among all Nations to whom it comes and is most strictly enjoined and commanded by it And so the Apostle might most elegantly say Boasting is excluded By what Law of Works viz. The Law as it Commands Works Nay by the Law as it Commands Faith or the Receiving Christ as a Saviour and his Righteousness by meer Gift and of Grace in which Righteousness hath so great Honour and full Satisfaction paid to it that it cannot but accept and charge upon All that hear of it the Acceptation of it But because thus Faith will stand as a Work though as I may call it a Post-Work or a Work after Sin I rather understand the Apostle using here the Word Law of Faith in a Lax and Allusive Sense as any Doctrin or Divine Manifestation may be called a Law 2. The Law hereupon cannot but enlarge its Promises according to this Divine Constitution For if God have declared that He will give Eternal Life to all that Believe in Christ and savingly Turn from Iniquity by Repentanâ—â— and doth accept the Righteousness of Christ imputed to Believers instead of unsinning Obedience the Law must needs join Issue with these Declarations of God and with what Infinite Truth and Grace have said and Confirm with its own Sanctions all these Promises as earnestly to be desired and laid hold of yet still this belongs to the Law as Law and enterferes not with Gospel as Free Grace For as all the Commands of the Law are grounded upon the Sovereignty and Righteousness of God So are its Promises grounded upon the Power Truth Goodness and Unchangeableness of God If then the Gospel declares a Righteousness of God a Righteousness of God by Faith in Jesus Christ accepted of God beyond any Righteousness by Works of the Law The very Law it self opens and enlarges all its Promises to that Righteous Person by the Righteousness of Christ and as this Righteousness on which such a Person is Justified is exceeding unto Him and upon Him as the Apostle speaks that is every way over flows him and so beyond all other Righteousnesses So does the Law extend its Promises to the utmost in Relation to it and therefore God is said as in Triumph to declare herein and at that very time his Righteousness that he might be Just and the Justifier of him that Believes in Jesus Rom. 3. And the Apostle John saith If we Confess our Sins that is acknowledge our Absolute Necessity of such a Righteousness by Christ and receive it He is Faithful and Just Even according to the Eternal Law of Righteousness to forgive us our Sins and to Cleanse us from All Unrighteousness So they who receive abundance of Grace and of the Gift of Righteousness shall Reign in Life by Jesus Christ Not only Live as the Law saith to the Man who doth its Works but Reign in Life the Promises of the Law being stretched out and accumulated upon such a Person so Justified by the Transcendent Righteousness of Christ 3. The Law opens wide its Threatnings in the Cause of and on Injury done to the Gospel and the Grace of God Revealed in it for Seeing It is Essential to the Law of Righteousness to Condemn Sinners It is also Essential to it to Condemn and Adjudge to its Punishments according to the Degrees of Sin and Guilt For saith the Apostle He that Transgressed Moses Law died without Mercy under two or three Witnesses and every Transgression Received a just Recompence of Reward that is according to the degree of Guilt and Demerit Of how much sorer Punishment suppose ye shall he be thought Worthy who hath trod under Foot the Son God and Counted the Blood of the Covenant a Common Thing and done despite to the Spirit of Grace This is plainly according to the Law of Righteousness according to which also Christ said It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha Thus we may see how far the Law must needs attend the Gospel with all its Authority I will now shew how the Gospel takes in the Law and makes use of it for its own great Ends and Purposes Upon Account of which the Apostle says Do we make void the Law nay we Establish it The Law stands fair in the Gospel and in its Full Perfection of breadth and length that it may shew the Glory of the Righteousness and Obedience of Jesus Christ and also It stands with all its Penalty Severity Curse and Condemnation that it may shew the Deep of the Sufferings of our Great Mediator and Interpret to us the Agony wherein he Sweat drops of Blood and the Meaning of that loud Cry My God my God Why hast thou Forsaken me For said Christ Thus in every Iota of the Revealed Will of God It be came Him to fulfil All Righteousness 2. That it may shew to all the Glory from which they are Fallen and from which they daily fall lower and lower the Deformity of their own State the Dread and Horror of that Ruin and Condemnation of Hell and Death that is so justly come upon Sinners fallen short of that Glory of God For this Holy Righteous and good Law of such Purity and Cleanness a Fiery Law a Royal Law a Law of Liberty Shewes all the Hatefulness of Sin and Justice of Punishment and Condemnation And All This is in order to Humiliation Sight and Sense of Sin Conversion from it and especially to shew the great