A Discourse of the Two Covenants, Book 1 · Chapter 41
CHAP. IV. The Rigor and Coactive power of the Law.
Gal. 5.18, But if you be led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.
SECT. I. Wherein the Coactive power of the Law conſiſts.
§. 1. THere is a double ſenſe of theſe words given by Interpreters, and both may very well be put together. The Apoſtle having ſaid before, That in a godly man there are two contrary principles, fleſh and ſpirit, and they luſt and act one againſt another, ſo that they cannot do the things they would, but when they would do good evil is preſent with them; he adds here a conſolation to bear up their hearts in this, which is the greateſt conflict upon earth, between fleſh and ſpirit in the ſame heart, and that which made them to look upon themſelves as miſerable men all their days, Rom. 7.24, but if you are led by the ſpirit you are not under the law: that is, though there be a principle of fleſh in you, and this principle is ſinful, contrary to the Law, and condemned by the Law; yet it ſhall never prevail to condemn you, though it will many times to defile you, for you are not under the Law for condemnation: they may be and will be matter of your trouble and affliction here, but never the matter of your condemnation hereafter. And ſo the meaning is, that the godly that have received the ſpirit of Grace, and ſubmit themſelves willingly to be acted and guided thereby, though they have the remainders of ſin in them that deſerve death, yet they ſhall never infer death; becauſe they are not for the condition of their perſons under the Laws condemning power, Rom. 8.1. Though there be in the Saints matter of condemnation, yet there is in them no actual condemnation. There is a ſecond interpretation given of it, and that is, That though there be remainders of ſin, contrary luſtings within you, ſo that you cannot do the things you would do, but all your performances … blemiſhed and defiled; as a Collier and Fuller dwelling in the ſame houſe, what the one whites, the other pollutes: Yet this ſhall not make your ſervices hateful before God, ſhall not hinder their acceptation; for you are not under the rigor and conviction of the Law, requiring perfect obedience, or elſe it cannot be accepted, as it is with all unregenerate men: but you are not ſo under the Law, neither ſhall this contrary principle be wholly able to hinder you in duties; for you are not under the Law conſtraining you, and forcibly compelling unto duty, without giving you ſtrength to perform it; but you have a ſpirit within you, as well as a rule without you, the one directing, and the other aſſiſting and inabling. Both theſe will make one compleat ſenſe, and are for conſolation to the condition of thoſe that are in Chriſt; that though corruptions may remain in them, yet they ſhall never prevail againſt them to their condemnation, neither ſhall they hinder their acceptation with the Lord in the midſt of all their failings.
We muſt conſider that the diſpenſations of God to every man are according to the Covenant under which he ſtands, and the adminiſtrations of both Covenants are ever ſince the fall in the hand of Chriſt as Mediator; he diſpenſeth the Curſe of the firſt Covenant as well as the Grace of the ſecond; and at the day of Judgment it is the Man Chriſt Jeſus that ſhall ſay to the wicked, Go you curſed, as well as to the Saints, Come you bleſſed, &c. Now for the adminiſtration of all things according to this great truſt, Jeſus Chriſt as Mediator has received the ſpirit as a ſpirit of union, and a ſpirit of unction: and this ſpirit is the viceroy, or prorex, that works all the works and all the adminiſtrations of Chriſt in this great Kingdom: only he diſpenſes this ſpirit to ſome as a Lord, and to others as a head, unto ſome only as a ſpirit of qualification for ſervice, unto others as a ſpirit of ſanctification for their Salvation. So that all that Chriſt does, he does by the ſpirit; and anſwerable unto the condition of the perſon, ſo is the ſpirit that works in him: all is wrought ſuitably unto the Covenant under which he ſtands; if the man be under the firſt Covenant he is a bondman, for his Covenant genders unto bondage, and all the works of the ſpirit of God in that man are only the works of bondage, and this ſpirit is a ſpirit of fear. There is a double ſpirit by which wicked men are acted: there is a ſpirit of the world, that works effectually in the children of diſobedience; the ſtrong man armed keeps the houſe, and they are taken by him, as beaſts taken alive and led captive at his will:2 Tim. 2.26. and this ſpirit does act them wholly in moſt of the acts of their lives; but God has reſerved unto himſelf a Judicature in the man, and that is Conſcience, but this commonly works not: there is a fearedneſs, a ſpirit of ſlumber and ſenſleſneſs, a being paſt feeling, that ſin has brought upon it; but ſometimes the ſpirit of God comes into the Court of Conſcience, and awakens it, and then it ſpeaks in Gods name unto the man, and therefore it is ſaid to be foreign, a Conſcience, and it is always a cowitneſs, Rom. 9.1. A renewed Conſcience can never work of it ſelf, nor witneſs of it ſelf; neither does a natural Conſcience, but as it is acted by the ſpirit of God. Now if the man be in the condition of a ſervant, the ſpirit does witneſs unto him, and ſpeaks in his Conſcience nothing but fear and bondage; and therefore it is called, anſwerable to the condition of the man, a ſpirit of bondage. But if the man be under the ſecond Covenant, and in the condition of a ſon, then the ſpirit does ſpeak peace, favour and acceptance unto him, and liberty, and is a ſpirit of Sonſhip. Not that in a godly man there is never any thing elſe ſpoken; but from Rom. 8.15, where the Apoſtle ſays, You have not received the ſpirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the ſpirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba, father, I conclude, The Spirit of God never ſpeaks bondage to a godly man; that he is in a ſtate of bondage and death, and binding a man over to wrath again; though ſometimes God leaving a man unto the ſpirit of Satan, he may ſpeak ſo in his heart, and tell him he is unregenerate, and then the darkneſs of a mans own ſpirit may be apt to gather ſuch concluſions: but the Spirit of God does never ſpeak any thing unto a Saint concerning his eternal ſtate but liberty, after his tranſlation out of the firſt Covenant. Every regenerate man having received the Spirit of Chriſt, and his Covenant being changed, this ſpirit has undertaken to be dux viae, his guide, Joh. 16.to lead him on in his way, till he comes to glory. Now a man that is in Chriſt, and has received the Spirit of Chriſt, and is led by that Spirit, Rom. 8.14. that man is not under the Law neither for condemnation, nor for coaction; therefore every man that is out of Chriſt, and not led by this Spirit, but has received a ſpirit of bondage, he is under the Law both theſe ways.
