandata Dei facta deputantur quando quicquid non fit ignoscitur all the commands of God are deemed to be done when that is pardoned which is not done if it be good or which should not have been done if it be evil Two things I would say against this Interpretation 1. It sounds very harsh to say We fulfil the Law when God is pleased to pardon the violation of it nay the thing is not true God's remitting the breach of the Law and our actual fulfilling of the duty 's of the Law are not aequipollent but distinct and different things Upon remission the Sinner is exempted from the Laws penalty but he cannot upon that alone be said to fulfil it If the Prince be pleas'd to pardon the breaker of the Laws will that amount to the making such an one to be a keeper of the Laws there 's enough upon his pardon for non-punition but nothing more 2. In the justification of Sinners there is not only the remission of sin but also the imputation of Christ's righteousness these are the two parts of justification and which take in the whole nature of it 't is not compleat in the one or in the other apart but in both conjunct I know some very * Wotton de reconc pec part 1. l. 2. c. 3. c. learned persons make remission of sin to be the whole of justification I humbly differ from them When God justifies he doth not only pardon and so look upon the Sinner as not guilty but he doth also †Vide Zanch. ad Eph. c. 5. p. 249. quam plures alios Uti Christus nobis factus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ita ad salutem atque justificationem requiritur praeter remissionem peccatorum etiam justitiae Christi imputatio quâ vitae jus nobis addicitur c. Hoorneb Socin confut l. 3. p. 658. impute Christ's righteousness upon which he looks upon him as positively righteous this will hereafter be made out more fully if God give leave Thus it is in the justification or righteousness of the Law to the making up of which 't is not enough only to be pardoned and so not to be judg'd a breaker of the Law but there must be the doing of what the Law enjoyns otherwise its righteousness is not fulfilled 'T is one thing to be ‖ Justus dicatur cui peccata omnia remittuntur justitiâ innocentiae quia positâ hâc remissione innocens censetur c. sed non justitiâ obedientiae cui praemium vitae debetur c. Turretin de Sat. Christi p. 273. innocent in the taking off of guilt and another thing to be righteous in the way of positive obedience both are necessary as to that which I am upon and included in it Not guilty is not a sufficient plea or answer to the Laws demands there must be something either in the Sinner himself or in his Surety which may be look'd upon as a formal and actual obeying of it Thus I have given a fourfold explication of the fulfilling of the Laws righteousness in the Saints The third is that which seems to me to be the best viz. this righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in the Saints as Christ for them in his own person
did perfectly obey the Law and as that his perfect obedience is imputed and reckoned to them upon which 't is theirs to â—â—l intents as if they had so obeyed in their own persons But there being many difficulties about this and it leading me to the main Truth which the words hold forth I must endeavour further to open it Which I shall do in the discussing of these three Propositions Three Propositions to clear up the third Interpretation and the main Truth 1. That our Lord Christ was made under the Law 2. That being made under the Law he fulfilled it 3. That his fulfilling of the Law is imputed to Believers so as that in him they fulfilled the Law also 1. Proposition Christ was made under the Law 1. Christ was made under the Law The Apostle is express in this When the fulness of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law Gal. 4.4 made under the Law that is made subject to the Law so as that he was under the obligation thereof and bound in all things to conform to its righteousness And this subjection of Christ to the Law did result partly from his Nature partly from his Office From his Nature as he was Man and so a Creature for his Manhood was a created thing now every creature as such is indispensably subject to the Law of God a Creature necessarily must be under the Law of his Creator and Soveraign so far therefore as Christ was such he was indispensably obliged to the Law so far his subjection was natural and thereupon necessary From his Office or that oeconomy and dispensation which he had submitted unto as Mediator Redeemer Surety c. with respect to this he was to be subject too yet in it his subjection was purely free and voluntary 'T is a * See Bodius on Eph. c. 5. p. 812. c. nice Question which some discuss Whether Christ's subjection to the Law did arise from the natural necessity of his being as he was Man and a Creature or whether it did arise only from that mediatory Office which he had submitted to I think things being rightly stated both may be taken in both Nature and Office did require that Christ should be subject to the Law though * This opened in Turret in de Sat. Christi p. 277 278. in different ways For the better understanding of Christ's being made under the Law I desire you to take notice of four or five things Five things to open the Proposition 1. Christ subject to the Law as Man 1. This must be understood of him with respect to his humane Nature This was the Nature which only was capable of subjection Christ as man only could be obedient As to his divine Nature he made the Law so he was the Law-giver and so he was in all acts of power and authority equal with the Father 't was solely in respect of his humane Nature that he was made under the Law which was part of that form of a Servant which he took upon him Phil. 2.7 As he was God 't was proper to him to command as he was Man only 't was proper to him to obey in the former notion he was Lord of the Sabbath Matth. 