Son and that he will adorne him with his grace as a bride of Jesus Christ Thus while the soul looketh towards Jesus Christ and grace in him the Lord doth secretly transform him into the image of Christ by working such qualifications in him and then beareth witnesse to that sanctification which is wrought in his heart thereby inlarging his soul with strong consolation in Jesus Christ and in the same way it is that the Lord doth strengthen the faith of his people to believe that all those things which God hath promised are accomplished in Jesus Christ and the Law fulfilled in me so farre as Christ is in me and therefore I come unto God in prayer to make good those promises unto me in a right way which would have been preposterously applied before Christ was given And this may serve for answer unto this fifth question We come now unto a sixth question Quest 6 If the Lord do give himself first in the Covenant of his Grace this may then be a doubt and a question in a Christian soul If God gives himself before any blessing before any promise in order of nature though he giveth himself alwayes in a promise or in a word that is equivalent to a promise as Cant. 5.9 16. ch 6.1 if we cannot claim any blessing from God at the first in any conditional promise therefore not by any condition in our selves but as we received all things from God so we claim all things from God in Jesus Christ and so do first seek for him and for all things in him If thus to what use then serveth the Law of God which requireth such and such conditions in us do we not abrogate the Law and make it of none effect and root it out from having any power over Christians And truely some under pretence of the Covenant of Grace have thought it altogether bootlesse to bind Christians unto the Law of God and to look at it as any part of the direction of their course because this is an imputation usually reflected upon the Covenant of Grace let us consider therefore and enquire to what use serveth the Law of God if God give himself first unto his people in the Covenant of his Grace Though the Lord giveth himself freely to the soul Answ and his Son and all the blessings of the Covenant of Grace without respect unto any work of the Law yet the Law is of special and notable use unto all the sons of men both unto them which are not yet brought home unto God by converting grace and also to those that are regenerate in Jesus Christ The Apostle Paul did observe that the question would arise upon the Doctrine of the Covenant of Grace Gal. 3.16 17 18. for if the blessing of Abraham cometh upon the people of God by Jesus Christ to what end then serveth the Law which came 430 after it cannot disannul to make the promise of God of none effect to what end then serveth it some say it is of no use others say that it is of such use that they had rather renounce the Covenant of Grace then it but the answer is It is of especial use both unto spiritual and carnal men First unto carnal men and they are of two sorts some belong unto the election of grace though they he not yet called others are not written in the Lambs books of life but will in the end finally perish and yet the Law is of use unto both sorts of them 1. For those that are the elect of God it is of use unto them to aggravate their sin and to multiply it unto them as it were that is to say to aggravate the apprehension of the hainousnesse of sin upon their consciences and to set home the burden of their sins unto their souls thereby to drive them to feel their great need of the Lord Jesus Christ whom otherwise they should for ever have despised Thus the Apostle answereth in the place forenamed The Law was added because of transgressions that they might clearly appear and be aggravated thereby that a man might plainly discern how be hath made himself liable unto the wrath of God by so manifold breaches of so many Commandments in one kinde or other the Law giveth clear knowledge of sin and so much the more doth it set on the weight of it upon the conscience working fear in the heart Rom. 8.15 and hence it is that the Apostle telleth us Gal. 3.24 that the Law was our School-master to Christ as a School-master driveth his Scholar through fear unto this or that duty so the Law of God driveth the soul through fear unto Jesus Christ not that it doth reveal Christ a Saviour and Redeemer of free grace but the soul being once brought down under the sence of sin by the terrours of the Law will readily and diligently hearken unto the news of Christ a Saviour for being once made sensible of his own inability to redeem himself and unworthinesse to be redeemed from the wrath of God now is the Soul fitted to hear the voyce of the Gospel now is the news of Jesus Christ beautifull and glad tidings and of this use is the Law unto the Elect of God before they come under the Covenant of the Grace of God 2. But of what use is the Law unto other men Answ First In regard of disobedience it is of use unto them and 2. the obedience to it is of use 1. In regard of disobedience for if men had not known sin it had been some pretence though they had committed sin but when men have the knowledge of the Law and yet commit sin willingly now they have no Cloak for their sin Rom. 1. vers 21. compared with 32. where the Apostle speaketh of the great sin of the Gentiles and much more of the Jews who though they knew God and the judgement of God and that they which commit such wickednesse are worthy of death yet not onely do the same but have pleasure in them that do them When a man shall not onely do such wickednesse but blesse himself in it this aggravateth a mans condemnation if men will not come unto Jesus Christ that they might have life Joh. 5.40 what saith our Saviour in such a case vers 54. Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father there is one that accuseth you even Moses in whom you trust Moses will judge all those that please themselves in wickednesse and will not turn to the Lord Jesus Christ thus there is use of the Law unto disobedient persons their disobedience will leave them without excuse when they sin against their consciences against the means which the Lord hath administred unto them for though the Lord never gave them such grace as did accompany salvation yet such Illumination he did give them that they needed not to have broken his Law so many wayes with such wicked hands as they have done therefore when they have been enlarged to
perform many duties and might avoid much sin and yet will sin against their consciences and tread under foot those means of grace that were committed unto them It is then most righteous with God that they should be condemned 2. Of what use is the obedience of the Law unto such whom Gods Soul taketh no pleasure in Truely it is of sad and dreadful use unto unto them for it serveth to harden them in their sins though that be but an accidental use thereof their sins are thereby made out of measure sinful Rom. 7.13 They harden their hearts 1. by their obedience to the Law 2. by the Comfort which they take in that obedience both these do marvellously harden their hearts For the first of these The Apostle Paul Acts 23.1 had kept so good a conscience that he knew not any sin against the Law that he lived in but though he was unrebukeable he did count it all losse afterward Phil. 3.7 8. those things that before he thought had been his gain now he counteth them but dung that he may win Christ when a man attaineth to outward conformity unto the Law he is then ready to think it is indeed good for poor sinfull men to look for salvation by Jesus Christ but for himself he hopeth in his devotion and that he is able to save himself these are such as justâ—fie themselves before men to whom our Saviour speaketh Luke 16.15 and of whom he saith That Publicans and Harlots shall go into the Kingdom of heaven before them Mat. 21.31 32. for many times you shall have the most deboist and profane wretches more humbled and readier to hearken to the voyce of Christ and sooner convinced of the necessity of the Covenant of Grace then those that are but morally righteous by the Law Rom. 9.30 31 32. the Gentiles which followed not after righteousnesse have attained to righteousnesse even the righteousnesse which is of faith but Israel which followed after the Law of righteousnesse hath not attained to the Law of righteousnesse wherefore because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the Law and chap. 10.31 They being ignorant of Gods righteousnesse and going about to establish their own righteousnesse have not submitted themselves unto the righteousnesse of God Thus the Law becometh a snare unto them and that which is of singular and wholsom use unto the Children of God is made death unto them And as their obedience to the Law is thus a snare unto them so secondly the delight and comfort which they take in their obedience is a greater snare then the other The stony and thorny soyl did hear the word with joy and so those Hypocrites Isai 59.2 did delight to approach unto God but what followed upon the delight which they took in God and in holy Duties it made them ready to expostulate with God why he did not answer them according to their works the delight which they found did so fill their hearts with assurance of the grace of God that they looked at their Duties as so many tokens of the love of God unto their souls and then when men come to find more comfort in their obedience then in the grace of God in Jesus Christ it maketh them ready to expostulate with God touching the worth of their own Righteousness Isa 57.10 Thou hast found the life of thine hand therefore thou wast not grieved as long as a man findeth life and comfort in his own duties and performances what need can he see to be grieved for the want of Jesus Christ or at the best if he do grieve and find his heart comforted in grieving and delighting in the course of humiliation he then thinketh he hath no need of being farther solicitous about his spiritual estate Thus we see plainly that the Law of God is of marvellous use in the days of the Gospel of great use unto those that belong unto God to break their hearts for sin and to drive them to Jesus Christ and for others the disobedience of the Law leaves them without excuse that so disobey it again the obedience of it and comfort in that obedience doth harden the hearts of others from Jesus Christ But what say you then unto men that are under a Covenant of Grace and brought unto fellowship with Christ therein of what use is the Law of of God unto such is it utterly antiquated or is there any more to be done with it The Apostle