same our Rule under the Gospel for look what Christ as our common Person did actively without us in obeying the law of God that for the kind is by his Word and Spirit wrought and effected in time within us Christs obedience to the Law doth not free us from obedience in the same kind but in the same way or degree Christ obeyed the Law as it was a Covenant of works and obeyed it perfectly now for so much as relates to the way or degree of obedience Christs active obedience hath freed us from but not from obedience in the same kind as for example Christ prayed this doth not free us from prayer Christ repented this doth not free us from Repentance Christ was thankful to his Father this don't free us from thankness Christ was meek lowly patient humble Self-denying submissive to his Fathers will this doth not free us from the like Duties and Qualifications it frees us that we are not bound to performe these things perfectly or in the way of a Covenant of works but not at all from the things themselves but rather the obligation is greater by how much we have not only the law but Christs Life which is the pattern of ours as Mat. 11.29 Heb. 12.1 2 3. 1 Pet. 2.21 22 23. Ephes 5.1 2. obliging us hereunto Argum. 6. If the Moral Law in the substance of it is no other than the law of Nature then is it a Rule in Gospel-times for it would be absurd to say the Gospel sets us at liberty from the law of Nature so as that it is no sin to violate Natures law to neglect that which Natures law teacheth to doe and to doe that Natures law teacheth to abhor and the first is true Rom. 2.14 15. For when the Gentiles which have not the law doe 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 c. the Gentiles doing by nature the things contained in the Law shewing us that the very things of the law are in nature the Moral law it is only a written external copy of the law of Nature Argum. 7. If it be a sin and offence in Beleevers under the Gospel to doe contrary to what the Moral law requires then is it a Rule to them for where there is no Rule can bee no offence where is no law is no transgression But who in his right wits would not say that put case a beleever should commit Adultery blaspheme God prophane the Sabbath bee a Murderer Thief Adulterer c. that he doth not sin if he sin hee transgresseth a Rule and if so then the Moral Law which forbids these things is a Rule to him Argum. 8. If Saints in Gospel-times are bid in an especial manner to remember the Moral Law then is it a Rule in Gospel-times But the antecedent is true Mal. 4.4 Remember the law of Moses my Servant which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel with the Statutes and Judgements In vers 2. he speaks of Christs appearing in the glory and lustre of his Righteousness with his bright Sun-beams in the Gospel and of the Saints imbracing of his light and flourishing under it and after all bids them remember the law of Moses why after this discovery of these things doth he call upon them to remember the law of Moses but to shew that the Moral Law given by Moses though not as given by him should remaine a Rule to Saints in the purest and brightest Gospel-times therefore the consequent 2 Though the Moral Law is a Rule yet only as it is in the hand of Christ That it is not a Rule to beleevers under the Gospel as given by Moses is clear 1 Because as such they are as hath been shewed dead to it and it is dead to them therefore cannot be their rule 2 Then their obedience should be a fruit of fear for in Moses's hand it came with terrour in Thundring and Lightning to beget fear and accordingly in those who were under the same did produce it But now the obedience of Saints under the Gospel is not a fruit of fear but of faith Luke 1.74 75. That hee would grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the daies of our life 2 Tim. 1.7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound minde 3 Then beleevers must unavoydably be under a curse Gal. 3.10 For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a Curse for it is written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to doe them It is not said as many as are under the reigning or condemning power of the Law but the Works of the Law if a man be but under the mandatory power of the law as given by Moses he is under a curse 4 Then should a Beleever be bound over to personal performance of what the law requires I prove it thus Whatsoever the Law saith i. e. as given by Moses it saith to them that are under the law Rom. 3.19 Now wee know that what thing soever the law saith it saith to them who are under the law But the law saith do all this do it in thine own person therefore if a Beleever be under it as such he is bound to personal performance and if so how will he escape condemnation seeing in his own person he cannot according to the obedience it requires obey the same 5 Then Beleevers should be under the commands of a Covenant of works for the law in Moses's hand was a Covenant of works for it is set in direct opposition to grace Rom. 6.14 For sin shall not have dominion over you for yee are not under the law but under grace which could not bee were it not a Covenant of works and it requires works for justification as doth the Covenant of works Gal. 3.10 6 Then their obedience should bee Legal not Evangelical for obedience to a Covenant of works can bee no other 7 Beleevers are under the command of the New Covenant and therefore the commands of Moses being the commands of the Old are not their Rule But now this Law as it is in Christs hands is a beleevers Rule Quest But how or in what way are wee to conceive of the Law as it comes in the hands of Christ Answ This is the great Question without opening wherof all we have hitherto said comes to nothing For answer therefore hereunto we shall consider how the Law came in the hand of Moses when it came as the Rule of a Covenant of works which opened will help us in the consideration of the other how it comes in Christs hand as it is our Gospel rule If you would know how the Law came in Moses
Grace say to him goe but he goes come but he comes doe this avoyd that but he doth the one and avoyds the other The Law doth not put such a Principle of ingenuity in a man and therefore persons under the same one day they are threatned another day they feele the Whip and Rod for their sins another while they resolve vow and covenant they will sin no more and yet still they goe in the old track they sin and vow and vow and sin and all because there is not a spiritual ingenuity wrought in them as Grace works in all those that hear and receive the same but now Grace that makes a man so ingenuous that considering what God hath done for poore Sinners what Christ hath suffered to take away sin how free and willing God is to receive him make him a Son and Heir here give him Heaven and glory hereafter he would not now lye swilling and sweltering in his old sins and lusts though hee might the Soul needs not now to vow and covenant a twelve month together against such and such sins it is addicted unto no but it hears the voyce of Gods grace telling it what Christ hath done for it how willing God is to pardon all his sins and bidding it doe this avoyd that and presently it is made inclinable to obey the voyce of Gods grace what saith Paul Rom. 6.1 Shall we sin because grave doth abound no God forbid we have more ingenuity in us than to doe thus because God loves us and is willing to pardon cur sins here and to glorifie us hereafter shall we therefore doe what we can to grieve him to offend and trouble him no God forbid we are more ingenuous than so nay we cannot doe it our very hearts are against it and our souls hate and abhorre the thoughts of it we would not for a world bee found to require the Lord thus So 2 Cor. 5.13 14 15. For whether we be besides our selves it is to God or whether we be sober it is for your Cause for the love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one dyed for all then were all dead and that he dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which dyed for them and rose again As to say whether we be mad or sober judge of us as you please yet have wee so much ingenuity as to judge thus that if Jesus Christ dyed for us we should now live to him if he came and purchased an everlasting life for us our ingenuity makes us reason that it is a fit thing that we should live this our temporal life to him and consecrate it wholly to his service What is the reason that many a poor Soul sits all the week long at the Ale-pot Sweares and Whores and yet now and then he vowes and resolves against such courses and yet cannot for his heart and bloud as we say leave them but the Law when hee hath done such things whips and stings him and this hardens him whereas did but such a poor Soul see that he is by Jesus Christ delivered from wrath to come freed from the Law Sin and Satan did but God let him to see the hope of his calling and what a happy and blessed estate hee is by Christ brought into there would bee such an ingenuity wrought within him that hee needs not vow and covenant to bee Drunk and Swear and Whore no more no but his heart would abhor to deal so basely and unworthily with a God so infinite rich in love and abounding in Grace and mercy towards him 2 Because the grace of God it hath more full and clear precepts to holinesse than the Law hath the Law that hath ten Commands but the grace of God that hath many hundred Spiritual commands wherein it injoynes spiritual obedience and newness of life and then the commands of grace they are as more so of a more spiritual nature whatsoever the