12.8 in the latter he was bound to keep the Sabbath Christ as man and because man was subject but then 't was only as such 2. As Man in the state of his humiliation 2. Christ as being made under the Law is to be considered not meerly as a Creature upon which he was subject to it but as a Creature in the state of his humiliation and suretyship during which state only his subjection to the Law was to continue For his humane Nature now in Heaven is a Creature and yet there 't is not if we speak strictly under the Law for though Christ there doth materially the things which the Law requires as to be holy to love God c. yet he doth not do them formerly as acts of obedience to the Law but as things which spring from the perfection of his nature and state therefore I say when we are speaking of Christ's being subject to the Law we must not consider him only as Man but as Man in such a way or state in the carrying on of such an undertaking which when he had effected his subjection was to cease Some say that though the subjection which Christ was under in reference to his Office as Mediator be at an end yet his subjection to the Law which was natural and did arise from his being a Creature that yet remains I answer if by this natural subjection they mean only that which results from his Being or that obligation which results from the intrinsick goodness of things so we grant him even in Heaven to be under it but if they mean that subjection or that obligation which relates to and results from an external Law so we deny Christ there to be under it in his glorified state he doth the things which the Law commands but not as or because they are commanded by the Law 3. He was principally subject to the Moral Law 3. The principal Law that Christ was made under and which he was principally obliged to fulfil was the * Vide Bradsh de Justif c. 18. Moral Law This was the Law which at first was made to Adam which he brake and so entayl'd the curse upon all his posterity therefore Christ the serond Adam was also made under this Law that he might fulfil it and so restore man to his primitive happiness This was the Law which was the rule and standard of righteousness wherefore if Christ will convey a righteousness to the creature he must be made under and fulfil this Law He is said to be a curse for us now that curse doth mainly refer to the Moral Law though 't is very true by way of allusion 't is set forth by that which was proper to the judicial Law Gal. 3.13 And he is also said to redeem us from the Law that is from the curse of the Law now 't is the curse annexed to the moral Law that he redeemed us from therefore that was the Law which he was made under This was the Law most excellent if Christ would submit to put himself under the obligation of a Law less exeellent surely he would not refuse to submit to put himself under the obligation of this which was the most excellent Law Especially considering how necessary this was for the good of Sinners for since God stood upon the performance of this Law as the way wherein he would justifie it was most necessary that Christ should be subject to it and perform it or else there would have been no justification Had he been made only under the Ceremonial Law than the benefits of his Obedience would have reached no further than that people who were concerned in that Law and so the Jews
would have had all and the poor Gentiles nothing If Christ will redeem and save both he must make good that Law which did equally oblige both now that was the moral Law Gal. 4.4 c. God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law that we Gentiles as well as Jews might receive the adoption of Sons Christ came not to save this or that nation or people but mankind wherefore he must be subject unto and fulfil that Law in order thereunto in which not any particular people but all mankind were concern'd which I say was the Moral Law 4. Over and above the Moral Law Christ was subject to other Laws 4. Yet besides this general Law which concern'd all mankind which therefore the Saviour of mankind subjected himself unto there were other * Bradsh of Justif c. 19. particular and special Laws to whose obligation he submitted and unto which he was obedient As he was a man he was subject to the Moral Law as he was of the seed of Abraham of the stock of Israel so he was subject to the Ceremonial Law as he was Mediator there were some particular and positive Laws laid upon him to which he was subject also In obedience to the Ceremonial Law he was circumcised Luk. 2.21 presented in the Temple with the usual offering of the poor and mean Luk. 2.22 kept the Passeover Matth. 26.17 and the like In obedience to the special Laws laid upon him as Mediator the chiefest of which was that he should so and so suffer yea lay down his life he did according to the Will of his Father therefore he 's said to be obedient to death even the death of the cross Phil. 2.8 and to learn obedience by the things be suffered Heb. 5.7 and Joh. 10.18 No man taketh it his life he speaks of from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again this commandme have I received of the Father so Joh. 14.31 We commonly distinguish between the Moral Law under which as being general Christ was and that special Law which was laid upon him as Mediator but * Burg. of Justif p. 2. p. 396. c. Bodius on the Ephes p. 386 387. some I find do not very well approve of this distinction their reason is because it seems to assert that something was impos'd upon Christ by the latter Law unto which he was not oblig'd by the former which say they was not so For there was nothing enjoyn'd in the mediatory and positive Law unto which Christ was not oblig'd by the Moral Law there was indeed in it a more particular application and determination of Christ's duty in his circumstances but the thing it self was pre-enjoyn'd and he pre-engag'd thereunto from the Moral Law but this I will not concern my self about He that would see a particular draught of Christ's obedience to the several Laws which he was made under and the several capacities in which he all-along obey'd may find it done to his hand by others largely and distinctly as particularly by Zanchy on Phil. 2.8 p. 114. c. 5. His Obedience imputable to us and meritorious for us 5. Though Christ was thus made under the Law and so obliged to keep it yet this notwithstanding his obedience thereunto was meritorious for us and imputable to us For this is usually objected by the SOCINIAN * Quo circa nec pro aliis magis quam quilibet alius homo legem divinam conservando satisfacere potuit quippe qui ipse eam servare omnino deberet Socin de Servat p. 3. c. 5. Against him see Calov Socin proflig Sect. 5. Controv. 