not the light of his word and his Law written in the Scriptures to many Nations yet he giveth to them all the light and Law of Nature and therefore the transgressions of the Law of Nature are sins against God The Apostle saith until the Law sin was in the world but sin is not imputed where there is no Law nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after tbe similitude of Adams transgression Sin was in the world before the Law was given on mount Sinai But how can it be just to charge sin upon them who had no Law against which to sin Nevertheless death raigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression Who are they Some seem to understand Infants only who sinned not actually in their own persons as Adam did yet dying in their infancy were guilty of original sin Others take it for all that lived between the time of Adam and Moses who sinned not after the similitude of Adams transgression because they sinned not against an express Law given by revelation from Heaven as Adam did who sinned against that express prohibition of God forbidding him to eat of the fruit of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil under the pain of certain death and destruction I conceive this latter sense more probable because of that special limitation of time from Adam to Moses for the case of those that dye in their Infancy for ought I know is the same whether before or after the time of Moses before and after the Law written but the condition of those that lived between Adams time and that of Moses differed from those that lived after Now the Apostle sheweth that death the punishment of sin fell upon them so did many other judgements the flood destroying the old world the showr of fire and brimstone upon Sodom fell within the compass of that time and therefore certainly they were guilty of sin and justly punished because these calamities were the just judgements of God who is the righteous judge of all the world and therefore although these sinned not against any positive Law of God delivered to them either by word or writing yet they sinned against the light and Law of Nature which God had given them Secondly This may shew us the reason and the justice of those severe executions of God upon Heathen Nations who had no Scripture nor written Law to sin against They sinned against the Light and Law of Nature for the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them c. The Judgements and Calamities publick national private personal brought upon any of mankind in several ages are evidences of Gods wrath and displeasure against them and therefore proofs of their sin and guiltiness against God otherwise the Lord who is perfectly righteous would not bring these evils upon them and among the rest the death of the body is a universal declaration of the wrath of God against mankind for sin If any should be free from all other evils yet this alone would be a sufficient proof of their sinfulness and therefore the Lord said unto Adam and in him to each particular person of his posterity soon after he had sinned and they had sinned in him Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Euery dead Corps every Funeral that ye see or hear of all the persons that have died from the beginning of the world unto this day have by their death manifested the wrath of God against sin and mens guiltiness before the Lord for though through the grace and mercy of God in Christ the death of a true believer is turned into a blessing and made an inlet or entrance into everlasting life yet in its own Nature it is a consequent of sin and sin was the original of it In special the Heathens who had not the mind of God so fully revealed to them as those within the Church yet had the Light and Law of Nature and in sinning against that Light and Law were justly punished for they held the Truth in unrighteousness This common Light and Law of Nature was the Truth of God und they by opposing their wills and lusts against it and so not following the guidance of it were found guilty of fighting against God and crossing that Light which the Lord had given them and therefore the Lord dealt with them as Enemies So the Lord punished Sodom and the Cities adjoynning with fire and brimstone So the Canaanites and Amorites were destroyed for their sins against the Light and Law of Nature and Israel was planted in their Land The Lord told Abraham that his seed should possess it but not until after four hundred years Why Because the iniquity of the Amorites was not yet full so that it was the fullness of their iniquity which was the cause of their destruction it was because their sin was come to its full height that they were rooted out So the Lord having forbidden Israel the practice of divers great sins saith Defile not your selves in any of these things for in all these things the Nations are defiled which I cast out before you And the Land is defiled therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it and the Land it self vomiteth out the Inhabitants The Lord threatned divers grievous Judgements by the Prophet Amos against many Heathen Nations Syria the Philistines Tyrus Edom Ammon Moab All the miseries of war brought upon Heathen Nations what were they but revelations and reall demonstrations of the wrath of God from Heaven for their sins against the Law and Light of Nature The ruining of the Babylonish Monarchy by the Medes and Persians of the Persian by the Macedonians and Grecians the Macedonians by the Romans of the Roman by the Saracens and Turks on the one side and divers Northern Nations on the other these and the like were just Judgements of God upon Heathens for sins against the Light and Law of Nature So I conceive the cruel Spaniards were unjust executioners of the righteous Judgements of God upon the poor Indians or Americans for their sins against the same common Light and Law of Nature for the Lord executeth just Judgements by wicked men yea by Divels who aime not at all at the Lords end but either delight to exercise their malice and cruelty or act thus to make a ful conquest and utterly disable a people to make head again Thirdly This may clearly convince us that the sins of Christians are far more heinous then the sins of Infidels and Heathens because they sin against the same Law
any flee from sin and not rather add sin to sin doing evil that good may come that Gods grace may be the more manifested to his glory The Apostle rejecteth these with detestation shewing that notwithstanding all their perverse cavils they shall find God a severe judge and that their damnation is just for it doth no way lessen the guilt of sin that God getteth glory by it for sin in its own nature tendeth to the darkning of Gods Glory and men by sinning dishonour God but such is the infinite perfection of God that as he commanded the light to shine out of darkness though darkness be contrary to the light so he can work good and get himself glory out of the evil of sin which in it self tendeth to rob him of his glory So in the sixth Chapter of this Epistle shall we continue in sin that grace may abound The Apostle had shewed before that all had sinned in Adam besides the guilt of their own actual sins yea even such as lived before the Law was given by Moses and that by the publishing of the Law sin abounded the guilt of sin increased but then withal he added that where sin abounded grace did much more abound the free love and favour of God was gloriously manifested in pardoning sin thus heightned and aggravated by the express Law and in freely justifying sinners condemned by the written Law Hence this Question or Objection to which the Apostle answers with detestation as before and withal sheweth that they who are justified by the righteousness of Christ have received the Spirit and so dye to sin and live to righteousness and are engaged hereunto by their Baptisme and therefore it is in vain for any to hope for justification and pardon of sin through Christ who yeild themselves up to the service of sin So verse 14th he saith to Believers Ye are not under the Law but under Grace Hence again a Question or Objection of corrupt nature or carnal reason What then Shall we sin because we are not under the Law but under Grace May we not therefore sin securely if we be free from the Law if the Law have no power nor authority over us to condemn us The Apostle answereth this after his usual manner with detestation and then more fully Know ye not that to whom ye yeild your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness They that are justâ—fied by Christ and freed from the curse the condemnation and rigour of the Law are the Members of Christ and servants of righteousness but they that sin securely upon a conceit that they are freed from the Law are indeed the servants of sin and this service of sin tendeth to everlasting death The Reason of this in general is the contrariety of mans nature unto God and his Truth since the fall since the Image of God was defaced and the Nature of man corrupted by sin so that the powers of the soul thus degenerated are become cross and opposite unto the counsel and truth of God They are of the world therefore speak they of the world and the world heareth them we are of God he that knoweth God heareth us he that is not of God heareth not us hereby know we the spirit of Truth and the spirit of Error all of us are naturally of the world and all remain so unless the Lord do effectually by his grace call them out of the world and so their worldly minds and hearts are unsutable and opposite unto the mind and truth of God More particularly 1. Ignorance is a great cause why men deprave the Scriptures and pervert the Truths of God the light shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not All are naturally darkness and therefore full of contrariety to the light and truth of God ye were sometimes darkness saith the Apostle to those that then were light in the Lord the best of those whom God hath savingly inlightned by his spirit were sometimes darkness Lye not one to another seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds and have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created him They that are regenerated are renewed as in other regards so in knowledge This sheweth that the old man is possessed with darkness Corrupt Nature is void of saving knowledge and therefore in that condition men are apt to put light for darkness and darkness for light The Sadduces that denied that great Mystery of the Resurrection of the body I conceive were much pleased with an Argument whereby they hoped to non-plus the Lord Jesus Christ they seemed not directly to deny the Resurrection but only to desire a Resolution in a difficult case concerning â—a woman that had seven husbands out-liv'd them all The Question was which of those seven should enjoy her for his wife at the Resurrection but the Lord Christ telleth them they shewed gross ignorance in that wherein they thought themselves veâ—y acute saith he Ye do err not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God and first sheweth them how by the Almighty power of God the bodies of the Saints at the Resurrection should be so wonderfully transformed and glorified that they should not need nor desire marriage or other things of the like natrue no more then the Angels do which are Spirits and have no bodies then he proveth by the Scripture that the dead shall rise Now this ignorance is more or less gross in several persons some that are not so grossely ignorant as others yet being weak in knowledge and judgement are apt to miscarry in this kind First by misunderstanding some Texts or passages of holy Scripture so it seemeth the Saints at Thessalonica mistook what the Apostle had written to them in his former Epistle when speaking of the last day he saith This we say unto you by the word of the Lord that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Archangel and with the Trumpet of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air. Where twice he speaketh of himself if we look on the bare words as if he should live to the end of the world as if Christ should come in glory before Paul should leave this world I conceive he spake by way of supposition that if he and other Believers then living should remain to the last day then they should be thus translated to Glory and as he saith elsewhere they should not dye but should be changed and this he might do to teach others by his example to live in a continual expectation
as of a thing strongly proved and concluded as clear and certain that it being declared and demonstrated that none have fulfilled the Law but all are found guilty of sin against the Law therefore none can be justified in the sight of God by the works of the Law hence it followeth that there is no way remaining for any of mankind to be justified and approved righteous before God but only through the righteousness of Christ imputed to them of God and applied by faith Hereupon ariseth the Qâ—estion or Objection in the Text Do we then c. and the Answer is Yea we establish the Law that is it is established in other respects and for other ends and uses but is declared to be void and of no use at all for the justifying of sinners by any works which they can perform in obedience to the Law So that as the Ceremonial Law is declared by the doctrine of the Gospel to be of no use either for justification of sinners or for outward observation and yet established in other respects as hath been shewed so the moral Law by the same doctrine of the Gospel is declared to be of no force for justification of sinners and yet established in other respects For the present the Negative is to be considered So the Apostle having spoken of the priviledges of the people of Israel above the Gentiles as in other regards so chiefly because unto them were committed the oracles of God then moveth a Qâ—estion What then Are we better than they No in no wise for we have before proved both Iews and Gentiles that they are all under sin as it is written there is none righteous no not one The Israelites though they had outward Church-priviledges above the Gentiles yet were no better by Nature than they they were children of wrath by Nature as well as others and it was as impossible for them to be justified by their own righteousness or works of obedience to the Law as it was for the Heathen Therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight Two things may be considered here for the opening and confirming this point The first is this What grounds there are in general to prove that none can be justified by their own works pâ—rformed in obedience to the Law 2. How this is declared by the doctrine of the Gospel Of the former the general grounds may be three The first taken from the consideration of the state of man as he is in and of himself The second from the Law The third from God who is both the Lawgiver and Iudge 1. From Man He is from his birth a lump of flesh filled with carnal lusts and fleshly corruptions That which is born of the flesh is flesh and in this flesh dwelleth no good thing and this carnal and fleshly mind is enmity against God it is not subservient to the Law of God neither indeed can be so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God they are all dead in trespasses and sins inclined to walk according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the air the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience and are by Nature the children of wrath and therefore every imagination of the thoughts of mans heart by Nature is only evil continually and therefore the Apostle counted all things which he had of himself out of Christ loss and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus all his own righteousness and best performances out of Christ were as loss and dung and therefore of no weight nor worth towards his justification of no value at all towardrs the satisfying of Gods justice If any say that after he was in Christ renewed by his spirit his works were of some value I Answer 1. That is nothing to the business in hand for when once the soul is united to Christ it is already justified upon another account scil through the perfect righteousness of Christ and none can find acceptance with God for their persons or services until they are in Christ and justified and therefore these services and duties make nothing towards their justification but follow upon their justification 2. The best duties of the best saints of God in this life are not answerable to the perfect purity and exactness of the Law and that is the second ground whereby it may appear that none can be justified or approve themselves righteous before the Lord by any works of obedience to the Law scil 1. The consideration of the purity and perfection of the Law 2. The severity of the Law not bearing with the least aberration or swerving from it or transgression against it 1. The perfection of the Law The Law is holy and the Commandment holy and just and good The Law is spiritual it is a compleat and perfect rule of righteousness and it is not for the imperfection of the Law that it doth not make men righteous but it is because of the imperfection and corruption of men who cannot answer the perfection of the Law 1. The Law requireth a full and perfect conformity of the whole man of all the powers of the soul and affections of the heart and so of all the sences and parts of the body to the strait and pure rule of the Law that there should be nothing contrary to the Law nothing defective or wanting This is the voice of the Law Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy migbt and these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart The Law requireth a perfect conformity unto its self that the whole heart and soul should be filled with the love of God that the whole strength of the heart and soul all the might of the inner man should be bent upon God and carried after God in love and so by consequent that there should be nothing in the heart or soul in the least degree contrary to the love of God not the least love of any sin nor the least inclination towards it for the least declining of the heart or soul toward sin is contrary to the Law which requireth the whole heart or soul to be given up to God in love and that with all its strength or might yea the least remission of love the want of love in the full perfection of it is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is against the Law and condemned by the Law the want of the perfection of holiness and righteousness in the â—rame of the heart and soul is against the Law I am the Lord your God ye shall therefore sanctifie your selves and ye shall be holy for I am holy The Lord in his Law proposeth himself his own perfect holiness as
a pattern of holiness to men and women So the Lord in his Law saith Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self So that the least want of love unto our neighbour the least defect in love is condemned the least inclination contrary to love is forbidden Then again whatsoever is contrary to the right order of the affections in relation to God and our neighbour is against the Law for the Law commandeth to love God with all the mind c. And this is the first and greatest Commandment that of love to our Neighbour is the second and therefore love to God is to hold the chiefest place and so the weighty and principal duties of the first Table scil those toward God are to be looked at as the principal and love to our Neighbour is to be subordinate unto this love to God God is to be loved for himself Men are to be loved in the Lord and for the Lord. Now every inordinate affection every disorder of the affections this way is against â—he Law When the first and greatest Commandment is as it were turned into the second when any man hath an higher place or greater share in thine affections then God The Law forbiddeth and condemneth whatsoever in the heart or soul is contrary to any Commandment of the Law not only â—ctual thoughts but the inherent corruption every inclination to evil whatsoever distemper there is in the heart and soul contrary to any branch of any Command either of the first or second Table All sin is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatsoever is contrary to the Law Now the very inclination to sin is contrary to the Law and therefore sinful Every inclination to distrust to Idolatry superstition to the dishonour of God c. is condemned by the Law This is the sin that naturally dwelleth in every one the corruption of Nature propagated from Adam the body of sin cross and contrary to the body of the Law in every point in every iota or title 3. All omissions of duties towards God and men are condemned by the Law 4. All commissions of sin in thought word and deed are condemned by the Law every evil thought every vain thought every profane â—ngodly obscene unchast malicious speech every idle word every action contrary to the Law grosser actions looks gestures And as we are to consider the perfection of the Law so on the the other side take notice of the severity of the Law The Law spareth not the least sin but denounceth a curse against every one Cursed is every one that confirmeth not all the words of the Law to do them and as the Apostle hath it Cursed iâ— every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the Law to do them Nothing contrary to the Law can escape the curse oâ— the Law The word spoken by Angels was steadfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward This word was the Law in the delivering whereof the Lord was pleased to use the ministry of Angels Such is the severity of the Law that it spareth no transgression or disobedience but layeth a penalty upon every one 3. Consider the perfect the infinite justice holiness purity majesty of God who is both the Law giver and the Judge who gave his pure and perfect Law and who will judge impartially by the Law Shall mortal man be more just than God Shall a man be more pure than his Maker Behold he put no trust in his servants and his Angels he charged with folly How much less on them which dwell in houses of clay whose foundation is in the dust Saith the Psalmist O Lord my God thou art very great thou art cloathed with honour and majesty who coverest thy self with light as with a garment behold the Nations are as a drop of a bucket and are counted as the small dust of the ballance behold he taketh up the Isles as a very little thing All Nations before him are as nothing and they are counted to him less than nothing and vanity The Prophet Isaiah in a glorious vision beheld a representation of the divine Majesty saith he I saw the Lord sitting upon a Throne high and lifted up and his train filled the Temple about it stood the Seraphims each one had six wings with twain he covered his face and with twain he covered his feet and with twain he did fly and one cried unto another and said holy holy holy is the Lord of Hosts the whole earth is full of his glory With what terrour glory and majesty did the Lord appear on Mount Sinai when he published the Law to the people of Israel There were Thunders and Lightnings and a thick cloud upon the Mount and the voice of a Trumâ—et exceeding loud so that all the people that was in the Camp trembled and Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoak because the Lord decended upon it in fire c. And Moses told the people The Lord thy God is a consuming â—re even a jealous God Now lay these things together the woful corruption of mans Nature every way contrary to the holy Law of God as darkness is to light having nothing in it conformable to the Law the â—umberless sins of omission and commission â—f each person against the Law the just â—igour and severity of the Law denouncing â—curse against every transgression and disâ—bedience the unspeakable unconceivable â—â—finite purity justice majesty of God who 〈◊〉 both Law-giver and judge And then â—ow clear is it that none can be justified in the sight of God by any works of theirs performed in obedience to the Law Secondly But there was a second thing proposed scil to shew how it appeareth by the doctrine of the Gospel that none can be justified by any works performed by themselves in obedience to the Law The Angel said to Ioseph concerning Christ Thou shalt call his name Iesus for he shall save his people from their sins He shall save them and therefore their own works shall not save them He shall save them from their sins and therefore he found them in their sins poor guilty condemned creatures and such as could not be saved or justified by their own works or righteousness The Lord Christ the night before he died said This is my blood of the new Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins The Lord Christ did shed his most pretious blood for the remission or forgiveness of sins He by his death and obedience satisfied the justice of God for the sins of those who could not satisfie for themselves by any works of righteousness of their own compare this with that of the Apostle I do not frustrate the grace of God for if righteousness come by the Law then Christ is dead in vain This sheweth clearly that justification by the righteousness of Christ and justification by a mans