Law commands Natures light teacheth and a man may by Natures light convince a man of these things but now the precepts of grace are spiritual and supernatural such as a Natural man by Natures light cannot perceive The precepts of grace are called the things of the Spirit l Cor. 2. Which the Natural man cannot perceive but they are foolishnesse unto him because they are spiritually discerned Where the grace of God is preached and received there doth the Spirit of God goe who is a teaching Spirit and teacheth the Soul infinite more commands and with more clearness and demonstration doth it discover truth than any Natural or Moral man by his Natural light or study of the Law can ever finde out the Law discovers to a man the outward actions of sin and forbids these but when grace comes with its precepts it makes discovery of the first risings motions stirrings and concupiscence of these things in the Soul and forbids these and hence by reason that the grace of God or the Doctrine of the Gospel for that I understand by the grace of God all along hath more full higher and more Spiritual instructions than any the Law hath makes further discoveries of sin than the Law barely considered can doe it comes to passe that it is the most effectual means of killing and subduing sin 3 Because there is a power in grace for the subduing and killing of sin The Apostle tells us 2 Cor. 3. that the Law it is a killing letter that is it is only a bare letter without any power bidding us to doe this and avoyd that but contributes no assistance to us yet tells us if wee doe not obey it we shall be damned and so it is a killing letter that is to us it kills us instead of killing our sins but now the Gospel gives life that doth not only command but giveth power to doe and so is a word of life So Heb. 12. hee calls the Law a voyce of words for the same reason because it did command and forbid things under the penalty of Death and Damnation and it saw the poor Creature to bee weak and altogether unable to doe either the one or the other and yet gave him no power at all and so was only a terrible voyce of words to him The Law as one saith it doth teach just as the Commandements written upon the walls doe a poor man comes in and reads them over and yet his heart is never the warmer never the more fit to obey any of them because he reads them there but now the Gospel on the grace of God that brings power along with it a poor Soul which before lived in sins and thought it impossible that ever hee should leave them or have them subdued now findes a power within him killing and subduing those sins of his hence it is called The power of God unto salvation Rom. 1.16 4 Because a Soul never comes to see sin in its proper colours until the grace
Therefore the latter is truth also Arg. 11. If the substance of those things which are required in the Moral law are either commanded in the Gospel or promised to Gospel-times then doth the Law remaine a rule to Saints even in Gospel times But the first is true To give particular instance Doth the Law in the general require of us to love God with all our heart soul might strength and our Neighbour as our selves And doth not the Gospel every where command these things Come to the first Table Doth the first Commandement require of us to love serve obey one God and the true God Doth not the Gospel require this Doth the second Commandement require of us that wee should worship God in his own way forbidding all false Idol-worship Doth not the Gospel also do this 1 Cor. 10.20 21. 2 Cor. 6.14 15 16 17. Doth the third Commandement require sanctification of Gods Name and doth not the Gospel even this also Jam. 5.12 Doth the fourth Commandement injoyn us to keep holy the Sabbath and is not this promised to Gospel-times yea the purest times of the Gospel Eze. 44.24 and I take it for this reason the Command of the Sabbath is mentioned both in the Moral the Ceremonial and Judicial law in the Judicial law to teach us that the keeping holy one day of seven is natural in the Moral to teach us it is Moral in the Ceremonial to let us see that it is Evangelical the Ceremonial law being but the Gospel in Types and Figures Come to the second Table Doth the fifth Commandement require obedience to Superiours And have wee not the very words of it Eph. 6.2 And as for the other five wee have them all summed up together Rom. 13.9 Therefore must the Law bee a rule in Gospel-times Arg. 12. If the Moral law in the substance thereof is no other than the Law of nature then is it a rule in Gospel-times for it would bee absurd to say the Gospel sets us at liberty from the Law of nature so as that it is no sin to violate the Law of nature either by neglecting what it teacheth to do or acting what it teacheth to abhor But the antecedent is true Rom. 2.14 15. The Gentiles doing by the light of nature the things contained in the Law doth prove this that the very things of the Law are in nature the Moral law being as a written external copy of the Law of nature Therefore the consequent Arg. 13. If it bee sin in a beleever under the Gospel to do contrary to what the Moral law requires then is the Moral law a rule to him For where there is no Law there is no transgression Rom. 4.15 But who in his right wits would not say that put case a beleever should commit Idolatry blaspheme God prophane the Sabbath bee a Murderer Theese Adulterer c. that hee doth not sin if hee sin hee transgresseth a Rule and it so then the Moral Law which forbids these things is a rule to him Arg. last If Saints in Gospel-times are commanded in an especial manner to remember the Moral law then is it a rule to such in Gospel-times But the antecedent is true Mal. 4.4 why after the rising of the Sun of righteousness and Saints thriving and flourishing under his bright and warme beams are wee commanded to remember the law of Moses but to shew that that very same Moral law which was once given forth by the hand of Moses was to remain a rule to Saints even in the purest and brightest Gospel-times The conclusion is That the Moral law or the Law of the Ten Commandements doth still remaine as a rule to Saints in Gospel-times Hence it follows that by abolishing the Moral law as Hagars rule the rule of the Old Covenant we have not abolished it as a rule nor lost any iota of the substance of the Moral law but rather confirmed the whole in Sarahs the New Covenants hands In a word the summe of my Discourse hitherto about the Moral law amounts to this viz. That the Moral law is now by Christ the great King and Law-giver of his people transplanted from a more barren into a more fruitful soyle from an Old Covenant into a New and better Covenant which Covenant because it is everlasting therefor the Law being now therein is become permanent and everlasting also Yea to the end that the Law might be stable and continue for ever it was therefore necessary it should bee transplanted hither the Covenant in which it was before being as the Apostle tells us decayed and waxen old yea ready to vanish away Heb. 8. last So that wee may truly say with the Apostle Do wee make void the Law through faith God for bid nay we establish the Law 3 Hence wee may learn That the very same worke or duty for the substance or matter of it done by one may bee a Legal worke done by another an Evangelical The difference betwixt Legal and Evangelical works is not a material but a formal difference Hagars children keep the same Law and do the same works for substance that Sarahs do Hagar holds forth the Moral law to her children and saith this is my rule obey it Sarah likewise holds it forth to her children saying And this is my rule obey it So that there is no difference betwixt the seed of Hagar and Sarah as to the substance or matter of that rule they walk by for both have materially one and the same rule proposed to them and both strive and indeavor a conformity to that rule yet the action of the one is but a Legal worke the action of the other an Evangelical The reason of this difference lyes in what hath been formerly said Hagar proposeth her rule to those that are her seed as a bare rule telling them onely what is their duty and pressing them to the doing hereof by severe Threats on the one hand in case they bee found defective but in a tittle and alluring promises of reward on the other in case they prove obedient in all things to her commands but gives them no strength to walk up to that rule so as that they may either escape the evill of the threat or obtaine the good of the promise Hence Hagars Children in case they could perfectly obey yet their obedience could bee no more but a pure legal obedience that is obedience springing from themselves as the efficient cause and motive terminating in themselves as their ultimate end or to speak more plainly obedience done in and by their owne strength to and for their owne benefit either to avoyd some evil feared or procure some good desired which is properly pure legal obedience when what a man doth hee doth by himself and to himself But now Sarah though shee propose the same rule to her seed yet in a different way or manner for together with the rule shee giveth to her Children strength to keep it cutting off withall from this rule the
