Selected quad for the lemma: nature_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
nature_n	commandment_n	law_n	moral_a	3,008	5	9.5759	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A92842	Antinomianisme anatomized. Or, A glasse for the lawlesse: who deny the ruling use of the morall law unto Christians under the gospel. / By John Sedgwick, B.D. and Pastor of the Church of God at Alphag, neer Cripple-gate London.	Sedgwick, John, 1600 or 1601-1643.	1643 (1643)	Wing S2359; Thomason E63_5; ESTC R4740	39,115	56

Covenant of Works unto the sons of men nay we finde that there were mercifull and Evangelicall intentions in God in giving the same as may appear in the Preface to the Commandments in his Preaching Christ to Adam in Paradice immediatly upon the fall and in his ordering that it should be a means to beat man out of himself and to bring him unto Christ Yet when I look upon Adams Law as it was a rule of life and obedience unto him in this respect they do agree virtually the Law given to Adam and received by Moses was one and the same the minde of God for dutie being constant and perpetuall one at all times and in all places according as we pray Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven Reas 2 Secondly Mans natur● hath this Law written and engraven indelebly in it I will not dispute whether the Law of Nature be a relique of the old image left in Adam of this I am sure That the Gentiles which have not the Law do by nature the things Rom 2. 14 contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto 15 themselves which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts Out of which Scripture it is clear that God presently upon the Fall planted in the heart of all mankinde not onely The Law of Nature what an opinion of Divine Soveraignty and authority but a knowledge of certain practicall Principles in an obliging and prosecuting way Thus in a word the understanding and judgement which is called the Speculative facultie was and is enabled with an apprehension and conception of things to be done and to be forborn as their honestie and dishonestie did appear the conscience and will which is called the Practicall facultie had imprinted on it a desire or endeavour to prosecute all those things which should be revealed to the understanding they reasoned from their light to their life inferring the practice of all revealed principles Mat. 7. 12. Now this Law had such a firm and fast engraving in man● understanding and conscience by God himself that iniquity it self cannot eradicate or obliterate the same it is written in mans nature as with a pen of iron for ever to remain with the nature of mankinde and this is no other then a Summary or Abridgement of the Morall Law for the Law of Moses written in Tables of stone materially is no other then what was written or imprinted in the heart according to the rule Praecepta Decalogi sunt explicationes juris naturae The Law Morall The difference that is between the Law of Nature and the Law of Adam and Moses is the explication of the Law Naturall I grant that this Law of Nature by reason of mans corruption and preposterousnesse of affection is not so clear perfect and easie as was the Law in Creation to Adam for he had in his created estate a more shining light quick apprehension steadie will and able resolution then his posterity naturally now have nay this Law of Nature doth in many circumstances differ from the Law Morall v. g. This we have by infusion that by publike voice This is written in tables of flesh that in tables of stone This containeth dutie impliedly without method and order that expresly and orderly c. The Argument lies thus If God hath indelebly written the Morall Law in mans nature then the Doctrine of the Gospel doth not make it void but God c. Reas 3 Thirdly The Morall Law is a Doctrine spirituall holy good just and perfectly containing the good and acceptable will of God and therefore not to be made void that it is a Doctrine the Hebrew word Torah will make evident it being derived of Horah which signifies to teach and to instruct how to live and how to walk even as a School-master doth teach his Scholers what is evil and how to avoid it what is good and how to do it that it is spirituall holy good and just The Rom. 7. 12 14. Apostle saith We know that the Law is spirituall And Wherefore the commandment is holy and just and good And thus it is not onely originally as the holy good and just God who is a spirit is the Authour of it but also materially and effectively it is pure and undefiled free from all stain of errour and falshood having not the least iniquity cleaving to it it carrieth in it the good and acceptable will of God it is indeed the wisdom and the will of God the Law is not good and then willed of God but it is good because it is willed of God whose will alone is the rule of all goodnesse yea and men by it become Spirituall holy good and just Now if it be every way absolute and perfect as it is stiled The perfect Law of Liberty there can be no reason rendred why it should be abolished I conceive that the law-Maker was in wisdom infinite and so he did foresee before-hand how to prevent any inconvenience which might fall upon it and become a reason to abrogate it shew me the least flaw in the Morall Law as it stands a rule for duty and then you may talk rationally of disannulling it Will you take upon you to make void and of none effect that which is holy and good Reas 4 Fourthly the Morall Law of God is perpetuall and unchangeable even that which must endure for ever Psal 119. 89. Christ saith Till heaven and earth passe one jot or one tittle shall in no wise passe from the Law Mat. 5. 18. It is of an unperishing nature you may as soon destroy God himself as destroy that though mans Laws may be repealed Gods Laws admit of no repeal had it been a temporary Ordinance then it might have been made void Reas 5 Fifthly The Law is universally extensive The commands thereof are commands to all Christians in all ages now look how farre any Commandment extends so farre doth obedience thereunto extend it self If the Morall Law reach to us Christians as well as to the Jews then we stand obliged by it now to make it evident that this Law concerned all men even us The extensivenesse of the Law to Jews and Gentiles Christians under the Gospel consider 1. The Morall Law was no Type of Christ neither did it concern the Jew onely as he was a Jew if so then the Jew onely did sin in Idolatry and Adultery and the Gentiles did not I demand What Law of God did forbid these sins Did not the Morall Law It did And will you say that the Jew onely was tied to it If he was not then the Gentiles came in also and so the Commandment concerned them which must be yeelded unlesse you will say that the Gentiles did not sin by Idolatry Adultery c. 2. The Gentiles heretofore did and Christians now do sin in breaking the Morall Law for all sin is the transgression of the 1 Jo. 3. 4. Law