§. 2. Hence we obſerve, Doct. Tom. 4. p. 87.That every man that is out of Chriſt is under the coaction and rigor of the Law. Auſtin upon this place in the Galatians makes a fourfold ſtate of man. (1) Ante legem, before the Law; when a man did ſin without the knowledg of ſin, and committed it without reſtraint or controul; and ſo it is with many men that lay the reins upon their luſts necks. (2) Sub lege, under the law, &c. when a man does ſtrive againſt ſin, his Conſcience being convinced that it is ſin, but yet he is over-come though he does ſtrive. (3) Sub gratia, under Grace; though many times in the fleſh they ſerve the law of ſin, conſuetudine paenali, by a penal cuſtome, yet they do ſtrive againſt it, and they are not wholly overcome; ſin doth not reign in their mortal bodies. (4) In pace, in peace, when the conflict is perfectly ended, the victory is won, and ſin is perfectly overcome; as it is in Heaven, when they ſhall enter into reſt and peace, &c. Every man out of Chriſt is in the firſt, or the ſecond rank; either he is without the Law, as Paul was, and does go on in ſin without controul, becauſe without the Law ſin is dead; or elſe he is under the Law in the condemnation of it, and in the rigor and coaction of it. They that are in Chriſt here are under grace; and the ſouls of juſt men made perfect, that are tranſlated into Glory, they are entred into peace, each walking in his uprightneſs while they were here below.
The beſt way to open this rigor and coaction of the Law, will be to ſhew wherein it does conſiſt, and how a man out of Chriſt is under it, and how in Chriſt he is delivered from it. The Law exacts of a man perfect obedience, or elſe there is no acceptation either of his perſon or his works. God had no reſpect to Cain and to his offering,Gen. 4.4. becauſe of the failing that was in it, had he done well he ſhould have been accepted: and therefore ſee the glorious ſervice of Jehu, to which God gave ſo great a teſtimony,2 King. 10.31. that he had done what was right in Gods eyes, and according to all that was in his heart; and yet Jehu had a by-end, which blaſts all his ſervice, and turns it into murder in Gods account; for Hoſ. 1.4, he ſays, He will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the houſe of Jehu. Bona opera non renatorum mortalia.So in all the ſervices of unregenerate men their good works are mortal ſins; God rejects them all for the leaſt failing, and there is nothing counted a prayer, or an alms, or hearing, or any duty: and this is a rigor and a great ſtraight that every unregenerate man is in, he muſt pray; and yet becauſe he cannot pray without ſin, therefore his prayer is an abomination to the Lord, and there is nothing that he can do is accepted with the Lord.
Now from this rigor a man in Chriſt is freed; there is an imperfection in the beſt ſervices of the Saints, which they deſire God not to enter into judgment with them for: and Nehemiah can pray to be pardoned, and yet to be remembred and rewarded for the ſame actions; for there is fleſh and ſpirit in the ſame man,Terret me vita mea, &c. Anſelm. and they act and luſt one againſt the other in whatſoever the man does; which have made ſome of the Saints look upon their life with horror: and yet if the man be in Chriſt the duty is accepted, and the other rejected that is out of Chriſt,Apparet mihi aut peccatum, aut ſterilitas, tota vita mea. Phil. 4.18. 2 Cor. 8.12. becauſe their perſons and ſervices are not accepted in the beloved; and if found in him the meaneſt ſervice is accepted, if it be but giving an alms it is an offering of a ſweet ſmelling ſavour, and is well-pleaſing unto God; a willing mind is accepted according to what a man has: but a man out of Chriſt is under the rigor of the Law for the acceptation of his ſervices; they muſt be perfect, or elſe they ſhall be rejected of God for their leaſt failings.