power and Authority striving to abolish the Law and to deface the likeness of God's holiness out of the minds of all mankind for ever that God should have none amongst the children of men to serve obey and honour him but all of them should become slaves and vassals to the Devils being led captive by them at their will 2. They aimed at the destruction of mankind to bring them into the same condemnation with themselves by blotting out the Law written in their minds according to which they should have walked and according to which they shall be judged and bringing them under a contrary Law of sin and death so then God having written this Law in the soul and the Devil having blotted it out and brought mankind under a contrary Law of sin In the third place let us consider the work of the Lord Iesus Christ that was to destroy the works of the Devil Saith the Apostle Iohn He that committeth sin is of the Devil for the Devil sinneth from the begining for this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil He that committeth sin he that maketh sin his business sinning with the full bent of his will is of the Devil He remaineth in that condition into which the Devil brought mankind at the first subject to the Law and power of sin which is quite contrary to that Law of righteousness and holiness which God imprinted upon the soul of man in the Creation for the Devil sinneth from the beginning he sinned and fell from God and he drew men into sin and still leadeth them on in a course of sin and disobedience against God Now saith the Apostle for this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil He doth not say barely that the Son of God destroyed the works of the Devil but for this purpose the Son of God was manifested that c. one great work of the Devil as ye heard was to deface the likeness of God in the soul of man and to bring him under a Law of sin This work among others Christ came to destroy where note 1. That no meer Creature was able to destroy this work of the Devil It may be some may think that good and holy Angels might be as able to undo this evil work as Devils or evil Angels were to do it But it is not so the reason is not because the good Angels have less power than the Devils but because of the nature of that work of the Devil for the work of the Devil was a destroying work as hath been shewed it was the destroying of the Law of mans Creation which was written in his soul the defacing and blotting out of Gods hand-writing the likeness of Gods holiness and the subjecting of man to the destroying Law of sin it was the taking away of mans spiritual life by dividing him from God the fountain of life Now to destroy or undo this destructive work of Satan is to abolish that Law of sin and death in man and to write that contrary Law in the soul of man which Satan had blotted out that is to restore man to the likeness of God to fashion him again after the Image of God in knowledge Righteousness and holiness to raise man whom Satan had murdered to spiritual life Now it requireth a far greater power to repair and restore then to destroy one Murderer may take away life all the Angels in Heaven nor all the men on earth cannot restore life to the dead None but the living God can do it who is the fountain of life So the Devil and man yeilding to the Devils suggestion could destroy spiritual life The Law written in the heart of man that primitive perfection and integrity of mans Nature framed after the Image of God in knowledge righteousness and holiness but no meer Creatures none but the Prince of life the supream Law-giver by whom all things were made could restore spiritual life write this primitive Law in the soul of man But it may be Objected That this work which the Apostle Iohn saith Christ came into the world to do is a work of destroying I Answ. We are to consider the object of this destroying work of Christ what it was that Christ destroyed that was a destructive work wrought by the Devil that great destroyer and Murderer Christ came to destroy that destruction which Satan had wrought to destroy destruction is to repair and restore that which was destroyed to destroy death is to restore life So the Apostle speaking of the Resurrection of Believers to glory saith When this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in victory Death had slain thousands of Saints and Christ by restoring them to life raising them to immortality and everlasting life shall swallow up death in victory So in the Prophecy of Hosea I will ransome them from the power of the grave I will redeem them from Death O death I will be thy Plague O Grave I will be thy destruction The Lord may be said as it were to kill death and to destroy or bury the grave when he ransometh his people from death and the grave and raiseth them up to everlasting life So in this case when Christ is said to destroy the destructive works of Satan ye must understand that he was to restore that which Satan had ruined This no meer Creature in Heaven and Earth was able to do and therefore in the second place the Son of God undertook it it was a work of Almighty power to restore the Law of mans Creation spiritual life the Likeness of God his Righteousness and Holiness to any of Adams posterity to any of the seed of the woman and to inable any of them to perform â—ull and perfect obedience to the Law None but God could do it and therefore the Son of God who is very God performed it The Devil seemed for ever to have deprived mankind of the Image of God and for ever to have disabled all the Sons of men from fulfilling the Law but the Son of God confounded Satan herein and destroyed this destroying work of the Devil by restoring that which he had destroyed by framing one of Adams posterity one of the seed of the woman after the Image of God in righteousness and holiness and inabling him perfectly in every point to fulfill the Law Thirdly The Apostle shews how the Son of God performed this great work it was by the manifestation of himself For this purpose the Son of God was manifested c. His manifestation was his incarnation his being made flesh taking the nature of man into the unity of his person for the Son of God in his divine nature is invisible not manifested but when he became Man he was
manifested and made visible and so framed this humane nature thus united to his God-head after the image of God in perfect Righteousness and holiness and inabled it to perform full and compleat obedience to the Law And thus the work of Satan was destroyed one of the Sons of Adam one of the seed of the woman after the fall of mankind being inabled to fulfill the Righteousness of the Law Fourthly Ye may note by the way that I do not speak of this as the full sense of this Text as it this were all that Christ did in destroying the works of the Devil and in restoring what he had ruined but I speak of it as a part of the Apostles meaning and a part of that work of Christ concerning the point in hand Fifthly Observe that by this work Christ established the Law For first As the Law was given to man so the Son of God took upon him the nature of man and subjected it to the Law as it is said he was made under the Law 2. He wrote this Law of perfect holiness and Righteousness upon this humane Soul thus united to his God-head 3. In this nature of man He perfectly fulfilled the Law by all which he acknowledged the Law to be a perfect Rule of Righteousness which as man he was bound to obey and so did really confirm and ratifie the Authority of it whereas on the contrary they that taught mâ—n to seek justification and to approve themselves as Righteous in the sight of God by their own personal works of obedience to the Law though they pretended to magnifie the Law they did make void the Law because their Righteousness was far short of what the Law required and therefore to profess that they looked to be justified or found Righteous in the sight of God by their own imperfect works done in obedience to the Law was to accuse the Law of imperfection and so to make void the Law Saith David The Law of the Lord is perfect and therefore none can be justified by the Law unless their Righteousness be perfect Now for sinful men whose natures are contrary to the Law whose sinful omissions and commissions are numberless whose best works are exceedingly imperfect and defective to profess themselves justified by the Law is to deny the perfection of the Law and so to abolish or make void the Law So much for the first particular point comprehended in the general doctrine The second is this That the Lord Iesus Christ established the Law by making full satisfaction to the Law where note two particulars 1. That Christ did make full satisfaction to the Law 2. That hereby he did establish it 1. For the former When Christ was gloriously transfigured upon a certain mountain in the sight of three of his Disciples Behold there talked with him two men which were Moses and Elias who appeared in glory and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Ierusalem These two holy men of God who many ages before had been taken out of this world by an extraordinary dispensation of God were sent to meet the Lord Christ upon this Mount and why these two Moses was the Lawgiver I mean the ministerial Law-giver the Minister Servant or Instrument of the Lord by whom God who is the only authentical the supream Law-giver delivered and as it were handed over his Law to the people of Israel Elias was one of the most eminent among all the Prophets and exceeding zealous of the Law and by an extraordinary warrant from God slew divers hundreds of false Prophets for Idolatary and for teaching the people to transgress the Law and when he complained against Israel for their heinous sins against the Law the Lord directed him to annoint Hazael to be King over Syria Iehu to be King over Israel and Elisha to be Prophet in his stead as so many executioners of Gods justice upon backsliding Israel for their horrible sins against the Law It seemeth then that these two were sent to shew that the Lord Jesus Christ was he of whom the Law and the Prophets spake whom the Ceremonial Law shadowed out by Types and Figures who was to perform full obedience to the Moral Law and make full satisfaction for the transgressions of men against the Law and to accomplish what was foretold by the Prophets and it is said expresly that they spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Hierusalem They spake of his death and sufferings whereby he should make full satisfaction for the sins and transgressions of men against the Law and fulfill the sayings of the Prophets It is not barely said he should dye or suffer death but that he should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accomplish his decease He should fully and compleatly suffer such a death as should make full satisfaction to the Law He should undergo the full penalty of the Law and make full payment of all the debts which the Law could charge upon his people To make this appear more clearly consider these particulars 1. That the Lord Iesus Christ was very God in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God the same was in the beginning with God all things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made The Son of God is called the word God the Father manifesting himself by the Son as a man maketh known his mind by his words or speech There is the coessential word of God and there is the declarative word of God the Son of God is the coessential word of God of the same essence with God the Father The declarative word of God is that which we have in the holy Scriptures So Christ prayed to his Father for his people Sanctifie them through thy Truth thy word is truth For this cause saith the Apostle thank we God without ceasing because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God which worketh effectually in you that believe These and the like places shew the folly of those who seem to hold that there is no other word of God but Christ whereas it is plain that the holy Ghost calleth the word written in the Scriptures and the word preached and taught according to the Scriptures the Word of God scil his declarative word but Christ is the coessential or co substantial word of God and here it iâ— said He was in the beginning declaring his eternity when the world and the creatures in it were made He was not made but he was from eternity before all things and accordingly he saith to his Father O Father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was that is from all eternity And the word was with God that sheweth the personal distinction betwixt the Father and the
Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all If the whole Congregation sinned they were to bring a young Bullock to be offered for their sin and before it was killed the Elders of the Congregation representing all the people under the Government were to lay their hands on the head of the Bullock before the Lord It seemeth bâ— this Ceremony they did as it were put off the sins of all the people from the guilty sinners upon the Sacrifice So the Lord Christ before he suffered for the sins of his people first took upon himself the guilt of all their sins for he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him the guilt of mens sins was imputed unto him and put upon his account as his righteousness is imputed to Believers and accounted theirs 4. He subjected himself to the Curse of the Law due to men for their sins against the Law 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 then it followeth ver 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us for it is written Cursed is every on that hangeth on a tree Thus he exposed himself to the flames of divine wrath which would have been a consuming fire to a meer Creature but as the wood of the Altar for burnt offering was overlaid with Brass that it might not be devoured by the fire so his humane nature being united to the God-head was so fortified to endure the burning heat of the wrath and Curse of God that it was not consumed by it but although the God-head was inseparably united to the manhood and did not leave it for a moment yet it did so withhold its divine influence from the Manhood for a time that it suffered extream and unconceivable torments in body but especially in soul as appeareth in the holy story for though God the Father loved him infinitely as his Son and as one that was perfectly holy and righteous in his own person yet he executed his justice upon him to the full as he presented himself before him burdened with the guilt of mans sins against the Law It pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief Saith the Apostle He spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us He spared not his own Son He found him engaged to satisfie the Law for the sins of men and therefore he executed the severity of the Law upon him and spared him not but delivered him up for us all saith the Text. He did as it were deliver him up with his own hand for sinners delivering him up by the hand of his love towards sinners to the hand of his justice to be punished for their sins so that I conceive it may be said that Christ had judgement without mercy that through him mercy might glory over judgment toward repenting and believing sinners Fifthly He actually suffered death He did shed his most precious blood He humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross. He poured out his soul unto death Iesus when he had cried again with a loud voice yeilded up the Ghost When they came to Iesus and saw that he was dead already they brake not his leggs but one of the Souldiers with his Spear pierced his side and forthwith came thereout blood and water Lastly That it might be manifest that the Prince of life was really dead for the satisfaction of the Law He suffered his body to be caried to Prison to be shut up in the grave and held under the power of death untill the third day Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden and in the Garden a new Sepulchre wherein was never man yet laid there laid they Iesus Thus ye see the Lord Jesus Christ satisfied the Law to the full endured the rigour and bare the penalty of it Secondly by satisfying the Law and endruing the severity of it he established the Law I suppose it is not necessary to speak much of this particular because the opening of the former giveth light unto it breifly thus 1. The Law required perfect obedience as ye heard the full performance of every branch and tittle of it 2. In case of disobedience transgression defect and failing in obedience the Law denounced a grievous penalty a Curse death and destruction as was noted also yea the Law given to mankind in Adam had the sentence of death annexed In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die 3. Hence it followeth that if neither the Law be fulfilled in a way of obedience nor satisfied by the inflicting of the punishment then it is made void and declared to be of no force to have lost its authority its vigour and to be frustrated of its end 4. Thereupon we may infer by the rule of contraries that the Lord Jesus Christ having in the nature of man born the full penalty severity and Curse of the Law due to the sins of men against the Law and by his God-head to which his humane nature wherein he suffered is personally united gave sufficient value and worth to his sufferings to make full satisfaction to the Law to the uttermost that the Law in its greatest rigour could require hence it clearly followeth that Christ established the Law This was a reall and full acknowledgement of the Authority of the Law the wonderful abasement the grievous sufferings of the Son of God were signal evidences infallible demonstrations of the force and authority of the Law the Lord of glory appearing in the form of a Servant to make way for satisfying the Law he that is the brightness of the Fathers glory enduring the shame of the Cross did abundantly witness to the world the Authority of the Law The Lord Jesus Christ spared not his most precious blood but freely poured it forth to satisfie the Law for the sins of his people and thereby ratified and sealed the Authority of the Law How should this be improved to stir up poor souls without delay to turn to the Lord and flee to Christ For in as much as the Lord Jesus did both perform perfect obedience to the Law and bear the full penalty and curse of the Law and by both these establish the Law it sheweth clearly that the Law standeth in full force against all that are out of Christ they being guilty of sin against the Law are subject to the Curse of the Law for being not found in Christ they have no part in his perfect righteousness and full satisfaction and therefore are every moment in danger of the sentence of condemnation denounced by the the Law It is true that Christ hath fully satisfied the Law But what doth this help them that remain in their natural estate
measure Excellent discourses of Philosophers Yet is it an imperfect Rule now cannot guide sinners to blessedness discovers not the great mystery of the Trinity or the state of perfection man was Created in his fall and recovery c. An additional imperfection from the heart on which it is written as from blurr'd paper the words or Letters are imperfectly read Yet useful it is to Gods glory to humane Societies as remote preparators to receiving the Gospel in which much above nothing contrary to the light of Nature it justifies God leaves man without excuse not increasing this light not acting up to it This defect of theirs was sin against God who as Lawgiver to all hath given this Law punisht the breakers of it before the Law given on mount Sinai Rom. 5. 13 14. illustrated These punishments were just as severe in every age and ruine of several Monarchies The sins of Christians greater than of Heathens or Iews What Christians are in name in participation with Christ who is dishonoured by their sins which many Heathens abhor Seneca and Pliny abhor'd Drunkenness Tully decry'd Frauds in Contracts Chap. VIII Moral Law written abridged in the ten Commandments established by the Doctrine of justification by faith though it excludes the Righteousness of works from our justification not excluded from all other use None justified by works of the Law because all are born in state of sin Works of faith follow justification as fruit are imperfect examined by the rigor of the Law which bears not the least aberration requires the whole of mans heart alwaies in highest degree of love to God and for his sake to man our neighbour nothing must be omitted or wanting or defective Mans works cannot justifie before the infinite justice holiness and Majesty of God our Lawgiver Man to be saved was found in sin is saved by grace from which they fall who would be justified by the Law being a Covenant of nature quite different from the Gospel Works justifying in St. James sense Jam. 2. 24. explained Iustifying faith is an Active principle as prevalent habits are They miserable who are not in Christ because condemned no middle State outward fairness insufficient inward change necessary Historical faith doth not justifie Iustifying faith hath sense of its need of Christ who is a complete Saviour and wherein this compleatness is How earnest we should be to be found in him careful to bring forth much fruit but not to trust in it keep the mean between the dangerous extreams of a dead faith and resting on the works of Faith How Christ establisht the Law by fulfilling it which he did without destroying it what occasion of that Mat. 5. 17. how made under the Law though he was the Lawgiver bound therefore to fulfill the Law perfectly so became a perfect High-Priest according to the type wherein every blemisht person was prohibited medling with the Priestly function Sinless perfection necessary to the Sacrifice Christ offer'd in offering himself Fulfilling the Righteousness of the Law is an establishing of the Law to the exactness whereof man was at first created the Law of our Creation afterwards exemplified in the decalogue Satans design to obliterate this Law by our sin to bring us under a Law of sin how this effected hence God dishonoured man destroyed both arising from Satans malice against the glory of God and happiness of man This work of Satan Christ came to destroy and hath done it which no meer creature could have done Angels could not and why This work is really a repairing man though expressed by destroying of Satans work so raising up the dead is called destruction of the Grave 1 Joh. 3. 8. at large unfolded Christ God imprest on our nature in himself the absolute perfection of that holiness the Law required of mans nature Christ hath fully satisfied the Law and accomplisht the Prophecies concerning him which was God the coessential word who made all supports all in heaven and earth and doth it as primary efficient cause and final for his own glory so was without robbery equal with God yet became man uniting the humane nature to the Godhead which supported the humane nature gave value to the sufferings of it in which nature he made under the Law was in capacity of suffering the Curse which the Godhead fountain of life and blessedness was not liable to Who come not to Christ are expos'd to all that their sins deserve and the Law threatens Sin then is bitter and will be the shame of Sinners Who are in Christ have sound foundation of comfort Christ hath satisfied the Law for them To whom his perfect righteousness is imputed so the Law establisht this enlarged and illustrated Debts paid by surety the debtor discharged the payment imputed God imputes it and of Grace or freely to the Believer on his believing in Christ. So faith justifieth not meritoriously nor efficiently not materially or formally but objectively and instrumentalâ—y as apprehending Christ his righteousness Hence our blessedness joyned with our Sanctification How Christ establisht the Law by perfectly fulfilling all the Righteousness which it required Contraiwise the doctrine of justification by our works makes void the Law in great part reducing its Commands to the scantling of that obedâ—ence which is pretended to justifie us The mystery of Christs immense love to us Believers should be humble and will beâ— Great sinners may be encouraged to come to Christ whose righteousness is the righteousness of Jehovah Look to the truth of your faith the suitableness of your life justified ones are sanctified ones The Law is made a rule of holiness in life to those that are justified without works of the Law and this by the Authority of Christ who hath for us satisfied it as a Covenant and now ratified it as a Rule to us we cannot live justified by it we must live sanctified to it The Law as Covenant of works useful to Believers to humble awaken and drive them to seek a remedy The Law a Rule useful to believers keeping them poor in spirit in sight of what they once were what they still are It is useful to quicken and stir them up to greater study of holiness Our Redemption no prejudice to the Law rather an exalting of it The peaceable comport of the Law and Faith which oppos'd to each other is great error of Antinomians High Presumption to boast of justification by Faith and yet be the servants of sin against the holiness of the Commandment He is out of Christ who continues in sin in contempt of the Law and to the abuse of free grace which imparteth inherent Righteousness to sanctification as it imputeth Christ his righteousness to justification ERRATA PAge 5. line 2. read these p. 17. l. ult add here p. 18. for when l. 18. r. even p. 21. for Circumcellions r. Circumcellians p. 32. l. 19. for Corrupts r. Corrupt p. 33. l. 2. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l 13. r. Hymenaeus p. 37.