1. pag. 642. Opposers of the imputation and merit of his Obedience for if Christ say they was subject to the Law as he was and so bound for himself to do what he did how can his obedience be made over to others or merit for others for debitum tollit meritum For answer to this several things are said but I 'le instance only in three 1. In the business before us Christ is not to be considered only as Man but as God-man Had he obey'd as meer Man his Obedience could not have been meritorious for so all would have been but a due debt and for himself but he obeying who was * Obediens factus fuit ad mortem Patri non necessum id habuit natura sed oeconomia nostrae redemptionis Ut etiam meriti vis non naturae humanae quà natura sed quà Deo unita ost adscribenda Stegman Disp 23. p. 266. God-man so it became meritorious for others His obedience and subjection was indeed terminated in his Humane Nature but that must not be abstracted from his Divine both being now united in one person which Vnion though it did not make Christ incapable of obeying yet it did put a singular virtue and worth and merit into his obeying And as to his obeying for himself take the explication of that in the words of a †Mr. Perkins on Gal. 4 4. p. 274. Reverend Divine It is saith he alledged that Christ as Man fulfill'd the Law for himself and therefore not for us Answ The flesh or manhood of Christ considered by it-self apart from the Godhead of the Son is a creature that owes homage unto God yet if it be considered as it is received into the unity of the second person and is become a part thereof it is exempted from the common condition of all other men and is not bound to perform subjection as all men are for if the Son of Man be Lord of the Sabbath then also is he Lord of the whole Law * Quicunque prose suo loco vel Adae vel Abrahae factus est filius is quoque pro se suo nomine ad Legem implendam tenebatur qui vero non pro se sed pro aliis vel homo fieri vel Isrâelita nasci voluit is quoque non pro se sed pro aliis ad legem quamlibet implendam obligatus est At Christus c. Turret de Sat. p. 276. Vide Polanum in Dan. 9. p. 196. Bodium on Ephes p. 811 812. Hoorneb Socin confut l. 3. p. 627. Quamvis humana natura ut creatura quaevis Deo sublex observantiam debuit attamen quia nec eam assumere tenebatur neque simplicis creaturae obedientia fuit sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ideo pro quibus hoc istud factum quidni pro iisdem satisfecisse dicatur 2. Though Christ when he had submitted to assume mans Nature was bound to keep the Law yet his keeping thereof was in effect free and voluntary and so imputable and meritorious inasmuch as he for the sake of man freely consented to the taking of that Nature without which he had not been under any obligation to the Law When he was
man he was bound to obey but he was not at all but by his own consent bound to be man and therefore his Obedience was free because his Incarnation was free and without any obligation †Mr. Baxt. Aphor. p. 58. A worthy person thus expresses it Even Christ's Obedience to the Moral Law was not his duty till he voluntarily undertook it it being therefore upon his consent and choice and not due before consent must needs be meritorious And though when he was once a Servant he was bound to do the work of a Servant yet when he voluntarily put himself in the state of a Servant and under the Law not for his own sake but for ours his work is never the less meritorious As 't is with a Surety he having engag'd with and for the debtor is thereby bound to pay the debt yet he payes it freely inasmuch as 't was his own free act to bring himself under such an obligation and so 't was here in what Christ did 3. 'T is further added * Burg. of Justif p. 2. pag. 409. That though Christ considered simply and absolutely as man might be obliged by the Law yet as our Surety and undertaking for us in a fide-jussorial manner so his obligation was wholly voluntary and free My Author goes on and opens himself thus Suppose Christ to be made a Man and thereby absolutely obliged to fulfil the Law for himself yet that he should enter into agreement with the Father to obey it as a Surety for such a term of years upon earth thereby to procure Salvation for a Sinner undone otherwise this was wholly gracious and voluntary and Christ was not obliged to it as Man Upon the whole thése three things being well weighed the Objection is sufficiently answered for suppose that Christ in such a sense was bound to keep the Law yet there were other respects peculiar to his Person and Obedience which made it so voluntary and for us as that it may truly be look'd upon as meritorious and imputable So much of the first Proposition 2. Proposition Christ being made under the Law fulfilled it 2. The Second is this Christ being thus made under the Law he fulfilled it Matth. 3.15 thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness Matth. 5.17 18. Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfil For verily I say unto you till heaven and earth pass one iota or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law till all be fulfilled Rom. 10.4 Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth the end of the Law viz. as the Law in him receiv'd its full and final accomplishment Two things as you have heard were contain'd in its righteousness the duty it commanded the penalty it threatned in both respects Christ fulfilled it For in his active Obedience he did the former and in his passive Obedience he underwent the latter The preceptive mandatory part of the Law he fulfilled actively both as he shun'd whatever evil that prohibited and also as he did whatever good that enjoyned he was originally and actually holy acted all along in exact and universal conformity to the Laws commands so he fulfill'd it actively Joh. 8.46 2 Cor. 5.21 1 Pet. 2.22 1 Pet. 1.19 Acts 3.14 Dan. 9.24 1 Joh. 2.2 Heb. 7.26 The penal and minatory part he fulfill'd passively by his bearing of its curse when he dy'd upon the Cross With respect to both Christ's Obedience was so full and perfect so adaequate to all the Laws demands that it could not but say I have enough I am fully satisfied I can ask no more And this fulfilling of the Law was the foundation upon which his Satisfaction and Merit was built without which he could neither have satisfied nor merited O saith God Son if thou wilt satisfie me there 's my holy and just Law satisfie it unless that be satised I cannot be satisfied by its violation I was offended by its fulfilling I must be appeas'd Well! Christ accepts of the terms Lo saith he I come in the volume of the book it is written of me I delight to do thy Will O my God yea thy Law is within my heart Psal 40.7 8. And what he undertook he made good he went so far that neither the righteous God nor the righteous Law could tax him with any defect If it had not been thus though he had obey'd never so much for us though his Obedience had been never so free and voluntary yet it would not have been either satisfactory or meritorious for all satisfaction and merit are founded upon the fulfilling of the Laws righteousness The gracious God is pleas'd to accept of an imperfect Obedience if sincere from us but the just God would have a perfect Obedience for us he can accept of a mite from us but from our Surety he would have the whole debt paid down Whether Christ's active fulfilling of the Law as considered in itself in its intrinsick worth and value could properly and formally merit of God as Some * Opera Christi absolute considerata meriti propriè dicti rationem habent non respectu promissionis alicujus sed insitâ suâ vi tanquam opera 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absolutè indebito Eadem autem benignâ promissione Dei niti quatenus meritum illud ad nos refertur omnio concedimus Essen Tri. Crucis p. 294. hold or whether it did merit respect being had to God's Ordination Covenant and Promise as †Equidem fateor si quis simpliciter per se Christum opponere vellet judicio Dei non fore merito locum quia non reperiretur in homine dignitas quae possit Deum promereri Calvin Instit l. 2. c. 17. sect 1. Vide Chamier tom 3. l. 9. c. 1. sect 7. Nec aliter Christi meritum accipimus quà m quòd legi plenissime satisfecit non solius obedientiae insitâ vi ac dignitate ad divini juris rigorem appensâ sed ad legem satisfactoriae sic meritus ex divinâ promissione fuit non absque eâ Meritum ad foedus non extra illud aestimatur non ad merum Dei jus quasi ullâ cujusquam actione in rationem debiti trahi posset Hoornb Socin conf p. 627. Others is a nicety that I have no mind to engage in that was the way wherein he merited which is the thing that I only design to speak unto 3. Proposition Christ's Obedience is imputed and made over to Believers 3. The third Proposition Christ having thus fulfilled the Law this his Obedience is made over and imputed to Believers For otherwise how doth the Apostle here say that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us This is that imputed righteousness which is so often spoken of in that one Chapter of Rom. 4 in reference to this Christ is said to be made righteousness to us 1
* Qui maledictionem legis perpetitur per hoc non implet mandata legis aut operatur justitiam c. Wegelin de Obed. Christi fulfil who suffers that 's very harsh To say that one of the things that have been spoken of was or is sufficient viz. the undergoing of the punishment without the doing of the duty and that therefore the imputation of Christ's death and sufferings is enough I say for any to assert this they do in my thoughts offer some violence to the Text in hand which tells us the righteousness the whole righteousness of the Law was to be and is fulfilled in believers 3. 'T is urged thirdly 3. Arg. 't is necessary not only in respect of the Law but of our selves also that Christ's active Obedience should be imputed inasmuch as our righteousness and title to eternal life do indispensably depend upon it The Law is the measure and standard of righteousness let that be fulfilled and a person is righteous otherwise not without this none can stand before the great God as being such Wel then the Sinner himself being altogether unable thus to fulfil the Law thereby to be made righteous Christ's fulfilling of it must be imputed to him in order to righteousness Guilt and righteousness do both carry in them a reference to the holy Law when that is broken 't is guilt when that is kept 't is righteousness therefore as supposing that Law had not been transgress'd we had not been guilty so unless that Law be fully conform'd to we cannot be * Deut 6.25 righteous Now where shall we find this full conformity to the Law but in Christ and what will that in Christ avail us if it be not imputed and made over to us So as to eternal Life unto which without fulfilling the Law we can have no claim or title For the old Law-condition or Covenant being yet in force Hoc fac vives do and live Levit. 