Principles of Faith and Good Conscience, Chapter 27
CAP. XXVII.
Of the ſecond office & worke of Faith, viz. to purify the heart, & worke by love: Here followes the life of a believer, and the firſt end and uſe of the Morall Law.
Fourth heal of Chriſtian doctrine.Q. WHat is the ſecond office of Faith?
A. To purify the heart, working it to an obedient walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord, [ſo that I ſhall not profeſſe one thing, and do another] Jam: 2.17, 21, 26. Act: 15.9. [it is ever purging out corruption.]
Q. The rule of obedience, in generall, is the whole written word of God, and more ſummarily the morall Law, contained in the ten Commandements: Tell me now; Is the Law of the ten Commandements ſtill in force?
A. Yes; and whoſoever doth, or teacheth otherwiſe, ſhall be leaſt in the Kindome of Heaven, that is none at all, Mat: 5.18, 19. Rom: 3.19, 31. Rom: 7.12. As touching the ceremoniall Law, that which was a ſin or duty then, is not a ſin or duty now under the Goſpel; and therefore the ceremoniall Law is not in force now, as to our practice. But as touching the morall Law, that which was a ſin then, is a ſin now, as lying, perjury, &c. which ſhewes that the morall Law is ſtill in force now, under the time of the Goſpel.
Q. Is the Law given that we ſhould looke for life and ſolvation by it?
A. No? becauſe by it all the world is guilty before God; [If we were without ſin, we ſhould be ſaved by the Law: but being all wretched ſinners, the Law curſeth us and we muſt looke elſewhere for a worthineſſe to anſwer Gods judgement.] Rom: 7.4, 6. Rom: 3.20. 23. Gal: 3.17
Q. To what uſe then was the Law given?
The firſt uſe of the Morall Law.A, There is a twofold uſe of it. 1. To convince us that we are under ſin & wrath, that ſo we might be brought to ſeek ſalvation in Chriſt alone. Gal. 3.19, 24.
Q. How doth the Law force a ſinner unto Chriſt?
A. There be five effects or operations of the Law, whereby it drives one to Chriſt. The firſt is, to make ſin knowne in its true greatneſſe and ſinfulneſſe, both for the extent and danger of it. [By the Law we come to know our ſelves to be greater ſinners, and in worſe caſe then we could imagine, we find and feele that to be ſinne, which before we knew not; and many things to be greater evils, expoſing us to greater wrath then heretofore we conceived; as our naturall corruption, the firſt motions unto ſinne, &c.] Rom: 3.20. Rom. 7.7, 8, 9, 13. Rom: 5.13.
Q. What is the ſecond worke of the Law forcing us to ſeek Chriſt?
A. It ſhews us how farre ſhort we come, and how unable we are to doe any one thing that is good, in any meaſure, manner, and degree, as is required. [Many think they are holy, and pleaſe God well enough, becauſe they know not the holyneſſe and rigour of the Law.] Rom. 7.11, 13, 18. Mat. 19.18, 20.
Q. How, thirdly, doth the Law ſhew us our need of Chriſt?
A. By it we finde and feele the emnity & contrariety that is in our nature againſt God: Tell a man of his ſinne, or duty, O the heart is ſad upon it, the Law is a burthen to him, the heart rebels againſt it, and could even wiſh there were no ſuch Law, yea no God to take vengeance. [Sinne is a burthen to a regenerate perſon, but Gods Law is not grievous to him. 1 Joh. 5.3. On the other ſide, to a carnall man, ſinne is pleaſing, and duty a burthen: the duties of the Law being brought and preſſed on the ſoule, doe ſhew how hollow and rotten we are, which otherwiſe we ſhould never have miſtruſted by our ſelves.] Ro. 7.9, 9, 10, 13. Rom. 8.7.
Q. What fourth worke of the Law bringeth a ſinner to Chriſt?
A. It worketh wrath, that is, it laies the curſe upon us; it proclaims the judgement of God againſt us for every ſin: [It curſeth every diſobedience; it tels every ſoule of us, thou art a domned creature, &c.] Ro. 1.18. Rom. 4.15. 2 Cor. 3.7, 9. The Law is full of rigour. 1. It accepts of no obedience, but what is every way full and perfect. 2. The Law admits of no excuſes; It accepts of none of our ſorrows. 3. The Law regards not what we can doe, but what we ſhould doe: All that be under the Law, muſt doe it, or dye: This is the caſe of all that be out of Chriſt, the Law curſeth them.
Q. How fiftly doth the Law drive us unto Chriſt?
A. When we ſee that we are ſhut up, and cannot winde our ſelves out of Gods wrathfull hands; the ſoul even drowned with ſorrow and feare, is conſtrained to goe to Chriſt, upon the invitation of the Goſpell: The ſoule does hereupon conſult and adviſe with it ſelfe, what to doe to be ſaved, and ſo at length reſolves to goe to Chriſt; this is one uſe of the Morall Law, viz. to make us ſee, 1. How vile we are. 2. How weak we are, 3. How wicked we are; what enemies to God and goodneſſe. 4. How curſed we are. 5. And ſo to conſult within our ſelves, and to reſolve to goe to Chriſt, as that prodigall did, Luk. 15.17, 18. and thoſe Lepers. 2 King. 7.3, 4.
Thus the Law and the Goſpell worke together for our ſalvation: it is not in me to ſave you, ſaith the Law, therefore ſeeke further: It is in me to ſave you, ſaith the Goſpell, therefore reſt in me. Act. 2.37. Mat. 11.28. Rom. 8.15. And ſo the ſoule is converted and drawn unto Chriſt by the Goſpell, being driven from the Law, by the Law it ſelfe.