oâ— Christs gloriouâ— appearing especially considering that the day of death was to them as the last day not that he did peremtorily determine any thing concerning the time which was unknown now compare this with what he writeth to the same Church in the next Epistle Now we beseech you Brethren by the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ and by our gathering together unto him that ye be not shaken in mind or be troubled neither by spirit or word nor by letter as from us as that the day of Christ is at hand Let no man deceive you by any means for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed the son of Perdition c. It seemeth some went about to deceive them under pretence of Revelation implied in the word Spirit some by word of Mouth as if the day of the Lord should come in that age and these might abuse those words of the Apostle in his former Epistle therefore he saith by Letter or Epistle as from us Now Satan might have this pollicy and set a certain day and that within a short time that when they saw it did not come to pass at the time foretold they might doubt of the thing it self whether ever it would come to pass but the Apostle shews them that there must be a great change before that day a general Apostacy or falling away and the revealing that man of sin the Son of perdition Secondly by drawing false inferences and conclusions from some places of Scripture So in the present Text from that â—ound doctrine of the Apostle concerning free justification of sinners through the righteousness of Christ without any respect at all to the works of the Law it seemeth some drew this inference or conclusion that the Law was made void and do not the Antinomians the very same â—t this day yea do not many among us harbour the same conceits in their minds as if it were enough only to pray to God to pardon their sins for Christ his sake as if they â—eed not labour after conformity to the Law â—n righteousness and holiness On the other â—â—de whereas Christ saith Except ye repent ye shall likewise perish Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God Follow Holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. From these and the like Scriptures some it seemeth draw false conclusions as if by repentance by holiness by prayers and other duties they might in part satisfie for their former sins and as if Repentance Regeneration Holiness were not only things accompanying justification and salvation but proper causes But ye must consider First that Christ his satisfaction and righteousness is the full perfect and only cause of â—ustification and pardon of sin and that no holiness no duties of the persons justified do help any thing at all towards their justification it is the Righteousness of Christ imputed to them which maketh up the whole matter of their Righteousness in the sight of God and covereth all their sins Secondly on the other side Regeneration Repentance Holiness are concomitants things accompanying justification and salvation and evidences of it So that although none can procure pardon of sin nor justification in the least degree by any graces or duties of their own yet none can have any â—ound hope that their sins are forgiven or their persons accepted of God as righteous without Repentance Regeneration and Holiness because none have their sins pardoned and their persons justified but such as receive Christ into their hearts by Faith Now Christ alwaies cometh by water and blood by his holy graces to wash and sanctifie the Soul as by his blood and merit to justifie and procure forgiveness of sin As the light of the fire giveth no heat and the heat of the fire giveth no light yet the heat and light are joyned together in the fire so righteousness imputed to the soul for justification and forgiveness of sin do not sanctifie and on the other side Repentance Regeneration holiness in Believers do not justifie yet they are joyned together and where one is there is the other and the latter is an evidence of the former I conceive it is a common case with many to mistake in this kind because they want judgement rightly to draw inferences from Scripture groâ—nds so the Anabaptists because they read of persons baptized when they made profession of faith and repentance hereupon they draw conclusions against Infant-baptisme whereas the case is not alike for those examples are of converted Jews or Heathens not of such as are born of Christian-parents whereas they should rather argue that because Infants born of Church-members under the old Testament were circumcised as Church-members by the Lord command therefore Infants born of Church-members under the new Testament are to be baptized as Church-members now Thirdly prejudicate opinions false conceits sutable to corrupt Nature and carnal reason forestalling the mind and being entertained aforehand make people very apt to deprave or deny the Truth when it is presented to them I conceive this was the cause why the Jews were so obstinate in rejecting Christ and his doctrine not receiving and obeying him as Christ because their carnal minds were forestalled with conceits of a Messias that should come in state as an earthly Prince and erect a glorious worldly Kingdom amongst them and this prejudice moved them to corrupt the Prophecies of the old Testament and to distaste the doctrines of the New they liked not to hear of a crucified Redeemer the doctrine of the Cross was to them a stumbling-block they did not close with a spiritual Kingdom of Christ attended with persecution yea Christ his Disciples were not free from this disease and therefore when Christ foretold his own sufferings Peter presumed to rebuke him and there was a contention among them for the chiefe place as if they expected great worldly honours and dignities by following Christ On the other side the Grecians were prepossessed with the rational principles of worldly wisdom and Philosophy and so despised the Gospel as foolishness though indeed there were such heights and depths of divine wisdom in the mysteries of the Gospel as never came into the head of the wisest men amongst them The carnal Israelites were forestalled with an opinion of their own righteousness and so rejected the doctrine of justification by the righteousness of Christ For they being ignorant of Gods righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God Ignorance and prejudice the fruit of ignorance caused them to disrelish the Truth of the Gospel Secondly the love of sin is a cause why men pervertor reject the Truths of the Gospel The Gospel and word of grac teacheth to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts c. This is distastful to a soul wherein sin raigneth The Gospel requireth Christians to
dye to sin to mortifie their members which are upon the earth to live to righteousness to walk in newness of life Thirdly the pride of corrupt Nature is very contrary to the Gospel which teacheth to be poor in spirit to empty our selves of all self-sufficiency to go out of our selves to become fools that we may be wise to be less than nothing in our own eyes to receive all of meer grace the free love and favour of God to present our selves in anothers garment before God in the righteousness of Christ for the covering of our shame and cloathing of our nakedness to look for no acceptance of any service but by anothers worthiness the merit of Christ. Fourthly corrupt and inordinate self-love may move men to reject or corrupt the Truths of the Gospel which teacheth self denyal and the renouncing of all that is dear unto us so far as it standeth in opposition against Christ Then saith Iesus unto his Disciples If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me The Gospel striketh at the right eye at the heart and root of the most beloved lusts How then will self-love rise up against it Fifty inordinate love of the world of things below being deeply rooted in corrupt Nature raiseth rebellion against the Gospel and moveth men either to reject or corrupt the Truths revealed in it Felix trembled at Pauls discourse and commanded him away the young man went away sorrowful when Christ required him to fell all and give to the poor and follow him in hope of treasures in Heaven The Pharises who were covetous when they heard Christ speak against that sin deâ—ided him Love not the world neither the things that are in the world if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him So if any man love the world inordinately the love of the Truth is not in him for all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world The Use of this may be First to teach us to see and bewayle the corruption of our nature and withal to make us sensible how dangerous it is to continue in our natural estate destitute of the spirit of Christ Our corrupt nature is apt to corrupt and deny the precious Truths of the Gospel it were a dangerous and malignant disease of the body that should turn the best physick into poyson and either cast it out of the stomach as soon as it is taken in or grow worse by occasion of the remedy Our natures are wholly overspread with the deadly disease of sin and corruption and there is no part â—ound in them as the Apostle saith I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing He had much good in him through grace a great measure of the spirit of Christ but in his flesh so far as he was carnal so far as he was not renewed by the holy Ghost â—o far there was no good thing dwelling in him which sheweth that in them which are not regenerate there is nothing spiritually good nothing suitable and pleasing to God Whence these two great evils follow First an inclination to reject the Remedyâ— like a corrupt Stomack that gives no entertainment to the Physick leaveth it no time to work the cure but presently casteth it out So do many in the state of corrupt Nature they hear the Truths of the Gospel which the Lord hath appoynted as preâ—ious Remedies against that disease and reject them cast them up again either denying them in the secret thoughts not believing them or not seriously minding or regarding them So the Apostle told the unbelieving Iews it was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you but seeing ye put it from you and judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life Lo we turn to the Gentiles He charged them for putting the word of God from them The Apostle had put the word of God home to them and they put it from them thus it is with many The Gospel is tendered to them as necessary physick sent down from Heaven and ministred to them by the Preachers of the word but they put it from them either they do not take it down or presently cast it up again Secondly there is an inclination in corrupt Nature to corrupt the Truths of the Gospel and to make them occasions of increasing the disease and so to make the Gospel to become the servant of death unto death Corrupt Nature is apt to make both the law and the Gospel occasions of increasing these diseases of the soul concerning the Law the Apostle saith when we were in the flesh the motions of sin which were by the Law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death This explaineth afterwards as in other passages wherefore the Law is holy and the Commandment holy and just and good the Law is perfectly holy and just and good and therefore cannot be properly the cause of any thing sinful and unholy Was that then 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 such is the malignity of corrupt Nature that it worketh evil out of good and maketh the pure and holy Law of God an occasion of sin the more sin is forbidden reproved threatned condemned by the Law the more vehemently is the corruption of nature carried after sin So for the Gospel the Apostle Peter saith that Christ preached in the Gospel is to them that are disobedient a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence when to them which stumble at the word being disobedient whereunto also they were appointed They stumble and take offence because they like not those terms upon which Christ is offered to them in the Gospel How dangerous is it then to continue in this estate of corrupt nature How earnest should poor souls be with the Lord to deliver them The body is in a sad estate when all both food and physick increaseth some deadly disease in it The word and Gospel of God is both food and physick and corrupt Nature is apt to make it an occasion to increase sin and aggravate condemnation Cry mightily to the Lord to work a through cure upon your souls to change and renew your natures to send his spirit along with his word that it may overpower the diseases of your souls and be unto you the favour of life unto life Secondly This may teach us not to think it strange that so many pretious Truths of the Gospel are denyed and rejected in these days so many parts of Scripture abused with false interpretations and corrupt glosses so many errors and lyes maintained instead of Truths Corrupt nature
this was one of the last acts of Moses his life for the Lord said unto him avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites afterwards shalt thou be gathered unto thy people it was a work fit for him to do when he was ready to leave the world How odious were those Prophets of Baal to that zealous Prophet Elijah Saith he take the Prophets of Baal let not one of them escape and they took them and Elijah brought them down to the brook Chishon and slew them there Micaiah shewed his detestation of those lyes spoken by the false prophets when he told the King now therefore behold the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy Prophets The like may be shewed of the Prophet Ieremiah how he abhorred the lyes of those false Prophets Hananiah Ahab Zedekiah and Shemajah but I come to the Examples of the New Testament And first to begin with Iohn Baptist who came to prepare the way of the Lord with what zeal did he detest the corruption of doctrine brought in by the Pharises and Sadduces When he saw many of them come to his Baptisme he said unto them O generation of Vipers Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come But above all take the blessed Example of the Lord Jesus Christ with what heavenly zeal did he manifest his detestation of the false doctrine taught by the Scribes and Pharises Thus have ye made the Commandment of God of none effect by your tradition And he gave his Disciples this Caveat Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharises and of the Sadduces which is meant of their corrupt doctrine How sharply doth he reprove them and how many woes doth he denounce against them He calleth such Wolves Theeves and Robbers And the Apostles and servants of the Lord Jesus Christ being led by the spirit of Christ did abundantly discover how exceedingly they detested and abhorred Heresies and falsâ— doctrines The Apostle Peter inveigheth with much vehemency against false Teachers calleth their corrupt doctrines damnable heresies whereby they denyed the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction He terms their ways pernicious and shews how they make merchandise of souls He calleth them pernicious self-wilâ—ed and such as are not afraid to speak evil of dignities wells without water speaking greaâ— swelling words of vanity with divers other expressions St. Iude agreeth with St. Peter and among other passages compareth false Teachers to Cain Balaam Core The Apostle Iohn calleth them Antichrists adversaries to Christ and false Prophets They are called deceivers yea it is said ver 10 11. If there come any unto you and bring not thiâ— doctrine receive him not into your house neitheâ— bid him God speed for he that biddeth him Goâ— speed is partaker of his evil deeds In the Revelations written by St. Iohn the Angel oâ— Minister of the Church at Ephesus is commended for hating the deeds of the Nicolaitans Pergamus is threatned because in that Church was found those that held the doctrine of Balaam and of the Nicolaitans and therefore t is added Repent or else I will comâ— unto thee quickly and will fight against theâ— with the sword of my mouth Thiatira is blamed for suffering the woman Iezabel which called her self a Prophetess to teach and seduce A great part of this book declareth the wickedness of the Whore of Babylon the Antichristian popish faction the mischief they do the Judgements of God hanging over them and how odious their false doctâ—ines and false worship is to God and his people The Apostle St. Paul as he laboured and wrote more than the rest so he is very plentiful in declaring his detestation of false doctrines and false teachers In his Epistle to the Romans â—he earnestly exhorteth the Saints I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them for they that are such serve not the Lord Iesus Christ but their own belly and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple He speaketh of those that cause divisions contrary to â—ound doctrine not of those that oppose false doctrine and corrupt customes whereupon sometimes divisions may follow through obâ—tinacy of those that resist the truth How largely doth he declare against that fundamental errour of them that denyed the resurrection He calleth them corrupt teachers false apostles deceitful workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ Ministers of Satan and imitating their Master transforming themselves into the Ministers of righteousness as he being the Prince of darkness transformeth himself into an Angel of light How sharp and severe is he this way in the Epistle to the Galatians Though we or an Angel from heaven preach any other Gosâ—el unto you than that which ye have received let him be accursed As we said before so say I now again if any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received let him be accursed Yea he spared not that great Apostle Peter but withstood him to the face and gave him a publick reproofe because he did but warpe a little and by withdrawing from the believing Gentils for fear of offending the Iews gave occasion to men to question the doctrine of free justificâ—tâ—on through the righteousness of Christ alone and to think that circumcision and the ceremonies of the Law were necessâ—ry to justification Again saith he O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that yâ— should not obey the truth shewing that tâ— be led by â—alse teachers is to be befooled and bewitched Corrupts teachers bewitch and make fools of their followers Again saith he I would they were even cut off that troublâ— you He calleth false teachers dogs evil workers the Concision and sheweth that such are apt to beguile others with enticing words and to spoil them through Philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ intruding into those things which they have not seen vainly puffed up by their fleshly minds How notably doth he set forth Antichrist and his followers speaking of a grand apostacy and general falâ—ing away and calleth the head of it the man of sin the Son of perâ—ition who opposeth and exalteth himself c. He calleth the mystery of Antichrist the mystery of Iniquity He calleth him that wicked one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying the lawless one a term exactly agreeing to the Pope who trampleth upon the laws of Christ at his pleasure and exalteth his own Laws He sheweth that his coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish c. He sheweth that to fall into Heresie is to make shipwrack of faith
of Nature consisting of those notions of good and evil which were left or new written by the Lord in the minds of men and women after that the nature of mankind was corrupted by sin which Law though it be now imperfect yet in many things it sheweth the difference between good and evil and hath power over the Conscience to inform convince excuse and accuse The other two delivered peculiarly to the people of Israel are the Law of Ordinances of Ceremonies and the Law moral And the Apostle proveth that none of these Laws can justifie the strictest observers of them all men and women being naturally corrupt and possest with principles of opposition against the purity and perfection of the moral Law and those that are renewed by grace being but imperfectly conformed to the Law As for the Law of Ceremonies it is in its own nature no perfect rule of righteousness but consisting of figures and shadows and such earthly and carnal observances as had a mystical signification of spiritual and heavenly things The Law of nature is comprehended in the moral Law delivered in the Scriptures first published to Israel and then communicated together with the Gospel to the Nations of the world So that that which is imperfectly written in the minds of men naturally is perfectly declared by the Law written by the finger of God in Tables of stone scil the ten Commandments and more fully opened in other parts of Scripture And therefore though it was expedient for the Apostle to speak distinctly of them in the former part of his discourse to convince both Israelites and Heathens of their unrighteousness and gâ—ilt yet in this place I conceive the Law of nature and the written Law may well be comprehended under one and so I take the Apostles meaning to be that by the doctrine of free justification through the righteousness of Christ both the Ceremonial and moral Law are established To begin with the former observe this point That the Law of Ceremonies is established by the doctrine of the Gospel Or thus The doctrine of free justification through the righteousnes of Christ apprehended by faith establisheth the Ceremonial Law For the right understanding of this we may consider First In general What these Ceremonial institutions were Secondly How they were misunderstood or abused by ignorant and carnal Israelites Thirdly How they are established by the Gospel or doctrine of justification by faith First These Ceremonial Ordinances were instituted by the Authority of God himself as parts of his outward worship and figures of heavenly and spiritual things to be observed untill the death of Christ. 1. They were instituted by the authority of God himself So Circumcision was commanded immediately by God himself to Abraham and his posterity So the Lord gave express directions to Moses and Aaron concerning the Ordinance of the Passeover and Moses being fourty days and fourty nights in the Mount received Ceremonial Laws from the Lord to be observed by the people Secondly They were parts of Gods outward worship Some of them more directly and properly as the Sacrifices which were to be offered to the Lord only so also the sweet Incense and divers others Other of them more improperly as things subservient to the worship of God as the Altar of burnt-offerings the Ark the Golden Table c. Thirdly They were figures of Heavenly and spiritual things Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the Tabernacle For see saith he that thou make all things according to the patern shewed thee in the Mount Fourthly They were to be observed until the death of Christ. Above when he said Sacrifice and offerings and burnt-offerings and offering for sin thou wouldst not neither hadst pleasure therein which are offered by the Law Thâ—â— said he that is Christ Lo I come to do thy will O God He taketh away the first that he may establish the second By the which Will we are sanctified by the offering of the body of Iesus Christ once for all The Ceremonies of the Law were to continue until Christ offered himself in sacrifice and then they were to be taken away and to give place to his all-sufficient Sacrifice and accordingly the Lord Christ himself manifested in the flesh and made under the Law did in his own person observe the Ceremonies of the Law But at his death the veile of the Temple waâ— rent in twain from the top to the bottom which I conceive signified both the abolishing of legal Ceremonies and the opening of the way into the heavenly sanctuary by the death of Christ. Now there being great abundance and varieties of these Ceremonial institutions I conceive they may be reduced to four heads 1. Sacraments 2. Sacrifices 3. Sacred persons and things subservient to holy uses 4. Sacred observances 1. Sacraments and those ordinarily were two 1. Circumcision whereby they were solemnly admitted into the Church and visibly sealed as parties to the Covenant 2. The passeover wherein they were admitted by faith to feed upon Christ the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world slain in the eternal counsel of God before the foundation of the world and to be actually Sacrificed in the fulness of time 2. Sacrifices 1. Whole burntofferings 2. Meat-offerings 3. Sin-offerings 4. Thank-offerings or Peace-offerings and among these especially the daily burnt-offering presented to the Lord morning and evening every day in the year 3. Sacred persons and things Such were the Priests and Levites especially the High-priest The holy places 1. A Tabernacle 2. A Temple with the several parts Consecrated days and times the feasts of the passover of Pentecost of Tabernacles the new Moons the weekly Sabbaths as limited to the last day of the week c. The utensils of the Sanctuary the Altar of burntoffering the golden Altar of Incense the Loaves the Table of shew-bread the Ark Mercy-seat c. 4. Sacred observances Their divers washings and purifyings absteining from divers creatures as unclean with very many usages injoyned In the second place consider how these things were understood or abused by ignorant or carnal Israelites I conceive 1. That many of them had little or no knowledge of the mystical signification or spiritual meaning of these types and shadows they did not see Christ in them 2. That they rested in the outward work If they were outwardly Circumcised they looked not after the Circumcision of the heart mortification of sin self-denyal regeneration having fed upon the Lamb with unlevened bread in the feast of the Passeover they minded not the Lamb of God nor sought after the unleavened bread of sincerity and Truth When they offered Sacrifice they looked no farther than the beast that was slaine not minding the perfect all-sufficient sacrifice of Christ. It seemeth they were