18.5 Rom. 10.5 Gal. 3.12 Luk. 10.28 unless this Condition be performed we cannot hope for life True indeed under the Covenant of Grace God accepts of what is done by the Surety and he doth not exact of the Sinner in his own person the perfect obeying of the Law as the condition of life but yet he will have the thing done either by or for the Sinner either by himself or by his Surety or else no life doth not this then evince the necessity of the imputation of Christ's active Obedience But 't is queried Was not Christ's passive obedience without the active sufficient for both of these for righteousness and for life To which they of this Opinion answer No they say upon Christ's death and suffering we are freed from guilt but upon that abstractly from his active obeying of the Law we are not strictly and positively made righteous So also upon his death and suffering they say we are saved from wrath and Hell but yet upon that alone we are not entitled to Heaven they grant in Christ's death a fulness and sufficiency of Satisfaction but as to merit for that they must take in the holiness and obedience of his life I do but recite not undertaking at present to defend what is here asserted only let me close this Head with one thing which to me is observable Our Lord being both to do and to suffer to obey actively and passively that he might fully answer the Laws demands for the justification and salvation of Sinners 't is considerable how the New Testament in two eminent places speaks distinctly to both these parts of his Obedience in their distinct reference to both the parts of the Law under the old Testament and in their distinct influence upon the Sinners good Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us for it is written Cursed is every one c. or as 't is Vers 10. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things c. here is Christ's passive Obedience with respect to the old curse or penal part of the Law here mentioned and the benefit which we reap thereby viz. deliverance from the Laws curse That 's one place the other is Rom. 10.5 Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth for Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the Law that the man which doth these things shall live by them here is Christ's active Obedience with respect to the mandatory part or doing righteousness of the Law here mentioned also and the imputation and benefit of this to believers viz. righteousness and life Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness that is to convey that righteousness which the Law could not or to perform the Law in order to righteousness which the Sinner could not take it as you will it must have reference to the Moral Law and to the preceptive part thereof for so the Apostle opens it in that which follows Vers 5. Now Christ's active Obedience thereunto is imputed to believers otherwise why is it said that he is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth All that I drive at is 1. That the imputation of the passive obedience in Gal. 3.13 must not justle out the imputation of the active obedience in Rom. 10.5 2. That as the imputation of the one is necessary to free from the Laws curse so the imputation of the other is necessary for the having of righteousness and life 4. If Christ actively fulfilled the Law for us then his active fulfilling thereof must be imputed to us 4. Arg. but so he did ergo The Consequence I judge to be good and strong for surely whatever Christ did on our behalf in our stead as designing and aiming at our good as his main end that must needs be imputed to us otherwise he and we too might lose that which he principally designed in his Obedience which is not to be imagined As to the Assumption that Christ actively fulfilled the Law for us that is generally asserted and defended by Divines against SOCINIANS and Others For whereas these affirm that Christ fulfilled the Law for himself he as a Creature being under the obligation of it they prove the contrary of which before shewing that Christ was not in that way wherein he fulfilled the Law at all obliged so to fulfil it for himself but that all was done by him purely upon our account he obey'd not meerly as a Subject but as a Surety therefore his Obedience must be for us and so imputable and imputed to us And whereas others affirm that Christ actively fulfilled the Law that he might thereby be fitted and qualified for his Mediatory Office two things are answered 1. The Scripture when it speaks of Christ's subjection to the Law and accomplishment of it doth not lay it upon this end or upon what refers to Christ himself but upon that which refers to us as the proper end
Christ's fulfilling the Law is to be taken I go on to the Second The imputation of Christ's fulfilling the Law or of his active obedience being granted 't is further to be enquired In what sense this imputation is to be taken and how far it is to be carried This Question hath its difficulties as well as the former the Learned differ not only about the matter of imputation or what is imputed but also about the nature and the right stating of the act Even they who agree in the imputation of Christ's active Obedience do yet differ in the stating of that imputation For 't is the Opinion of some that Christ's active Obedience is so imputed to believers as that God reckons it to them as done in their stead that in his obeying and fulfilling the Law they legally and in God's estimation obeyed and fulfilled the Law also that his obedience is accepted for them and made over to them even as if they had so obeyed in their own persons Others cannot close with this high and rigid imputation as they are pleas'd to call it they say the imputation is to be carried no higher than thus that Christ's Obedience is imputed to Believers that is 't is reckoned to them for their good but not as done in their stead that 't is theirs in the effects benefits of it but not as to the thing it self so as that they in their persons should be look'd upon as having in Christ fulfilled the Law they are for Christ's obeying propter nos but not pro nobis This latter stating of imputation is that which some