answereth this Question Answ when he saith I am not without the Law to God but under the Law to Christ 1 Cor. 9.21 so minde you the Law is of use unto the Apostle Paul but how as the Law cometh under Christ so Paul cometh under the Law this is the sum of the Answer but that would be further explained What meaneth he when he saith I am under the Law to Christ In some sence a Christian is wholly freed from the Law In some sence he is yet under the Law So far as the Law is any way besides or out of Christ so far the Apostle is without the Law So far as the Law is under Christ so far he is under the Law Keep close to these two Principles and you shall safely avoid Rocks on every hand thus by the use of the Law shall you not go aside to a Govenant of Works nor by attendance unto Grace shall you need to neglect the Law How far is the Law under Christ when it hath brought the soul neerer unto Christ and in a remote manner prepared him the Law is in Christ and you subject to it in him 1. As the Law is given by Christ 2. As in Christ help is given to perform it First as the Law is given by Christ as 1 Thes 4.2 3. You know what Commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus for this is the will of God even your Sanctification c. and many other commandments he gave them all which are legal commandments and yet the Apostle gave them by the Lord Jesus so Mat. 5.17 to the end of the chapter our Saviour Christ would not have us think that he came to destroy the Law or the Prophets but to fulfil them And to that end he doth there expound the spiritual and true meaning of the Law that whereas the Pharisees held forth the outward letter of the Law to be observed onely as thinking that unless a man did commit the Act of Murder he was not guilty of the breach of the sixth Commandment and if he committed not the Act of Adultery he transgressed not the seventh Commandment and so of the rest Our Saviour Christ expoundeth the Law more spiritually shewing that anger against a mans brother is the breach of the sixth Commandment and whosoever shall look on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her in his heart and broken the seventh commandment thus Christ hath as it were revived Moses but as the Law is given by Christ it
obedience unto it will supply comfort unto him but if we be dead unto the Law we have no life in it nor by it but only in Jesus Christ from whom we expect our comfort indeed we are troubled that we should sin against the grace of God otherwise we look not at our obedience or disobedience to make us accepted or rejected 4. And finally the soul doth not claim his right unto any conditional promise by his performance of the condition nor doth he deny himself the blessing that the promise may reach forth unto him though he be wanting in obedience to this or that Commandment pregnant for this purpose is the example of Jacob which we mentioned before Gen. 32.9 10. who though he had a plain and a full promise of God to do him good if he would return to his Country and to his kindred yet when he did return according to the word of God he claimed not his interest in that promise for that he had done as God commanded him but I am less then the least of thy mercies and yet he cometh unto the Lord for the performance of his promises but not upon this ground only for the sake of mercy and truth Deliver me I pray thee for thou saidest I will surely do thee good ver 11 12. so that mind you though the soul can make use of a conditional promise and come to God for the blessing of it yet not expecting it in the least manner by vertue of his obedience and truly this is the freedom of a Christian soul whereas another man if he have kept the Commandment and performed the condition he then looketh for acceptance from God as if the Lord make this promise that he that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall find mercy this man confesseth his sin unto God and forsaketh it and therefore he looketh for mercy but this is not the manner of Gods people and yet if they look for any mercy it is in the way of God but not because of their own goodness their hope is in the faithfulness and free grace of God they may make mention to the praise of God how he hath guided them and carried them an end in his own waies yet they challenge nothing from any thing that they have done but put the Lord in mind of his free promise that as of his free grace he hath freely promised so from the same grace he may make good what he hath promised Vse 1 If any therefore shall accuse the Doctrine of the Covenant of free Grace of Antinomianism and say it teacheth men freedom from the Law of Moses and if they commit any sin they plead they are not bound unto the Law we see how false such an aspersion would be for all the people of God know that the Lord is an avenger of every such wickedness There is none under a Covenant of Grace that dare allow himself in any sin for if a man should negligently commit any sin the Lord will school him throughly and make him sadly to apprehend how he hath made bold with the treasures of the grace of God Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound God forbid none that have a portion in the grace of God dareth therefore allow himself in sin but if through strength of temptation he be at any time carried