The Law of God Ratified by the Gospel of Christ, Table of contents – Errata
The Contents of the several Chapters.
Chap. I.
NO justification by works, to Gentile or Iew transgressours of the Law, and how: yet the Iew had advantage by the Law, which is not voided by doctrine of Faith. Corrupt nature dispute perversely against the truths of God, partly out of ignorance and mistakes. Christ's righteousness the matter of our justification. Prepossession of false opinions pervert the Scripture; this ruin'd the Iews, obstructed the Gospel among the Greeks. Pride natural to us, and opposite to the Gospel. Love of sin, of the world, pervert truths of the Gospel: the danger of this as rejecting the remedy, or turning it to the increase of the disease. Errors easily increas'd. How Errors found in godly men, while sometime the carnal are free from them.
Chap. II.
Grace abhors the Perverting of truth: So Moses, Elijah, &c. St. Paul, &c. For, hereby God is dishonoured, the New Nature is thwarted. Errors broken out are hardly limited, easily overgrow the truth: So the bulk of Popish Errors did: So Arianisme did. Errors divide the Church: So the Errour of the Necessity of Circumcision, the Errour about keeping Easter in Victor's time. Pope's Supremacy now divides the Church. Such divisions occasioned by Preaching old forgotten truths; but the fault in those that will not endure such doctrines. Satans malice, and some mens weakness: So the inundation of Popish Superstitions broke in. How much we should resent these things: their danger: Toleration of them discussed, in the Objections for Errours answered.
Chap. III.
Objections against truth many times are double falshoods; this riseth from Ignorance, Credulity, malice, and want of Arguments to confirm errours. No strange or new thing that men erre and are slanderous. Protestant Ministers are no promoters of Antichrist, but his great Adversaries: lessening them greatens Antichrists interest. Seducing Sectaries expedite Antichrists affairs. Satan hath still hindered reformation by such ways.
Chap. IV.
A Threefold Law, first given to the Gentiles with the Iews: the other given only to the Iew. Law of nature and its use. The Ceremonial cannot justifie, nor the Moral, yet neither made void by Faith. Faith confirms the Ceremonial Law: what this is, 'tis of God, how long to last; abus'd or not understood by many of the Iews, who precisely observed Ceremonial cleanness, palpably neglecting moral purity. In what sense doctrine of Faith doth not abolish the Ceremonial Law. The dispute between Iews and Samaritans, and whence it arose; when, and how long continued. Divine worship in spirit and truth, not limited to any place. Law Ceremonial, a School-master to bring us to Christ, full of deep mysteries and spiritual realities, cleared by the Gospel. These unfolded in explication of Circumcision, seal of that promise, I will be their God, which contains all grace and comfort, is made good to us in Christ: the Covenant sealed by Circumcision, the same that is sealed by Baptisme. Passeover what, its occasion, the circumstances of it; its meaning in each particular applied to Christ. Actual faith in Christ delivers from Curse of the Law, should excite to thanfulness, holiness, exercise faith, preparedness for our duties, godly sorrow. Feast of first Fruits, when enjoyned, excite to endeavour a rising to newness of life.
Chap. V.
Few Creatures appointed for Sacrifices: three sorts of Beasts, two of Fowls, all meek, resembling Christ, as we should. Korban whence derived, how apply'd to Christ, through whom we are made nigh to God. Burnt offering, foreign. Its import to us, the rites in offering it, blindness of the Iews, and to be pittied: deep slaine of sin, it is deadly to the sinner or his surety: Christs Bloud precious, shed that we should not live in sin. The continual burntoffering Christians should offer morning and evening; as most likely the Iews did pray and praise God in their Houses. foreign its signification: Imputation of sin to Christ speaks Gods love of Compassion to sinners: sin base and shameful. The blood of foreign sprinkled before the Lord on the Golden Altar; the meaning hereof: Its inward fat burned, what meant: some other rites in the offering it, and their import. foreign what it was, noted Christ and how, a sufficient sacrifice therefore, fit to be trusted in. How the foreign noteth the Christians sacrifice, and apply'd. Oyle used in the meat offering: its purport with other rites of it explained. Salt with all Sacrifices, and its meaning. The Covenant of Salt. The drink offering wherein it consisted. The Peace offering, what, and on what occasion; meaneth whole Christian duty in general, to be offered to God through Christ. Peace-offering might be male or female, part of it to be burnt, part for the Priest, part for the offerer; hence our Communion with God inferr'd. How Sacrificers are partakers of the Altar. Priests under the Law were sacred persons, especially the High-Priest, type of Christ, whose is an eternal Priesthood. The Garments of the High-Priest and their meaning, viz. the holiness, beauty, and glory of Christ in general. A more particular view of each part of the Garments, their import, and our instruction. Ordinary Priests were in a sort types of Christians who are to be spiritual Priests and Sacrifices. Ministers of the Gospel no where called Priests in the New Testament. Tabernacle and Temple agreed in some, differed in other particulars: how each signified Christ to dwell with us, in much humility and love, we ought therefore to unite our selves to him, estrange our selves from sin: scandalous sins should not be cause of gladness in any who observe them in others. Temple and Tabernacle signify'd each be liever. Sin defiles the whole man, the heart first, the outward man next: sin begins in the heart. Altar made of Shittim wood, the meaning; covered with brass, its purport; the Godheadpreserving the humane nature under its sufferings. Where the Altar was placed, its meaning. The Altar of incense, its meaning. The Ark what in it, and their Import. The mercy seat, the Cherubims looking down towards the Ark. The fire used in Sacrifices, its meaning: Christs love to us, undergoing such sufferings for us, requireth love from us to him. This fire came from Heaven, never was to go out; such should Christian zeal be.