follow whom upon many accounts I am bound to respect and reverence and I acknowledge as before the former stating of it to lie open to very weighty and considerable Objections Yet in complyance with my present light I must crave leave to differ from them though I do it with all modesty and submission and the Objections made against the high and strict imputation will as I judge admit of fair and satisfactory Answers Therefore I believe and affirm that our Saviours active Obedience is imputed reckoned made over to us as being done in our stead and not only finally for our good that 't is ours not only as to such and such effects but that the thing it-self is ours in a Law sense that God reckons it to us as if we had done it in our own persons and that therein in part consists our righteousness before God The Arguments upon which I build this position are these Arguments to prove the strict imputation of Christ's Obedience 1. If the imputation of Christ's righteousness or Obedience be not taken for the imputing thereof to us as done in our stead but only as done for our good then whatever he did or doth may as properly be said to be imputed to us as his righteousness and obedience The reason of the Consequence is plain because that all which Christ did or doth is for our good his Incarnation Nativity Ascension Intercession c. all are for the good of those who love God If therefore there be nothing more in the imputation of his Obedience than the reckoning of it to us for our good then the forementioned things may equally and as properly be said to be imputed to us as it which I suppose will not be affirmed if it be it will admit of a very easie confutation 2. That must be the right stating of the imputation of Christ's Obedience which best suits with his Suretyship but that which I I plead for doth so ergo A Surety doth not pay the debt only for the debtors good but as standing in the debtors stead and so his payment is reckoned to the debtor The same we must hold with respect to Christ and Sinners or else we quit the main notion of his being a Surety Take away Christ's obeying in our stead and make it to be only for our good and so imputed and you may then suppose him to be a loving and compassionate Saviour but not strictly a Surety for to that 't is requisite that he pay our very debt and that that payment be accepted of as made in our stead 3. Christ's Obedience is imputed as Adams disobedience was imputed this is grounded upon the Apostles parallel between them in Rom. 5. of which before Now how is Adams disobedience imputed to us Answ not only for our hurt or in the mischievous effects of it but the guilt it-self of his disobedience is imputed insomuch that in his sinning we all sin'd Answerably ex opposito Christ's Obedience is and must be imputed to us viz. not only for our good and in the happy effects of it but the thing it-self is ours insomuch that in his obeying reputatively and legally we obeyed also I cannot understand the analogy 'twixt the two Adams wherein the Apostle is so clear unless this imputation as here stated be granted and I humbly conceive he who grants we disobey'd in Adam must grant we also obey'd in Christ 4. Christ's righteousness is imputed to us in that way wherin our sin was imputed to him this is grounded upon 2 Cor. 5.21 Now our sin was imputed to Christ not only in the bitter effects of it but he took the * See Mr. Bradshaw de Justif c. 16. p. 77. guilt of it upon himself as hath been already †See pag. 489 of this Book proved so then his righteousness or active obedience it-self must be proportionably imputed to us and not only in the effects thereof 5. The proper terminus of imputation is righteousness 't is according to its notion in Scripture the reckoning or making over of a thing to a person for righteousness Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for righteousness Rom. 4.3 If therefore Christ's Obedience be imputed to us it must be so imputed as to be our righteousness before God no imputation lower than this will serve our turn nor suit with the Scripture-notion of the Word 6. They who dissent bring in the imputation of Christ's active Obedience as a part of his Satisfaction whence I argue he satisfied in our stead as he obeyed he satisfied therefore he obeyed in our stead Christ's active Obedience being satisfactory as well as his passive why should not that eo nomine come under the same imputation which the passive doth 7. If this be all in the imputation of Christ's Obedience that 't is reckoned to the Sinner for his good then we are all agreed all Controversies are at an end for who even amongst the rankest denyers of imputation do not assent to this that all was done and suffered by Christ for our good and is so far reckoned to us Wherefore either our Protestant Divines have been grosly mistaken in disputing for that which was not denyed or else they had other apprehensions about imputation Objections answered which are brought against the imputation and such an imputation of Christ's active Obedience
could not be thereby convinc'd However I thought I could not do less than what I have done possibly thereby weaker Christians may come to some clearer insight into these matters if there too I be disappointed yet I have laid down the grounds of my own peâ—suasion which this Subject made necessary Whether the Answers I have given to the Objections will be satisfactory to others I know not but I. seriously profess as to the main they are so to me I must acknowledge in some of them there are those difficulties which 't is not an easie thing to get over yet upon the whole matter I must say that after the most serious thoughts I as to my self can with more ease and satisfaction answer the Arguments brought against the imputation of the active Obedience than I can those which are brought for it otherwise I had not embrac'd an Opinion which some knowing men oppose with scorn and derision I come to