Rule and am so guided by the Lord as rightly to understand it and apply the particular case to it then will the conclusion thence drawn bee as sound and firm as if I had a particular word to bottome it upon Object But it may bee yet the soul may say notwithstanding all that is said from the general Rules I remain still in doubt I am not yet satisfied all doth not reach my case Is there no other way yet to help mee to a sight of the will of God or at least of that which is most expedient for mee to do in such a case Answ If wee have neither particular Rule nor can finde any such general Rule as will satisfie then have wee nothing which may bear the name of a pure Scripture rule There is no other Rule remaining but onely that which wee call the Rule of Right Reason and the case being now come to this head wee must bee ruled by that or by none And it is very meet in the present case Right reason should bee our guide for mark it where I have not the word to walk by I must walk by my reason Reason though Gods gift is the light of a man and where I want Gods light God bids me use mine own for therefore hath hee given it Now that wee may not bee mistaken in the terme of Right reason but understand what we are speaking of Know that Right reason in Divine things is that onely which draws up such a conclusion as is agreeable either to the principles of Natures law or the substance of the truth left us in the written word That Reason which makes up a conclusion that doth contradict either of these is corrupt reason not Right reason The present case therefore is to be solved by principles applied to it consonant to Natures law or the substance of revealed Truth and principles that are founded upon either of these though they may not bee warranted by any particular rule nor easily drawn from this or that general yet are they principles of truth For Natures law though it bee a thing seated in man yet it is originally from God and so in it self is a divine unerring thing and the word though it consists of many peeces yet by a wonderful harmony all is so knit together that it makes in conclusion but one entire peece What therefore is rightly drawn from the whole body or substance of Scripture-truth laid together is as much truth as that which is drawn from this or that particular text or peece of holy Writ This premised I now come to give in my particular answer to the case Now there are divers general Rules for us to have recourse to in this thing The first GENERAL RULE is 1 Cor. 10. Do all to the glory of God The true sense and meaning of this Rule is that Gods glory should be proposed by us as our great and ultimate end in all our undertakings The case we are upon is What it most meet for mee to do when I stand betwixt two things or two wayes and must chuse one yet not able to resolve my self in which the will of God is The solution of the case from this General Rule is That I am to chuse that thing or way in and by which I may best reach the aforesaid ultimate end But now because when the case is such it is hard to know which thing or way will most conduce to the attainment of this ultimate end therefore we are yet in the dark without something further added Let it therefore be considered that there is a twofold glorifying of God 1 A glorifying God in the intention of the Agent 2 A glorifying God in the nature of the act Which consisteth in shunning and avoiding such things by which God is dishonoured and in our following and imbracing such actions which have in them a tendency to glorifie him The first viz. The glorifying of God in the intention of the agent is not indeed properly a glorifying of God in case the other bee not joyned with it for a man through ignorance of the will of God may do such an action as is in it self evill and tends to the dishonour of God and that with a good intention Peters intention was good viz. to preserve his Master from danger and this sprung from his love and affection to him when hee disswaded him from going up to Jerusalem to suffer Yet was his action evil and tending much to the dishonour of God In the latter therefore but so as joyned with the former this active glorifying of God consists when as together with my good intention to glorifie God there is something in the nature of the act it self which I perform that hath a tendency to glorifie God Now as to the present case would I know whether my going this way or that way will most glorifie God Why then consider not onely the different wayes but consider also thine own action thy action lyes in thy motion as there is a way and a way so also there is a motion in it this or that way in this motion consists the nature of the act Now if there bee any thing in this motion consider it apart from the intention for that is another thing that hath a tendency either to strip God of any part of his honour or contrariwise to glorifie him then I may by it conclude which way I am to take If in my motion on one hand I intrench upon Gods honor in this or that point then whatsoever my intention is though seemingly ever so pious yet must I not venture there because there is an evill and a dishonour to God in the nature of the act If on the other hand I doe not onely intend Gods honour but can also carry it along with mee and visibly hold it forth in the way as I go then may I safely go there yea that is the way I am to take To illustrate this in a particular case Suppose I stand betwixt two wayes and I cannot see that there is the will of God more in this than in that I may in that respect chuse either But the case is this betwixt mee and this way lyes some promise engagement covenant c. so that I cannon enter this way but I must goe over the head of it no such thing as to the other way what shall I now doe VVhy I must avoyd that way which I cannot come at but must goe over my promise engagement c. to reach it The reason is because here is evil viz. breach of promise in my very motion or the nature of the act how good therefore soever my intention may be yet that will not help because here is an evil in the very thing it self and a good intention may not byasse me to an evil thing indeed were it clear and manifest that this way and no other were the way of God then my duty is rather than to baulk Gods path
his tears his fastings his humiliations his lamentations his leaving of sin and doing of good stands engaged as it were to give him Heaven and Salvation he then walks legally when the course and stream of his life and actions runs this way that all his prayers humiliations resolutions covenants resisting of sin c. is to this very end that God hereby would be moved to pardon his sins justifie him give him Heaven and eternal life which had hee not some hope to procure by these things hee would neither pray nor hear nor mourn for sin nor doe any thing else he then most certainly walks legally after the flesh 3 When a man in his obedience hath altogether respect to the external or outward part of the Law contenting himself if that be but done never looking to the internal or spiritual part thereof his walking is legal and after the flesh In this manner did the Scribes and Pharisees those great Legalists apply themselves to the keeping of the Law by a litteral observance of what it required accounting it kept when the external works which the Law required should be done was performed or the outward act of sin shunned which the Law willed them to forbear Upon which ground according to the principles and practices of the Pharisees Paul saith of himself that hee whilst hee continued a Pharisee was touching the righteousness of the Law blameless Phil. 3.6 upon this ground likewise doe the Papists assert their Opus operatum the work done as sufficient to Justification and Salvation never regarding how the same is done Now whensoever a man in Prayer hearing the Word or any other Duty hath only respect to the external part contenting himself with that if that bee done never looking to the spiritual performance thereof he walks legally 4 When a man blesseth himself in his obedience and pronounceth himself happy because of that he walks legally Thus Paul whilst hee was a Pharisee did blesse himself in his way Rom. 7.9 I was alive without the law once i. e. so long as I gave up my self to an outward observance of the law being without the law in respect of the true spiritual meaning thereof I was alive in my owne conceit I thought all was well with me and that I was a happy man Thus likewise the proud Pharisee Luke 18.11 12. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself God I thank thee that I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this Publican I fast twice in the week I give tithes of all that I possesse how doth hee blesse himself in his way of works and crow it over the poor Publican because hee was a Sinner and had no works When therefore a man blesseth himself in his obedience and thinks himself some body pronouncing himself happy because of this as many men will say I thank God all is well with me I have no doubt about my Salvation I am not nor never was I a Drunkard or Swearer c. I was never given to cheat or cousen as others my Neighbours will doe but I pray and read good Books and hear good Sermons c. a man then walks legally after the flesh 5 When a man performes his obedience ever and altogether in his owne strength the law as a covenant of works it calls for obedience but it gives a man no strength but what he hath of his owne to doe it Hence it is called a voyce of words Heb. 12. and a killing letter 2 Cor. 3. because it requires obedience under penalty of death and knowes the creature hath no strength to obey and yet gives him none and so by its very command it kills all those that are under it Now when a man sets himself to keep the law in his owne strength neither finding nor knowing nor feeling nor looking after nor desiring any other strength to enable him to doe his duty then his owne he then walks legally after the Flesh and all his obedience is obedience to a