Lord Christ gave her Jesus saith unto her Woman beleeve me the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this Mountain nor yet at Hierusalem worship the Father Ye worship ye know not what we know what we worship for salvation is of the Iews But the hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and Truth for the Father seeketh such to wrship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in Truth The woman saith unto him I know that Messias cometh which is called Christ when he is come he will tell us all things Iesus saith unto her I that speak unto thee am he I conceive in this Answer the Lord Christ sheweth 1. That both the Iews and Samaritans were in an errour for it seemeth both of them thought that the Lord had confined his most solemn worship to one certain place throughout all ages as one party said at Mount Gerizim the other at Hierusalem and that the Ceremonies and Sacrifices there used should be alwaies continued Bus the Lord Christ told the woman that God had not limited himself to either of these places and that the time was now at hand when it should be as free to worship God in any other place as in either of these 2. He passeth sentence for the Iews against the Samaritans in this Controversie So far as concerned the present state of things saith he ye scil ye Samaritans worship ye know not what We scil we Iews know what we worship for salvation is of the Iews Ye Samaritans do ye know not what in your worshipping ye know not God aright ye have no warrant from his word either for your Temple once standing on this Mount or for limiting the worship of God to this place or for the way of worship Ye blindly follow the groundless Traditions of your Fathers But we know what we worship we follow the directions of God himself delivered by Moses and the Prophets both for the place and manner of Gods worship for salvation is of the Iews They are the Church of God to whom God hath committed his oracles teaching the way of Salvation and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ the Saviour of the world was to come 3. He confirmeth and amplifieth the first part of his Answer shewing that the Lord in a short time would set up a more spiritual way of worship in his Church more sutable to his spiritual Nature to which these carnal ordinances and Ceremonial ordinances should give place Secondly I Answer affirmatively that the doctrine of the Gospel and in particular this Gospel-doctrine of free justification through the righteousness of Christ doth establish the Ceremonial Law For 1. Then is a thing established when it attaineth its proper end Now by the Gospel the Law of Ceremonies attained its proper end For 1. The end of it was to be a School-master to bring men to Christ. Circumcision sealed the righteousness of faith which Circumcision it self could not give but was to be found in Christ it taught men to look after the Circumcision of the heart which was to be had in Christ alone by union with him by faith and partaking of his spirit The Passeover pointed out unto them Christ the Lamb of God without spot which taketh away the sins of the world The Sacrifices directed them to Christ the perfect Sacrifice The blood of the Sacrifices led them to the sprinkling of the blood of Christ which alone was sufficient to take away sin Now these and other Ceremonies attained their end in Christ and in the justification of sinners through the blood death satisfaction righteousness of Christ apprehended and applied by faith according to the doctrine of the Gospel and so this Law of Ceremonies was established and the validity of it declared But on the other side they that pretend so much zeal for Circumcision and other Ceremonies of the Law making it a part of the matter of their justification and resting in the bare outward observance as pleasing to the Lord in it self did cross the main end of the Ceremonial Law and propose such false ends as were impossible to be attained Secondly The doctrine of the Gospel making Christ the end of the Law for righteousness in whom wisdom righteousness sanctification redemption and salvation alone is to be had sheweth that the Ceremonial Ordinances were no empty shadowes and vain appearances like those of the Heathen but significant signs and Types full of deep Mysteries of exceeding great weight and importance pointing at the person of the Lord Jesus his office his actings his sufferings and the fruits and benefits of these whereas they that so stiffely opposed the strict observation of the Ceremonies of the Law against the doctrine of Christ delivered in the Gospel what did they make of them but begerly elements empty appearances without fruit use or profit So that the Preachers of the Gospel did honour the Ceremonial Law though they took away the observation of them by declaring the substance whereof they were shadowes and the observers of the Ceremonies in the times of the Gospel did greatly disparage them Thirdly The doctrine of the Gospel doth still establish the Ceremonial Law as an illustration of the mystery of Christ in the Gospel and sheweth that great use may still be made of them that way for the Ceremonies were as it were visible Prophesies of Christ and the things of Christ. And as Prophesies are dark before they are fulfilled but clear after they are accomplished and do much illustrate the events so these Ceremonies were obscure resemblances of Christ but now since what they signified is fulfilled the comparing the Types with the Antitypes giveth much light The Use which I intend to make of this point is to compare some of the principal Ceremonies of the old Testament with the Mysteries of the Gospel that so we may more clearly see how they are established by Christ and that we may improve them for our edification And first to begin with the Sacraments of the Ceremonial Law and there in 1. Circumcision The institution of this Sacrament is laid down Genesis the sevententh saith the Lord to Abraham This is my Covenant which ye shall keep between me and you and thy seed after thee every man child among you shall be Circumcised and ye shall Circumcise the flesh of your foreskin and it shall be a token of the Covenant betwixt me and you And elsewhere Moses saith to the people of Israel Circumcise the foreskin of your heart and be no more stiffe-necked This sheweth that the Circumcision of the flesh directed them to the inward Circumcision of the heart the mortification of sinful lusts inordinate affections and all sorts of corruptions To which agreeth that of the Apostle Circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not
of men but of God The same Apostle saith that Abraham received the sign of Circumcision and seal of the righteousness of faith These Scriptures compared together shew that Circumcision did seal the Covenant of Grace between God and his people on the one side confirming the promises of God to them as a seal added to the blood of his Covenant on the other side engaging them to answer the ends of the Covenant by Circumcising their hearts mortifying their corruptions and forsaking their sins The sum of Gods promises sealed by the Sacrament of Circumcision is delivered in these words I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting Covenant to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee I conceive this conteineth as much as all the promises of the Gospel For what is there in all the promises concerning pardon of sin justification adoption the graces of Sanctification the comforts and joyes of the holy Ghost Communion with God strength against temptation protection against the assaults of Satan and the world hearing and answering of prayers support under afflictions victory over death everlasting life and salvation and other promises and priviledges granted to Believers in the Gospel I say what is there in all these which is not comprehended in this promise I will be their God God is all sufficient he is all in all and when he giveth himself he giveth all good things and blessings and this was sealed by Circumcision Now this promise and Covenant is fulfilled in Christ for out of Christ men and women are both strangers and Enemies to God and have no interest in him The Lord is so far from being their God that he is their Enemy saith the Apostle When we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son The best of men and women are in a state of enmity with God until they are reconciled by Christ. And that Covenant sealed by Circumcision wherein the Lord promised to be the God of Abraham and of his seed was the same for substance with that where he saith I will bless thee and make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing and I will bless them that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed I conceive the promise of Christ is twice included here when it is said I will make thee a blessing and again in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed Abraham was made a blessing and the Nations and families of the Earth were blessed in him in this regard because Christ according to the flesh or humane nature was to issue out of his loynes according to that in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed that is in Christ. So that Abraham found that in Christ which was sealed to him by Circumcision Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness and he received the sign of Circumcision a seal of the righteousness of faith which he had yet being uncircumcised Circumcision attained its end in Christ and he was the substance of this shadow in him believers are reconciled to God and he becometh their God and they are made his people being justified by his righteousness and by his spirit they are circumcised in heart their corruptions are mortified and their body of sin destroyed which is an evidence of their union with Christ and justification by him and this may move us to labour to be found in Christ that we may be circumcised in heart that the power of sin may be killed in us that we may be conformed unto his death our sinful lusts and affections being crucified by virtue of his death on the Cross that so as the Apostle saith we may be circumcised with the circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the Circumcision of Christ. 2. In as much as circumcision was a seal of that Covenant whereby God gave himself to his people to be their God in Christ and a seal of the righteousness of saith and so of the pardon of sin and justification through the righteousness of Christ apprehended by faith It is clear that all the Arguments of the Anabaptists fall to the ground which they build either upon the pretended difference of Baptisme and circumcision or of the Covenants sealed by them or upon the incapacitie of Infants for it is evident that the same Covenant which is confirmed by Baptisme was also sealed by circumcision and if Infants under the old Testament were capable of circumcision how are they made uncapable of Baptism under the Gospel And accordingly you may observe how the Apostle compareth baptisme and circumcision together and sheweth how the latter cometh in place of the former for having warned believers not to hearken to those who would bring them in bondage unto Iewish Ceremonies he telleth them ye are compleat in hi scil in Christ aâ—d so need not to observe those shadows of the Law in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ. So that they have the same circumcision in Christ w ch their Fathers had under the Law and therefore needed not the outward circumcision But lest any should think thus our faith under the Gospel needeth outward helps to confirm it as well as theirs under the old Testament he addeth these words ver 12 Buried with him in baptisme wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead as if he had said instead of Circumcision ye have the Sacrament of baptisme signifying the same thing and sealing the Covenant of grace and righteousness of faith Secondly The other Sacrament was that of the Passeover this was instituted by the Lord while Israel was in Egypt and was first celebrated that same night that they came out of that house of Bondage The sum of the ordinance was this that every family should chuse a Lamb a male of the first year without blemish they were to separate it from the rest of the flock on the tenth day of the Month setting apart four days until the fourteenth day at even when it was to be killed they were to take of the blood and strike it upon the two side-posts and on the upper door-posts of the houses wherein the Lambs was to be eaten and the same night they were commanded to eat the flesh of the Lamb roasted with fire and with unleavened bread and bitter herbs but if any family were too little for a Lamb it was to joyne with the next and they were to eat it in hast with their loines girded their shoes on their feet and their staffe in their hand as men prepared to travel
to his command should learn of him who is meek and lowly of heart and be content to be conformed to him in sufferings taking up his Cross and following him They should be useful and serviceable as Christ was who was figured by such creatures offered in Sacrifice 2. Ye may note in general that an offering presented to the Lord was called in the Hebrew Korban of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to draw near This may teach us that none was fit to offer an offering to the Lord but only the Lord Jesus Christ and those that come to God by him for all mankind since the fall were a far off at a great distance from God but the Lord Iesus Christ being God and Man is nigh unto the Father In regard of his Godhead he is the only begotten Son of God in the bosom of the Father as he is man personally united to the Son of God he is one person with the Son of God and being without spot of sin he came near to God to present himself an offering and a Sacrifice unto him Secondly none can come nigh unto the Lord to offer any spiritual Sacrifice to him or to have any inward communion with him but in and by the Lord Jesus Christ But now in Christ Iesus Ye who sometime were afar off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. Christ being nigh to God drew nigh unto him actually with the sacrifice and offering of himself and so made way for sinners who were afar off from God by their sin and guilt to draw nigh to God by virtue of his blood that applying his blood satisfaction and righteousness to themselves they might be made nigh unto God in regard of their estate being taken into Covenant with him as his confederates and so into Communion and that they might draw nigh unto him from time to time in offering spiritual services and sacrifices to him by Jesus Christ. Let us all see our great need of Christ there is no coming nigh unto God but by him neither in respect of our estate nor of our services but in Christ there is access to be had in both respects But more especially First The burntoffering This was called in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth ascending or ascension because all the flesh of the beast being burned upon the Altar was to ascend or go up towards heaven in fire so the Lord Jesus Christ when he was here on earth in the flesh offered up himself to his father in heaven the infinite virtue of his Sacrifice ascending to the Throne of God for the appeasing of his wrath and satisfying of his justice for sin This may teach us also that we should present our whole selves souls and bodies sacrifices living holy acceptable to God and that they which will thus present themselves to the Lord must be heavenly minded their souls and hearts must be raised and ascend upward How many carnal outward dead hearted services are dropped down before the Lord that never ascend upward having nothing of heaven nor of Christ his spirit in them Secondly He that offered the burntoffering was to lay his hand upon the head of the creature that was to be slain so he that will have benefit by the sacrifice of Christ must lay hold of him by the hand of faith Thirdly The Bullock for the burntoffering was to be killed the blood of it to be poured out this 1. was fulfilled in Christ according as it was Prophesied of him He is brought as a Lamb to the slaughter He was cut off out of the land of the living ver 9. His grave and death are expresly mentioned thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin ver 12. He hath poured out his soul unto death And Daniel Prophesied that Messiah or Christ should be cut off or slain and without shedding of blood there is no remission 1. This may move Christians to pitty and earnestly pray for the poor blinded Israelites that the Lord would be pleased to take the vail from their hearts Is it not lamentable to consider that they should make the Cross and death of Christ a stumbling block whereas his death and sufferings are so clearly foretold in the Law and the Prophets which themselves acknowledge to be the word of God Yea all those millions of sacrificâ—s slain and offered according to the Lord his appointment did clearly foreshew the death of Christ and the shedding of his most pretious blood for the sins of the world But how is man left to the darkness of his own mind and blinded by Satan Secondly See here how odious sin is in the sight of God which nothing could wash away but the blood of Christ figured by the death and blood of these legal Sacrifices for it is not possible that the blood of Bulls and Goats should take away sins these did signifie the blood of the Son of God infinitely more pretious of sufficient virtue to wash away the greatest and foulest sins How should we tremble at sin Should we not look upon every sin as bloody as murtherous either as slaying the sinner himself or as killing his Saviour either thy sin must be washed away with the blood of Christ or it will cost thee more then thy best blood is worth Thirdly This is for comfort to souls burdened and oppressed with the guilt of sin that that one sacrifice even Christ himself figured by so many millions oâ— sacrifices is offered to satisfie for sin that that blood figured by the blood of so many offerings is shed to take away sin and that God hath purchased his Church with his own blood it is the blood of God because of him who is God and man in one person though not the blood of the God-head The blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God cleanseth from all sin it is of infinite value it is of more virtue then all the bloody sacrifices of the Law 4. Woe unto those wretches that dare to swear prophanely by this pretious blood or by those bleeding wounds of the Son of God Is not this to trample under foor the blood of the Covenant 4. The death of these sacrifices may teach us 〈◊〉 kill our dearest sins to slay our lusts to mortifie our corruptions Christ did not dye for sin that thou mightest live in sin but that thou mightest dye to sin and live to him ye righteousness and holiness I beseech you therefore Brethren by the mercies of God that 〈◊〉 present your bodyes a Sacrifice living holy and acceptable to God a Sacrifice and therefore slain and yet a living Sacrifice Present your selves a sacrifice dying to sin and a sacrifice living quickned with grace living in the spirit Again among all the burnt offerings ye may take particular note of the continual burnt offerings sacrificed to the Lord every day one Lamb in the morning and another in the evening
the interpretation of this Mystery For the bodyes of those beasts whose blood is brought into the Sanctuary by the high priest for sin are burnt without the Camp wherefore Iesus also that he might sanctifie the people with his own blood suffered without the Gate And he bearing his Cross went forth unto a place called the place of a Skull which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha It seemeth this was a loathsome place without the City where they executed the vilest offenders and so at that time there were two malefactours Crucified with the Lord Jesus Christ one at each hand A place of a skul where there were it is likely many skuls and bones of such as had been there put to death even as the sin-offering was burnt at the place where the ashes were poured out First Here we have an other evidence of the wonderful abasement of the Lord of glory thrust out of the Camp out of the City as an outcast as an unclean and cursed thing so extreamly was he vilified whom all the Angels of God worship and to whom every knee must bow of those in heaven c And therefore let us make the same use of it as was formerly hinted Secondly In particular let us make the use of it which the Apostle points us to Let us go forth therefore unto him without the Camp bearing his reproach Both Iews and Gentiles conspired together in Crucifying the Lord Christ and therefore Believers must go out of the Iews Camp and out of the worlds Camp bearing the reproach of Christ they must not joyn with the obstinate Iews in observing legal Ceremonies nor be conformed to the world but labour to be conformed to a crucified Saviour and be content to endure scorn reproach persecution for Christ following the Lamb whithersoever he goeth Many will seem to close with Christ if they can find him in the Camp if they can enjoy their credit their favour with the world their earthly interests But how few will go forth to him out of the Camp bearing his reproach so as to be rejected by the world and dealt with as outcasts and the off scouring of all things For saith the Apostle here have we no continuing City but we seek one to come If Christ suffered without the Gate of the City let us not be so affected as if this world were the place of our rest Let us not mind earthly things let us have our conversation in Heaven labouring to make sure of our interest in that everlasting inheritance Let us therefore fear lest a promise being left us of entring into his rest any of you should seem to come short of it The Apostle urgeth from this Type of the sin-offering that they which would still rest in the observation of Iewish Ceremonies had no right in Christ We have an Altar whereof they have no right to eat which serve the Tabernacle for the bodies c. as before The bodies of the sin-offerings were burnt without the Camp and so the Priest did eat no part of their flesh whereby was signified that they who would feed upon Christ and partake of the benefit of his sacrifice must leave the Tabernacle or Temple Priesthood Sacrifices Ceremonies of the Law now that Christ hath suffered for thus are all established by Christ not so as to be observed much less to be rested in but so as to attain their end in Christ in whom it appeareth that they are no empty shadowes but lively types of great and weighty Mysteries whereof also they are useful illustrations Thirdly I proceed to somewhat of meat-offerings It seemeth these were sometimes offered by themselves and sometimes joyned with other sacrifices as they were offered by themselves we have them set down Lev. 2. The original word is taken for a gift or present so these meat-offerings were to be given and presented to the Lord and this offering was to be fine flower of the purest part of the wheat and so it is conceived to signifie the perfect purity of Christ offering himself to God for his people resembled by pure flower without any mixture of bran The Lord Christ is brought in speaking to his Father Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not but a body hast thou prepared me in burnt offerings and Sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure Then said I Loe I come in the volumn of the book it is written of me to do thy will O God I conceive here those three sorts of sacrifices are mentioned burnt-offerings sin-offerings and meat-offerings none of these could satisfie the justice of God for the sins of men and therefore he prepared or fitted a body for his Son an humane nature fitted to suffer for the sins of men a pure humane nature as the pure flower of wheat by the miraculous operation of the holy Ghost This humane nature united in one person with the Son of God was sufficient to make full satisfaction to the infinite justice of God which all the sacrifices of the Law could not do In respect of his body or humane nature he was fitted for a sacrifice in respect of his God-head he was an all sufficient sacrifice of infinite value Labour then to lay hold on Christ by faith and to turn to the Lord by repentance that ye may have interest in this most pretious offering this compleat and most perfect sacrifice every way fitted for this use for as Christ is the only Son of God he is most nigh unto the Father the same God with the Father and infinitely beloved of the Father of infinite worth and excellency and so able to make full satisfaction to his justice As he is the Son of man so he is nigh unto men their Brother one of the seed of that woman who was the Mother of all living one of the same nature and so of a nature fit to suffer and therefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him 2. This meat offering of fine flower seemeth also to signifie the offering up of believers to Christ because the members are to be conformed to their head They shall bring all your Brethren for an offering to the Lord out of all Nations The word there translated offering is the same that elsewhere is rendred meat-offering Suitable whereunto is that of the Apostle saith he that I should be the Minister of Iesus Christ to the Gentiles ministring the Gospel of God that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable being sanctified by the holy Ghost Although the Gentiles were prophane Idolaters and defiled with manifold abominations and so fitly resembled by the beasts that were unclean under the Law yet the Apostle preaching the Gospel to them and the holy spirit of Christ working in and with his Ministry upon their souls were renewed cleansed sanctified and so presented as an acceptable offering to the Lord 1. Let all Christians pray