Necessity of Christ's Redemption Grace the Free Gift of Righteousness and Justification by him For thus by the Law is the Knowledge of Sin Thus the Law worketh Wrath That is it both stirs up the due Apprehension of it and if not prevented by Pardon and Justification It calls up Vengeance against the Offender wherefore the Law is our School master to bring us to Christ by the Severity and Rigor of its Justice And as such it is in the hand of the Gospel 3. That the Gospel may by the Law shew that perfect Pattern and Exemplar of Holiness and Purity of Thoughts Words and Actions to which we are to aspire that Cleansing of our selves from the Filthiness of Flesh and Spirit to perfect Holiness in the Fear of God that exceeding Broad Commandment that sets an End or bound shewing all other Perfection too short and too narrow compared with it self and so the Law may be as a Rule of Holy Life and Action to which we should follow on according to the Mark even of Perfection it self If it could be to attain the very State of that Perfection that shall be in the Resurrection of the Dead And herein there are Four great Gospel Ends Aimed at by the Gospel thus taking the Law under it self 1. That we may feel a continual Necessity of making Recourse to the Blood of Christ the Fountain set open for Sin and for Uncleanness because by this holy Law there is a discovery of daily Defilements Failings Falls Imperfections and Infirmities concerning which there can be no Attonement between
of Grace is to Communicate it self 2. The Gospel having such a Communication of Righteousness so High so Perfect can accept a Sinner by putting upon him a Perfect Righteousness and Obedience and so blot out all his Transgressions and Imperfections by a full and free Pardon the Penalty being fully Answered and discharged by Christs Death and Sufferings even as the Righteousness is fulfilled by him who is that Image of Glory But the Law being only a Rule and no more can accept no less than the whole and Perfect Obedience For the least Offence being as they speak Solutio continui a Convulsion or Breach of the whole Frame of Righteousness the Law can pronounce nothing but Condemnation to a Sinner who hath not that Full and Perfect Righteousness of the Gospel to offer to it but sollicits and stirs up and works Wrath by the discovery of Sin and it stains all Imperfect Righteousness by declaring the Offendor in one Point guilty of all It brings to nothing all outward Righteousness by shewing the very first Desire or Coveting to be Sin 3. The inward Inherent Righteousness so absolutely Necessary to be in every Person redeemed by Christ and united to him is not only enjoin'd upon him by a Letter that Kills by Commanding and giving no Power but is conveyed to him by a Quickning Spirit changing him into the same Image from Beginning Glory to Perfect Glory as by that Lord who is that Spirit Jehovah one with that Spirit and who himself is that Image and that Spirit So every one Redeemed by Christ is the Epistle and Gospel of Christ it self written not with Ink but with the Spirit of the living God This the Law can never do it Commands and supposes the Power which was once given but the Law never considers the Loss by the Fall nor takes Compassion of it So never it can become a Gospel For the Gospel brings every good Work from the Treasury of Eternal Love and Grace from the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant by a meeting of the Spirit of the Gospel in the Heart of every Elected in Christ and from Providential Opportunities and Advantages of such holy Action and good Work according to the Will of God Heb. 13. 4. The Reward therefore and the whole procedure of Judgment is according to the Gospel of and according to meer Grace to all the Elect of God though in and with a Splendor of Holiness and Purity But whatever is done at that day so that the Law hath the Superiority even to and upon Those who enjoy the Gospel all is turned to Condemnation and Aggravation of Punishment even to and upon all those who are not the Evangelized the Children of the Gospel by Election and yet in a way of clearest Justice and Righteousness according to their Works in that Righteous Judgment as shall presently be in a particular Head of this Dscourse made out concerning that great day 5. The Gospel hath this most illustriously peculiar to it that it toucheth nothing even that is in its own Nature most severe and farthest from Grace but it by its high Dominion of Grace it Subordinates it to the Ends Purposes and Service of Grace even the Law Sin and Death that where they Abound Grace does much more Abound where Sin by the Law does Reign unto Death All who receive abundance of Grace and of the Gift of Righteousness shall much more Reign in Life by Jesus Christ and Grace it self so Reigns As therefore it hath been made out Even the Law is throughout taken into this great Service of the Gospel for the great Ends and Purposes of Grace but now the Law takes nothing under its Cognizance but so far as it comes under its Hand with Relation to Fallen Man it turns it like it self into a