covenant of works Thus much of the Second particular what remaines I leave unto the next opportunity Why Legal walking is walking after the Flesh SERMON IV. Rom. 8.1 Who walk not after the flesh WEe are now upon the Character of those Persons who are freed from Condemnation they are such who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Flesh and Spirit in this place by the acception of the termes in other places and the consideration of the scope of the Apostle in this are as I told you the last day to be understood either of the Law and the Gospel or the old and new man Walking after the flesh that is either legal walking or walking after the corrupt principles of the old man Walking after the Spirit that is either Gospel walking or walking after the renewed principle of the new man I began with the words in the first acceptation as they hold forth Legal and Gospel walking and so I laid downe these Propositions viz That Legal walking is walking after the flesh Gospel walking is walking after the Spirit Concerning the first I have shewed 1 What I mean by Legal walking 2 When a man's walk is a Legal walk I now proceed to the third 3 Why Legal walking is called walking after the flesh Ans 1. Because there is nothing of the Spirit of God that goes along with a legal walk The Spirit was not given by the Covenant of works and therefore so long as a man walks in the way of that Covenant there is nothing of the Spirit of God that goes along with him Now we usually call that flesh that hath not Spirit in it take a man when he is dead wee say hee is flesh nothing but flesh because the Soul and Spirit is gone so take a legal Walker hee is flesh his walking is flesh because there is nothing of the Spirit of God in him nor his walking hee praies but there is nothing of the Spirit of God in his prayers and therefore though hee pray dayes and weeks and months together all is but flesh he mourns and humbles himself for sin resolves vowes and strives against it but doing all this in a legal manner there is nothing of the Spirit of God in all this and so all is but flesh 2 Because Legal walking is walking in the way of Nature the Covenant of works was given to Adam as out common person and sois in the Nature of every man Rom. 2.14 15. For when the Gentiles which have not the law doe 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 bearing witness and their thoughts the meane while accusing or else excusing one another Now in Scripture phrase Nature is called flesh Joh. 3.6 That which is borne of the flesh is flesh i.e. that which is borne of meer Nature can be no more but
peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance All that obedience therefore which hath not the Spirit of God for the principle the root or rise thereof though ever so glorious is not Gospel-obedience nor Gospel-walking Quest But how shall I know whether the Spirit is the principle of my obedience Answ I shall say no more hereto at present but onely this doest thou finde a contentedness of heart in thy obedience mingled with pride self-estimation c. i. e. when thou hast performed any duty dost thou finde thy self contented and satisfied in having done the same and art thou proud and arrogant accounting thy self some body because thou hast done it Or on the other side doest thou find a spiritual rejoycing of heart in that thou hast been inabled to perform thy duty and this mingled with humility and mortification my meaning is when thou hast been obedient in any one particular doest thou rejoyce in God and bless his name in that hee hath inabled thee so to do and considering it was not in thine own proper strength to obey God in any thing Art thou by and under this obedience kept humble having thy pride and self-estimation more mortified in thee than thou didst finde it before If the first then doth not thy obedience arise front the Spirit because it takes from the Spirit which no works of the Spirit doth if the latter then assuredly the Spirit of God is the principle the root of thy obedience because it gives to the Spirit of God as every worke which is by and from the holy Spirit doth 3 When our Motives to obedience are Gospel Motives Quest But what are Gospel Motives Answ Such as these 1 The will and command of our heavenly Father You know the difference betwixt a servant and a son in working a servant will not do any work for his Master unlesse there bee a compact and agreement betwixt his Master and him his Master must give him so much wages and hee will do him so much work But now when a Son is to do any work for his Father hee doth not capitulate with his Father if you will give mee so much I will do your work but if not I will not no but the Father saith to the Son Son do mee such a peece of work and presently the Son hearing the command of his Father goes about it the Fathers will is his Motive So take a legal man or woman and let God command such a one a duty and streightway hee goes to capitulate with God I hope Lord if I do this thou wilt pardon my sins I hope thou wilt give mee heaven I shall never go to hell thus the Legal soul will bee upon termes with God or will do nothing for God hee will know what hee shall have for his work or will not work at all But now take a Gospel soul hee doth not stand upon termes what shall I have Shall I bee saved or shall I bee damned These are not his questions but saith the Gospel soul God I know is my Father in Jesus Christ and I am the Son and Childe of God by adoption now it is becoming a Son to do the will of his Father I am the Son of God and such and such things I have read and heard of and know to bee my Fathers will and because they are so that I may do as becomes an obedient childe and shew my self that I am such a one I will therefore endeavour to conform my self so far as I am able to what I know of my Fathers will And therefore whereas it is grievous to another to read or hear of his duty because hee serves as a hireling and therefore cares not so hee may obtain the hire how little work hee doth this Gospel soul with joy delight can take the Book of God where his Fathers will is revealed and turn it over and search it leaf by leaf and line by line and is glad when he findes any peece of work or part or parcel of his Fathers will which he was ignorant of before because hee doth not what hee doth upon the account of hire or reward but upon this account that it is his Fathers will The will and command of his Father is both the Rule and reason of his obedience Hence Paul urgeth Holiness in the general and thankfulness in particular 1 The. 4.3 For this is the will of God even your sanctification that yee should abstaine from fornication and Chap. 5.18 In every thing give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you Upon this very reason or motive and no other as if he should say you are Sons and therefore I need not use many Arguments with you it is enough to tell you it is the will of your Father you should be holy you should bee thankful 2 The powerful and efficacious workings of the new nature that is within every Saint or Son of God The promise of the Gospel or New Covenant is that God will give to his Children a new heart and spirit Ezek. 36.26 i.e. put a new nature within them whereby they shall be naturally inclined and disposed to the doing of that which is his Will which in other places is called the Writing of his Law in their hearts This new Nature is put into every Saint though in the actings thereof in some more in others less and being in every Saint every Saint is naturally inclined and disposed to the doing of that which is wel-pleasing unto God As the old nature doth naturally move incline and carry on the Soul to the doing of that which is contrary to the Will of God so this new nature doth naturally incline incite and provoke the Soul to those things which are agreeable to the Will of God Hence a Gospel-soul is moved to obedience because there is a new nature within which answers to the Law or Word of God without which requires obedience of him and all disobedience is as contrary to this new nature within as to the Rule without 3 Love and filial affection The bond of love is natural betwixt a Father and a Son a Father hath a Natural affection to his Childe more than to anothers and a Childe a natural affection to his Father more than to another man and love though there be no other reason will make the party loving doe much for the party loved Now I say there is a tye of love upon a Son which is not upon a Servant or Hireling come to a Servant or Hireling and ask him why hee toyls and moyls and sweats from morning till night all the year long for his Master my Naster saith hee gives me wages and therefore I doe it but come to a Son who it may be is as hard or harder at work than the Servant and ask him Why doe you toyl and moyl your self thus why sayes the Son it is my Fathers work I am doing of and I love my Father