aside it is his greatest burthen 2 Sam. 12.8 9. compared 13. Hath not the Lord saith Nathan done these and these things for thee wherefore then hast thou despised the Commandment of the Lord then David confesseth I have sinned It pierced him to the heart to consider it that he should abuse his Neighbours wife and kill her husband and commit such wickedness against God that had dealt so graciously with him So that the children of the Covenant of grace will only tell you that they are free from the Covenant of the Law but not from the Commandment of it for as it is given by Jesus Christ and ratified in the Gospel and as Christ hath given us his Spirit enabling us to keep it we are under it so far as to take our selves bound by the authority of it and if we do transgress against it we know it is sin in the sight of God and therefore it is that the soul in such a case is sensible of the wrath and displeasure of God whether it be his own sin or the sin of his brethren therefore he runneth unto God for mercy which he would not do if he did not know that his desert according to the Law did utterly cut him off from mercy else would he never pray for pardon of sin nor rejoyce when the Lord helpeth him to do that which is right and just in his sight nor bless the Lord for strengthening him unto obedience unless he thought it to be his duty and therefore It is of use also to teach the servants of God how far they are freed from the Law Use 2 to wit from the Covenant of it so that they neither look for justification nor salvation from it And let it not be grievous to any soul that a Christian should say He doth not fear condemnation by his disobedience he will be apt to fear in this kind untill he be assured of the favour of God but when he knoweth his portion in the Covenant then indeed he doth not fear condemnation by his sin nor doth he think that the Lord will cleave unto him because of his fruitfulness he casteth not off his comfort nor looketh at himself as divorced from Christ because of his barrenness before the Lord nor doth he look for his daily bread from all his obedience but expecteth all goodness and blessing from the treasures of the free grace of God Use 3 This may also serve to teach men some kind of discernment of their own spirits and state if you look for justification no longer then you are obedient and fear eternal condemnation when you are disobedient if you be afraid of divorce from Christ because of your sins or if you look for any blessing and challenge right to any promise by vertue of any well-doing of your own in such a case either thou art under a Covenant of works or at the least thou art gone aside to a Covenant of works and if ever the Lord open your eyes and bestow his free grace upon you you will know your redemption from such dependances as these be I know a Christian man that hath not been clearly taught the distinct differences of the two Covenants may be misled into dangerous waies that might tend unto the utter undoing of his soul but it is a sin of ignorance and the Lord will not leave his servants but clear up his truth and grace unto them May serve to teach the servants of God Use 4 that desire to walk in a way of constant comfort how to build their faith and their hope truly if they be grounded upon your own obedience or righteousness or
is not a covenant of Works but a commandment of well-doing and he having given it we take our selves bound to be subject to it The Apostle also presseth the Moral Law upon several relations of men Ephes 6.1 2 3 c. It is an honour to Jesus Christ that his servants should be holy as he is holy it is for the glory of God and he requireth it The Apostle James presseth it Chap. 2.8 to the end of the chapter If you fulfil the Royal Law according to the Scripture Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self ye do well And again Whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all Thus we see the Apostles of Jesus Christ put it upon Christians to keep the Law of God and Christ himself beareth witness to the Law for God will never justifie sin to be no sin though he will justifie the person of a sinner Now as the Lord Jesus giveth the Law and as it were reneweth it so he doth also give his Spirit unto his servants enabling them to keep it Jer. 31.33 Ezek. 36.27 I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgements and do them And again I will put my law in their hearts and write it in their inward parts Now this Law would he not write in the hearts of his people nor give unto them his holy Spirit enabling them to keep his Law were it not his will in Jesus Christ that the Law should be the rule of holiness and righteousness unto his people hence it is that the children of God though they be not under the Covenant of the Law yet take themselves to be bound to the obedience of it for if Jesus Christ have given the Law as well as Moses and if he have ratified it by giving them his Spirit to teach and strengthen them to keep it though not perfectly yet sincerely then they take themselves bound to obey the Law though they be under the Covenant of Grace for do we make void the law through saith God forbid yea we establish the law For what need have Christians of free Justification by Christ if they were not bound to obedience by the Commandment