them as are brought forth into outward act defile the body also some of them more some less according to their natures and degrees Now there is a severe threatning formerly mentioned If any man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy As ye desire the salvation of your souls and bodies to prevent the destruction of both take heed of defiling these Temples of God make a through search and cast out all the filth which ye find there by sincere repentance and reformation watch against all future defilements and as atonement was made for the Tabernacle by the blood of the sin-offering so seek to clear your selves from the guilt of your sins by the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus applied by faith Seventhly Next to the Tabernacle or Temple ye may take notice of the Altar of burnt-offering and as the sacrifices offered up on this Altar and High-priest who was the principal officer were Types of Chirst so it seemeth was the Altar We have an Altar whereof they have no right to eat that serve the Tabernacle 1. It was commanded to be made of Shittim Wood which is thought to have been a choice kind of wood that would not rot and so fit to resemble the precious body of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom it is said He whom God raised again saw no corruption The Lord Christ though he freely laid down his life for his people and suffered death yet He rose again in so short a time as to prevent all putrefaction and rottenness He saw no corruption and as he preserved his own natural body from corruption so he shall deliver his mystical body his Church and the members of it out of corruption and raise them incorruptible But 2. The Altar was to be over-laid with Brass for though the wood might be free from rotting and corrupting yet I conceive it could not endure the force of that fire which was to burn upon it and therefore it was to have a brazen covering This seemeth to note unto us the Godhead of Christ united to his manhood or that strength which the Godhead thus united gave to the manhood whereby it was so mightily forâ—ified that the wrath of God due to the Sons of men did not consume it as the wood of the Altaâ— was not consumed by the fire wherewith the Sacrifices were burnt 3. This Altar was placed by the door of the Tabernacle of the Tent of the congregation it seemeth this was set in the open Court that all the people might see it and behold the Sacrifices offered upon it that their hearts might be raised in expectation of that great and all-sufficient sacrifice of Christ which alone satisfieth for sins so now Christ in the preaching of the Gospel is set forth as it were crucified before the eyes of believers The Altar upon which the sacrifices were offered was set by the door of the Tabernacle at the entrance into it whosoever will have a place in the Courts of the Lord and abide in his house for ever must get entrance by Christ and his sacrifice sin shutteth the door against all only Christ makes way for those that truly come to him and by him to God Saith the Lord Christ I am the door by me if any man enter in he shall be saved And again I am the way c. No man cometh unto the Father but by me whosoever will come to God enjoy his favour enter into Covenant and have communion with him must come to him by Christ. 4. There was an Altar to burn Incense upon of the same wood with the former but overlaid with pure Gold Christ is the Golden Altar upon whom the prayers and other services of his people are offered up as sweet Incense unto God by whose merit and intercession they find acceptance 2. No strange Incense was to be offered thereon so no strange worship must be offered to God in the Name of Christ of mans deviseing only such services are to be presented to him as the Lord himself hath appointed in his word In vain do they worship me teaching for doctrine the traditions of men The Lord alloweth not any strange Incense to be offered up to him Eighthly There was the Ark overlaid with pure Gold into which was put the Testimony by which I understand the Tables of stone wherein the Law was written by the finger of God This Ark was a special token of God his presence with his people and upon the Ark was placed a mercy-seat of pure Gold and the mercy seat was put above upon the Ark. As the mercy seat was set above upon the Ark wherein the Law was so the Lord in dealing with repenting and believing sinners in Christ exalteth and magnifieth his mercy and covereth their sins whereby they have transgressed his holy Law He sitteth upon a mercy-seat to receive poor sinners that fly from the curse of the Law for refuge to the riches of his grace in Christ. Let all poor souls without strive and hasten to escape from the severity of Gods dreadful justice to his mercy-seat through Christ whose blood hath opened a way unto it They that are sincerely willing to renounce their dearest sins and to yeild subjection unto Christ may have free access to the mercy-seat and receive an answer of peace in Christ. This Ark wherein the Tables of the Law were written and the mercy-seat was of the same measure for breadth and length so they that will have their hearts assured of the saving mercy of God in Christ must have the Law of God written by the finger of God in their hearts they must be regenerate and renewed by the spirit of Christ and conformed to his holy Law Poor souls pursued with the guilt of their Consciences and curse of the Law must flee to the mercy-seat of God in Christ though as yet they do not find any such work in themselves but they cannot have their hearts established in the assurance of this priviledge that their sins are forgiven until they find this gracious work wrought in them and therefore the Lord in dâ—câ—aring his Covenant joyneth these two together This is the Covenant c. I will put my Laws into their mind and write them in their hearts and I will be merciful unto their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more The Lord promiseth to the same prâ—sons to pardon their sins and to write his Laws in their hearts As for those that go on securely in sin and yet rely upon the mercy of God in Christ for pardon of sin they deceive themselves The Ark wherein the Law was put and the mercy-seat were just of the same size and repentance which is a change of heart and life is always joyned with forgiveness of sins There were two Cherubims of beaten Gold at the two ends of the mercy-seat with their faces one
the way of the Lord make his paths strait Yea the Lord Christ himself in his own person sounded this Silver Trumpet From that time Iesus began to preach and to say Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand He who gave himself for a sacrifice and poured forth his blood to make atonement and reconciliation between God and sinners did preach repentance to them to prepare them for atonement and reconciliation It is very lamentable to consider how many live under the sound of the Silver Trumpet many years and yet are not prepared for atonement and reconciliation to God through Christ nor brought to the beginnings of sound and saving repentance but either are secure careless dead-hearted minding earthly things or resting in outward performances or openly profane and wicked Oh how dreadful will the sound of that Trumpet be at the last day for the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Arch-Angel and with the Trumpet of God I say how dreadful shall the sound of that Trumpet be to such who go on hardning their hearts in security and impenitency against the sound of the Silver Trumpet of the Gospel 2. The day of atonement and humiliation was about four or five days before the feast of Tabernacles wherein they were to rejoyce before the Lord so sincere humiliation and repentance make way for sound spiritual joy Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted godly sorrow maketh way for heavenly rejoycing But when a man goeth on to glut himself with the pleasures of sins or earthly contents not afflicting his soul for sin he hath no part in this spiritual feast to such belongs that sad threatning Wo unto you that laugh now for ye shall mourn and weep Fifthly Consider their manifold washings with water in divers Cases to purifie themselves from legal uncleannesses Ceremonial pollutions as when any was cleansed from the Leprosie he was to be sprinkled with water mingled with blood seven times and afterwards to wash both his cloaths and his body in water so they that had running issues when they were cleansed from them were commanded to wash their cloaths and their bodies in water and so in divers other Cases Now the Apostle Iohn proves that the Lord Jesus is The Christ thus This is he that came by water and blood even Iesus Christ nâ—â— by water only but by water and blood and iâ— is the spirit that beareth witness because the spirit is Truth whereas there was great use of water and blood in the Law of Ceremonies the blood of the 〈◊〉 and the water many wayes used for cleansing and purifying it sheweth that all these things were accomplished in Christ and attained their end in him he performed and fulfilled what was signified and typified both by water and blood His blood was shed as the blood of the most perfect sacrifice to take away the guilt of sin and to justifie sinners and save them from condemnation and the sanctifying spirit and grace of Christ cleansing his people from the filth of sin washing their hearts from wickedness and making them holy as he is holy and therefore he addeth ver 8 there are three that bear witness in earth the spirit the water and the blood And ver 10 He that believeth hath the witness in himself He that savingly believeth in Christ being united to him by faith hath this threefold witness in himself the spirit of Christ witnessing with his spirit that he is in Christ reconciled to God by Christ an adopted child and Heir of God through Christ the only begotten Son of God and Heir of all things the blood of Christ cleansing his Conscience from the guilt of sin the grace of Christ resembled by water sanctifying him and conforming him to Christ in holiness so that such an one hath an evidence in his own soul both that Jesus is the very Christ and that he is his Christ for he findeth that Christ hath fulfilled that in and upon his soul which was figured by the blood and water under the Law of Ceremonies This is a blessed and most precious priviledge which all that are under the Gospel should labour with all diligence to make their own Oh what an happiness is it for Christians to have this threefold witness in themselves In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established Here are three witnesses beyond exception A Christian having this threesold witness in himself in the poorest outward estate is richer and happier then all the treasures of the earth and all the Kingdoms of the world can make him but how few are they that have any other witness of their interest in Christ but their own fancy how few do seriously and diligently seek for any other In that great and last day how will ye stand in the presence of God when numberless sins are charged upon you Will ye say Christ hath satisfied for your sins what shall this profit you unless ye be united unto Christ Will ye plead that ye believe in Christ and so are made one with him where is your witness Oh take heed of appearing before the all-seeing God without a witness And therefore I beseech you consider seriously of your condition and rest not till ye are in Christ and until he come into your souls both by water and blood and give you the witness of his spirit 2. Those frequent washings under the Law of Ceremonies may stir up Christians to frequent endeavours dayly to purifie themselves as Christ is pure to cleanse themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God to draw cleansing and sanctifying virtue from Christ more and more by faith They were to wash their bodies and cloaths to be sprinkled with water seven times There is a fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness a fountain of most precious blood and water of most Soveraign virtue the sufferings of Christ and the grace of God are to wash away the guilt of sin and the uncleanness and pollution of sin Do not forsake your own mercies and neglect so great salvation It is sad that when such a precious fountain is opened so few are washed and cleansed Thus much concerning the Ceremonial Law to shew how and in what respects it is established by the doctrine of the Gospel CHAP. VII THere are two other Laws mentioned by the Apostle in the former part of this Epistle by neither of which men can be justified in the sight of God One is the Law of Nature the other is the Moral Law written and delivered in the Scriptures It was needful for the Apostle to speak distinctly of both these For 1. His great design was to make known the only way whereby men might be justified and accepted as righteous in the sight of God the righteous judge of all the world that so they might be everlastingly blessed and
saved whether by their own works and performances or by the grace and free favour of God imputing to them the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ and working faith in their hearts by his spirit thereby enabling them to receive Christ and apply his righteousness to themselves 2. For the deciding of this question or the determining this controversie the hearts lives and actions of men were to be tried and examined by a rule of righteousness which the supream Law-giver had given unto men 3. The Apostle in this dispute having to do with two sorts of people 1. The Gentiles or such as were strangers to the commonwealth or Church of Israel who had no written Law of divine Authority among them he dealeth with them another way and goeth about to convince them of their guiltiness and unrighteousness and sinning against the Law of Nature 2. The people of Israel who for many hundred years had been the peculiar Covenant-people or Church of God and who had the moral Law of God written briefly with the finger of God in Tables of stone and more largely opened in other parts of Scripture by holy men inspired and moved by the holy Ghost These he trieth by this more full and perfect Law and proveth them guilty of sin against the Law and so concludes that both Israelites and Gentiles were guilty before God and there was none of them righteous by his own works no not one and therefore all of them were to go out of themselves and to flee to Christ by faith that being found in him they might be freely justified by his righteousness I conceive therefore that the Question or Objection in this Text being occasioned by the Apostles former discourse doth concern all those Laws which he mentioned before by which he proveth that men could not be justified scil the Ceremonial Law the Law of Nature and the moral Law written and accordingly the Answer taketh in all Yea we establish the Law But because these two do concern the same things forbidding the same sins and commanding the same duties and what is more imperfectly contained in the Law of Nature is far more perfectly declared in the Moral Law written I do not hold it so necessary to shew how these two are severally established by the doctrine of the Gospel for if this be made evident concerning the moral Law written which being more large and full comprehendeth the Law of Nature in it it will follow that the Law of Nature is established also Notwithstanding in as much as the Apostle hath shewed that none can be justified by the light and Law of Nature I think fit to speak something briefly of that also as conceiving it to be included in this Objection and the Apostles Answer to it The point then which I observe is this That God hath given to men a light and Law of Nature This I take to be plainly expressed in divers passages of the first and second Chapters of this Epistle and twice implyed in this verse 1. In the Objection Do we then make void the Law through faith Doth the doctrine of justification through the righteousness of Christ applied by faith excluding all other ways of justification make the Law of Ceremonies the Law moral the Light and Law of Nature as formerly mentioned of no effect altogether void of no force or use 2. In the Answer We establish the Law and as the Law of Ceremonies and the Law moral so the Law and light of Nature so that the Apostle sheweth according to the point that God hath given unto men a light and Law of Nature That which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them for the invisible things of God are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and Godhead so that they are without excuse◠because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God c. Where it is manifest the Apostle speaks of the Law and light of Nature common to men in general even to those that had no light of Scripture nor written Law of God For when the Gentiles which have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their Conscience also hearing witness and their thoughts the mean while or between themselves accusing or excusing one another For the underderstanding of this point let us consider 1. What this Light or Law of Nature is It may be described thus It is the knowledge which God hath given unto man in their natural estate since the fall of men whereby he hath in some degree made known unto them himself and the good they ought to do and the evils they ought to shun 1. It is given of God so in both those places of Scripture mentioned before in the one 〈◊〉 is said God hath shewed it unto them in the other they shew the work of the Law written in their hearts Now who can write immediately upon the heart and soul but God who is the Father of spirits who formeth the spirit of man within him and therefore I do not call it the Law of Nature in this sense as if it were propagated from Adam by natural generation but because it is given of God to men as generally as if it were born with them The Prophet sheweth that God giveth to the Husbandman his skill and knowledge for his God doth instruct him unto discretion and doth teach him this also cometh forth from the Lord who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working So the Lord saith of Bezaleel I have filled him with the spirit of God in wisdom and in understanding and in knowledge and in all manner of workmanship to devise cunning works to work in Gold and in Silver and in Brass c. So that if God be the giver of skill and ability for arts and handy-crafts we need not doubt but he is the Author of the light and Law of Nature given unto man whereby they see a difference between truth and falshood good and evil and the Lord may give excellent gifts of this kind to such men to whom he giveth no sanctifying and saving graces 2. It is a knowledge So it is said they knew God they have a knowledge So it is said of Christ that was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world The Son of God giveth this common light generally to men This light differeth much from that light of life which Christ giveth to them that follow him whereof he speaketh Chap. 8. I am the light of the world he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life This is meant of a spiritual saving light leading men to everlasting life which is given to none but them that follow Christ
but there is a common light and knowledge which Christ giveth to them that are strangers to him yea to such as are his enemies 3. This Light and Law of Nature is given unto men in their natural estate since the fall since their nature was corrupted by sin Before the fall while man was in the state of primitive integrity as God had created him in his own likeness after his Image that is in wisdom righteousness and true holiness the light and Law which God implanted in man was clear and perfect man had an exact Rule imprinted upon his soul to walk by But this Rule being defaced by the sin of man the Lord gave men some degree of light and knowledge in this state of corrupt Nature which in many things might restrain their corruptions from breaking out into such extremities as Satan and their own lusts might stir them up to and whereby they might be reduced into a more orderly course of life and manifest effects of this have been found not only in natural persons living under the Gospel which were strangers to the life of grace but also in many Heathens who never heard the doctrine of salvation yea in some heathen Persecutors of the Church as Trajan Antoninus Philosophus and Iulian the Apostate 4. It was said in the description that by this light of Nature God hath in some degree made known himself unto them So the Apostle saith that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them I conceive by this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which may be known of God the Apostle meaneth that which may be known of God without special Revelation such as is declared in Scripture this was manifest in them by that common general light of Nature which God had given them For 1. They had inward principles of Natural light And 2. They had the works of God 1. His works of Creation For the invisible things of him from the beginning of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and Godhead The Heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy-work their line is gone out into all the earth and their words unto the end of the world The creatures do as it were speak out the excellency and glory of their Creator to all the Nations of the world 2. His works of Providence God hath made of one blood all Nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth and hath determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitation that they should seek the Lord if happily they might feel after him and find him though he be not far from every one of us for in him we live move and have our being So the same Apostle told the Heathens that God in times past suffered all Nations to walk in their own waies not giving them the light of his word to guide them in the way of salvation nevertheless saith he He left not himself without witness in that he did good and gave us rain from Heaven and fruitful seasons filling our hearts with food and gladness by his works of Providence he made some discovery of himself unto them I conceive by this light of Nature within them and the light which was held forth unto them by the works of God from without they might know that there was a God and that this God was of infinite perfection eternal almighty most wise good righteous that he was to be served and worshipped iu such a way as was pleasing to him that as the world was made by him so both it and all the creatures in it were under his government that as a righteous judge he would punish evil doers and reward the righteous They might by the light of reason conclude that none of the creatures could make themselves for nothing can act before it hath a being and therefore all the creatures must receive their beings from a cause that was before them hereupon they might assuredly gather that there is a first universal cause of all things who is eternal without beginning of infinite perfection The orderly and perpetual motion of the Heavens Sun Moon and Stars the continual succession of day and night the Spring Summer Harvest Winter the correspondency and Harmony that is between the Creatures being fitted and suited to each other the sun drawing of vapours from the earth and waters into the air there to be botled up in the Clouds the Clouds sending down showers upon the earth the earth bringing forth grass herbs corn and other fruits for the use of men beasts and fowls and the beasts and fowls themselves fitted for the use of men the senses of the body and their objects fitted and suited to each other there are sounds and voices and an ear to receive them there are colours and there is the eye fitted to behold them so of the rest yea how exactly are the several parts of the same body fitted and suited to each other These and many other things discernable by the light of Nature might clearly convince men that there is a God of infinite power and wisdom who is the cause and Author of all Fifthly It was said that by this light and Law of Nature God hath given unto men in some degree to discern the good which they ought to do and the evil which they ought to shun So ye heard before the Apostle saith The Gentiles having not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law they do some things contained in the written Law of God though they have not this Law How by Nature by the Light and Law of Nature and in so doing they shew the work of the Law written in their hearts The Heathen Philosophers have written much in commendation of moral virtues and set forth the odiousness of many vices and dishonest practices Abimelech King of Gerar blamed Abraham when out of weakness calling his Wife his Sister he seemed to lay a snare before him and give him occasion to commit adultery unawares What hast thou done unto us and what have I offended thee that thou hast brought on me and on my Kingdom a great sin Thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done So he said to Sarah concerning her Husband Abraham Behold he is to thee a covering of the eyes unto all that are with thee and with all other thus she was reproved Thus much of the description Secondly We may consider the imperfection of this Law and Light of Nature 1. In general It is not sufficient to bring men to blessedness and salvation The Lord Christ saith I am the way the truth and the Life no man cometh unto the Father but by me neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other Name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be