of God is discovered to it Take a poor Soul that is convinced of his sins by the Law yet doth hee not see the foule filthy and odious nature of his sins and how exceedingly every sin he commits is aggravated and how sad by reason of sin his condition is as doth another poor Soul who sees his sins and himself a sinner in the Gospel and by the Gospel A poor Soul that sees his sins through the vail of the Law never comes to see the odiousness of sin nor to hate sin for it self nor the aggravations of his sin as doth that Soul which beholds the same in the Bloud of Jesus in the glasse of the Gospel A poor Soul that sees his sin by the Law doth not see in what a miserable and undone condition hee is in by reason of his sin hee sins to day and hee sees and knowes it and knowes too that he hath deserved thereby eternal death and perhaps his Conscience gripes him for it but to morrow hee runs to his praying and vowing and covenanting and here hee licks himself whole againe thinks to make God amends by future obedience for former disobedience and when he hath been drunk wanton uncleane cheated his Neighbour c. presently he runs to praying and confessing and resolving to change his course of life and doe thus no more and then hee thinks all is well and the scores are crossed between God and him Thus the poor Sinner conceits no danger but blesseth himself that hee hath done God no injury and therefore God means him no ill and so all is well and he is happy when alas poor soul hee is meerly gull'd hee feedeth on ashes as the Prophet speaks a deceived heart hath turned him aside so that he cannot say Is there not a lye in my right hand Whereas when a poor Soul comes to have the grace of God discovered to it or the Gospel opened unto it and it embraceth the same it then comes to see the odious and filthy nature of its sins how every sin peirced Christ wounded him made him who is blessed for evermore to lye under a Curse how exceedingly every sin it commits aggravated being committed against grace and mercy c. O then it sees that there is no way in the world to bee delivered from its sins but by Jesus Christ no righteousnesse will stand it in stead but Christs whereas before it thought its praying and reforming the works of its owne righteousnesse would have saved it now it sees that all is nothing sin is of so deep a dye that there is nothing in the world will or can wash it out but the bloud of Christ 5 Because there is nothing of a more contrary nature to sin than the grace of God is the best way to destroy a contrary is to oppose its contrary to it if you would put out Fire throw water upon it if you would have your Chamber free from Darknesse open the Window and let in the Light contraries fight and endeavour to destroy each other and the more contrary things are the more doe they endeavour to doe it Now there are no greater contraries than Sin and the Grace of God are Sin is the greatest darknesse the grace of God is the greatest light and therefore these two are in continual fight and labour to destroy each other in which Combate the Grace of God ever prevailes as the light of the Sun being the greatest light doth ever expel darknesse when ever it comes let it be ever so much All light is contrary in its nature to darknesse yet if the light be but small and the darknesse great wee see in will not expel it So may I say the Law is in its own nature holy just good spiritual contrary to sin yet because it is but a little light in comparison of the grace of God as it were the shining of a Candle to the Sun and sin being the greatest darkness it doth not therefore overcome and expel the same And hence the discovery of the grace of God is the most effectual means to kill sin because it is of such a contrary nature to sin that either sin must destroy it or it will destroy sin but sin never being able to doe the one it will and doth in all those Souls which hear and receive the same by degrees doe the other Vse 1. Then see how the grace of God is wronged in the World when men cry out this is your preaching of Free Grace what comes of it but to make a company of Hypocrites to make persons loose and prophane when indeed this is altogether false and an abominable slander of the Free Grace of God the grace of God is the greatest motive and means to holinesse that is in the World and if that will not mortifie sin to be sure nothing else will doe it Men may talk of the Law and the terrours thereof and the thunderings of Hell and Damnation as the only means to kill sin but sure enough if the grace of God will not doe it these never will it is one thing to have sin killed another thing to have it bridled the Law may put a bridle upon a mans sins and lusts but it never kills them but grace that kills sin Therefore it is an injury offered to the grace of God to say of it that it makes men Sinners it makes them loose c. for it doth the contrary Shall we sin because grace aboundeth no God forbid Thus grace reasoneth Vse 2. Then wouldest thou overcome thy sins study the grace of God more the more God lets the light of his grace into thy Soule the more shalt thou finde thy sins to dye Many poor Soules there are which strive against their sins and labour to keep up their hearts in waies of obedience c. and yet little fruit comes of all their toyl and sweat and tiring themselves why because they weary themselves out in a way of works to get that which is to be obtained only by grace they seek after Righteousnesie and Justification and Holinesse and Sanctification not by faith not from the grace of God but as Israel did by the works of the Law and so doing it fares with them as with Israel they doe not obtaine that which they seek for Poor Souls you cry out O my sins my sins I cannot subdue them such and such a lust is too hard for me and what is the cause why this you think to get the mastery of your sins by your works and this wil never doe it Let mee tell you a little the road you go in to mortifie and subdue sin you finde sin strugling within you and overcoming you well now saith the soul by Gods help I will overcome this sin hereupon thou takest up a resolution to change thy course of life and to avoid all occasions whatsoever that should draw thee to sin This resolution it may be doth not hold thy sin masters thee and thy
and below him Such things as though a man should attain what hee aimes at and would have in them yet are not worth the breath or wind which is spent in speaking of them or the time lent for the study of them things better suiting with Infants in grace who must have their toyes and rattles to play with though nothing come of it than those that are men grown and of age Such as are ten hundred empty questions both in natural and divine things which the former times have been and the present age is fruitfull in many of which should I name the ridiculousness of them would bee an answer to them Things that nothing in the world is gained by but an airy head and an empty heart and therefore I call them light and frivolous Things indeed below and unworthy a heart that hath so many precious spiritual things as would take up his time should hee live twice Methuselahs age to exercise himselfe about as hath every Saint and Son of God and such variety too of these both for pleasure and delight as that hee needs not for recreation-sake to have recourse unto the other Yea things which though they had no other evill attending of them yet this they have I converse in old Adam and walke after the flesh whensoever I meddle with them as were it not out of my way I could demonstrate at large now this wee know that it is the character of a Saint or Son of God to walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit and this wee likewise know that so far as wee converse in old Adam so far wee bring our selves under the curse there being since the fall a curse pronounced against all of old Adam whether good or evill so that as his evill destroyes us so his good cannot help us yea his good by labouring after it in the way of old Adam that is by our own strength and wisdome and not in the way of the new Adam that is by the strength and wisdome of the Spirit becomes evil unto us and is abominable unto God 3 To things dark and doubtful such things about Religion I meane the Circumstantials thereof as are not neither can bee found to be clearly determined so as to give satisfaction to the diligent and rational Inquisitor from Scripture which things that some such things there are I know none but acknowledge Now about these there is verily a fault when men have their hearts exercised day and night in making enquiry after them as if time and reason were given them to bee wholly spent in searching after that which it may bee God would not have them know and which would make nothing for their spiritual advantage being known it cannot but be a great evil when God hath left us so many things clear and determined that we should run out so much of our precious time and strength as many doe about dark and doubtful things Obj. But may some say what will you deny all study of these things may not I study them at least to get satisfaction if it may bee had concerning them or in case there be any truth in them if possible to find it out Answ I deny not but thou mayest study these things so it bee done with these Cautions 1 That thou beest moderate in thy time about studying of them allot as little time as may bee though some thou dost to such things considering alwaies that thy time is given thee for other work for greater employments wherein thou mayest bee more useful for the glory of God the end of thy Creation and more serviceable to thy present Generation and more further thine owne peace and the edification of such as belong to thee than ever thou canst or art like to doe in following these things 2 Take heed thy heart be not so taken up with these things as to neglect greater and more spiritual things It is a thing very ordinarily found amongst Christians that they lose a great deal of their spiritualnesse by over-much medling and exercising themselves in things of this nature so many questions about doubtful things this Circumstance and the other croud in that the maine spiritual things are thrust out there is no roome for them in the soul And truly this is a very sad and spreading evil in