of the Law Therefore the free Justification of men under a free Covenant of Grace doth establish the obedience of the Law otherwise what need they run to Christ to save them from the curse of the Law Why do we still run to Christ for the continuance of our justification But that we find our selves ungodly creatures against the righteous and holy Law of God therefore if God have given men the Law and his holy Spirit to strengthen them in the obedience of it and his grace to save them from the curse of it then Christians are to know that they are bound to keep the Law they lie under the authority of it and dare not pluck their necks from under that yoke Now there are two Effects springing from the subjection of Gods people to the Commandment of the Law 1. As they take themselves bound to the obedience of it so they believe and many times feel the fatherly displeasure of God when they transgress the Law now the transgression of the Law could not bring them under Gods displeasure unless they were bound unto the Commandment of the Law this displeasure David was sensible of Psal 38.1 2 3. c. There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin And many complaints of like nature doth he there make which do all of them spring from the conscience of the disobedience of the Law which God hath framed in the hearts of his servants whereby they reflect upon their sin as the ground of all the distempers which lie upon their bodies or minds This is the first effect of the subjection of Gods people to his Law they lie under the faith and sence of the danger of the disobedience of it 2. They are under the faith and sence also of Gods gracious acceptance of their waies when they are suitable to the blessed directions of his word not that they can raise therefrom the assurance of their justified estate but by the same Spirit of God whereby they are helped to obey the Commandment they do see the Lords gracious approbation of them in their poor and weak endeavours for the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous that is acknowledgeth and approveth it Psal 1.6 when the Lord by his Spirit boweth the hearts of his servants to obedience then he knoweth and accepeth their obedience Gen. 22.12 Now I know that thou fearest me seeing thou hast not withheld thy son thine only son from me thus the Lord beareth witness to his servants that he doth accept their works so that they sensibly know and believe that the Lord doth acknowledge their poorest and weakest endeavours unto which they are carried forth by his Spirit in the obedience of his word This the Prophet David confirmeth Psal 18.20 to 26. The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me for I kept the waies of the Lord have not wickedly departed from my God for all his judgements were before me and I did not put away his statutes from me I was also upright before him and kept my self from mine iniquity therefore hath the Lord recompensed me according to my righteousness according to the cleanness of my hands in his eye-sight with the merciful thou wilt shew thy self merciful and with the upright man thou wilt shew thy self upright c. This David speaketh of his righteous dealing with Saul and whereas his enemies laid it to his charge that he was an enemy unto Saul the Lord beareth him witness that he had walked toward Saul with a good conscience now the Lord having led him an end to deal justly and righteously and purely with Saul having kept him from all the malice and outrage of Saul and maintained his cause against Saul and delivered him out of the hands of Saul whom the Lord had now rejected herein the Prophet seeth the Lord accepting him when in the name of his Son by the power of his Spirit he is helped to attend unto the Commandments of God This is comfortable unto a Christian spirit when the Lord beareth witness to his soul that he hath an eye to all the Commandments of God And all this argueth that the servants of God being in a state of grace in Jesus Christ have looked at themselves as bound by the Commandments of the Law and as being under the law to Christ who hath given the Law and power unto his servants sincerely to keep it both by writing in their hearts a law of obedience and by putting his holy Spirit within them for if the people of God were not sensible of their bounden duty to the observation
of the Law of God they would neither have faith nor sence of Gods fatherly displeasure when they negligently break these laws neither would they be sensible of Gods acceptance of their conformity thereunto but we know what the Apostle Paul saith 2 Cor. 1.12 For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world c. and truly the Lord doth often bear witness unto the integrity of his servants against the oppositions of men so he did to Abraham to David to Paul and to sundry of the Saints of God though the servants of God are not wonted thereupon to build their safe estate yet this kind of Gods acceptance of their waies and obedience they do discern yet in their best obedience which they do perform they see the need they have to go unto God for justifying grace because if they have failed in any one circumstance their best righteousness is polluted therefore they have need of Jesus Christ to cover the failings of their most strict performances This Nehemiah was sensible of when he had been very faithful in reforming the abuses of the Sabbath and of many other Ordinances of God and though the Lord had helped him to undertake the reformation with much dexterity and success yet for all this he runneth unto Christ for acceptance and pardon Nehem. 