2. The Law exacts duties of every unregenerate man, but it gives a man no ſtrength to perform them; for Lex reſpicit hominem conditum, the Law regards man created, as having received ſtrength from God to perform it, and requiring ſtrength gives it not; Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy might; not only with all the ſtrength thou haſt, but with all that I gave thee in thy creation. But the Goſpel does reſpect man fallen, and therefore requires not duty by a mans own ſtrength. The Law forbids ſin, and lays the burden of duties upon a man, but gives no ſtrength to bear it, which becauſe a man through ſin has loſt, therefore he ſinks under it for ever. So that the Law to a natural man is like the Egyptian task-maſters, it calls for the whole tale of bricks, but yet there muſt no ſtraw be given. The Law gives a man no ſtrength, and yet it calls upon every unregenerate man for perfect obedience, though he be dead in treſpaſſes and ſins, and cannot ſo much as think a good thought. But to a man in Chriſt it is far otherwiſe, the Law calls for duty, and the Goſpel gives the ability to perform it; for there is a promiſe goes with the command, if the Lord command you to cleanſe your ſelves, he ſaith, I will pour out clean water, and you ſhall be clean from your filthineſs; if he requires, that you ſhould be fruitful in every good word and work, he does promiſe, that you ſhall grow up as willows by the water-courſes, and as calves of the ſtall, &c. The deſart ſhall bloſſome as a roſe, they ſhall bring forth fruits in their old age; they ſhall be fat and flouriſhing; their beauty ſhall be as the olive-tree, and their ſmell as Lebanon. He ſays, Make you a new heart, &c. a new heart alſo will I give you. Again, ſaith he, Thou ſhalt fear the Lord thy God; and he promiſeth, I will put my fear in their hearts, that they ſhall never depart from me. He ſaith, Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart; and he promiſes, I will circumciſe your hearts to love, &c. It is in Goſpel, as it is in the body, there are veins and arteries, the blood is conveyed in the one, and the ſpirits in the other; if there were blood without ſpirits there would be nothing but weakneſs, but the Goſpel takes both together, the ſpirits with the blood; ſo that a man in Chriſt is free from the rigor of the Law, alſo in this reſpect, that it requires duty but gives no ſtrength to perform what it requires.
3. To an unregenerate man though it command duty, yet it lays it upon him as a burden which he hates; it commands duty but it gives him no inward love to it, or delight in it, and yet he muſt do it though he hates it: a duty without is required, but a principle of love within is not ingrafted, ſo that a wicked man doth duties as a godly man does commit ſins, Rom. 7, That which I hate that do I. 1 Tim. 1.9, The law is not made for a righteous man. Some place the emphaſis in the word foreign, it is not laid upon him as a burden, which he hates and deſires to be freed from, but he has a law of love within him, an inward principle that anſwers the law without,Heb. 8.10. a law written in his heart, an inward and ſecret Bible, that he always carries with him, that though he were not forced to it by a law without, yet there is in his heart an inward principle, a law within. And therefore Chryſoſtome doth diſtinguiſh men into two ſorts that make uſe of the law, men that live under the law, and men that live above the law; that is, that have not only a law without commanding, but within a law reſtraining; ſo that a man out of Chriſt is under the law as a yoke, and as a burden that no man is able to bear, which he hates but cannot love.
4. To an unregenerate man though the law command duty, yet as he cannot love it, ſo he can take no delight in it: it does indeed exact it of him, but ſo as he groans under it, and does ſnuff at it, and ſays, what a wearineſs is it; and his heart loaths it, and he can take no pleaſure in it, from day to day, he looks upon it as his only miſery, chains and fetters of iron, &c. Joh. 5.3.But to a godly man the Commandments of God are not grievous; it is a foreign, meioſis, that is, they are very pleaſing and delightſome; they are dearer than thouſands of gold and ſilver, they are ſweeter than honey and the honey-comb. Mat. 11. ult. My yoke is eaſie, and my burthen is light, is taken from the agility of Harts to eſcape; foreign, you may delight your ſelf in it: It is ſo far from taking away the comfort of your lives, that it will exceedingly add thereto; it is a regenerate mans meat and drink to do the will of his Heavenly Father, and his ſoul is ſatisfied in it as with marrow and fatneſs; he binds the law of God as frontlets upon his eyes, and as a chain about his neck; they are the great ornaments that he delights to wear; the ways of wiſdom are ways of pleaſantneſs, and all her paths peace. And this I conceive to be the meaning of the Apoſtle, Rom. 7.6, To ſerve in the newneſs of the ſpirit, and not in the oldneſs of the letter: the oldneſs of the letter is only the letter requiring duty without, and the newneſs of the ſpirit is the heart delighted with duty within,Spiritu novo & ſpontaneo. to ſerve God with a free and a Princely ſpirit.
5. The law forbids ſin, but it heals it not; it does revive it, but it does not caſt it out, Rom. 7.9, When the commandment came ſin revived and I died; it does ſhew men ſin, and trouble their conſciences for it: but it is but as Ezekiels pot, the ſcum riſes and boils in again. Had Paul gone no further than the Law, ſin might have revived by that, and the man have died again, but ſin would never have died, that he might live: for though a man do abſtain from it for fear and out of a ſlaviſh ſpirit, yet he loves it ſtill, and deſires it ſtill; becauſe the law may keep a man from acting ſin, but it will never ſtir up a man to the hatred of ſin, and then a man is ſaid to be under the law indeed. Luther has a ſtory of one that did uſe to relate of himſelf, how it was with him before he was brought home to Chriſt; I more than a thouſand times promiſed to God in duties more than I could perform; and ſo he came at laſt to be out of hope ever to perform them, which he ſays was to him pia & ſancta deſperatio, an holy deſpair; and this brought him home to Chriſt. When a man has lookt upon the law long, that ſaith, Thou ſhalt not commit adultery, and thou ſhalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain, and yet the heart of the man is carried after the ſin; though he may abſtain from the outward act, yet his ſpirit boiles after it; he may pray againſt it, and vow againſt it, and yet ſtill the grace that muſt ſubdue it muſt come from the Goſpel. But now a man in Chriſt he has his nature changed, and ſo his pleaſures and delights are changed, and he ſays, I am not I, as Auguſtine ſaid. Others wonder how you can live without theſe things, that you were ſo much delighted with heretofore; alas! the new nature wonders as much at the old. A new nature brings new delights, and now ſuave eſt iſtis ſuavitatibus carere, it is ſweet to want thoſe ſweets.