graces of Christ derived from him to Christians are compared to that precious ointment under the Ceremonial Law that was made of principal spices pure Myrrhe sweet Cynamon sweet Calamus and Cassia sweet Aromatical choice ingredients which being artificially compounded together what a sweet and fragrant smell did it yeild But how far doth the sweet savour of that spiritual ointment the graces of the spirit derived from Christ to true Christians excel this material ointment How great is their guilt in the sight of God that profess themselves Christians that is anointed of God and yet cherish in their hearts noisome and unsavory lusts and wallow in the mire and in the stinking sinks of abominable sins who profess themselves Christians i. e. anointed with heavenly gragracâ—s and yet remain graceless and profane 3. The Name Christian signifieth a Disciple a Scholar a follower of Christ. How great is thy sin 1. If under this name thou livest in ignorance dost thou not herein cast a great reproach upon the Lord Jesus Christ Hast thou been 20 30 40 years his Disciple his Scholar and hast thou learned little or nothing all this while Hadst thou any sincere love to Christ and his doctrine how is it that thou hast profited no more 2. Wilt thou call thy self a Christian that is a Disciple or follower of Christ and dost thou not cease to act and walk contrary to him in drunkenness in riot revellings chamberings wantonness c. Dost thou not herein highly dishonour Christ in calling thy self a Christian or follower of Christ Is not this as if thou shouldst say Christ taught thee these things and walkt before thee in such ways as these Oh take heed lest thou be found guilty of a kind of real and implicite blasphemy Is it not either a mocking of Christ or an implicite blaspheming of Christ for people to call themselves Christians that is followers and scholars of Christ and to go on from time to time in lewd and wicked courses How grievous is the sin of them that live under the Gospel and are more obstinate more stubborn more hardned in their sins than divers of the Heathens So the Lord Christ sheweth that the Heathens of Tyre and Sidon would have repented in sackcloth and ashes if the same means had been afforded them which Corazin and Bethsaida had The men of Nineve shall rise in judgement with this generation and shall condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Ionas and behold a greater then Ionas is here If the Ninevites abounding in wealth and pleasure their City being the head of the Assyrian Monarchy an Heathenish people did so far relent at the preaching of Ionas who came among them from a strange Nation Oh trembâ—e to think of your account if ye continue to harden your hearts against so many sermons so many messages brought unto you in the name of Christ and confirmed by his Authority Will ye be able to hold up your faces before the men of Nineve in the day of Judgement How grievous is the sin of professed Christians living under the light of the word and Gospel of Christ who on the one side having nothing in them better then the wiser sort of Heathens And 2. Live in such practices as the better sort of Heathens abhorred and scorned 1. How many living under the Gospel have nothing in them better then some of the Heathens nothing practically better no better frame of soul no better resolutions and affections nothing of Christ his regenerating spirit nothing of his renewing grace nothing of the new creature It may be they have some more knowledge of Christ and his Gospel then Heathens so have the Divels but they have no better hearts than Heathens 2. How many such live in the ordinary practice of such sins which the wiser sort of Heathens abhorred and scorned How disgraceful was drunkenness by the light of Nature to sober Heathens and how did they despise drunkards What discourses have Seneca and Pliny against drunkenness setting it forth not only as odious but as ridiculous shewing the baseness and sillyness of such courses Yea Are there not many Turks at this day who would scorn to make themselves such sotts as many professed Christians do What notable passages hath Tully against chearing and indirect dealing in matter of Contracts Bargains c. The like may be said of many other Cases Let us then lay to heart the abounding of sin and wickedness among us against the light and Law of Nature aggravated by the light of the written Law the everlasting Gospel of Christ and yet humble our selves and cry mightily unto the Lord if it be possible that his wrath may be turned away from us and let us every one in particular exceedingly tremble to be found Christians in name and Heathens in heart and life and therefore worse than meer Heathens CHAP. VIII I Proceed now to the Moral Law concerning which the Apostle saith it is established by the doctrine of Justification through the Righteousness of Christ apprehended by faith without any consideration of the works of the Law performed by the person justified By the the Moral Law I understand the Law written in the Scripture whereof we have a brief sum or Abridgment in the ten Commandments which again is contracted into a narrower compass Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all soul and with all thy mind This is the first and greatest Commandment and the second is like unto it Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self The Law thus abridged is largely unfolded in other parts of Scripture with the additions of many threatnings against disobedience and promises to obedience 1. then I intend to propose a general point of doctrine and then to point at the particulars comprehended in it The general doctrine is this That the Gospel teaching the free justification of Believers without consideration of any works of theirs done in obedience to the Law but through the Righteousness of Christ alone applied by faith doth establish the moral Law So it is shewed in this Text Through faith the Law is established That which I desire to clear unto you is how or wherein the moral Law is established by faith this may be shewed 1. Negatively 2. Affirmatively And so we may come to the several branches or special doctrines comprised in this general 1. Negatively thus The moral Law is not established but declared to be of no use for the justification of sinners in the sight of God by the doctrine of justification through the Righteousness of Christ imputed of God and applied by faith Or more briefly for help of Memory thus Iustification by faith in Christ excludeth justification by the works of the Law This ye may take as a point of doctrine implied in the Text if it be compared with the Apostles foregoing discourse to which it hath relation For the Apostle speaketh of it
own works performed in obedience to the Law cannot stand together Christ died to purchase forgiveness of sins and justification for his people but if any would be justified by the Law they go about to frustrate the grace of God as if Christ had died in vain Christ is become of none effect to you whosoever of you are justified by the Law ye are fallen from grace when he saith Whosoever c. he doth not grant that any are or can be justified by the Law but whosoever rely upon the works of the Law for justification hoping to be justified by the Law they loose the benefit of Christs death and satisfaction The Lord Christ is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him and therefore none of them do save themselves or justifie themselves in any part There is a most clear place to shew that justification by works and justification by faith cannot stand together that no man is justified by the Law in the sight of God is evident for the just shall live by faith or the just by faith shall live and the Law is not of faith but the man that doth them shall live in them Justification righteousness everlasting life and salvation is obtained by faith in Christ applying his righteousness to the soul but the Law is not of faith but the man that doth them shall live in them The Law is a Covenant of another Nature the man that doth the works of the Law shall live in them There is no possibility of being justified by the Law unless a man could perfectly fulfill it this is impossible for any man to do 1. Because of the corruption of his Nature which is every way contrary to the Law 2. Because all and far more than all that he can do for the time to come is due debt to the justice of God and cannot make the least satisfaction for his sins past no not for any one of those numberless sins whereof he was formerly guilty 3. Because the best mans righteousness is imperfect and falleth short of the perfection of the Law no righteousness can satisfie the justice of God but that which is compleat and perfect and therefore the righteousness and performances of the holiest men are of no account at all in the sight of God towards their justification But it may be said that the Apostle Iames saith Ye see then how that by works a man is justified and not by faith only For Answer to this I conceive That this Apostle Iames here directeth his speech to this end sâ—il to shew the vanity and folly of those who deceive themselves with a shadow of faith presumptuously fancying to themselves an interest in Christ imagining that their sins are forgiven and their persons justified by his death satisfaction and righteousness but their faith is not sound it is not such a faith as truly receiveth Christ into the heart whereby Believers are made one with Christ possessing him partaking of his spirit which stirreth them up to conform themselves to Christ to follow him to bring forth the fruits of the spirit and therefore he saith ver 20. Faith without works is dead So it is a working faith which justifieth because such a faith alone doth truly lay hold of Christ and his righteousness On the other side holiness and good works do not at all justifie believers in a proper sense but evidence the persons to be justified because they shew that such by faith unfeigned are united unto Christ whose righteousness alone doth justifie and therefore he saith What doth it profit my Brethren if a man say he hath faith and have not works Can faith save him He speaketh of such as say they have faith not of those that have a lively saving faith indeed So ver 19. he speaketh to such Thou believest that there is one God thou dost well the Divels also believe and tremble So that he sheweth that a dead faith is but such a faith as the Divels have which is far from justifying and saving those that have it 2. I conceive his meaning is that holiness and the fruits of faith do declare and manifest true believers to be justified before men A man will say thou hast faith and I have works shew me thy faith without thy works and I will shew thee my faith by my works as if he had said Natural life shews it self by the motions and actings of life so doth spiritual life evidence it self by the motions and actings of spiritual life True faith embracing Christ and his righteousness for justification is a principle of spiritual life Thou therefore who pretendest to have this faith how canst thou make it appear how canst thou shew or declare it when thou puttest forth no motions or actings of spiritual life The use of this may be 1. To shew us the miserable and woful estat of all that are not in Christ. They are no justified they cannot be justified in that condition for there is no way for men to be justified in the fight of God by any works of their own performed in obedience to the Law and if they be not justified then they are condemned there is no middle estate between these two So the Apostle implieth where speaking of those that are in Christ he faith It is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth This sheweth that they that are justified and accepted as righteous in the sight of God are not condemned and so on the contrary they that are not justified are condemned All then that are not in Christ are in the state of condemnation so it is implied ver 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit So on the other side there is no justification no salvation to them that are not in Christ Jesus He that believeth not is condemned already he is condemned for his sin the sentence of condemnation is passed upon him by the Lord and he wanteth a sound saving faith to lay hold on Christ and his righteousness whereby alone he might be justified and freed from the sentence of condemnation and therefore while poor souls remain in this condition what can they do but treasure up wrath against the day of wrath and the revelation of the righteous judgement of God People may attend upon ordinances perform divers duties in publick and in private and yet still lye under the sentence of condemnation They may make some kind of reformation refraining from some outward gross acts of sin they may be civil and orderly in their conversations above many other and yet the wrath of God may still abide upon them In this case it is not enough to alter your course in some things but your state and condition must be altered nothing can help you while you are out of Christ and stand upon your
own bottoms Israel which followed after the Law of righteousness hath not attained to the Law of righteousness Wherefore Because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the Law Those Israelites that were zealous of the Law and sought to be justified by it while they were not in Christ their zeal was not according to knowledge and they might take a great deal of pains and use earnest endeavours to attain Righteousness to approve themselves just in the sight of God but all was in vain they attained not to such a Righteousness as could bear them out in the sight of God the righteous Judge of all the world They were like men that run very swiftly but run quite out of the way and never come near the mark But some may say Our case is not like that of the unbelieving Israelites for we look for justification forgiveness of sin and salvation by Jesus Christ. I Answer It is not the hearing of Christ preached nor an historical faith believing that none can be justified but by the righteousness of Christ no nor a conceipt that we are justified by him that makes your case differ in the main from that of unbelieving Israelites ye have some Notions which they had not but ye are in the same state wherein they were i. e. ye are out of Christ and therefore while ye content your selves with this condition your endeavours after righteousness are like those that run out of the way And therefore in the second place See your extream need of the Lord Iesus and go out of your selves flee to him and give your souls no rest untill ye are found in him Consider as ye cannot be justified by your own righteousness or works done in obedience to the Law whether ye look upon your selves as ye are in your selves or upon the purity perfection and severity of the Law or upon the infinite justice holiness or majesty of God so on the contrary Christ and none but Christ is able to justifie you by his righteousness in all these respects 1. He is a Lamb without spot and blemish and that from the first moment of his conception So the Angel said to Ioseph Thou Son of David fear not to take unto thee Mary thy Wife for that which is conceived in her is of the holy Ghost the blessed Spirit framing a body for Christ in the womb of a Virgin free from all stain of sin There was never any thing in him contrary to the perfect purity of the Law no inclination to evil Saith he The Prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me Satan could find nothing of his in Christ to fasten upon no sinful infirmities or Corruption in the least degree and therefore in respect of Christ himself he could have no power by his instruments to take away his life but in regard of the sins of others which he took upon himself and for which he voluntarily gave himself an offering and a sacrifice 2. If we look to the Law Christ hath that in him which is wanting in us he answereth the exactest Purity and highest perfection of the Law He was perfect in Love That which we have Psal. 40. is applied to Christ by the Apostle Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire mine ears hast thou opened burnt offering and sin-offering hast thou not required then said I Lo I come in the volumn of the Book it is written of me I delight to do thy will O my God yea thy Law is within my heart his heart was filled with the love of God and full of the Law of God he was freely ready to do or suffer any thing for his Fathers glory As the Law is holy so he is the holy and the just one As the Law is spiritual so he was annointed with the holy Ghost He received the spirit not by measure He is a quickning spirit As the Law is a perfect rule of Righteousness so Christ fulfilled all Righteousness 3. He endured the uttermost rigour and severity of the Law He bare the penalty of it Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them Then it followeth Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us for it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree The Curse of the Law is enough to swallow up all the guilty souls in the world and to keep them under for ever but Christ bare this Curse and overcame it he payed the uttermost farthing that was due to the justice of God for the sins of his people he fully discharged all those vast summs wherein they were indebted Saith the Apostle Christ hath loved us and given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor Christ through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God What tongues of men or Angels are able to declare the weight and worth of that which is noted in this expression That Christ gave himself an offering and sacrifice for sins What could the extreamest severity of the Law require more than this when the Son of God gave himself to satisfie it 4. He is every way able and fit to stand before the infinite justice purity holiness Majesty of God he is the express Image of his Fathers person and the brightness of his glory and he is able to bear the brightness of his glory Of him the Father witnessed This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased He being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God He being God and man as he was man did undergo the penalty and Curse of the Law and by the power of his Godhead overcame it and being God and man he is able to bear the brightness of his Fathers glorious Majesty and to stand before his perfect justice saith the Scripture When he had by himself purged our sin he sate down on the right hand of the Majesty on high Now then in as much as the Lord Christ is every way a compleat and most perfect Saviour Labour out of a deep sense of your lost condition in your selves and your extream need of him his satisfaction and righteousness to go out of your selves to break off your sins by repentance to flee to Christ to close with him by faith unfeigned that being found in him his righteousness may be imputed to you of God and accounted yours and ye may be accepted through him Be exceedingly earnest with the Lord to work in you that pretious faith of his elect Cry unto him to stretch out his hand to put forth the divine power of his spirit and grace to draw you effectually that you may come to Christ and being cloathed with his righteousness ye may not be found naked but the shame of your sins may be
covered and ye may have holy boldness and confidence before the Lord. What a blessed priviledge hath the soul which can say with the Apostle I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me How happy shalt thou be if finding thy self in Christ and finding Christ dwelling in thine heart thou canst assure thy self that thou art washed in his bloud from all thy sins that he hath crossed all thy sins out of the Debt Book of Gods justice that he is thine Advocate with the Father and the propitiation for thy sins pleading thy cause at the right hand of God and bearing thy name among the rest of the Israel of God upon his breast-plate for a memorial continually Bend thy care and endeavour to the uttermost toward this one thing necessary to make sure of Christ and his most perfect Righteousness 5. Renounce all trust abhor any degree of confidence in thine own Graces duties services Grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ watch alwayes fear alwaies bring forth much fruit labour to do holy duties in sincerity with servency of spirit strive after perfection more more that thou maist fill thy mouth with arguments abundance of evidence that thou art truly united unto Christ by a lively principle of faith unfeigned and so justified by his Righteousness but do not entertain the least thought that way as if all that thou hast done or canst do should make the least satisfaction to the justice of God for any of thy sins or any way help toward thy justification In a word Take heed of splitting thy soul against either of these two Rocks either on the one side deceiving thy self with a dead faith without holiness and fruits of faith and so thinking thy sins to be pardoned and thy person justified when it is nothing so Or on the other side resting with any confidence upon any graces or duties Labour after these and look upon them as evidences of the soundness of thy faith but lean not upon them as grounds to support thy faith So much for the Negative Let us now consider the Affirmative whereby it may appear how and in what regard the moral Law is declared to be established by the doctrine of Faith I conceive the Law is established in five respects First By that full obedience performed to the Law by the Lord Iesus Christ. Secondly By that full satisfaction which he made to the Law in bearing the penalty of it Thirdly In the imputation of his perfect Righteousness to Believers Fourthly In that he establisheth the Law as a Rule of obedience for his people Fifthly In that he conformeth his people to the Law and these may be so many branches of the general point and therefore so many special points of doctrine 1. Then observe this point That the Lord Iesus Christ did establish the Law by fulfilling it or He did perform full and perfect obedience to the Law and so establish the Law Wherein you may note two particulars First That Christ did fulfill the Law Secondly That in fulfilling it he did establish it 1. Of the former So he said Think not that I am come to destroy the Law and the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfill I conceive this speech was delivered soon after the Lord Christ began publickly to preach and this was seasonable to prevent or remove dangerous prejudices or mistakes For besides that general expectation of the Messias about that time the Scepter being departed from Iudah and they being subject to a Forreign yoak there were many extraordinary things which happened at the Birth of Christ Then the Testimony which Iohn Baptist gave him the Heavens opening the holy Ghost descending upon him in the visible form of a Dove God the Father by an audible voice from Heaven proclaiming this is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased His fasting forty days and forty nights when he was led of the spirit into the Wilderness to be tempted of the Divel His wonderful diligence in preaching in divers places His glorious miracles in healing all manner of sickness and diseases especially in delivering those that were possessed with Divels The great multitudes of people following him from Galilee Decapolis Hierusalem Iudea and from beyond Iordan in somuch that his fame was spread abroad suddenly beyond the borders of the Land of Israel throughout all Syria These and the like things might well raise the peoples expectation and give them occasion to look for some notable change to be wrought by him and as men are lead by divers principles are upon such occasions apt to fancy some one thing some another so it is likely the most did expect that he should set up an earthly Kingdom some might think that he would take away the Law which God delivered to their Fathers by Moses and the doctrine of the Prophets and hereupon some might seek advantage to disparage his person and his doctrine others might hope that he would open a door for carnal liberty as in our dayes upon occasion of far lesser changes some have embraced strange fancies as if the time were come to cast off those ordinances which Christ hath appointed to be used until the end of the world as if an universal liberty must be granted to all corrupt opinions Heresies Blasphemies under colour of favouring tender Consciences Now the Lord to remedy these things telleth plainly that He came not to destroy but fulfill the Law and the Prophets 1. He fulfilled the Ceremonial Law by exhibiting the substance of those Types and accomplishing those things which were signified and represented by them 2. He fulfilled the Prophets verifying their prophesies teaching doing and suffering that which they foretold 3. He fulfilled the Moral Law 1. Doctrinally rejecting the â—orrupt interpretations then received and giving the true and full sense of the Law 2. He fulfilled the Law practically by performing full and perfect obedience to the Law which is the thing in hand So he said before It becometh us to fulfill all Righteousness God sent forth his Son made of a woman under the Law He was made under the Law by his own voluntary act taking upon him the Nature of man and the office of a Mediatour between God and men though as God he was the Lawgiver and therefore having put himself into this estate he was bound to obey the Law fully in every particular and could not have failed in one jot or tittle without being guilty of sin and therefore all those Texts which declare his perfect Righteousness being compared with this do prove that he performed perfect obedience to the Law So where Stephen calleth him the just one and Paul saith He knew no sin scil no sin either original or