Chap. VI.
Sacred observances, as restraint from unclean beasts: so not in their own nature; the meaning equalleth all mankind in their Original. Gods Soveraignty in chusing Israel incomprehensible: His infinite goodness calling the Gentiles, who should be thankful, and take heed of unbelief and all sin. Our liberty to use all wholesome food: Blood whether now forbidden? Probably a Natural though secret reason, why so many Creatures were forbidden to Israel? Prohibition of eating blood, Acts 15. explained. Festivals Religious among the Iews, noted our Christian joy. What feasts these were. At the time of the feast of Harvest, Christ sent down the Spirit on his Apostles, who were to gather in the Harvest of the Gentiles. Feast of ingathering about our September. the meaning of it well applyed in three or four particulars. The feast of Trumpets, the type of Preaching the Gospel, and calling to faith and repentance: who are deaf to this, shall be astonied at the last Trumpets sound. The various washings in use among the Iews well unfolded, shew Christ the accomplishment of them, and our Christian duty of dayly purging our selves in the fountain of his blood.
Chap. VII.
St. Pauls design to deliver to us the doctrine of justification by grace. This clear'd by reducing all men under an examen: The Gentile examined and cast by Law of nature transgressed: The Iew examined and cast by the written Law moral transgressed. There is a Law of nature, this not nulled by Faith: What this Law is, in the particular description of it? Tis engraven on the heart, given by Christ, yet different from that he gives Believers who follow him. It was a perfect rule before the fall, it is yet of great use, though much impaired. The foreign, that he was to be served, and worshipped, that he created all, being himself eternal and omnipotent, wise and good. This Law declared what is good and what evil, in some measure. Excellent discourses of Philosophers. Yet is it an imperfect Rule now, cannot guide sinners to blessedness: discovers not the great mystery of the Trinity, or the state of perfection man was Created in; his fall, and recovery, &c. An additional imperfection from the heart on which it is written, as from blurr'd paper the words or Letters are imperfectly read: Yet useful it is to Gods glory, to humane Societies, as remote preparators to receiving the Gospel; in which much above, nothing contrary to, the light of Nature; it justifies God, leaves man without excuse, not increasing this light, not acting up to it. This defect of theirs was sin against God, who as Lawgiver to all, hath given this Law, punisht the breakers of it, before the Law given on mount Sinai. Rom. 5. 13, 14. illustrated. These punishments were just, as severe, in every age, and ruine of several Monarchies. The sins of Christians greater than of Heathens or Iews. What Christians are in name, in participation with Christ, who is dishonoured by their sins, which many Heathens abhor. Seneca and Pliny abhor'd Drunkenness, Tully decry'd Frauds in Contracts.
Chap. VIII.