6. The Law carries a man to God as a Judg. God does give the Law a Soveraignty, and ſo doth judg all men according to this Law, without reſpect of perſons, according to their works; which fills a mans Conſcience full of doubtful inquiries, Rom. 10.5, And the righteouſneſs of the law ſays, who ſhall aſcend up to heaven or fetch Chriſt down, &c. And a mans heart is full of jealouſie of God, and he does apprehend that he has offended God; he does wiſh there were no God. So the ſoul looks upon God as one that will ſtrictly obſerve what has been done amiſs, and he ſtands afar off from God, and cares not for coming near the Lord. But a man in Chriſt, the Goſpel carries him unto God as unto a Father; My Father, ſays Chriſt, and your Father, my God, and your God. Mal. 3.16, He will ſpare them as a father does his ſon that ſerves him. He accepts of his endeavours, when there is a willing mind; he takes any thing well becauſe it is from a child. And there is an inward principle of affection and eternal love that carries God towards the man. And ſo in the mans approaches to God in duties there is a great deal of ſweetneſs and confidence, when in an other mans duties there is a great deal of terrour and amazement; becauſe in the one he comes to God as a Judg, through the exacting of the Law, and there he is full of fear, for he expects a doleful ſentence; and the other man comes to God as a Father, and he fears not accuſation nor a rejection.
7. It does force a man to ſee ſin whether he will or no, and ſets it, yea holds it before the mans eyes, when his deſire is to caſt it behind his back. There is no unregenerate man in the world, that is either willing to ſee his duty, or his iniquity and obliquity; not his duty, and therefore he caſts the Law of God behind his back as a thing that he is not willing to ſee, and is moſt willing to put away from him, Neh. 9.26, And caſt the law behind their backs, Pſal. 50.17: 2 Pet. 3.5.and ſlew the Prophets which teſtified againſt them; and therefore they are ſaid, to hide their eyes, and to be willingly ignorant; neither would they ſee, and therefore they deſire not to look into that glaſs which diſcovers their ſins; but Iſa. 29.21, They hate them that reprove in the gate: they have many pleas to juſtifie themſelves in an evil way, and to extenuate their ſins; and they do call light darkneſs, and darkneſs light, evil good, and good evil; and they love to have Prophets that ſhould call them ſo alſo.
Now comes the Law as a glaſs, and that diſcovers duty and makes men to ſee their ſins, and the duties that they hate, and the evil of the ſin which they love and delight in. The Law is in Scripture reſembled unto a glaſs, and a glaſs it is two ways, as it diſcovers duty: and ſo it is of uſe in four things;Jam. 1.24. (1) As a glaſs it ſhews to a man that holineſs …ure and life that God did give unto him, and require of him in his ſtate of innocency, which condition man has loſt now; and if a man look into the nature and lives of the beſt men, he can find only ſome veſtigia and poor beginnings of it, which are not indicia veteris hominis, but rudimenta novi, not indices of the old man, but rudiments of the new. (2) Chriſt was our ſurety made under the Law, and anſwered the precept and the curſe; and the Lord rather required (if we may compare it) that the precept ſhould be fulfilled, than the curſe be born; becauſe the principal intention of the Lords giving the Law was obedience to the precept, and not the ſuffering of the curſe: now all that holineſs that was required of Chriſt and performed by him, either in nature or life, we may behold in the Law: thus the righteouſneſs of the Law is fulfilled in us, there is in our juſtification a commutation of the perſon, but not of the righteouſneſs. (3) The Law is unto the Saints a glaſs that ſhews them the obedience that the Lord doth require of them: the Goſpel indeed gives grace to obey, but the Goſpel requires no other obedience but that which the Law does diſcover as a rule, a man muſt look into the perfect law of liberty and continue therein. Pſal. 119.6, I ſhall not be aſhamed when I have reſpect unto all thy commandments, &c. (4) It is the glaſs of perfection in the life to come, Joh. 3.2, When he ſhall appear we ſhall be like him. There ſhall be a perfect conformity in nature, and life in us unto the Law in all things, and we ſhall be every one of us living Scripture, and walking Bibles, for the word of the Lord is written in the heart, and turned into grace enduring for ever, &c. Here indeed we have little conformity to the Law of God, but hereafter our holineſs ſhall be perfected.
2. By the Law is the knowledg of ſin; when the commandment came ſin revived, and I died. As a glaſs ſet before a man diſcovers his ſpots, and as the light coming into a dark place ſhews our filthineſs that before was hid. An unregenerate man would never ſee his ſin, nor ſearch himſelf, nor turn into his own heart and try his ways, if the Law did not make theſe diſcoveries. All reflex thoughts he hates; and if at any time he be forced into them, and hath a glimpſe of himſelf, that does affright him, that he does begin to ſee his own uglineſs and deformity, and ſmell the ſavour of his own filthineſs, even the ſepulcher that is within him; he doth immediately turn from it as an unpleaſing ſight, which he is no ways willing to behold and fix his eyes upon:Jam. 1. Beholding his natural face in a glaſs he forgets what manner of man he was. Though he may remember the notions of a Sermon that are ſpeculative to adorn his underſtanding, yet the diſcoveries of his own ſin and ſelf in a Sermon, he doth quickly forget, and therein the main forgetfulneſs of a hearer of the Law lyes.