actual either of commission or omission in thought word or deed and Peter saith He was a Lamb without blemish and without spot who did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth and that he suffered for sins the just for the unjust these and the like passages compared with that place prove that he performed perfect obedience to the Law for being as was said made under the Law it was absolutely necessary that he should fulfill it that he might approve himself to be the just one knowing no sin a Lamb without blemish and without spot c. because every 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatsoever is against the Law is sin whatsoever is contrary to the Râ—le of the Law whatsoever is defective and falleth short of the perfect purity of the Law is sin and therefore in as much as the Lord was made under the Law and yet was found to be without all spot of sin when he offered up himself in sacrifice and poured forth his blood for the sins of the world It is most clear that he performed full and perfect obedience to the Law and this was necessary 1. That he might be a perfect High Priest The Priest in the old Testament being a Type of Christ was to be without outward blemish in his person or body No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the Priest shall come nigh to offer the offering of the Lord made by fire and in the next Chapter there is a severe threatning against any of Aarons posterity if having any legal uncleanness upon them they should presume to meddle with the holy things of the Tabernacle suppose they were polluted with Leprosie or a running Issue or by touching an other that was unclean c. This figured the perfect purity and holiness of Christ the true and eternal High-Priest who was to offer up himself in sacrifice to God for such an High-Priest became us who is holy harmless undefiled seperate from sinners made higher than the Heavens who needeth not dayly as those High Priests to offer up Sacrifice first for his own sin and then for the sins of the people for this he did once when he offered up himself He is an High-Priest holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners and whereas the High-Priests of the old Testament were subject to sin and therefore needed to offer sacrifice for their own sins as well as for the peoples He being free from sin offered not needed not to offer for any sins of his own They offered dayly often renewing their offerings because they were imperfect and had respect to the perfect offering of Christ but he offered himself once for all for the sins of his people His sacrifice being most perfect and compleat never to be renewed 2. It was necessary that the Lord Christ should perform full and perfect obedience to the Law that he might be a pure offering a spotless sacrifice to take away the sins of his people How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your Conscience from dead works to serve the living God That the vertue and efficacy of Christ's blood might reach to the inward man and purge the soul and Conscience from sin it was necessary that he should offer up himself a sacrifice without spot as one whom the Law could not charge with the least aberration or swerving from the perfect purity of it The second particular noted was that the Lord Christ by fulfilling the Law did establish it Here we may consider First That God gave man his Law in the Creation writing a perfect Law of Righteousness and true holiness in the mind and heart of the first man and woman God created man in his own Image in the Image of God created he him male and female created he them Now what was this framing of man in the image of God but the fashioning of his heart and soul according to the wisdom purity holiness and righteousness of God which was the writing and imprinting his Law upon the sould of man as he gave to other creatures natural properties and natural instincts according to their several kinds each of which was a Law unto them scil the Law of their Creation So he imprinted the likeness of his own wisdom Righteousness and holiness upon the first man and woman as the Law of their Creation Now this likeness of God his holiness and Righteousness imprinted upon the souls of our first parents was the same for substance with that moral Law written in the Scriptures for as the moral Law written in the Scriptures is a declaration of the wisdom Righteousness and holiness of God and a rule of Righteousness and holiness to men So was that Image and likeness of God imprinted upon the souls of the first man and woman It was the moral Law written in their hearts and minds Secondly Consider that the great mischeivous design of the Devil 1. Was to destroy this Law of God written in the heart of man to deface the likeness of God his wisdom holiness and Righteousness in their souls to make void and abolish the Law of mans Creation for ever that none of mankind should ever have either knowledge or ability or will to do any thing pleasing unto God and therefore the Apostle declaring the woful ruines of mankind brought upon them by sin and Satan and shewing what all are by nature saith There is none Righteous no not one there is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after God none Righteous none able to please God none that understandeth none that know how to do it none that seek after God none that have a will truly bent and resolved upon it 2. To subject and enslave the souls of men and women to a contrary Law to the Law of sin and death called a Law of sin in regard of the nature of it and a Law of death and destruction in respect of the end toward which it leadeth His design was to fill the souls of men with darkness errour false conceits about things that concern salvation with rebellion against God and his Law with lusts and corruptions inclining him to all manner of sins against the Law and therefore it is said they are all gone out of the way they have a Law of sin in their hearts and souls that hath turned them quite out of the way to which the Law of God directed them and set them in a course derectly contrary to it 3. I conceive the Devil herein aimed at two things 1. The dishonour of God 2. The destruction of mankind excercising his malice both against God and man 1. The Devils being cast down by the justice of God from their glorious estate and habitation for their Apostacy from God and reserved under chains in darkness acted an high degree of rebellion against God opposing him in his Soveraignty in hâ—s legislative
Son who are one God and two distinct persons then his God-head is expresly asserted And the word was God the same God with the Father all things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made all the Creatures were made by Christ of nothing and therefore he is very God for by him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were Created by him and for him and he is before all things and by him all things consist not only all visible Creatures on Earth but also all the glorious Angels of Heaven were created by him and his eternity is declared He is before all things his Almighty power is asserted by him all things consist The frame of the world would fall in peices the Beings of the Creatures would be disjoynted dissolved did not his Almighty Arm hold all together He upholdeth all things by the word of power and least any blasphemous adversary of Christ his God-head should object that Christ might create the world as aâ— instrument and inferiour Agent under the Father The Apostle telleth us All things were created not only by him but also for him He is the principal Agent and he is the cheif end of the Creation They were made for his glory a clear evidence to prove him to be very God the same God with the Father for it is the peculiar Prerogative of God to be the highest of the whole Creation for whom all things were made for of him and through him and to him are all things to him in this place and for him in the other have the same sense and the original is the same in both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Apostle shews That Christ being in the form of God thought or judged it to be no Robbery to be equal with God in all eternity he was in the form of God he was really properly essentially God and therefore judged it to be no robbery to be equal with God This cutteth off all cavils for how could it have been less then an high degree of robbery or Sacriledge for any one that was not as truly and properly God as the Father even the same God with the Father to judge himself equal with God in as much as God the Creator is infinitely above the most excellent of the Creatures Secondly He took upon him the Nature of man the word was made flesh The eternal word or Son of God who was before all time without beginning of dayes was pleased in the fulness of time to be made flesh not by transmutation but by assumption not by turning his unchangeable God-head into flesh but by taking flesh that is a true humane Nature soul and body into the unity of his person so uniting the nature of man to his God-head as to make it properly his own to become one person with himself the God-head being never separated again from the manhood nor confounded with it both natures remaining distinct but never divided from each other the same Christ remaining perfect God and perfect man so where it is shewed that being in the form of God c. it followeth But made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a Servant and was made in the likeness of men and found in fashion as a man c. And without controversie great is the mystery of Godliness God was manifest in the flesh This is indeed a great mystery of such an height and depth and far exceedeth the reach of mens understandings yet a most certain and infallible truth to be received by faith and it was necessary the Redeemer of manking should be both God and man that he might satisfie the justice of God and bear the penalty of the Law due to the sins of the world First It was necessary that he should be God 1. That he might inable the humane nature to bear the weight of Gods wrath and revenging justice to support the manhood from sinking under it and being swallowed up of it whom God hath raised up having loosed the pains of death because it was not possible that he should be holden of it death had taken a prisoner whom it was no way able to hold Jesus Christ as he was man suffered death and lay dead in the grave but as he was God he raised his humane nature from the dead Secondly That the infinite worth and excellency of his God-head might make his sufferings of sufficient value to satisfie the justice of God and the severity of the Law for the numberless sins of the world the same man that suffered being one person with God and so his sufferings being though not the sufferings of the God-head yet the sufferings of God that is the sufferings of him who is God and therefore it is said that God hath purchased a Church with his own blood And what is there which the blood of God was not sufficient to purchase Secondly It was necessary Christ should be man that he might satisfie the Law and bear the penalty 1. That he might be subject to the Law for it was impossible that the God-head should be made under the Law because the Law received its Authority from God and therefore could have no Authority over him therefore he was made of a womnn and so made under the Law 2. That he might be in a capacity to suffer the full penalty of the Law for it is impossible for the God-head which is the fountain of life to dye or to bear the Curse being the fulness of blessedness and therefore saith the Apostle We see Jesus who was made a little lower then the Angels for the suffering of death He that being very God was infinitely higher then the Angels took into the unity of his person a nature a little lower then the Angels scil the nature of man and that for the suffering of death and so for the satisfying of the Law 3. That He might make Satisfaction to the Law and bear the punishment of it in the sâ—me nature of man in which the Law was transgressed and broken for verily He took not on him the nature of Angels but He took on him the seed of Abraham wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High-Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people to make satisfaction for the transgressions of the people against the Law and to reconcile them to God the Law-giver 3. He took upon him the guilt of mens sins putting himself into the state and standing in the state of guilty sinners as it were putting his Name into their Bond and voluntarily taking their debts upon himself all we like sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the
of impenitency and unbelief That full satisfaction which Christ made to the Law ratifieth the Authority of the Law and proclaimeth to the world that the Law spareth none that are under the Law and so are all that are not in Christ and so under grace and therefore rest not one day in this condition sin lieth at the door he avenger of blood is at thy back the voice of the Law is pay that thou owest It is a groundless plea to say Christ hath paid all if thou remainest out of Christ. Secondly If sin were so exceeding grievous and bitter unto Christ Oh let it not be sweet and delightful unto thee It sin imputed were such an unspeakable torment to the Lord Jesus Christ What a shame is it for any that pretend to be members of Christ to make it the matter of their contentment Dost thou call thy self a Christian and canst thou see the Son of God abased for sin put to an open shame buffetted spit upon crowned with thorns and sweating drops of blood exceedingly afflicted in soul bleeding and dying upon the Cross for sin and yet canst thou hold up thy head take a pride in sin glory in it despise reproof gain by it thrive by it rise by it get preferment by it sport and solace thy seâ—f with it and still own the name of a Christian What is this but to be an Enemy to the Cross of Christ harbouring in thy bosom that Enemy which fastned and nailed him to the Cross Thirdly Here'i 's ground of sound comfort for them that are in Christ He hath made full satisfaction to the Law he hath paid the debts of his people cancelled the bond of the Law redeemed them from the Curse the Law can exact no satisfaction from them he hath fully cleared all accounts There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit But of this somewhat may be spoken upon the next point The third particular followeth viz. That the Lord Iesus Christ established the Law by communicating his perfect righteousness to Believers where as in the former points there are two Branches 1. That the perfect righteousness of Christ is communicated to Believers 2. That hereby the Law is established Concerning the former ye heard before of the perfect Righteousness of Christ who both was a Lamb without spot knew no sin and performed compleat obedience to the Law and also did undergo the punishment and Curse of the Law due to the sins of men and women and so made full satisfaction to the Law Now that which is to be cleared is this That this perfect Righteousness of Christ is communicated to Believers 2. How it is received by Believers 3. What are the effects and consequents of the righteousness of Christ thus communicated and received For the first 1. The righteousness of Christ is communicated to Believers not by infusion but by imputation not so as to be inherent in them but so as to be imputed to them so as to be accounted theirs for he hath made him to be sin for us that knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him As the sins of men were not infused into Christ so as to be inherent in him but imputed to him so the Righteousness of Christ is not infused into Believers so as to be inherent in them but is imputed to them and accounted theirs The satisfaction which Christ hath made to the Law is imputed to them that is reckoned to belong unto them as if they had satisfied the Law in their own persons So it is said of Abraham it was imputed unto him for Righteousness 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 who raised up Iesus our Lord from the dead As if a King should pardon a great Malefactour for his Fathers sake who had done some eminent service to the State his Fathers deservings might be said to be imputed to him accounted his as if they had been his own and when a surety payeth anothers debt the payment is imputed to the debtour and accounted as done by him and he is as fully discharged and esteemed out of debt as if he had paid it with his own mony so Believers have no Righteousness of their own to satisfie the justice of God but the Righteousness of Christ is imputed to them that is accounted theirs as if they had been perfâ—ctly righteous by performing perfect obedience and making full satisfaction in their own persons to the Law and here ye may observe who it is that imputeth the Righteousness of Christ to Believers 2. Of what nature this act of imputation is 1. It is God that imputeth the Righteousness of Christ to Believers saith the Apostle David describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth Righteousness without works it is God who imputeth Righteousness unto justification and it properly belongeth to him as the supream Judge Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is God that justifieth Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Here the Apostle seemeth to set before us a representation of the highest Tribunal or Court of Judicature intimating or supposing the persons indicted the Accuser the Judge the Advocate the Persons indicted or arraigned the Elect of God true believers the Accuser implied in those words Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect the Judge God it is God that justifieth the Advocate Christ who first died and so made satisfaction for the sins of his people 2. Rose again and by this his deliverance out of the grave the prison of Death made it evident that their debts were fully discharged 3. He is at the right hand of God which is a sure argument that he is highly in the Judges favour 4. He improveth his interest in the Judge by making intercession for his people presenting his merit and Righteousness to his Father to be imputed to them and accounted theirs and therein pleading his satisfaction made in their stead for their pardon and justification But the thing for which I bring this place at the present is to shew that it is God who imputeth the righteousness of Christ to Believers it is he that justifieth God is the efficient cause the Authour of the imputation of Christ his righteousness to his people and so of their justification It is one God which shall justifie the circumcision by faith and the uncircumcision through faith scil all sincere Believers whether Israelites or Gentiles Now the works of God toward the Creatures are the works of all the three persons of the God-head Father Son and holy Ghost and therefore Christ
as he is Mediator between God and man presented his righteousness unto God to be imputed to his people for their justification as he is God he imputeth his righteousness merit and satisfaction to them and justifieth them 2. Consider of what nature this act of imputation is whether it be an act of Justice or of Grace I conceive this Act of God imputing the Righteousness of Christ to his people is an act of grace or free favour undeserved love Being justified freely by his grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Iesus whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through Faith in his blood It is said Believers are justified freely and then again by his grace the latter explaining the former freely that is by his grace and free favour for though the Righteousness and satisfaction of Christ is of infinite merit and worth yet 1. God the Father by a pure Act of Grace gave his Son to dye for sinners so it is said here whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins 2. Christ as he was man was freely chosen of God for this purpose so God saith concerning him Behold my servant whom I have chosen The man Christ Jesus was freely chosen of God to become one person with the Son of God the Son of Mary did not merit to be personally united to the Son of God but was freely chosen of God to be exalted to this incomprehensible dignity glory and Majesty far above all other creatures Angels and men and from this personal union to which he was freely chosen proceedeth the greatness and all-sufficiency of his merit 3. God in his Law hath denounced the penalty of death the Curse everlasting destruction against every one that was guilty of sin against the Law and he was not bound to accept of satisfaction at the hand of another in their stead nor to hold them discharged of the guilt of their sins upon the account of anothers sufferings for sin and therefore it was an Act of meer grace in God to accept of Christ his satisfaction in behalf of sinners and to impute his righteousness to them and to account it theirs for their justification And so it was according to the Covenant and Agreement which God the Father freely made with Christ according to which agreement Believers are given to Christ so he saith to his Father I pray for them which thou hast given me for they are thine Behold I and the children which God hath given me those lost sinners whom God gave to Christ as Mediatour and Redeemer to save them by his death and satisfaction to them God the Father by his grace that is freely imputeth the Righteousness of Christ accounteth it theirs accepting them as righteous through him Secondly Observe how the Righteousness of Christ is received by believers that is by faith unfeigned the Righteousness of God without the Law is manifested being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all that beleive the Righteousness whereby Believers are justified is the Righteousness of God it is such a Righteousness as God hath revealed as he hath appointed for this end as he approveth and accepteth such a Righteousness as he giveth to Believers this Righteousness is received and applied by the faith of Jesus Christ not by the faith which Christ hath but by the faith which Believers have in Christ not by the faith whereby Christ believeth but by the faith whereby men believe in Christ. Believers being united to Christ by the spirit on the one side and by faith on the other God imputeth the Righteousness of Christ unto them and they receive and apply it to themselves by faith So in that conclusion of the Apostle Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the works of the Law In these and many other places where faith is said to justifie Divines understand it to be meant not meritoriously for so Christ justifieth by his merit procuring justification for sinners not by way of efficiency for so God justifieth as the Author of justification as the Judge imputing Christ his righteousness to Believers and so justifying them not materially for so the righteousness of Christ justifieth as the matter of justification not formally for that is by way of imputation but faith justifieth 1. Objective not by force of its own Act of believing but by vertue of its Object which it apprehendeth scil Christ his righteousness 2. Instrumentally Faith justifieth by applying the righteousness of Christ to the Believing soul whereby it is justified 3. Observe the effects or Consequents of the righteousness of Christ thus imputed of God and received by faith they are delivered from the guilt of sin Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin Christ his righteousness is accounted theirs and so their own sins are no longer accounted theirs and so they are free from condemnation There is now therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit They are accepted as righteous in the sight of God because the perfect righteousness of Christ is imputed to them who perfectly obeyed the Law and fully suffered the penalty of the Law hereby also they have an interest in everlasting life and salvation Whom he justifieth them he also glorified Again a constant consequent of the righteousness of Christ communicated and imputed to Believers for their justification is regeneration conversion sanctification for the same faith which applieth the Righteousness of Christ to Believers for the forgiveness of sin and for their justification doth unite them to Christ so that they partake of his spirit and sanctifying graces The second Branch of the point is That the Lord Iesus Christ by communicating his perfect Righteousness to Believers doth establish the Law This clearly followeth upon those things which have been spoken for in as much as the Lord Jesus Christ performed obedience to the Law and suffered the full penalty of the Law and then communicated his perfect Righteousness to Believers making them one with himself uniting himself to them by his spirit and uniting them to himself by faith that so himself and his perfect Righteousness might become theirs and that hereby they might be justified and accepted as righteous in the sight of God This was an effectual declaration a real acknowledgment of the force and Authority of the Law for hereby he witnessed that the Law was such an authentical and indispensable rule of righteousness that none could be justified and accepted as righteous in the sight of God the supream Lawgiver and Judge