Killing Letter and into a Ministration of Condemnation Let us therefore consider the most different Influence of the Law in Three Dispensations that Comprehend all the Dealings or manner of Treaties God hath had with Man since the Transgression of Adam 1. That which is the most Universal Dispensation of God towards all Mankind and is generally stiled the Law or Light of Nature or as the Apostle calls it The Work of the Law written in the Heart wherein All should be doing by Nature the things contained in the Law Men being a Law to themselves And this though it be the lowest of Divine Dispensations to Men in order to recovery of the Elect in order to Humane Society for the Elects sake yet it is general to All Only in Children and Ideots it is hidden and close folded up for want of the Use of the Faculties else it is the same And it is by the Interposal of the Mediator for the Elects sake that there should be a World under the Patience and long-Suffering of God and by the same Patience and long-Suffering there was a Reserve and Reprieve from the utter Loss of the Image of God as from Christ Communicated on account of which he is said to enlighten every Man that comes into the World which Light is capable of more and more degrees of Clearness and Power if closely attended to whereby the World becomes habitable by being under the Government of that Eternal Wisdom by which Kings Reign Princes and all the Judges of the Earth decree Justice Prov. 8. 15. Now this Reserve of the Image of God in Man as it falls under the Law or the strict Rule of Holiness It serves only to Self-Accusation as to every particular Person that he hath not acted up to that Law and Light within and yet still if they did live up to the highest degrees it could not make a Recovery or Restoration of any Man without Christ For without any the least Acceptance of what is done according to it It only Aggravates what was not done to the height so that That Accusation of Thoughts the Apostle speaks of the Law hath its Power over and the Excusings or Apologies of Thoughts are from the Grace of the Gospel which does allow them in Abatement of Condemnation for any good thing found in them or done by them and therefore the Apostle says God will Judge the Secrets of all Hearts at that Day according to this Gospel by Jesus Christ shewing that with Relation to this Light given by the Mediator and for his sake God will proceed with great Gospel Equity and Mercy which may be another and greater Senâ—e of those words before given to all those who have laid together those Remainders or Reserves of the Light of Nature and the Patience and Goodness of God of which he hath given so many Witnesses So that it shall be more Tolerable for such than others who have trodden all these under Foot and run into all Excess of Riot Cruelties and all Uncleanness with Greediness But in all the Elect the Grace of the Gospel makes much a higher use of this Light for it lifts them up above it into a New-Creation
as well as to the Elect the first thing to be offered is Chrsst himself to be Received and Believed on He then is the Foundation and Fountain of all even of that which is called Condition and Qualification For if we do but weigh two things it must needs resolve us in this matter Arg. 1. If Redemption be Redemption it must it self be before all things of Qualification or Condition else it were not Redemption according as Christ is said to be the Author of Salvation to them who He being the Author of it obey Him forasmuch as that is so great a Point of Salvation and he the Author of all Salvation is therefore of that viz. Obeying Him Does not Christ draw all to him Is not the Grace of our Lord abundant with Faith and Love that are not brought to Him but in Him Does not the Eye the look of the Grace of Christ upon any Sinner move him as Peter to Sorrow after God to Faith Repentance humble sense of Sin And therefore what is a Sinner to do but to look to Christ to be Saved to look on him whom he hath Pierced And even such Prescriptions to look to Him to come to Him are held out to Souls principally tho our Duty be included but in attendance on the Grace of Christ to see how where and on whom it will move And in the very Nature of the thing it is impossible any Qualification should be before hand to Him who is come not only to Save but to seek that which is lost It is most true therefore if any be Christ's these things shall in their time be all Manifested in them for they are prepared for them Arg. 2. What is it by which we are Redeemed Is it not the Righteousness Sufferings Death Blood and Obedience of Christ Must not these then be in their Power Motion and Actuation before any thing else Seeing by Faith we are Saved which is the Gift of God must not the Author of Salvation and of Faith give that And does God give any such Grace by which we are Saved but through the Redemption of Christ for his sake And because he hath first given his Son does not he give all these to unite us to him Does not his Blood Purchase and bestow that Faith in his Blood Must it not needs be then true as we