The Doctrine of the Sabbath, Thesis 108 – Thesis 109
Thesis 108.
It is very evident that the children and sonnes of God under the new Testament are not so under the Law as the children and sonnes of God were under the old Testament, for the Apostle expressely tels, Gal. 3.23. that before the faith came, we (i. the children of the Old Testament) were shut up and kept under the Law, and were under it as under a Schoolmaster, verse 24. and these of whom the Apostle thus speaks are not onelyonly wicked and carnall Jewes, but the deare children of God and heires of eternall life in those times, as is evident from Gal. 4 1, 2, 3. but the Apostle speaking of the sonnes of God in Gospel-times, since faith is come and revealed, speakes as expresly that we are now no longer under the law as under a Schoolmaster, Gal. 3 25. and that now when the fulnesse of time is come, God sent his sonne, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the Adoption of Sonnes, Gal. 4.3, 4, 5. which though it bee true of all men by nature, viz. that they are under the law, yet an impartiall cleare eye will eas…ly discerne that the Apostles dispute is not of our being under the Law by nature meerely, but of being under the Law by peculiar dispensation, which was the state not only of the Jewish Church, but of the children of God, heires of the promise (and consequently such as were beleevers) in this Church, in those old Testament times; wee are not therefore now in these new Testament times under the law as they were, the great difficulty therefore remaines to know how we are not under the law as they were. Those who say we are not under the Ceremonial law as they were, doe speak truely, but they doe not resolve the difficulty in this place; for certainly the Apostle speaks, not onelyonly of the Ceremoniall law, but also of that law which was given because of transgressions, Gal. 3.19. and which shut up (not onelyonly the Jewes) but all men under sinne, verse 22. which being the power of the morall law chiefely, the Apostle must therefore intend the morall law, under which the old Testament Beleevers were shut up, and we now are not: The doubt therefore still remaines, viz. How are we not now under the morall law? Will any say that we are not now under the malediction and curse and condemnation of it, but the Jewes under the old Testament were thus under it, even under the curse of it? This cannot be the meaning, for although the carnall Jewes were thus under it, yet the faithfull (whom the Apostle cals the heire and Lord of all, Gal. 4.1.) were not thus under it, for Beleevers then were as much blessed then with faithfull Abraham, as Beleevers now, cap. 3.9. How then are we not now under it as they were? Is it in this, that they were under it as a rule of life to walk by, and so are not we? Thus indeed some straine the place, but this cannot bee it; for the Apostle in this very Epistle presseth them to Love one another, upon this ground, because All the Law is fulfilled in love, cap. 5.13, 14. and this walking in love according to the law, is walking in the Spirit, verse 16. and they that thus walke in the spirit, according to the law, are not (saith the Apostle) under the law, which cannot, without flat contradiction, be meant of not being under the rule or directive power of it; and it would bee a miserable weake motive to presse them to love, because all the law is fulfilled in love, if the law was not to bee regarded as any rule of life or of love; for they might upon such a ground easily and justly object, and say, What have we to doe with the law? If we therfore as well as they, are thus under the law as a rule of life, how are wee not under it as they were? Is it because they were under it as a preparative means for Christ, and not wee? They were under the humbling and terrifying preparing worke of it, but not we: There are some indeed who think that this use of the law under the Gospel is but a back-doore, or an Indian path, or a crookt-way about, to lead to Jesus Christ; but certainly these men know not what they say, for the text expressely tels us, that the Scripture hath concluded (not onelyonly the Jewes) but All under sinne, that so the promise by faith, might be given to them that beleeve, Gal. 3.22. So that the law is subservient to faith and to the promise, that so hereby not onelyonly the Jewes, but all that God saves might hereby feele their need, and fly by faith to the promise made in Iesus Christ; and verily if Christ be the end of the law to every one that beleeves, Rom. 10.4. then the law is the meanes (not of it selfe, so much as by the rich grace of God) not onelyonly to the Iewes, but to all others to the end of the world, to lead them to this end Christ Iesus: If therefore the faithfull under the new Testament, are thus under the preparing worke of the law, as well as those under the old, How were they therefore so under the law, as we are not, and wee not under it as they were? I confesse the place is more full of difficulties than is usually observed by writers upon it, onelyonly for the clearing up of this doubt, omitting many things, I answer briefely, That the children of the old Testament were under the law and the pedagogy of it, two wayes, after which the children of the new Testament are not under it now, but are redeemed from it.