Now the Law has a conſtraining power, and ſets a mans ſins in order before him, and makes a man ſee his own vileneſs, and holds it to his eyes that he cannot look off it; but he crys out,Pſal. 50. my iniquity is always before me; as it was with Judas, his ſin in betraying innocent blood was ſtill ſo preſent with him, that he choſe ſtrangling rather than any income of comfort from any creature; he quickly returned the thirty pieces of ſilver again. So let all unregenerate men go from one creature to another, and build Cities like Cain, and add to their recreation and pleaſures of ſin; yet ſtill the ſight of ſin is by the light in this glaſs ſet before them, and haeret lateri lethalis arundo, the mortal dart ſticks in his ſide.
8. It forces men to a ſelf-judgment and condemnation for ſin, and an expectation of the judgment of God for it. Every natural man is willing to acquit himſelf, and to put off the thoughts of judgment; to put far from them the evil day, and to ſay, I ſhall ſit as a lady for ever, and ſhall ſee no ſorrow: or, cry peace, peace, when ſudden deſtruction comes upon him. For there doth two evils go with a way of ſinning,Iſa. 2.1. (1) a hard heart; (2) a ſpirit of deep ſleep, that a man is willing to ſleep and not to wake to ſee his danger; as one that lyes down in the middle of the ſea,Prov. 23.34. or as one that ſleeps on the top of a maſt: but a gracious heart troubles himſelf for ſin, and lays the judgment of God to the ſin, and labours to bring his heart to a trembling frame under the ſenſe of it;Joh. 11. as we ſee in Joſiah and in Chriſt himſelf: and ſo do all the godly, if any affliction befall a child of God, if he be judged of God, he does clear God in it,Pſal. 51.4. Rom. 3. and willingly takes the blame upon himſelf, that he may juſtifie God; but the property of a … regenerate man is to juſtifie God; but the property of an unregenerate man is to juſtifie himſelf and to condemn God.Job 40.8. Says the Apoſtle Paul, is God unrighteous? I ſpeak as a man. Says Job, Wilt thou diſanull my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou maiſt be righteous? It is the diſpoſition that is in the heart of men by nature, to condemn God, that they may juſtifie themſelves.
Now the Law of God comes in with the coaction of it, and that forces this man to judg himſelf, and to fill him with fear and expectation of wrath, Rom. 3.20, That all fleſh may become guilty; that they may appear and acknowledge themſelves guilty before God, Rom. 7, Sin revived and I died; that is, ſeeing ſelf in a ſtate of death; and this is called the ſpirit of fear, Rom. 8.15. and a receiving of judgment, Heb. 10. This we may ſee in the Devils, they know there is a time of torment coming, wrath unto which they are reſerved, and they believe it and tremble; and that never-dying worm that ſhall be in Hell is nothing elſe but from this coaction of the Law, and the ſpirit of God ſetting a mans ſins in order before him, whereon there follows ſelf-accuſation, and ſelf-condemnation, together with perfect fear, perfect ſorrow and deſpair for ever.
SECT. II. Whence the Law hath this Coactive power.
WHence is it that the Law hath this Coactive power? It does ariſe from theſe ground:§. 1.
1. From the Sovereignty of God in the Law, it is the Royal Law, as being the rule of mans duty, and the whole will of God concerning him; that rule according to which man ſhould walk, in which he ſhould be accept,Eccleſ. 12. ult. Rom. 2.12. and by which he ſhall be judged at the laſt and great day; for they that have ſinned under the law ſhall be judged by the law. And Chriſt that ſhall be the Judge ſaith, I will not judge you, but there is one that judges you, even Moſes, in whom ye truſt. And though man has ſinned and broken the Law, and endeavoured to caſt it off, yet he is held ſtill under the authority and ſoveraignty of the ſame Law, Rom. 7.1, 2, A man is ſubject to the law as long as he lives: and ſo long as a man lives in a natural ſtate, ſo long he is under this Law as a Covenant, and the Law does foreign, Lord it over him in full dominion; for the Law rules in the authority and ſoveraignty of God; it is the great Expanſum that God has ſpread over the rational world of mankind while they …re in their natural ſtate, by which they are to be ruled, and by which they ſhall be judged; …nd this is the main ground of all the rigor and coaction of the Law.