Believe that we may be Justified so also most true Those Sheep for whom Christ hath laid down his Life Those he must bring in and now are they brought in but by Believing If therefore They are brought in by Faith he that must bring them in must take effectual Care that they may Believe And seeing he laid down his Life for his Sheep and gives them Eternal Life All must be on the same Title and Tenure viz. his Life laid down So Faith is no more a Condition or Qualification than Justification or Eternal Life nor any other Grace Preparatory or Perfectory but what Free Grace it self undertakes for Object But it may be said there is an order of the Links of the Chain of Salvation and Vocation wherein Faith and Repentance are contained is in order before Justification and so may stand as a Qualification and Condition to Justification and none may presume to touch at Justification or Pardon till they are qualified by Faith and Repentance given in Vocation before Justification Rom. 8. Answ It hath been already acknowledged there is a Wise and Holy Order in the several links of the Chain of Salvation but not by such a way of Dependance as should lessen the Dignity the equal Determination and certainty of each part in the Eternal Fore-knowledge and Electing Love of God in Christ Accordingly therefore it is acknowledged there is an Order of Vocation or Calling before Justification Rom. 8. and of Wisdom before Righteousness 1 Cor. 1. 31. But this Calling is the first Change of the State of every Elect Person from sin to God the delivery from the Power of Darkness and Translation into the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus the Dear Son of God For he hath called us saith the Apostle out of Darkness into his marvellous Light It is the turning from Darkness to Light it is the cutting out of the Olive and Vine wild by Nature and the implanting into the True Vine and Olive it is the beginning of Faith and Repentance and of all Holiness and Sense of Eternity though they have a further state in Sanctification and distinct from Calling which is the true passing from Death to Life and always abides so It is a Voice alarming the Soul at the first It is the Voice of the Son of God quickning whom he will But then that which shews this is not a Condition or Qualification only is that Vocation or Calling does not go off it is still Vocation it is a holy Calling even until Glory It is Wisdom without any change as the word certainly assures There can be no more Return to Folly It is a Calling in this regard It is a certain Abiding therein with God So Scripture every where speaks of it It is a Calling to Glory and Virtue a Calling to obtain Salvation So saith the Apostle You see your Calling who hath Called us with an holy Calling Called according to purpose As He who hath Called you is Holy All these Expressions plainly shew this Calling is a settled established Grace even as Justification and together with it entring into Glory So that to make Calling a meer Qualification or Condition is to degrade it from the high Dignity Scripture hath invested it with I account it the first Hand of Grace still holding the Soul so that though there be Justification and Sanctification a Work of Faith fulfilled with Power Repentance never to be Repented of and the whole Course of Sanctification goes on to the Day of Christ yet that first Work is it self secured by Grace as all the rest of the Works of Grace So that as the Apostle says the Gifts and Calling of God are without Repentance it is never recalled And in the same manner may be discoursed concerning Sanctification It is no Qualification for or Condition of Glory But there is real Self-subsistence of each of these for their own Worth and Excellency and though they are sitted for and connected one with the other in Infinite Wisdom and Prudence Eph. 1. 8. Yet they are also Independent and Self-subsistent also in the Divine Decree each one by it self and All from Free Grace This then assures none of those great Links of Salvation however joined one to another but is yet of it self and by it self but all still of Free Grace Because none of them go off but remain together with all the others to Eternity The very first Call hath an Eternal Abiding Justification by the Righteousness of Christ Sanctification by the Spirit of Christ abide and continue even as Glory it self Calling is as free as Justification For except that grand Foundation Being