1. As the morall law was accompanied with a number of burdensome Ceremonies, thus wee are not under it, thus they were under it; For we know this law was put into the Ark, and there they were to look upon it in that type, if any man then committed any sinne against it, whether through infirmity, ignorance or presumption, they were to have recourse to the Sacrifices and High Priests yearely, and to their bloud and oblations: They were to pray (which was a morall duty) but it must bee with incense and in such a place: They were to be thankfull (another morall duty) but it must bee testified by the offering up of many Sacrifices upon the Altar, &c. They were to confesse their sinnes (a morall duty also) but it must be over the head of the Scape-goat, &c. Thus they were under the law, but we are not: And as 'tis usuall for the Apostle thus to speak of the law in other places of the Scripture, so surely hee speakes of it here, for hence it is that in the beginning of this dispute, cap. 3.19. hee speaks of the morall law which was given because of transgressions; and yet in the close of it, Gal. 4.3. he seemes to speak only of the ceremoniall law, which he cals the elements of the world, under which the children were then in bondage, as under Tutors and Governours; which implies thus much, that the children of the old Testament were indeed under the morall law, but yet withall as thus accompanied with ceremoniall rudiments and elements fit to teach children in their minority: But now in this elder age of the Church, although we are under the morall law in other respects, yet wee are not under it as thus accompanied.
2. In respect of the manner and measure of dispensation of the morall law, which although it had the revelation of the Gospel conjoyned with it (for Moses writ of Christ, Iohn 5.46. and Abraham had the Gospell preached to him, Gal. 3.8. and the unbeleeving Jewes had the Gospel preached, Heb. 4.2.) yet the law was revealed and pressed more clearely and strongly, with more rigour and terrour, and the Gospel was revealed more obscurely and darkly in respect of the manner of externall dispensation of them in those times; there were three things in that manner of dispensation, from which (at least ex parte Dei revelantis) we are now freed.
1. There was then much law urged, externally, clearly, and little Gospel so clearely revealed, indeed Gospel and Christ Iesus was the end of the morall law and the substance of all the shadowes of the ceremoniall law, but the externall face of these things was scarce any thing else but Doing and Law, by reason of which there is a vaile spread over the hearts of the lewes in reading the old Testament unto this day, as is evident 2 Cor. 3.13. so that the inside or end of the morall law being Gospel, and the out-side and meanes appointed to this end being law, hence the Gospel was then lesse clearly, and the law was more clearely revealed in those times; to say that Iesus Christ and his benefits, or eternall life were then dispensed under a Covenant of works, or sub conditione perfectae obedientiae (as some eminent Worthies affirm) is such an errour which wise and able men might easily fall into by seeing how much law was revealed and urged in those times; for though the law simply considered in it selfe contained the matter of the Covenant of works, yet considered relatively in respect of the people of God, and as they were under Abrahams Covenant of grace, so it was given to them as a rule of perfect righteousnesse, by both which they might the better see their owne weaknesse and unrighteousnesse …nd flye to Christ; and therefore the Apostle, Gal. 3.17. cals the promise which was made to Abraham, the Covenant, and gives not this title to the Law, but calls it the law which (he saith) could not disanull the Covenant, confirmed in Christ: and although it be propounded to them in way of Covenant, Exod. 19.5. yet this is to be understood (as some thinke) of Evangelicall keeping Covenant, not of legall; or if of legall, yet then it is not propounded simply as a Covenant of works, to convey Christ to them, but ex hypothesi or upon supposition, that if they did think to be Gods people and have him to be their God, by doing (as Iunius observes the carnall Jewes did thinke and hope so to have him, and as that young man thought, Mat. 19.17.) as Chamier observes) that then they must keep all these Commandments perfectly, and to bee accursed if they did not continue therein: I dare not therefore say, that Christ and eternall life were dispensed in a Covenant of works, under which Covenant the Iewes were shut in old Testament times: but rather this, that the law was more strongly pressed as a yoke upon their shoulders, and that this law which containes the Covenant of works was more plentifully revealed and insisted on, and the Gospel more sparingly and darkly: but now in Gospel times the day-starre is risen (though in few mens hearts) yet in the doctrine and cleare revelation of it therein, and therefore the Gospel is called the mystery hidden from ages and generations past, but now is made manifest to his Saints, Col. 1.…6. which cannot bee meant as if they had no knowledge of it, for Abraham saw Christs day, and there is a cloud of witnesses in the Old Testament who dyed in faith, Heb. 11. but not such cleare knowledge of it as now: they were therefore then under the Law as servants (because so much working and doing was urged and chiefely revealed) but indeed were sonnes and heires: but wee now are not so under it, but are as sonnes having the Lord Iesus and our fathers face in him clearely revealed, and faith in him chiefely and most abundantly urged in his blessed Gospel: and thus the Apostle tels us in this Text, Gal. 4.1. with 4.5. that the heires of the Promise under the Old Testament were as servants, but by Christ… comming we are now as sonnes; look also as they are said to be under the Law, not as if they had no Gospel revealed or no use of the Gospel, but onelyonly because the Gospel was more darkly revealed, and the Law more plentifully urged, so we are said not to be under the Law, not as if there was no Law or no use of the Law belonging to us, but because now the Gospel is more clearely revealed, and the Law not externally so proposed and imposed as it was upon them.