2. There is in unregenerate men a natural conſcience. I call it natural (as our Divines uſe … ſay) becauſe it acts only by natural principles, and is in every man naturally, in oppoſi…on to a renewed conſcience; which I conceive to be an ability in the underſtanding of a …han to judg of actions and ſtates according unto the rule that is preſcribed by God:Gal. 6.16. Rom. 2. (1) Con…ience muſt have a rule, and that rule is the Law of God, which is regula regulans; where…s conſcience is only regula regulata, as a rule ruled by the Divine Law (2) The things ſub…cted unto the judgment of conſcience are a mans actions and his ſtate, and that not only …hat he has done, but what he is to do, and conſcience does paſs a ſentence of Good and …d Evil upon both, what is to be imbraced and followed, and what is to be avoided: and …ough cuſtom in ſinning wear out the power of conſcience exceedingly; and in ſome men … is leſs than in others, for they have their Conſcience ſeared, 1 Tim. 9.2.as the word foreign ſig…fies, and ſo to harden the place, or elſe to cut off with ſearing; ſome men have very brawny …d inſenſible Conſciences, and do ſeem to walk without any Conſcience at all, as to live …ithout God in the world, and ſo walk without Conſcience in the world, and are leſs un…r the power of it than other men are: yet there is no man but his Conſcience has a power …er him to conſtrain him to duty, and reſtrain him from ſin in ſome meaſure, and that by … authority of the Law of God. And if God awaken Conſcience by ſome great affliction, …our of death or judgment, the power of it will quickly appear over them; we may ſee … Judas, who was a Devil, a man exceedingly given up to ſpiritual wickedneſs, and one … had a very ſeared Conſcience; for Chriſt had told him it had been good for him never to have been born: we ſee all the other Diſciples did abhor and fear the very hearing of the …ct, yet Judas afterwards with a brazen face asks Chriſt, Maſter is it I; but yet when …od did awaken Judas's Conſcience we ſee the power that the …aw had upon him, &c.
3. The Spirit of God comes into the Conſciences of men; for Conſcience is a relative …culty, and does not work by it ſelf, but does accuſe and excuſe by the concurrence of …e ſpirit; and the ſpirit that is given a man, is anſwerable unto his Covenant. The ſecond …ovenant makes men ſons, and the priviledge of it is the adoption of ſons, therefore the …irit that accompanies this Covenant is a ſpirit of adoption, and makes them all free-men; … the Covenant is a free Covenant, it is Gal. 4. reſembled by Sarah the free woman; but …e firſt Covenant unto man fallen, is a Covenant that genders to bondage, and there are …ne under it but bondmen, and therefore it is reſembled by Hagar the bondwoman. Now …e ſpirit of this Covenant is a ſpirit of bondage, and all that it works in a man, is fear and …rrour, binding a man over to wrath upon neglect of duty, and threatning vengeance, and …lling the ſoul with horrour and amazement, telling a man of wrath and judgment to come; …d the conſtraint that is upon his ſoul in reference to theſe is very great.
4. There is in a man a principle of ſelf-love deſiring good, and fearing of evil; for no …atural man can act from a higher principle than ſelf, in whatever he does, and therefore it is …race that gives ſelf-denial; So much ſelf-denial ſo much grace; ſo much ſelf-ſeeking ſo much …rruption, there is in every man. Hence it is when a mans Conſcience does tell a man of the …od of obedience, and the happy end thereof, as Balaam did ſee it, and therefore deſired …at his death might be like unto the Saints; and a Herod may reform and do many things, …d ſo many do good rationally, that never did it obedientially; do it to do good to them…ves, but never to bring glory unto God, as we ſee it in Jehu; and yet many men having taſted of the powers of the world to come, and having had ſome great apprehenſions of the good of the ways of God, they may go very far and be conſtrained to do much for God, as we ſee it in Alexander, that afterwards proved an Apoſtate and a Perſecutor, and yet did much for God for a ſeaſon, and afterwards fell away. And when Conſcience doth tell a man of the danger of ſin, and preſents to a man Hell and wrath as the conſequence of it, though it be a way that ſeems good to a man, yet it leads down to the chambers of death, and carries a man to the end of his journey, and tells him that the fiery lake is but a little before, and comes with the threatning of God as the Angel did to Balaam, with a drawn ſword in his hand: a man may ſay I will turn back again if my way be perverſe before thee, and he may turn away from the ſins that he loves moſt dearly, he may caſt up his vomit with the dog, and leave the mire with the ſwine; but it is only in fear of ſome evil, and not from a principle wrought in a man, that is the ground thereof. There is a double principle that moves all things, either a principle of life within, or elſe a principle from without; either weights or ſprings, as it is in Clocks or Watches, which makes the motion; ſo many men may move to duty, and abſtain from ſin not from an inward principle of life in the one or the other, but from a weight without.
5. There is in every unregenerate man a ſinful and unrenewed heart, deceitful above all things,Jer. 17.10. and deſperately evil, a heart fully ſet in him to do evil; and becauſe this is natural, therefore his heart is fully bent to go this way; ſo that let him be conſtrained to do duty, yet he will hate the duty that he does, and count it a wearineſs, and look upon it as a burden,Mallet non facere ſi poſſet impune. and ſay, When will the Sabbath be gone? And let him be kept from ſin, yet he will love it ſtill: if you chain up a Beaſt from the prey, yet his inclination will be after it; and keep the ſtone from the Center and force it up into the air as often as you will, it will ſtill return; and when it comes down to the earth, and can deſcend no further, yet it will have a tendency thereunto. So Conſcience th… is meerly natural, counts it its miſery and affliction to be kept from ſin, for reſtrain it from ſin never ſo much, it will at laſt break theſe bounds, and will be carried on with the greater fury, greedineſs and violence; becauſe of the former reſtraint that was put upon it, and the Devil will enter with ſeven worſe ſpirits; the dog will return to his vomit, and the latter end will be worſe than the beginning, it had been better that man had never known the way of righteouſneſs; for he will be more wicked than if he had never known it. Thus let the man have a heart ſet upon luſt, and let the power of the Law come into his Conſcience acted by the Spirit, it's no wonder if it ſo far over-awe the man as to reſtrain him from ſin, and conſtrain him to duty.