Moral Law written, abridged in the ten Commandments, established by the Doctrine of justification by faith, though it excludes the Righteousness of works from our justification, not excluded from all other use. None justified by works of the Law, because all are born in state of sin. Works of faith follow justification as fruit, are imperfect examined by the rigor of the Law, which bears not the least aberration, requires the whole of mans heart alwaies, in highest degree of love to God, and for his sake to man our neighbour, nothing must be omitted, or wanting, or defective. Mans works cannot justifie before the infinite justice, holiness and Majesty of God our Lawgiver. Man to be saved, was found in sin; is saved by grace: from which they fall, who would be justified by the Law, being a Covenant of nature quite different from the Gospel. Works justifying in St. James sense, Jam. 2. 24. explained. Iustifying faith is an Active principle, as prevalent habits are. They miserable who are not in Christ, because condemned: no middle State: outward fairness insufficient, inward change necessary. Historical faith doth not justifie. Iustifying faith hath sense of its need of Christ, who is a complete Saviour, and wherein this compleatness is. How earnest we should be to be found in him, careful to bring forth much fruit, but not to trust in it, keep the mean between the dangerous extreams of a dead faith, and resting on the works of Faith. How Christ establisht the Law; by fulfilling it which he did without destroying it, what occasion of that, Mat. 5. 17. how made under the Law though he was the Lawgiver, bound therefore to fulfill the Law perfectly, so became a perfect High-Priest according to the type wherein every blemisht person was prohibited medling with the Priestly function. Sinless perfection necessary to the Sacrifice Christ offer'd in offering himself. Fulfilling the Righteousness of the Law, is an establishing of the Law; to the exactness whereof man was at first created, the Law of our Creation afterwards exemplified in the decalogue: Satans design to obliterate this Law by our sin, to bring us under a Law of sin, how this effected, hence God dishonoured, man destroyed, both arising from Satans malice against the glory of God, and happiness of man: This work of Satan Christ came to destroy, and hath done it, which no meer creature could have done, Angels could not, and why. This work is really a repairing man, though expressed by destroying of Satans work: so raising up the dead, is called destruction of the Grave. 1 Joh. 3. 8. at large unfolded, Christ God imprest on our nature in himself, the absolute perfection of that holiness the Law required of mans nature, Christ hath fully satisfied the Law, and accomplisht the Prophecies concerning him, which was God, the coessential word, who made all, supports all in heaven and earth, and doth it as primary efficient cause and final for his own glory, so was without robbery equal with God, yet became man, uniting the humane nature to the Godhead, which supported the humane nature, gave value to the sufferings of it, in which nature, he made under the Law, was in capacity of suffering the Curse, which the Godhead, fountain of life and blessedness was not liable to: Who come not to Christ, are expos'd to all that their sins deserve, and the Law threatens: Sin then is bitter, and will be the shame of Sinners. Who are in Christ, have sound foundation of comfort, Christ hath satisfied the Law for them. To whom his perfect righteousness is imputed: so the Law establisht, this enlarged and illustrated, Debts paid by surety the debtor discharged the payment imputed, God imputes it, and of Grace or freely to the Believer on his believing in Christ. So faith justifieth not meritoriously, nor efficiently, not materially or formally, but objectively and instrumental…y, as apprehending Christ his righteousness: Hence our blessedness, joyned with our Sanctification. How Christ establisht the Law, by perfectly fulfilling all the Righteousness which it required: Contraiwise the doctrine of justification by our works makes void the Law in great part, reducing its Commands to the scantling of that obed…ence, which is pretended to justifie us. The mystery of Christs immense love to us. Believers should be humble and will be… Great sinners may be encouraged to come to Christ, whose righteousness is the righteousness of Jehovah. Look to the truth of your faith, the suitableness of your life: justified ones are sanctified ones. The Law is made a rule of holiness in life, to those that are justified without works of the Law, and this by the Authority of Christ, who hath for us satisfied it as a Covenant, and now ratified it as a Rule to us; we cannot live justified by it, we must live sanctified to it. The Law as Covenant of works, useful to Believers, to humble, awaken, and drive them to seek a remedy: The Law a Rule useful to believers, keeping them poor in spirit, in sight of what they once were, what they still are: It is useful to quicken and stir them up to greater study of holiness. Our Redemption no prejudice to the Law, rather an exalting of it. The peaceable comport of the Law and Faith, which oppos'd to each other, is great error of Antinomians. High Presumption to boast of justification by Faith, and yet be the servants of sin against the holiness of the Commandment. He is out of Christ who continues in sin, in contempt of the Law, and to the abuse of free grace, which imparteth inherent Righteousness to sanctification, as it imputeth Christ his righteousness to justification.
ERRATA.
PAge 5. line 2. read these. p. 17. l. ult. add here. p. 18. for when, l. 18. r. even. p. 21. for Circumcellions, r. Circumcellians. p. 32. l. 19. for Corrupts, r. Corrupt. p. 33. l. 2. r. foreign. l 13. r. Hymenaeus. p. 37. l. 16. r. Consequents. p. 44. l. penult. r. exhort. p. 53. l. 12. r. tolerable. for Chap. IV, r. V. p. 125. in the margin, for Officers, r. Offerer. p. 130. l. 33. dele him. p. 153. l. 22. r. persons. p. 160. l. 1. for An, r. any. p. 212. l. 2. for no, r not. p. 239. l. 21. r. woman. p. 240. l. 17. for state, r. stead. p. 243. l. 6. r. enduring. p. 263. l. 25. r. For.
Rom. 3. 31. Do we then make void the Law through Faith? God forbid; yea, we establish the Law.