our dayes wherein things questionable are altogether in credit and esteeme and things unquestionable are laid by and out of date we more talk of those things wherein wee differ from others than of those wherein wee agree though the one bee but a trifle and the other matter of greatest concernment and here is all the fruit that comes of it which every one of us if our trading lye this way shall by woful experience finde wee lose our spiritualnesse by so doing I am of the mind of that godly man Mr. Cradock in his Christian Liberty Serm. 1. who takes this to bee one reason why Christ hath left many things about his Worship in the New Testament so dark and doubtful whereas every thing to a tittle the snuffe of a Candle and Ilet-hole was clearly determined in the dayes of the Old Testament because the designe of God in the New Testament was to bring his Saints to be more spiritual and therefore as he hath left them clear fewer external Lawes by farre than they had in their Worship so those he hath left are of a more spiritual nature than theirs were Christ was as faithfull in his house as Moses in his and hee could have made us hundreds of little Laws about external things and tied us up to Punctillio's as Moses did his Disciples yea would have done it had this been the only or great matter wherein he was to have been faithful but Christ had another designe in the New Testament viz. to bring his Saints to bee more spiritual and therefore though hee gives us Lawes and Rules for outward worship so farre as concerns the substance yet he is not so exact and punctual in laying down Rules touching every Circumstance as Moses was 3 Take heed thou make not an agreement or disagreement in things of this nature the ground of thy love to Saints or a rule to judge of Saints by It is an evil too common among men to take up some one circumstantial Point and when they have done put so much stresse upon it that they will hardly love any or owne them for Saints which doe not presently close with them in it or which seeme but to oppose this their opinion though ever so sound solid and gracious otherwise Wilt thou study these things labour then to have and keep thy heart in such a frame as that thou mayest dearly love a Saint and owne the grace of God in him though hee should altogether and alwaies stand off from thee in this particular 4 Take heed of making thy owne faith and conceptions in things of this nature binding to others Consciences This is an evil something
worse than the former when men doe not only study Niceties and make Lawes for themselves but when they have so done will make Lawes for their Brethren and binde their Consciences to those Lawes which they themselves have made Now wilt thou exercise thy self in things of this nature take heed then thou make not thy Conscience the rule of thy Brothers neither make Lawes over him in such things as thou canst not assure his Conscience Christ hath made them I had rather yeeld in a hundred things of this nature to a Brothers weaknesse than by an absolute Law of his making to be bound up to one Let Saints therefore be wary of tying their Brethren hand and foot in such things wherein Christ hath left them free for Saints if tied will not doe that which if they were left to their liberty they ought to doe as I remember Luther saith to the Papists about eating their meats and observing their dayes leave us saith he to our liberty wee will cat your meats observe your dayes but bind us hereto and wee will doe neither 5 And lastly Take heed thy spirit grow not hence by degrees to an affectation of novelty or new things Many there are who first take delight to pry into dark and curious questions and when they have gone on thus a while there is nothing will please them but new things and curious things they grow out of love with old truth and spiritual heart matters these are fet by and it must bee some fine new tickling question that is fit matter only for their thoughts and meditations and as for all things else they account them but low things and those that hold them and press them men of lower light and of a lower forme as they say I am almost confident of if that most of the errours this day broached or on foot in England or elsewhere doe grow out of this root viz. A neglect of exercising the heart about spiritual things and a desire to be alwaies prying into dark things from whence by degrees there creepes into the Soul a love of novelty and new matters which no sooner is in any but the heart is as prone and apt to suck in errour as a spunge water and of all spirits in searching after truth I should desire the Lord to keep me from this a spirit delighting it self in and affecting novelty and new things The Reasons of this Point with the Application I shall leave to the next opportunity The Second SERMON ON 1 Tim. 6.11 Follow after righteousness godliness c. THe last opportunity I had in this place I told you that the Apostle gives these words as a direction to his Schollar Timothy and in him to all Beleevers how to escape the dangerous errours and evils that then were or at any time should be abroad the direction is to follow after righteousnesse godlinesse c. as if hee should say employ thy self and thy heart about these things and there is no fear of receiving hurt by the other In General I told you the things he mentions are all spiritual things whence I laid before you this observation viz. Doct. That the only and special way for a Saint to bee delivered from the errours and evils of the times he lives in is to have his heart as much as may be taken up with and his spirit exercised about high and Spiritual things I proved it then unto you and also shewed you what I did meane by Spiritual things I now proceed to the Reasons why the exercising the heart about Spiritual things is such a preservative against the errours and evils of the times we live in Reas 1. Because such a heart as is exercised about Spiritual things findes not leasure to run out after those poor low things which others trifle away their time and lose themselves about Many there are in the world of whom it may be said as Pharaoh once said of the Israelites Yee are idle yee are idle who are very Idlers and doe nothing at all in Spirituals by reason whereof their hearts have a great deale of leisure which because they would be doing and finde nothing to take too they busie themselves just as Children and Boyes doe when they are idle about this toy and the other such a querk and such a query their time and thoughts are busied about and they are continually fancying and inventing new Notions and Chymaera's and this bears the Bell and is all in request to day and this to morrow and thus they strangely lose themselves running from one fancy unto another till in the end they have out-run Reason Religion and all Whereas now a Saint which hath his heart exercised about spiritual things is like a man which is in great dealings and trading which hath many weighty affairs under his hand together and is by reason hereof so full of employment that he cannot finde time to beat his braines about this querk and the other query all the time that he hath is little enough and too little to follow so as that he may not be a looser of his greater employments hee findes that had hee two dayes whereas he hath but one time would be too little for him to busie himself how hee might enjoy more communion with God understand more of the great Mysteries of Godlinesse get his heart more mortified his graces more quickned c. though hee should allow other things no time at all Because to a heart that is exercised about spiritual things other things are dry and empty such a heart neither findes relish in them nor satisfaction from them a spiritual heart delights in things and relisheth them as they are spiritual that which much relisheth a carnal heart is very dis-relishing to the Spiritual man As take a Carnal eare that loves to hear things where there is a great deale of curiosity and of the varnish of Humane wit and Wisdome but now take a Spiritual eare that delights to hear such things as have in them evidence and demonstration of the Spirit and power and findes a dis-relishing of other things So take a Carnal eye that delights to behold such things as please the Natural sense and delight the Fancy but now a Spiritual soul that delights to behold such things as may elevate the Soul and raise the affections more towards Heaven so take a Carnal heart that is well pleased when it is exercised about toyes this vaine needless question and the other but now a Spiritual heart that can take no comfortable relish in things of this nature but they are dry and empty unto it and therefore it shuns and avoyds them and so escapes the danger that comes by them 3 Because such a heart as is exercised in and taken up with Spiritual things lives as I may say in another world whither these vapours which make the braines of many men giddy and their conversation unstedfast doe not ascend he lives in the heavenly world and is