§. 2. But is a godly man that is under the Covenant of Grace wholly freed from the Coaction of the Law?
Anſw. This diſtinction was laid down in the beginning, that though the main part of our Chriſtian Liberty conſiſts in being freed from the Law, yet this liberty is in this life either inchoata, or perfecta, in reſpect of juſtification and condemnation. A godly man is perfectly freed from the Law as a Covenant, but in reſpect of Irritation and Coaction he is freed from theſe effects of it only in part. We have ſeen how far the Irritation of the Law remains even in the regenerate, and it is like lime which does quench thoſe fires ſometimes kindles … Sin while it does remain and is acted by Satan, may take occaſion by the Commandment, and produce woful effects even in the Saints; ſo for the Coaction of the Law they are not wholly freed from it ſo far as they are unregenerate, and the law of the fleſh remains in their members; the Law is of uſe to them, and a handmaid to the Goſpel, and they do and ought to make uſe of legal motives to conſtrain to duty, and to reſtrain from ſin; and the Law is to be preached to the regenerate to this purpoſe.
Heb. 11.25.1. To conſtrain to duty many times. The Saints are to make uſe of the Law and the good things thereof; ſo did Moſes, he had reſpect to the recompence of reward: and the Apoſtle ſaith,2 Cor. 5.9. We labour, whether preſent or abſent, that we may be accepted of him, for we muſt all appear before the Judgment-ſeat of Chriſt: and knowing the terrour of the Lord we perſwade men. Again,Heb. 12. ult. Let us have grace to ſerve him acceptably; for our God is a conſuming fire. Theſe be the helps that the Lord has given us, and it were our ſin not to make uſe of them: there is no man but he finds ſo much deadneſs and backwardneſs in his fleſh, that he ſhall be forced to call in this help many times.
Mark 9.44.2. And to reſtrain a man from ſin alſo. Chriſts exhortation is, Cut off your right hand, and pull out your right eye, for it's better to go to heaven maimed, than having two eyes to be caſt into hell where the worm dies not, &c. And if Adam in the ſtate of Innocency had need of the threatning of the Law to deter him from ſin, much more a godly man that is holy but in part. Yet there is a great deal of difference (1) in a godly man, this is not the only principle that acts him, as it is in the unregenerate: for an unregenerate man would never do duty while he lives, were it not from this Coaction of the Law, out of a principle of ſelf-love, and natural conſcience; for he does duties as a godly man commits ſins, and he muſt ſay, that which I hate do I: but in a godly man there is another principle alſo, there is a law of his mind, an inward diſpoſition, the law written in his heart, a new and divine nature, and his obedience to God is natural to him as it is for a tree to bring forth fruit in its kind, and a fountain to caſt out mud, and to work out any thing that is contrary to it. (2) As this is not the only, ſo it is not the main principle that works in them, but there is the Spirit of Chriſt that dwells in them, and leads them; and there is a law of love that does mainly act them in all they do, 1 Joh. 5.3. they abſtain from Sin as from Hell, and that which they ſee all evil in, and as that which is diſhonourable to God, and defiles their own beauty: for Sin is the ſouls deformity, as Grace is the ornament of the ſoul: and he does duty from an ingenuous and free ſpirit. And therefore Chriſt ſays, Take my yoke upon you, for it is eaſie. Whence ſo far as a man is regenerate he is a law unto himſelf, and he would be kept from ſin, and carried on to duty, if neither of theſe were, but only from a principle within.
3. The more a regenerate man is acted by legal principles, and the leſs love he has to ſpiritual duties, the leſs ſpiritual he is; and therefore his deſire is always to be led by the Spirit of God, and he always prays to God for his free Princely Spirit.
SECT. III. The APPLICATION.
§. 1. WE may hence learn what a miſerable eſtate a man is in being under the firſt Covenant: every thing is a burden to him, becauſe it is a conſtraint upon his ſpirit; the thing he does he hates; he has a contrary principle within him, which he would indulge and gratifie. Now there being in a man the ſame nature, and the command of God lying upon a man, this may and this does commonly put a force upon him to perform duties of the law, but that is never pleaſant, but always burdenſome, and the man deſires to be ſet at liberty; for he can never look upon the law as the perfect law of liberty, until his nature anſwers the law, and it is written in his heart.