the Application wherein I must be very short From the Truth I am upon we learn 1. in what way or upon what terms a Believer is justified Vse 1 What are they why the fulfilling of the Laws righteousness which though it could not be done by the Believer himself yet by Christ it is done for him In the justifying of Sinners God proceeds upon the perfect righteousness and full demands of the Law and being justified they are righteous according to that * c. justi sumus coram Deo ex illâ etiam absolutissimâ legis formalâ Beza If with our justification from Sin there be joyn'd that active Obedience of Christ which is imputed to us we are just before God according to that perfect form which the Law requireth Engl. Annot. strict and exact righteousness which the Law itself holds forth You reade much of Legal and of Evangelical righteousness of justification by works and by faith there seems to be a contrariety between these two and so there is in some respects but if you consider them materially and fundamentally they are one and the same The righteousness by which we are justified 't is both legal or the righteousness of works and also Evangelical or the righteousness of faith in reference to Christ 't is legal as he exactly fulfilled the Law in reference to us 't is Evangelical that righteousness which was never performed in our own persons being graciously made over to us and accepted for us And so as to our selves we are justified by faith but as to our Head and Surety we are justified by works God deals with us in our own persons upon the terms of the Covenant of grace but he dealt with us in Christ upon the terms of the Covenant of works and indeed in the justification and salvation of a Sinner all these concur The Scripture 't is true sets them in opposition one to the other and makes them incompatible but that is only in reference to the same subject under the same personal consideration The same person as considered in himself and by himself cannot be justified by Works and by Faith too by the Covenant of works and by the Covenant of grace too but let Christ be taken in and so these things are reconcileable As Christ in his person did all which the Law or Covenant of Works required so in him our justification is by the Law of Works c. but as that his righteousness is imputed to us and apply'd by us so our justification is of grace by faith c. That very righteousness which is legal in the Head is Evangelical in the members in respect of the application of it Blessed be God for the sweet harmony and concurrence of both Covenants of Law and Gospel Works and Faith in the Sinners justification and salvation 't is admirably brought about by this great thing which the Text speaks of Christs fulfilling the righteousness of the Law for us 2. Secondly it shews us what great respect and value the great God had for his holy Law and what an high honour he put upon it Which appears from this the Apostle here setting down God's high and glorious ends in the sending of his Son into the world he makes them all to center in the satisfaction and accomplishment of his Law that it might be satisfied in its penalty Christ shall be a Sacrifice as you had it before that it might be satisfied in its commands Christ in his own person shall fulfil the righteousness of it as you have it here Here was by both plenary satisfaction made to the Law which was the very thing which God stood upon and would have done and rather than it should not be done his own Son must come from Heaven and put on flesh and be himself made under the Law he must live an holy life and die a cursed death and all to satisfie the Law And this was a thing so great in God's eye as that he look'd upon the fulfilling and answering of the Laws demands as a valuable compensation for all the abasement and humiliation of his dearest Son Oh let us think honorably of the Law for surely God did so The Apostle had seem'd to speak somewhat diminutively of it before what the Law could not do in that it was weak but here he puts a great deal of glory upon it in making this the end of the Incarnation of the Son of God that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us God never designed by the sending of Christ to have his Law * Nota per Christum non abolitam esse Legis justitiam non respectu quidem nostri verum impletam eam etiam respectu nostri in nobis Rolloc abolished or abrogated no but rather to have it accomplished and fully satisfied †Matth. 5.17 think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfil In Christ's obedience active and passive we have an high demonstration of that singular respect which God bare to his Law Sin was a base thing therefore that shall be condemned but the Law was good therefore that shall be satisfied Secondly Vse 2 from hence by way of Exhortation I would urge a few things upon you As 1. make sure of an interest in the priviledge here spoken of To have the righteousness of the Law fulfilled in us O what a priviledge is this is it yours are you in the number of the us in the Text is Christ's obeying the Law so made over to you as that in God's estimation the righteousness thereof is fulfilled in you Sirs this is a thing that must be done either by you or for you the former being impossible what relief have you from the latter If you cannot plead this fulfilling of the Laws righteousness either by your selves or by your Surety you are lost for ever you are under that * Gal. 5.3 debt to the Law which you will never be able to pay you are