but by such a Righteousness as was fully answerable to the Rule of the Law and therefore because in this corrupt state of Nature wherein all mankind are since the fall no man could have performed perfect obedience to the Law in his own person but all must have lain under the sentence of condemnation and utterly perished The Lord Christ having taken upon him the Name of Jesus and the office of a Saviour and Redeemer to save his people from their sins yet would not save them in an illegal and irregular way not by his royal prerogative without respect to the Law but by fulfilling the Righteousness of the Law in his own person and then communicating his perfect righteousness to them investing them with it cloathing them with this spotless and glorious robe of his Righteousness On the other side the contrary doctrine of justification by the works of the Law teaching that men might be delivered from Condemnation and approve themselves as righteous in the sight of God by their own inherent holiness and works performed by them in obedience to the Law did deny the force the vigour and Authority of the Law because the holiness and performances of the best of them did fall far short of the perfection of the Law Now to say that men may be justified by the works of the Law whose works did not answer the righteousness required in the Law was to declare the Law to be void to have lost its power to condemn the transgressours of the Law But Christ having fulfilled the righteousness of the Law and born the full punishment of it and communicated his righteousness to Believers hath dearly and abundantly ratified the Authority of the Law and so as the Apostle saith Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth The Law attaineth its end in Christ because He hath fully answered and satisfied the Law and communicateth his perfect righteousness to his people that they might be justified and saved without the least prejudice to the Authority of the Law The use of this may be to stir up Believers exceedingly to admire and magnifie the Lord Iesus Christ who being very God the supream Law-giver from whom the Law received all its force and Authority was pleased by a voluntary Act of his love to become man and so to be made under the Law to subject himself to the Authority and power of the Law to perform perfect obedience to the Law and to bear the Curse of it and then as it were to make over and communicate to poor guilty condemned sinners this his perfect righteousness for their justification and salvation and therefore the Apostle prayed thus for Believers that Christ may dwell in their hearts by faith That ye being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge It is an height and depth which Creatures cannot reach a breadth and length which they cannot measure but those that have interest in Christ and his perfect righteousness should labour to view and surveigh it diligently that they may see into it more and more and advance and magnifie the Lord Jesus Christ who is Iehovah their Righteousness Secondly This may take down the natural pride of mens hearts the best of Adams posterity except Christ alone would have been accursed and condemned wretches had they not been justified and saved by a borrowed Righteousness by the Righteousness of another even of Christ communicated and imputed to them and accounted theirs Where is boasting then it is excluded By what Law of works nay but by the Law of faith that is by the doctrine of the Gospel which declareth that the only way for men to escape condemnation and to appear righteous before God is to become poor in spirit and as wretched guilty lost creatures to go out of themselves and renounce all hope and confidence in themselves and all their own abilities duties and performances and to flee to Christ alone that they may be justified by his righteousness and accepted of God in him to come as poor naked wretches that have never a rag of their own to cover their shame and to beg of Christ white rayment the spotless covering of his righteousness this doctrine excludeth boasting and confoundeth pride if there be any thing for which thy heart is apt to be lifted up either to think highly of thy self or to despise others remember that if thou art an unbeliever thou standest guilty and condemned before the Lord and so hast cause instead of exalting thy self to be exceedingly abased and to be restless until thou be delivered from condemnation and hast obtained pardon and justification through the righteousness of Christ If thou art a true believer remember thou art justified by a righteousness which was never wrought by thee in any part but wholly and only by the Lord Jesus Christ and out of the riches of grace and mercy communicated and imputed to thee whereof thou wast as unworthy as any of them that lye under the sentence of condemnation Hast thou not then a double cause of humiliation 1. Because of thine own guiltiness and unworthiness in thy self 2. Because so rich a favour was freely bestowed upon thee for the greater the gift is which is bestowed upon unworthy persons the more cause have they to be low in their own eyes the bounty of the giver and greatness of the gift casteth shame upon the unworthiness of the receiver Thirdly This may encourage the worst of men and women the chief of sinners to come to Christ and to turn to the Lord. Here is a perfect Righteousness a full Satisfaction here is a Saviour and Mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus who hath performed perfect obedience to the Law and suffered the punishment of the Law due to the greatest sinners for the greatest sins and therefore as was noted before he is called Iehovah our Righteousness for though Believers are not justified by the essential Righteousness of Christ as God yet I conceive the infinite worth of the infinite Iehovah God the Son raiseth that righteousness which he hath wrought for sinners to such an unspeakable value as is sufficient for the sins of the whole world How inexcusable then is their neglect who rather lye in their sins then seek to Christ And on the other side what a door of hope is opened to them who are discouraged through the greatness of their sins What can hinder thee from receiving pardon and obtaining full forgiveness Not the greatness of sin for Christ hath done and suffered that which is abundantly sufficient to answer all nothing can hinder thee but an impenitent and unbelieving heart Fourthly Let Christians be stirred up exceedingly to labour after truth of faith and strength of faith for as the Righteousness of Christ is that for
which Believers are accepted as righteous with God so saith is that grace whereby it is applied to the soul the Father of the distressed child cryed out and said with tears Lord I believe help mine unbelief and the Apostles said unto the Lord Increase our Faith Pray earnestly for faith and for strength and increase of Faith that ye may be established in the faith and confirmed in the assurance of your interest in Christ and his perfect righteousness this is the Sheild which quenched the fiery darts of the Devil What may Christians expect that the Devil should rather aim at than the destroying or weakning of their faith to divide them from Christ to dissolve the marriage bond between him and them to strip them of their wedding garment the robe of Christ's Righteousness And what should Christians endeavour more than the strengthning of their faith Fifthly Let all that are in Christ justified by the Righteousness of Christ labour to walk as becometh those that are partakers of so rich a blessing This was one great end of Christ his coming into the world and performing this glorious work of Redemption that he would grant unto us That we being delivered out of the hand of our Enemies might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life and therefore the Apostle having spoken at large of this doctrine of justification by faith in Christ his Righteousness exhorteth Believers thus I beseech you therefore Brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies as a Sacrifice living holy acceptable unto God c. of him are ye in Christ Iesus who of God is made unto us wisdom righteousness and sanctification and redemption those to whom Christ is made righteousness for their justification to them he is made sanctification conforming them to himself in holiness Justification and Sanctification are 1. Distinct. 2. Unseparable neither to be confounded together nor separated from each other They are distinct Sanctification is no cause nor part of justification No man is justified for his holiness but only for the righteousness of Christ. On the other side sanctification and holiness is unseparably joyned with justification whosoever is justified is also sanctified when sin is forgiven it is also mortified Do not flatter your selves with a perswasion of the pardon of your sins and the justification of your persons while ye want the beginning of sanctification Saith the Apostle Ye are washed ye are sanctified ye are justified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the spirit of our God All that are washed from the guilt of sin in the name of Christ and by the virtue of his blood being made partakers of righteousness unto justification are also washed by his sanctifying spirit and grace from the filth and pollution of sin and made partakers of his holiness In the next place we have the fourth particular That the Lord Iesus Christ established the Law by making it a rule of obedience to his people 1. Christ made the Law a rule of obedience to his people 2. Hereby he established the Law 1. Concerning the former the Lord Christ saith Think not that I am come to destroy the Law and the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfill for verily I say unto you till Heaven and Earth pass one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law till all be fulfilled the Law is established as a perpetual rule to direct Christians in the ordering of themselves all the powers of their souls affections of their hearts their thoughts words and actions and therefore Christ himself in divers passages following presseth not only the outward but also the inward observation of the Law a certain man asked Christ this question Which is the great Commandment in the Law Iesus said unto him Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind This is the first and great Commandment and the second is like unto it Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self on these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets I conceive the Lord Christ in this answer doth clearly confirm the Law as a Rule of obedience by his Authority 1. He doth as it were open the bowels of the Law and discover the soul and spirit of it shewing that it consisteth in two things 1. Intire and perfect love to God 2. As subordinate hereunto sincere love to our Neighbour 1. Because all things commanded in the Law are either love to God and man or such things as love supposeth as the knowledge of God or such affections thoughts words actions as accompany or flow from love 2. All sins of omission or commission towards God or man are either want of love or such as proceed from the want of love Now in that Christ doth so highly extol these two Commandments which comprehend the substance of the Law he established the Law as a rule of obedience for his people Secondly In this speech he had respect not only to the ten Commandments delivered Exod. 20. but also to the doctrine of the Prophets throughout the old Testament saying On these two c. The Prophets opening and enlarging in particulars what is generally comprized in the ten Commandments and if we compare this with what we had before where he saith he came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets we may gather that he established the Law delivered by Moses and expounded by the Prophets as a Rule of obedience to his people Again how frequently doth the spirit of Christ in his Apostles establish the Law as a rule of obedience for his people What are those things which the Apostles by the Authority of Christ and his Name require of Christians but things commanded in the Law And what are those sins which they call upon Christians to shun but sins forbidden in the Law Let Love be without dissimulation abhor that which is evil cleave to that which is good c. What multitudes of instances might be given in this kind and therefore saith the Apostle The end of the Commandments is Charity out of a pure heart and of a good Conscience and of faith unfeigned These are things required in the Law The grace of God which bringeth salvation to all men hath appeared teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world The Gospel and word of grace which Christ hath revealed to the world and confirmed by his death teacheth those things which are the substance of the Law and therefore Christ hath established the Law for a Rule by which his people are to act and walk As he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation because it is written be ye holy for I am holy The spirit of Christ in the
Apostle alledgeth the very word of the Law as ratified by the Authority of Christ as a rule of holiness to which his people must conform their hearts and lives But it may be Objected that divers passages of the new Testament make against this such as these The Law is not made for a righteous man but for the lawless and disobedient And the Apostle saith to them that are in Christ Ye are not under the Law but under grace God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law to redeem them that are under the Law Fo Answer to thesâ— things consider That the Law may be considered two wayes 1. As a Covenant of works severely requiring full and exact obedience and perfect righteousness upon pain of the Curse and so Believers being in Christ are not under the Law but under grace The Lord hath reconciled them to himself in Christ received them into a Covenant of grace discharged them of the curse of the Law and sentence of condemnation justified and accepted them as righteous through the righteousness of Christ given them access to his mercy seat so that the Law is not made for a righteous man as a covenant of works Believers are not to be judged according to the rigour and severity of the Law nor subject to the curse or condemnation of the Law and therefore the Apostle saith Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us but the lawless and disobedient natural persons being out of Christ and standing upon their own bottom and so being to answer the justice of God upon their own account are under the Law as a Covenant of works and subject to the malediction Curse and condemnation of the Law Secondly The Law may be considered as a Rule of life as a direction to true Believers guiding them in the wayes of God teaching them how they ought to walk and to please God how to walk answerably to his saving mercies and spiritual blessings communicated to them in Christ and in this regard the Law is established by Christ for the use of his people and so I conceive in this sense the Law is so far from being a Covenant of works that it becometh a part of the Covenant of grace or a Rule subservient to the Gospel So the Apostle telleth the believing Thessalonians Ye know what Commandments we gave you by the Lord Iesus the Commandments which he delivered to them were given by the Lord Jesus in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ by vertue of his Authority and Commission received from him Now what Commandments were these Even the same that are delivered in the Law in some of which the Apostle giveth instance First in general This is the will of God even your sanctification that ye should be sanctified and so conformed to the Law of God in all things Then in special That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour not in the lusts of Concupiscence c. In a word the Law is of use both unto them that are out of Christ and to them that are in Christ To the former it discovereth the contrariety of their Natures hearts and lives to the mind and will of God their utter disability to fulfill the Law and thereupon makes known unto them their woful estate that they lye open to the wrath and Curse of God and the danger of everlasting condemnation and so the Law may be of use 1. To take down the natural pride that is in men and women to cause them to see their own vileness and lost condition to renounce all confidence in their own imaginary righteousness to abase themselves to the dust before the Lord For by the Law is the knowledge of sin Secondly The Law may be of use to such to drive them out of themselves to seek after the remedy to cause them to flee to Christ that they may be washed in his blood from all their sins justified by his perfect righteousness and so redeemed from the Curse of the Law and delivered from the wrath to come 2. To true Believers the Law may be useful 1. To humble them and make them poor in spirit and low in their own eyes And that 1. In respect of their state by Nature 2. In respect of their present condition now that they are renewed by grace In the former respect they may see in the glass of the pure and holy Law of God the woful deformities and blemishes of their souls as they were of themselves their numberless omissions and commissions and being inlightned by the spirit of Christ these things are the more manifest to them Secondly In respect of their present condition as they are renewed by grace though they have the spirit of Christ conforming them in some degree to the Law yet by comparing both the frame of their souls and their thoughts words actings conversations with the pure and spiritual Law of God they find themselves far short of the mark and that they need daily renewed acts of grace and free pardon from the mercy seat Secondly The Law is of use to direct them to shew them what frame of spirit what wayes are pleasing to the Lord who is the Law-giver and Author of the Law 3. The Law is useful to Believers to quicken them and stir them up more and more to purge themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit to cleanse their hearts from those corruptions which are contrary to the Law and to labour after an increase and growth in all holy and sanctifying graces and to strive after farther perfection saith the Apostle Brethren I count not my self to have apprehended but this one thing I do forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus It seemeth the Apostle notwithstanding that great measure of the spirit of Christ which he had received and the great improvement made of his Talents the eminent services done to the Church yet looked upon the mark as being far before him a great way beyond him that is that he was far short of the perfection of holiness and righteousness which the Law required and therefore he did reach forth and press forward with all his might When the best Christians find how far they fall short of that height of perfection which the Law calleth for scil to love the Lord their God with all the heart and all the mind and all the soul and all the might c. May not this be a powerful motive to quicken them to use all holy endeavours for the perfecting of holiness in the fear of God Secondly The Lord Christ by making the Law a rule of life and holy obedience for his people hath established the Law It is true he hath redeemed sincere Believers from
the Curse of the Law but that was done without the least prejudice to the force and authority of the Law because himself did bear the Curse in his own person and so he did both save his people from the Curse of the Law and yet fully satisfie the Law but herein did Christ put an high degree of honour upon the Law that though he had made full satisfaction to the Law in behalf of his people yet he will have the Law to remain as a Directory and Rule of holiness and righteousness for those that are appointed heiâ—s of salvation He hath made the Law a Rule for the ordering of his Royal family of his spiritual Kingdom The Lord Christ hath exalted the Law to a great height of dignity in that himself being the Law-giver and having united Believers to himself by his spirit and ruling in their hearts by his grace yet requireth them to attend to the Law as the Rule by which they should regulate and order their hearts and wayes The use of this may be first to shew the errour of those who seem to deny the use of the Law for Believers in any kind as if they were to bring them in Bondage under a Covenant of works How usual is it with men to mistake the meaning of the holy Scripture and in special to take those things as absolutely meant which are to be understood only in some respect So in this case because the Scripture sheweth that Christians are not under the Law therefore they seem to say they have nothing to do with the Law and that the Law hath not any thing to do with them but though they are free from the Curse of the Law yet the Law is still of great use to them to guide them in such a course of holy obedience wherein they are to glorifie God and to walk worthy of the Lord to all pleasing The Apostle I conceive speaketh of such licentious libertines and Antinomian teachers who when they speak great swelling words of vanity they allure through the lusts of the flesh through much wantonness those that were clean escaped from them that live in errour while they promise them liberty they themselves are yet servants of corruption for of whom a man is overcome of the same he is brought in bondage Is it not common with many to complain of bondage under the Law who on the other side remain in a miserable bondage under their lusts Secondly This may open the eyes of those self-deceivers who pretend faith in Christ as if their sins were pardoned through his satisfaction and their persons justified by his righteousness without the works of the Law and thereupon sin securely not caring to order their hearts and wayeâ— according to the Law nor to make it the rule of their lives The Apostle notably sheweth the folly of such for having proved that Believers are freely pardoned and justified by the righteousness of Christ without any consideration of their own works done in obedience to the Law insomuch that he saith Where sin abounded grace did much more abound whereas sin abounded in men the grace and free love of God did much more abound and gloriously manifest it self through Christ towards Believers in pardoning their sins and accepting them as righteous thereupon he proposeth a question or Objection What shall I say then Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound as if some licentious person turning the grace of God into laciviousness should say if our best works be of no force or weight at all towards our justification on the one side and the grace of God on the other side be gloriously illustrated by occasion of our sins why should we fear to sin against the Law or be careful to walk according to that Rule The Apostle answereth by way of detestation God forbid or let it not be Let not so vile a thought enter into the heart of any Christian Secondly By way of confutation How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein know we not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were Baptized into his death therefore we are buried with him by Baptisme into his death that like as Christ was raised up from the deâ—d by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newness of life as if he had said they that are justified by the righteousness of Christ applied by faith are by the same faith united unto Christ and therefore dead to sin as Christ died for sin and raised to newness of life as Christ rose from the dead the spirit of Christ thus manifesting the vertue of Christ his death and the power of his Resurrection in them and so leading them in the way of holy obedience according to the rule of the Law They therefore that fancy to themselves pardon of sin justification and salvation through faith in Christ and give up themselves to walk according to their own lusts and not according to the Law of God do highly dishonour Christ and delude their own souls for the Apostle Peter speaking of him And him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins The Lord Jesus Christ is exalted to be both a Prince and a Saviour to rule and to save as a Prince to give repentance whereby men and women are subjected to his government and to his holy Law and as a Saviour to procure for them forgiveness of sin and justification They then who would have their sins pardoned through Christ but not their souls subjected to the will and Law of Christ they would have but an half Christ they would have Christ the Saviour but not Christ the Prince and this is the way to have no Christ at all no portion nor interest in Christ. I beseech you therefore as you love your souls take heed of this soul deceiving fancy and as you desire Christ for your Saviour so obey Him as your Prince according to his holy Law which He hath established as a Rule of life for his People FINIS Texts of Scripture Explained occasionally 2 Thes. 2. 1 2 3. page 10. Rom. 7. 18. p. 16. Revel 8. 13. p. 50. 1 King 18. 40. p. 59. Mat. 13. 22 30. p. 61. Acts 7. 37. p. 83. Joh. 4. 19 20 21. p. 83. Gen. 22. 18. p. 91. Lev. 1. 4. p. 105. 2 King 3. 20. p. 108. Dan. 9. 21. p. 108. Heb. 10. 5 6 7. p. 115. 1 Cor. 9. 13 14. p. 119. 1 Cor. 10. 18. p. 126. 2 Cor. 2. 4. p. 147. 1 Cor. 6. 18 19. p. 148. Num. 23. 5. p. 158. Rom. 1. 19. p. 179. Rom. 5. 13 14. p. 188. Amos 2. 4 5. p. 191 192 193. Gal. 5. 4. p. 209. James 2. 24. p. 210. 1 John 3. 8. p. 227 c. Luke 9. 30 31. p. 233 234. John 1. 1 2 3. p. 234 235. Mat. 22. 35 to 40.