13.22 Remember me O my God concerning this and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy and what would he have done if he had been conscious of some gross sin He would then much more have run to the Lord Jesus Thus the Law is established by faith for there is no justified person but he is very apprehensive of his sins and so of his continual need of Christ whose blood cleanseth us from all sin 1 Joh. 1.7 and who is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness vers 9. who is an Advocate if any man sin and a propitiation for our sins Chap. 2.1 2. and what do all these things argue but that a Christian being under the Covenant of the Grace of God doth submit himself unto this yoak of God Thus far then a Christian is under the Law to Christ so far as the Law is under Christ he is under the commandment of Christ and under the power of Christ and under the displeasure of Christ if he negligently sin against the Law and unto Christ he runneth for pardon and cleansing and unto Christ he cometh for acceptance of his obedience so that he hath no use of the Law but unto Christ and in and under Jesus Christ But how is a Christian not under the Law So far forth as the Law is not under Christ I mean so far as it is without Christ freely justifying of us by his grace so far a Christian is freed from under the Law In one word a Christian man under a Covenant of Grace is not under a Covenant of Works Rom. 6.14 You are not under the Law but under Grace he meaneth not under the Covenant of the Law nor under the power and authority of the Law as of their husband Rom. 7.1 2 3 4. The husbandly Jurisdiction of the Law is taken away The Law is not made for a righteous man 1 Tim. 1.9 that is not the Covenant of the Law for else we are under the Commandments of the Law to Christ but the Jewish Teachers taught more to wit the Covenant of the Law unto salvation not but that the Law is good if a man use it lawfully he meaneth the Covenant of the Law but how shall a man use it lawfully for it is not given unto a righteous man but he reckoneth up the breakers of every commandment and unto them it is given to the lawless and disobedient to the ungodly and sinners to the unholy and profane to murtherers of fathers and murtherers of mothers to man-slayers and whoremongers and to them that defile themselves with man-kind to men-stealers to lyars to perjured persons and if there be any other things that are contrary to sound Doctrine the Covenant of the Law is given unto such and unto none but such to convince them of their sins against the Law to humble them to the death and to drive them out of themselves and considence in themselves But how doth it appear that the Covenant of the Law is not given to the children of God from hence it is manifest 1. Because a Christian man neither looketh for Justification and Salvation from his Obedience to the Law nor feareth Condemnation though he fail in his Obedience and this is a fruit of his exemption from under the Covevenant of the Law for if a man should look for Life by his Obedience to the Law and fear condemnation by the breach of it this would bring a man under the Covenant of the Law for the sanctification of the Covenant of the Law is life to them that obey and to them that disobey death and the curse But a Christian looketh not for Life by his Obedience and that is plain Psal 143.2 Enter not into Judgement with thy servant for in thy sight shall no flesh living be justified so Rom. 3.20 By the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified for by the Law is the knowledge of sin therefore no hope of salvation from our Obedience to the Law But methinkes you will say a Christian may fear his condemnation because of his Disobedience to the Law Truly this is a great snare and this Doctrine will be scandalous to many a poor soul but without cause Indeed if God give a man to be under the Covenant of Grace and not to see it then he may fear but if a man know himself to be under the Covenant of Grace then he doth not fear condemnation from his disobedience notable to this purpose is the considence of David Psal 49.5 where the Prophet calleth upon all People in the world to take notice of it Both men of high degree and men of low degree Wherefore should I fear in the dayes so of evil when the iniquities of my heels shall compass me about wherefore truly if there be any fear in the world one would think this might procure it what should a man fear if not this David professeth it and would have all to know it that there is no cause therein why a Christian man should fear Wherefore should I fear c. though it should follow you to the stocks or to prison yet there is no cause why it should make you fear Men that trust themselves in their wealth and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches none of them can by any means redeem his Brother nor give to God a ransom for him that he should live for ever and not see corruption had David had nothing but the wealth of his Kingdom he might