thus I have laid down the great Doctrin of the New-Testament in these Points as I have Reason from such an abundant Scripture Evidence to be assur'd Let me for a Conclusion recommend to all the Ministers of the Gospel the due Consideration of the whole matter For it is of most exceeding Concernment to our Ministry This is our Enablement our Sufficiency as Ministers of the New-Testament to Preach not the Letter but the Spirit to Preach it as a Ministration of Righteousness and not of Condemnation as a Ministration not of the Letter but of the Spirit For the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth Life Thus we shall Minister it in its Abiding Continuing Glory as it shall continue in the Kingdom of Christ set out in all its Freeness and in all its Efficacy We cannot else Triumph in manifesting the Savor of the Knowledge of Christ nor will our Ministry be of Sufficiency to be a Savor of Death unto Death to the lost as it ought to be according to the Divine Ordination laid down by the Apostle 2 Cor. c. 2 3. For if the Full and true Grace of the Gospel be not set out as a Ministration of Righteousness of Life and of the Spirit It does not offer to Men the great Gospel Experiment whether it is unto them a Savor of Life unto Life or of Death unto Death They have not that high Savor of the knowledge of Christ that is the Instrument of Grace as by a most Divine and heavenly Suffumigation or Perfume of Life to excite and bring to Life such a stream of Life to give Life from the Spirit nor on the other side till This be Administred can it according to this Gospel Canon or Rule be said That the Ministry of it is a savor of Death unto Death for to whomsoever this high savor of Life is not Administred there is not that conclusion to be made it is of Death unto Death herein being the strength of the Crisis or distinction If the highest savor of the Gospel give not Life the only flavor of Life be not effectual to Life be but like a dead Savor effect nothing produce nothing of Life it must needs be argued such are unto Death And even the Gospel Preached concludes them unto Death when it does not prevail if the most irradiant Light of Christ the Image of God shining to Men does not Enlighten Such a hiding demonstrates such Lost and their Case Desperate Rationalizing Moralizing upon the Gospel yea Scripture Legalizing upon it without a continual interweaving this high Spirituality and rich Grace of it cannot thus Conclude Seal and Bind up If the Fountain and Sources of Light and Life be not kept clear and open tho Men do indeed die and perish for want of Life and Light yet they are not Sealed and bound up for Death as the true Preaching of the Grace of the Gospel by this Ordination of God declared here by the Apostle does The close Experiment for want of this Ministration of the New Testament is not made For the Apostle says Who is sufficient so to Preach the Gospel as that it should be if not a Savor of Life unto Life the principal purpose design and scope of it then of Death unto Death This sufficiency saith he is of God who hath therein Sufficientized to Minister the New Testament not as of a Letter that Kills but as of the Spirit that giveth Life so that tho it be not indeed to all a Ministration of the Spirit giving Life to all yet it is not our Male Admistration for we are by such a faithful discharge of our selves a Savor of Death unto Death without which so faithful a Discharge we could not be so for such a Preaching only as was said puts such a Crisis upon Persons makes such a Tremendous Gospel Experiment which the only Wise God hath yet Ordained should be made by the Free Gospel Preaching And that this Experiment may be made saith the Apastle we take great care not to allay the high flavor of the Gospel by any mixture of the Doctrin of Works with that of Grace as they who minding thir own Advantages make a Trade of Debasing what is most Excellent by vending worse in Temperament with Nobler Liquors But with greatest Sincerity as in the sight of God we bring forth only pure Gospel Supream Grace and herein we use all Freedom Clearness Frankness Openness and Boldness in manifesting this No darkned unintelligible Doublings between Grace and Works as Moses who veiled so the Gospel-part of his Ministry that it became a Ministration of Death And because Paul knew how distasteful this purity of Preaching is to the Condemned World that would yet be Righteous and to the proud and stately Powers of Reason and Free Will He says we arm our selves with a Divine Courage and constancy in pursuing this Ministry and will not on any account whatsoever use Art or Guile but with all integrity represent Truth in its own Light and leave to God the Discrimination of the Lost to whom this Preaching is as the Jealousie-Water to discover them when their very Mind the highest Rational Part being Blinded by the God of this World find not the Rays of the Glory of the Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God and all our Perfection is Likeness to Him shining to them Wherein the Apostle manifestly alludes to what he had said of the Superior Glory of the Gospel to that of the Law tho that gave such a Gloâ—y to Moses his Face And he alludes also to the Veil on Moses his Face upon that Glory and to the Veil on the Hearts of the Jews to this day Implying That not to receive this Pure Gospel Light is like Jewish Unbelief who Stumbled at that Stumbling-Block of Exalting Works and their own Righteousness above Christ and Grace It is true indeed this Preaching up of our Works Endeavours relying upon our own Action is very plausible and seems to carry greater force as being more a kin to our first Constitution under the First Adam And of this the Apostle also gives a Secret as we say