Epistle had been disputing against for hee brings in those words Chap. 5.14 as an exposition of that Law which they stood so much for and yet did so grossy abuse and mistake therefore the Law of loving our neighbour is for substance tile very same Law with that his disputation had run upon But the Law of loving our neighbour as our selves is the Moral Law for these words are the summe of the second Table thereof Matth. 22.39 ergo 8 Arg. My eighth and last Argument I take from the Apostles Allegory out of which I have taken my Text and it is this That Law which was given upon Mount Sinai is the Old Covenant for saith the Apostle Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia But the Law given upon Mount Sinai was not the Ceremonial onely but the Moral also ergo The Conclusion is That by the Old Covenant wee are to understand the whole Law as well the Moral part as the Ceremonial and Political Objection But here ariseth a great Objection upon us viz. That by proving the Moral Law to belong to the Old Covenant and affirming the Old Covenant is to bee cast out wee have destroyed and made void the Moral Law yea not the Ten Commandements of Moses onely but moreover by our large acception of the word Moral wee have made null and overthrowne all manner of Duties whatsoever Answer Not so and that it may appear that it is not so Mark well what I am to say That as there is something in the Moral Law that appertaines to Hagar is a part of the Old Covenant so also something there is in the Moral Law that appertaines to Sarah is a part of the New Covenant for the Moral Law is Hagars rule and Sarahs both Now all our discourse hitherto upon the Moral Law hath run upon it no otherwise but as the same is the Law of Hagar a part of the Old Covenant and taken in this sense it is no injury to the holy Law of God to say it must bee cast out But if wee take the Moral Law as it is Sarahs rule it is then a most ungodly and prophane assertion to say it must bee cast out For observe though the Bond-woman is to bee cast out and all that appertaines to her yet there is no casting out of the Free-woman nor of any thing that appertaines to her Whatsoever therefore that is of the Moral law which appertaines to the Bond-woman the Old Covenant all that wee may yea ought to cast out but contrariwise whatsoever that is that belongs to the Free-woman is a part or peece of the New Covenant that must wee by no meanes meddle with there is no casting out of that for though the servant abideth not in the house for ever yet the Mistresse abideth for ever The Question here will bee What is that of the Moral Law which doth appertaine to the Bond-woman and what that which appertains to the Free-woman Answ The Moral law consists of three parts 1 The mandatory or commanding part 2 The Minatory or threatning part 3 The Consolatory or promising part In every of which the Old Covenant or Bond-woman hath a share as well as the New Covenant or Free-woman For note The Old Covenant hath promises as well as commands and threatnings for which reason the Apostle speaks of Covenants of promise in the plural number Eph. 2.12 noting that the old Covenant as well as the New hath promises and tells us that the New is established upon better promises Heb. 8.6 shewing that the Old is established upon Promises too but not so good promises as the New built upon Againe the New Covenant hath Commands and Threatnings also if wee wax wanton under the grace thereof as well as promises and hence it is that the Gospel the blessed word of the New Covenant is so full of heavenly precepts and threats of fatherly chastisement therefore I say both Old and New Covenant share in either of the three foregoing parts Now out of these three to divide to each their proper portions giving the Bond-woman hers and the Free-woman hers will clear up to us what is to bee cast out and what to remaine for as I have said that which belongs to the Bond-woman is to be cast out and that which is the Free-womans is to continue Now for the clearing our way into this partition or division take this general and certain rule to steere by viz. That look whatsoever that is of the Moral Law or any part thereof which is not now by Jesus Christ brought into the New Covenant and become a part thereof all that is a part of the Old belongs to the Bond-woman is to be cast out and contrariwise look whatsoever that is which is now by Jesus Christ brought into the New Covenant and become a part of it that appertaines to the Free-woman and wee cannot without offering high indignity to the blessed Gospel the Covenant of Grace yea to Jesus Christ himself who is Mediator of this Covenant and hath sealed the whole with his bloud cast that out Here then the question will be and this answered brings us into the light What was that which once was in the Moral Law as the same was the Law of the Old Covenant which now by Christs bringing the same into the New Covenant is no longer in it Againe what is that that the Moral Law notwithstanding this its translation from the Old Covenant to the New doth still retaine of what it had before or hath by this change of its station gained which before it had not If once we come to see what the Moral Law by Christs transplanting of it hath lost or on the contrary still retaines or hath gained wee shall therewith see what we are to disowne and cast out and what to love cherish and entertaine To solve this Question I shall take a more particular view of the Moral Law in the three parts thereof as it is a commanding Law a threatning Law a promising Law and give out of each Hagar the Bond-woman her portion Sarah the Free-woman hers 1 For the Mandatory part The Moral Law as the same is Hagars Law or the Old Covenant from Mount Sinai had commands but these commands were barely a voyce of words without power Heb. 12.29 a bare letter without the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.6 but now as the same is Sarahs Law or the New Covenant given from Mount Sion so it hath commands too but they are of another nature such command as have efficacy power and spirit going along with them for the New Testament administration is a ministration of the spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 which giveth life and power to those under it vers 6. Hagar did all conceived brought forth by meer natural strength Sarah by supernatural strength given to her from Heaven Hagars Law commands us to bee fruitful but contributes no more strength towards the bringing forth of this fruit than what Hagar had viz. the meer strength of nature
God was against mee and on Davids side I see now it is otherwise God takes my part hath shut up my enemy for mee A Providence seeming to smile upon him in his way makes him conclude God to bee his Friend when it was nothing to Thus much for the Outward blessings themselves The Condition required for the attaining and keeping of these was a diligent observance of what things the Moral and Judicial Lawes considered onely according to the Letter did require If they did what in the Letter of these Laws was commanded as in case they set up no other gods in their Land made no graven Images to worship did not take Gods Name in vain nor prophane his Sabbath nor behave themselves disobediently towards their Superiours nor were guilty of the acts of Murder Adultery Theft c. And so also for the Judicials by this Litteral obedience they came to have a right to all those blessings and mercies whether more common or special which were but meerly outward and temporary that is to say They should in doing these punctually and exactly as was required in the Letter of the Commandement bee blessed with long life in the Land of Canaan multiplication of their Nation advancement of them above other Nations have blessings attending them in City Field fruit of their bodies ground cattel in their basket store in their out-goings in-comings in their Store-houses and all they should set their hands unto have the victory and rule over their enemies bee freed from sicknesses diseases Famine Captivity c. Also they should so doing bee Gods peculiar people and hee would bee their God a Father Husband to them make them a holy Nation to himselfes crown them with peculiar dignity honor c. To the attainment of all these things a bare litteral obedience was sufficient and obedience of this nature was true obedience to the Old Covenant so farre as the same was a Covenant giving and dispensing Outward mercies and Priviledges onely And indeed that such an obedience there was is clear because as outward mercies of peace plenty c. were promised to Israel upon condition of their obedience so were these mercies oft-times enjoyed by them But now should wee conceive a spiritual obedience to the Law to bee the condition upon which these were injoyed then because obedience of this nature they were never able to give it would have been impossible for them to have injoyed these at any time Such therefore must the condition bee for outward mercies as they might perform which performing they had and did keep their mercies and not performing did lose them and come under a curse unlesse they did immediately upon every act of transgression which it were a thing impossible for them to do had the Condition I say been Spiritual obedience in which acts of disobedience are multiplied hourly flye for reliefe to the Ceremonial Law their City of refuge And because there was such an obedience as this required in the Old Covenant upon the due performance of which men might even upon the termes of the Covenant lay claim to outward mercies therefore I take it doth holy Hezekiah hee having kept the Old Covenant according to the Letter thereof when he was to plead for an outward mercy viz. continuance of life urge his obedience Isa 38.3 As also good Nehemiah spreads his obedience before God Neh. 13.14 And this obedience I conceive the young man meant and no other when hee said to Christ All these have I kept from my youth for had hee looked upon the Law in the spirituality of it neither hee nor any man living could ever make such a boast This likewise was the obedience Paul had in his eyes when hee saith of himself before his conversion that hee was as touching