2. The Law was a Schoolmaster, Tutor and Governour to lead them unto Christ to come, for so the Apostle tels us in this place, Gal. 3.23. that before faith came, we were shut up under the Law, unto the faith, which should afterward be revealed: Thus the Ceremoniall law pointed to Christ to come, the morall law discovered mans sinne and misery, and need of Christ who was to come; nay, all the promises were made with reference to Iesus Christ to come: but now the fulnesse of time being come, that the Sonne of God is come, now we are no longer under the Law after this manner, neither ceremoniall or morall law are of any use to us to lead us unto Christ to come, for Christ is already come: and hence it is that Beleevers now are said to be rather under the Gospel than under the Law, and Beleevers under the Old Testament to be rather under the Law than under the Gospel: because although these had the efficacy of Christs Redemption, yet they were not yet actually redeemed, because the Redeemer was not yet come into the flesh, and in this respect they were under the rigour of the law, and hence it was fit that they should bee handled as servants, and the law and curse thereof principally revealed: but now Christ being come, and having actually redeemed us, having been (not onelyonly virtually but actually) made righteousnesse and a curse for us: now therefore is the time that we should see Christ Iesus with open face, and hear principally concerning faith and the fathers love in him: now Christ is revealed chiefely (being come) the end of the Law, then the Law was revealed chiefely (Christ being not yet come) as the meanes to this end: looke therefore as the promise before Christ, of which the Apostle speaks, Gal. 3.17, 18, 19, 21, 22. was fulfilled in Christ being come (as Divines speak) rather than abolished, and yet abolished as it was a promise of grace to come: so the morall law is rather fulfilled than abolished in Christ being come, and yet as it did lead unto Christ to come, it is abolished to us now under the Gospel.
3. The law being principally revealed, and yet so revealed as to lead unto Christ Jesus to come, hence ariseth a third thing of the law from which we are now delivered, viz. they were therefore under more terrour and feare of the Law than we are (on Gods part revealing the Gospel more clearely) in these times; and therefore saith the Apostle, Gal. 4.4, 5, 6. that when the fulnesse of time came, God sent his Sonne to redeeme us from under the Law, that wee might receive the adoption of Sonnes, and thereby the Spirit of Sonnes crying, Abba, Father: could not they who were Sonnes under the Law call God Father? yes verily, doubtlesse thou art our Father say they, Isaiah 63.17. but they having lesse light they had more feare and lesse of the Spirit of Adoption, I say still (ex parte Dei revelantis) than we have in these dayes: We are not therefore so under the law, i. the feare and terrour of the law as they were: the summe of all this is, that although we are not so under the law, 1. so accompanied, and 2. so dispensed, as they were under the Old Testament, yet this hinders not but that we are under the directive power of the Law as well as they.
Thesis 109.
The Apostle speakes of a law written and engraven on stones, and therefore of the morall Law, which is now abolished by Christ in the Gospel, 2 Cor. 3.6, 7, 11, 13. Is the morall law therefore abolished as a rule of life now? no verily, but the meaning of this place is (as the former, Gal. 3.25.) for the Apostle speaking of the morall Law by a Synecdoche, comprehends the ceremoniall law also, both which the false Teachers, in those times urged as necessary to salvation and justification at least together with Christ, against whom the Apostle here disputes: the morall Law therefore is abolished first as thus accompanied with a yoke of Ceremonies, secondly, as it was formerly dispensed, the glorious and greater light of the Gospel now obscuring that lesser light under the Law, and therefore the Apostle, vers. 10. doth not say that there was no glory shining in the Law, but it had no comparative glory in this respect, by reason of the glory which excelleth: and lastly the Apostle may speak of the morall Law considered as a Covenant of life which the false teachers urged, in which respect he cals it the Ministry of death and the letter which killeth, and the ministers of it (who were called Nazarei and Minei as Bullinger thinks) the Ministers of the letter,Bulling. in loc. which although it was virtually abolished to the beleeving Jews before Gospell times (the vertue of Christs death extending to all times) yet it was not then abolished actually untill Christ came in the flesh, and actually undertooke to fullfill this Covenant for us to the utmost farthing of doing and suffering which is exacted, and now it is abolished both virtually and actually, that now we may with open face behold the glory of the Lord as the end of the law for righteousnesse to every one that doth beleeve.