Gird when in this so great Point he interposes not without great Design We Preach not our selves As if Preaching intermingled with Works and Humane Powers of Holiness were setting up and exalting our selves into a Dominion over mens Consciences but saith He we Preach Christ the only Lord and our selves Servants iâ— so high a Ministry And in this Epistle Chap. 11. They who even with design against the Grace of the Gospel Teach the Law are as the Apostle says in the appearance of Angels of Light and Ministers of Righteousness Zealous enforcers of Holiness and good Life if yet they stop up these Springs and are Enemies of this Grace they are False Apostles and Ministers of Satan Evil Workers as the Apostle calls them in a taunt of their high pretence to Works and others for want of true distinguishing Thoughts desirous and most propended to be Teachers of the Law and yet dare not desert the Grand Gospel-Principles Know not what they Speak nor whereof they affirm that is do not accurately Think nor Speak nor Reconcile themselves to themselves For the Law is good if a Man use it Lawfully that is according to the Gospel direction of it But pure perfect Law is only pointed set against those upon whom the Gospel hath not Effect who are given up by it as Incurable and unto Death This I speak not I appeal to Him who Searcheth Hearts with Reflection on any Person or sort of Persons and least upon Mr. Williams of whom I desire much other Esteem But to move and perswade him and all Preachers of the Gospel to reconcile all their Notions Disputes Preaching the Glorious Gospel of the Blessed God commited to their Trust which the Apostle hath defined to be then sufficiently Preached when it is Primarily and till the Gospel hath remanded the Lost under the aggravated Condemnation of the Law for refusing the Grace of the Gospel 'till then I say the New Testament is to be Preached as a Ministration of the Spirit and not of the Letter for the Letter Killeth but the Spirit giveth Life a Ministration of Life not of Death not of Condemnation but of Righteousness which Ministration shall in a short time be with Open Face and all Veils removed the Lord drawing near and all Turning to Him beholding Christ the Image of God and the Glory of God in the Face of Christ we shall be Changed into the same Image from the Glory of a lower degree now to the Glory that shall be in perfection by the mighty Effusions of that Spirit who is Jehovah that shall so soon be Now this high and richest Gospel Treasure we have saith the Apostle at the present but in Vessels of Earth Men of like Corruptions and guilt low and base Appearances of outward Condition and State and of the vile and dying Bodies for Sin that the excellency of Divine Grace and Power may be Exalted alone throughout and throughout For at the present we have as the Apostle saith all this Glory but in hope we see yet but as in a Glass tho with an Open Face this Glory But when the Angelical Ministry Rev. 14. 6. shall in the Kingdom of Christ be Missioned and sent out this Ministration shall so Exceed in Glory that all other Glory of Humane Righteousness shall utterly Disappear and when it comes it shall for ever Remain And this shall he when the Israel of God shall be Called and Turn'd to the Lord and that shall be when 〈◊〉 Times are at an End as Christ says Luke 21. 24. And when the Eclipse on the 〈◊〉 Churches going off they shall have a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a full Orbed Light as that Word Rom. 1â— 25. Opposed to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Eclipse in that Chapter properly signifies and All this shall I doubt not begin at 1697. FINIS
Let me have my Portion of good all in my own hands Thus all Mankind had been secured and not left to the hazard of every single Person betraying himself For it is most apparent by Adam what every one would have done he having all possible Advantages in a fresh Vigorous Holiness an unstained World Such a lively Invitation of the Tree of life Such a short Act of Self-denial or refusing to be a God to himself as he thought to be by Eating of that Forbidden Fruit. But now let us see what all this contributes to the Points we are upon which will be found to be exceeding in Enlightning both the Law and the Gospel to us 1. From hence it appears the Law is an immutable and unchangeable Law of Holiness and of Everlasting Obligation while there is such a Being humane Nature For it arises from the Being of God to be enjoyed in Holiness and Blessedness by Man made so to enjoy And it arises from the Image of God Jesus Christ in and by whom that State was to have been Confirmed and so for ever Enjoyed and by whom it is to be so Recovered 2. From hence it Appears there can be no new Law but what must of Necessity entwine and incorporate into that First Law and merge into it so Adequate to the Being of Man Enjoying the holy and Blessed God by Jesus Christ the Image of God Such was that Law of not Eating the Forbidden Fruit It was a Law of Trust in Christ the Image of God the Way and the Truth and the Life by way of Confirmation