* Isa 45.24 In the Lord we have righteousness When you had none of your own God provided another and a better for you Assignata est ei aliena justitia qui caruit suâ Bernard Epist 190. ad Innoc. Christ was * Delicta nostra sua delicta fecit ut justitiam suam nostram justitiam faceret August willing to be made sin that you might be made the righteousness of God in him You may with holy confidence say Law thou demandest much of me and that very justly and I cannot my self answer thee in these demands but there 's my Saviour my Surety he hath paid the full debt for me he hath in my room and place done and suffered all that thou canst require to his satisfaction I appeal a good appeal the Lord give you more and more of the comfort of it That which often causes a gracious Soul to be troubled is the consideration not only of the Laws penalty but also of the Laws purity Oh 't is a righteous Law and it calls for an exact doing righteousness in the Creature what will become of me who cannot answer it herein Now under this trouble the belief of the imputation of Christ's active obedience may be of great use And this is one reason why I would be the more loth to part with the imputation of that obedience because under troubles of Conscience it is so proper so necessary so soveraign a Cordial for many fainting Christians To shut up all Believers Christ's whole Obedience active and passive is yours what would you have more what can Sin or Satan or Conscience or the Law it self now object against you be humble and mourn in the sense of the imperfection of your own inherent righteousness yet withal rejoyce and glory in the fulness perfection everlastingness of that righteousness which is imputed to you 'T is a terrible word to Sinners the righteousness of the Law must be fulfilled on them 't is a comfortable word to the Saints the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in them ROM 8.4 Who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit CHAP. XV. Spiritual Walkers the Subjects of the foregoing Priviledge The Sixth Head in the Words viz. the Description of the persons to whom the priviledge belongs Some short Animadversions upon the Words The main Doctrine raised from them but not handled A brief Survey of these Four Verses and recapitulation of the principal matter in them The Conclusion of this Volume IN the opening of the matter which the Apostle is upon in this and in the preceding Verse I have taken notice of 1. The act it-self viz. the sending of Christ 2. The person whose act this was God sent c. 3. The person who was sent as he stands in a very near relation to God God sent his own Son c. 4. The way or manner in which this Son was sent in the likeness of sinful flesh 5. The great Ends of God in all this or the great Effects produced thereby namely the condemning of Sin c. and the fulfilling of the Laws righteousness in and for Believers These several Heads have all more or less been opened 6. The Apostle having appropriated the last End or Effect the fulfilling of the Laws righteousness to such a sort of persons that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us he goes on to describe those persons by their qualification and course they are such who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit This Description or Character we had before with respect to Vnion with Christ or exemption from condemnation there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Here 't is repeated with respect to Christs fulfilling of the Law and the imputation of that his Obedience who are the persons who have a share also in this and who shall be the better for it why such who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit As the mystical Vnion and freedom from condemnation so the imputation of Christ's righteousness is attended in every Subject that is a real partaker thereof with a spiritual and holy conversation These are different priviledges but for the evidence of them the Apostle makes use of the same character or description Who walk not after the flesh c. The words are not descriptive of the nature of the thing spoken of before as if the righteousness of the Law was fulfilled in Believers in their not walking after the flesh c. as * Pererius Disp 3. in c. 8. ad Rom. Some would have it but they are descriptive of the persons for whom and in whom that thing was done There 's a vast difference betwixt these two †Apostolus non affirmat justificationem Legis à nobis impleri sed in nobis nec quia incedimus secundum Spiritum ut haec causa sit sed ut hoc testimonio judicio intelligamus legis justificationem in nobis impleri qui secundum Spiritum incedimus Whittak contra Duraâ—m de Patad l. 8. fol. 203. our holiness is not the fulfilling of the Law but whoever is an holy man Christ's fulfilling of the Law is imputed to him and so he doth fulfil it In the bringing in of this description three things might be designed by the Apostle 1. To assert the happiness of all who live the spiritual life in them by Christ the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled * Ideo Apostolus admodum apposite c. Vide Bezam in loc Christus est illis justitia qui juxta Spiritum non juxta carnem ambulant Christus enim iis duntaxat justitia Legis satisfactio est qui crucifixo jam vetere homine Spiritui obtemperant h. e. solis fidelibus Zwingl 2. To stave off all others from laying claim to this grace none but holy livers can warrantably apply Christ's satisfying of the Law to themselves 3. To obviate all * Quia suam justitiam nullis communicat Christus nisi quos Spiritus sui vinculo sibi conjungit additur iterum regeneratio ne putetur Christus esse peccati minister sicuti proclive est multis ad carnis lasciviam rapere quicquid de paternâ Dei indulgentiâ traditur Calvin abuses of this precious Truth all mis-interpretations of it as also all †Vide Chrysost Oecum in loc security and carelesness in them who have an interest in the priviledge Hath Christ fulfilled the Law for us some from hence might be apt to infer then we may live as we list there 's nothing now for us to do no not so saith the Apostle for though Christ hath fully satisfied the Law yet all for whom he hath done this do and must walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Who walk not c. Faith being the proper and immediate condition of the imputation of Christ's righteousness or obedience to the Law why doth