not blush to shew her face how to English your meaning about the Evangelizing of the Law in the hearts of believers I as yet cannot happily I may mistake your meaning when your Preachers have told you their sen●e I shall be able to give my answer As for that expression That they will not admit the Law to be a rule of life as Moses brought it down from Mount 〈◊〉 I think 〈◊〉 weare bound to the Law not for Moses sake but for the Law-givers sake surely the Law which Moses did deliver doth binde us to obedience let the Ministery of it be considered in its place and the matter of it regarded in its place still in whose hands soever we consider it it is a binding rule for duty yea and it bindes in this sense as much as it was in Moses hand as it is in the hand of any Mediatour this is but a shift let them discover the ground for this distinction out of Gods Word and I have done I mean That the Morall Law considered in the hand of Christ doth oblige to duty but not as it was in the hand of Moses we speak not of the terrour which did accompany the delivery of it on Mount Sinai but of the matter of it as given unto Moses consult Rivet and the Authors which are cited by him and let me if you be not satisfied with this Answer hear further from you Nomist I hope Sir ere you break off you will give us some councell and exhortation touching our respect to the Morall Law Evangelist Vse 4 Surely it is but need and indeed it was the closing use which I made of my discourse namely To teach men that it is a duty laying upon them to uphold and maintain the power and use of the Law for obedience and to this end I laid down these six rules 6 Wayes of maintaining the Law 1. That each Christian should spend some time in the right studying and thoughtfull meditation of the holy Law of God take the Book of the Law into your hand reade it peruse it till you come to understand each Commandment in its author matter meaning and use be not strangers unto the minde of God which is laid down in this Law hereby you shall gain acquaintance at home be made more vile in your eyes and become the better prepared to enjoy Christ with sweetnesse 2. That each Christian should look upon the Morall Law with a prizing eye making each Commandment precious and dead unto it self Honey was not so sweet nor Gold so pleasurable to David as was Gods Commandments he did esteem them above all things and so must we account highly and worthily of them this will shew that we reverence God himself may prove an excellent means of endearing our affections to them and keep off all scorn and contempton our parts from them 3. That each Christian should let out his affections to approve of and take delight in this Morall Law of God Paul Rom 7. 16. 22 did consent to the Law that it was good and did delight in it in his inner man And David prayeth Make me to go in the paths Ps 119. 35. of thy Commandments for thy Law is my delight It is the nature of faith to make every Commandment of God easie and welcome to the soul the Law considered as the Covenant of works was such a yoke as no man was able to bear but take it in the dutifull part of it and each Christian should with joy and delight bear it I delight to do thy will O my God q. d. Psal 40. O Lord this is that I would do and desire to do and am glad when I can do it 4. That each Christian should fear and tremble to sin against this holy Law of God I know that in many things we do and shall sin but yet we must fear to sin and take heed of willing or wilfull breaches of Gods Law sure I am That acts of disobedience to Gods Law may bring upon 1 Thes 4. 6 7. men many temporall afflictions Let no man defraud or go beyond his brother for God is an avenger of all such things 5. That each Christian should apply himself to be uprightly obedient to the Law of God we are to expresse an inward and an outward conformity to the holy Law of God knowing 4 Motives to obedience to the Law 1. That the Law was given to man that it might be kept and observed by man surely obedience was the main thing which God intended in giving the Law 2. That the consequent of keeping Gods Commandments is much gain and great reward obedience doth not merit yet the Scripture saith In keeping them there is great reward Psal 19. 11. Prov 7. 2. Isa 1. 19. Rom 2. 6 7 and we finde that many temporall and heavenly blessings are assured to such who are obedient to Gods will his mercy being From everlasting to everlasting on those who remember ●● Commandments to do them Psal 103 17 18. 3. That it is the glory of knowledge and the power of affections to obey the Commandments of God I conceive that knowledge is given us that we may be fit to obey and affections to stir us up to obedience and indeed we are very dishonourable to our selves and lose the glory and power of our understanding and affections if we fail willingly in our obedience to Gods Law hence saith God Keep them therefore and to them for this is D●ut 4. 6. your wisdom and understanding c. 4. That conscionable obedience is a spring of soul-consolation understand me rightly I do not say That a Christians comfort doth originally arise from his obedience to and observance of the Law neither doth it constantly spring hence for experience telleth us that many times much is done and yet little warmth or heat doth flow from it to the soul yet this is true That a Christians comforts are multiplied maintained and cherished is and from acts of sincere obedience to Gods Laws the heart is not so full of horrour and unquietnesse when it keeps close to duty as it would be when it hangs loose to or omits the same Nomist. What is the right way of obedience to Gods Laws Evang list Right obedience to Gods Law stands in 6 things It stands in these six things First To be humbly obedient humility of spirit is all in all in acts of duty and obedience we must cast off all thoughts of merit by duty done he that observes Gods Commands to deserve recompence and reward or doth pride himself in what he doth is far from the right observing Gods Laws Luke 17. 10. Secondly To be universally obedient Certainly there is such a thing as universall obedience Then shall I not be confounded Psal 119. 6 when I have respect to all thy Commandments ●aith David And it was the commendation of ●●chary and Elizabeth That they walked in all the 〈◊〉 and Ordinances