the righteousness of the Law blamelesse Phil. 3.6 The opinion therefore of the Jews that outward literal obedience was true obedience to the Law was not false onely it was short it was true obedience as to the attaining outward blessings only it was not the all of obedience the Law required And therefore Christ Mat. 5. where his large discourse upon the Law by way of exposition of it was dawn forth by the Pharises abuse of this opinion doth not in the least condemn the opinion it selfe of litteral obedience as if there were no such kinde of obedience at all sufficient for the attainment of any thing but only condemns their abuse of it and that improvement they made of this viz. That a man might enter into the Kingdome of Heaven and bee saved by it this hee shews could not bee but in case they sought salvation from the Law another kinde of obedience than this must bee given to it Secondly The Old Covenant had as well blessings spiritual and eternal as outward or temporary but yet so as that these were not as the former attainable by this Old Covenant as I shall shew presently Now that the Old Covenant had a Spiritual and eternal blessing held forth in it is manifest 1 From the contrary viz. a curse of eternal death coming in upon the breach of it Gal. 3.10 It is observable as I have formerly noted that these words relate to Moses his Covenant and are therefore quoted thence now if Moses Covenant did hold forth death eternal to the breakers of it then must wee also suppose on the contrary life eternal to bee held forth to him or them that should keep it 2 That opposition betwixt the Law and the Gospel the Old and New Covenant which the Apostle in his Sermons Writings especially in the Epistles to the Romans Galatians doth speak so much of plainly declares this for wherein lyes this opposition but herein viz. That in the one life justification salvation is held forth upon condition in the other freely and absolutely Herein I say lyes the opposition that the very same blessing is held forth in one one way in the other another And that the Law which the Apostle in his Epistles doth set in opposition to the Gospel is to bee understood of Moses his Law and not the Covenant of works made with Adam in Paradise is clear because hee quotes as I have said the very words of Moses curse speaks of the Law which was four hundred and thirty years after the promise made to Abraham which was given upon Mount Sinai which was the School-master Tutor and Governour of Gods people under the Old Testament that Law which the false Apostles did teach and cry up which was not Adams Covenant but the Covenant made by Moses all clearly shewing that the Law standing in opposite termes to the Gospel was according to the minde of the Apostle the Law of Moses if so then the ground of the opposition betwixt them lying in this that the Law gave life and salvation upon condition the Gospel freely it doth necessarily unlesse wee destroy the opposition it self by taking away the ground of if follow That Moses his
righteousnesse should have been by the Law but thus if there had been a Law given that could have given life hee doth not at all deny the Law as ordained to life but elsewhere as I have noted already expresly affirmes it to be a truth but the only thing he denies is the Laws giving of life the Law though ordained to life could not give it and upon this very reason the Apostle proves it not to bee against the promises because it could not give life if it could have given life it would have disanulled the promise but though it was ordained to life yet so long as it neither did nor could give this life to any Soul in was not against the promises so that indeed from the very words of the text rightly opened all the strength and force of the objection falls of it self From what hath been said it appears That the mistake of the Scribes Pharisees and the generality of the Jewes in Christs and the Apostles times in the great Article of Justification had not this for its ground viz. a looking upon Moses Covenant to be a Covenant holding forth life eternal for that was a truth and so farre they were in the right but their mistake lay in this viz. A supposition that life eternal was attaineable by it which their unacquaintednesse with the condition of this Old Covenant making it to be all one both in respect of temporal life and eternal viz. a meer literal obedience did rush them into they took the blessing of the Covenant in its full and whole extent as reaching both things temporal and eternal but the condition they halved taking that part which was most easie for them to performe and by so doing made up that most false and dangerous conclusion so much opposed by the Apostle Paul viz. That Justification and Salvation was attaineable by the works of the Law Had they rightly understood the condition upon which spiritual and eternal blessings were given forth as they did that condition which gave them a right to temporal this opinion of Self-righteousnesse would in them have dyed of it self as it did in Paul to soon as ever hee came to this understanding Rom. 7.9 10. Quest But what was the condition required for the giving forth the spiritual and eternal blessings of the Old Covenant Ans A most diligent exact and constant observance of those things that the Moral and Judicial Laws did require not only according to the Letter but the spiritual meaning of them Now that the Law as the same was the Law of the Old Covenant did require spiritual obedience as well as literal is clear from these Scriptures Deut 6.5 6. Chap. 10.12.16 Chap. 11.13 Chap. 26.16 And this Christs Exposition both of the Law Moral and Judicial Matth. 5. doth clearly hold forth for first Christ falls upon the Moral Law and spiritualizeth it shewing that the transgression of the heart in respect of any of the things commanded in that Law was as real a breach of the Law as transgression in act Then upon the Judicial Law shewing that under those Judicial Statutes which were but as the shell were contained more spiritual precepts which they stood as much obliged to if they would have righteousnesse by the Law as the other And that this was the condition of the Law for life eternal is clear because the Law pronounceth the Curse of death eternal unto all those that should not continue to doe whatsoever was written in the Book of the Law Gal. 3.10 now it was not only written in the Book of the Law thus and thus thou shalt doe but also as the fore-quoted Texts doe prove that thou shouldest doe thus and thus keep Gods Commandements Statutes Judgements with all thy heart with all thy might and with all thy soul if therefore a man did according to the Letter keep every Command which was sufficient to procure outward mercies and avert outward Judgements yet if he did not doe this constantly and that with all his heart with all his might and with all his soul i. e. perfectly hee could not bee freed from the curse of death eternal because I say so much is not done as is required in the Book of the Law This perfect obedience to the Law therefore not only according to the letter but the spiritual meaning of it and perseverance herein was the condition upon which the spiritual and eternal Blessing of the Old Covenant were given forth Now because no man living since the fall of Adam was ever able to give such obedience to the Law as it requires but all have done and doe offend against it spiritually in thought word and deed Hence the Apostle concludes no man can be justified by the works of the law Rom. 3.20 Gal. 2.16 chap. 3.11 but rather indeed all men are guilty convinced of sin and cast by it and therefore he saith By the law is the knowledge of sin and every mouth by it is stopped and all the world are become guilty before God Rom. 3.19 20. yea by the workes of the law the Curse is upon every man that stands under them Gal. 3.10 and therefore hee calls the Law or Old Covenant a killing letter a ministration of death 2 Cor. 3.6 7. and a Law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 i. e. in stead of justifying and giving eternal life it doth no other but condemn kill and inflict eternal death upon those under it which also the Apostle found true in his owne experience Rom. 7.10 for which cause he affirmes the Law or Old Covenant to be abolished for the weaknesse and unprofitablenesse thereof Heb. 7.18 19. i. e. because it was altogether unable to give eternal life to any that stood under it or to make them perfect in the businesse of Salvation and therefore there was a necessity of abolishing it and bringing in instead thereof a better hope Yet that none in this great businesse may lye under mis-apprehensions let it be here considered that this inability of the law to give life which the Apostle makes the reason of abrogating or disannulling therof did not arise from any weaknesse that was in the law it self but rather from the weaknesse of those to whom the law was given to performe what it required The law considered in its self was throughly able to have given life could they have obeyed it but the weaknesse was in them that could not by reason of the imperfection of corrupted nature obey it nor give the law it s owne termes for life Hence the Apostle Rom. 8.3 saith that the law could not justifie give eternal life c. because it was weak through the flesh the weaknesse lay not in the law it self but in man through the fall made weak corrupted and depraved and rendred altogether unable to give the law its termes but yet what the law could not give to man for himself because hee being a lump of flesh could not give it its termes it could and