and so was immediately Adopted into that Law of Righteousnoss and Holiness The Law of Faith in Christ the Redeemer and of Repentance is in this Sense no new Law but that Old Commandment and a New Commandment only by being new Illustrated by a more glorious Light but it unites with that Law first given of Holiness in and by Christ the Image of God for the enjoying God in Conformity to him now in away of Redemption Expiation and Recovery and thereby a Return to our First State according to the first Law 3. From hence it Appears the Everlasting Covenant of God in Predestinating a Number of Mankind to be Conformed to the Image of his Son cannot be disanulled or added to nor taken from by any Dispensation or manner of Speaking that comes after it according to that Fore-mentioned Rule of the Apostle Gal. 4. 3. understanding it of the Elect of God controlling all Doubts so that what Christ was to do as the Image of God by way of Confirmation He now does by way of Redemption by that mighty Eflectuating Image of the Glory of God in Christ by his Spirit 4. From hence it Appears that Jesus Christ in the first and original Right of being the Head of every Man and the Image of the invisible God by whom and for whom All Things were made and without whom nothing was made that was Made and in whom they consist upholds a present State of the World in the Patience and Long-suffering of God and also bears up as he pleases the Natural Law in which Man was made enforcing the Reasonableness Justice and Equity to Turn by Repentance to that God Who leaves not himself without Witness in giving Fruitful Times and Seasons and filling Mens Hearts with Food and Gladness and so signifies Grace and Mercy and to Recover themselves as far as to the utmost they can to that State of Righteousness of which they find such plain mentions of in their Hearts and finding the shortness of their own Power to cast themselves upon Divine Grace and Help And where the Light of the glorious Gospel comes according to all degrees of Divine Revelation the Obligation rises higher and becomes stronger For the Transgression and Ruin of Humane Nature does not take off the Obligation of Duty but it stands wherein soever God does not immediately execute the Penalty or vouchsafes any Remainder of Power at first given or increase and Advantage of that Remainder and wherein soever Men do not thus there is a Just particular Personal Condemnation But yet it Remains according to the first Standard Law of Creation every Man must be miserable for ever and die the Death whoever is not found in the Image of God in Christ in Righteousness and true Holiness for the Enjoyment of him 5. From hence it lastly Appears The Elect of God in Jesus Christ must be perfectly restored into a state of Righteousness and freedom from Guilt into a state of Holiness and Purity for the Enjoyment of God and seeing this cannot be in Man Fallen Sinful Unholy and so Miserable for ever It must be by the Sacrifice Righteoâ—sness and Obedience of Christ imputed by the Restoration of his Spirit and all according to Grace and Riches of Grace and to the Praise of the Glory of that Grace which Adam first refused but is hereby exalted to a far higher Glory by Jesus Christ appearing thus a Redeemer a Reconciler an Eternal Spirit so closely united and fully declar'd in Redemption For the Lord even Christ and his Increated Spirit is that Spirit changing into his own Image from Glory to Glory by that Spirit who is Himself Jehovah That I may now make a nearer Approach to resolve this great and weighty Question Whether the Gospel can be in true proper and strict Sense stiled a Law I will now propose these Two Heads to discourse it upon 1. I will shew how far the Law as it is a Law must yet needs join its Authority for and with the Gospel according to its eternally Holy and righteous Nature and then I will on the other side shew how far the Gospel without any Abatement of its purest Gospel-Nature makes use of the Law as a most righteous holy Law to its own most graoious Ends. 2. I shall make it yet most evident from Scripture that the Law can never as it is Law in the Scripture Definings and Discourses of it become Gospel Nor on the other side can the Gospel as it is Gospel and drawn out according to the Everlasting Covenant pass into the nature of Law according to Scriptures describing of Law I begin with the First Head to shew how far the Law cannot even as Law but join its Authority to the Gospel 1. That the Law of Reason and Understanding of Righteousness Holiness Goodness that God hath engraven upon the Heart of Man and seated in his Conscience cannot but Establish the Revelation of Christ and Grace by him manifested by such a mighty Power from Heaven and asserted by so many Infallible Proofs to be from God so full of Goodness and Grace above the very Law of Creation it self Implanted in Mans Heart It cannot I say but Establish it as a Faithful Saying and worthy of All Acceptation of both Faith Love and Obedience So that in this very Regard it may be truly and properly stiled a Law of Faith and Obedience to the Gospel