1. If we look upon the reſtraint that the law does lay upon a man that is unregenerate, his condition is moſt miſerable; becauſe (1) he does abſtain from ſin, but it is forced, and therefore burdenſome, becauſe ſtill his luſt is active, and carries the man after it with inward burning, and the man is tormented the more; it is adding drunkenneſs to thirſt. Deut. 29.19.The ſatisfaction of luſt is compared unto drunkenneſs, and the luſt is compared unto thirſt, and as the drunkenneſs does increaſe the thirſt, and the more a man drinks the more thirſty he ſhall be, and therefore none calls for drink more than thoſe that have had too much already: ſo it is here, the more a man does to ſatisfie his luſt, the more he does increaſe it: We know what a painful thing thirſt is unleſs it be ſatisfied. He that believes ſhall never thirſt, but ſhall have a well of water ſpringing up in him, Joh. 7.38, 39. There is a double reſtraint, (1) upon mens acts: Abimelech's luſt was ſtirred up, but the Lord with-held the act,Gen. 20: and ſo it was with the Phariſees, they had often as bloody deſires long before, and ſought to take Chriſt and put him to death, but they could not, there was a reſtraint put in for want of opportunity, or fear of the people, &c. (2) There is a reſtraint upon mens luſts: for though the heart of man be full of luſt, yet there is a Providence of God in permitting them to come forth, ſome at one time, and ſome at another; ſo that the ſeeds of thoſe ſins that were in men before, do now ſhew forth themſelves, as we ſee in Judas and Herod, and Gehazi, and in many men, who carry it fair a while, till there be an opportunity to draw them forth; they have Neronis quinquennium, for five years Nero carried it fair, and yet afterwards he proved deſperately wicked. Now this reſtraint upon mens acts, though unto the Elect of God it is a mercy, and any thing that may hinder them in a way of ſinning, Hoſ. 2.6, 7, I will hedge their way with thorns, and I will make a wall againſt them: God can keep men from ſin whether they will or no; and if leſſer afflictions will not do it, God will raiſe greater: But yet for all this the luſts of natural men will go after their former lovers, though they cannot overtake them. And this is a great miſery unto ſuch men; firſt, look upon the Saints alſo and they have deſires after good, but they find oppoſition, ſo that they cannot do the thing that they would; but there is ſtill a law in their members rebelling againſt the law of their mind, and this makes them to look upon themſelves as miſerable men, becauſe they have deſires unſatisfied, and they do ſtill groan after a ſatisfaction; and this makes them weary of their lives, and they are willing to die that they may enjoy their deſire to the uttermoſt: and yet even in a regenerate man theſe deſires are but of half the man; and therefore in an unregenerate man when he is carried to ſin with his whole man, ſuch a ones deſires are more vehement, Hoſ. 7.4, Their hearts are hot as an oven; they go out after it with greedineſs, and they look upon it as the greateſt miſery to be reſtrained from it, and their hearts riſe againſt any oppoſition ſo much the more; as you know Amnon and Ahab they were ſick, becauſe they were reſtrained from that which they would have. The ſoul of a wicked man is like a wild Bull in a net furiouſly bent upon ſin, they will periſh rather than be hindred in a way of ſinning. This the Devil looks on as his great miſery, that though God lay not reſtraint upon his luſt, yet he reſtrains his acts, ſo that he cannot hurt mankind as he would do; though he ſmite Job with ſores, and imbitter his life to him, yet he ſhall not be able to take away his life: and the luſts of the Devil are as violent and as impetuous as ever; he deſires to winnow Peter; and there is bounds ſet him that he cannot do what he would, and his great torment is his reſtraint, and the chains of darkneſs with which he is held: and he could not enter into Judas that was his own, till by the Sop the Lord gave him leave; and he could not enter into the herd of Swine without licenſe: this is looked upon as a great miſery by that violent and proud ſpirit. Look what reſtraint either the power of God, or the providence of God, lays upon the luſts of the Devil, the ſame does the Law of God lay upon the luſts of unregenerate men; and this they look upon as their miſery, that they cannot enjoy their full deſires: there is an inward boiling of ſpirit, and their hearts are hot as an oven; they deſire but they cannot attain, and ſo their deſire is their torment, and they can have no reſt.
2. Even in thoſe pleaſures of ſin that a man does enjoy, this reſtraint of the law will imbitter them to a man exceedingly, that a man does not enjoy them with that ſweetneſs and delight, that otherwiſe he ſhould do, becauſe the ſentence of the law, and the judgments of God follow him with threats, ſo that ſtill they do add water to his wine, and mix it with greater diſcontent than he ſhould otherwiſe have; for a man comes to it with a guilty galled and ſelf-condemning conſcience, and ſo he can take no pleaſure, or but half the pleaſure that elſe he ſhould take; and therefore the endeavour of the man is to put out the eye of Conſcience, and to make it grow ſenſleſs, and to caſt off this yoke, and reſtraint of the law daily more and more; and the more a man caſts it off, the more pleaſure he does take in ſinning. As a godly man that has taſted of the ſweetneſs of Communion with God, he cannot take that pleaſure in ſin that other men do; becauſe ſtill at the remembrance of his former communion the ſweetneſs of it does ariſe in his heart, and therefore he ſays it was better with me than it is now; ſo alſo an unregenerate man, that has taſted the bitterneſs of ſin in the Law, and the terrours thereof, and has had the reſtraint of it laid upon his Conſcience, he cannot taſte the like pleaſure that other men do in ſinning; only the one is from a principle of conviction only, and the other of converſion. This is the miſery of an unregenerate man under the reſtraints of the Law of God, either his luſts do rage within, and he cannot act them, and therefore he wiſhes that there were no law; or elſe if he do commit them, it is but with half the man, becauſe the law binds him over unto wrath, and tells him that ſin lies at the door.
3. If we look upon the conſtraint, the miſery is as great alſo; as not to do the thing we would, ſo to be forced to do the thing we would not, is no ſmall miſery: and therefore, Mal. 1.13, They ſay, what a wearineſs is it; which ſome render a weakneſs, defatigatio, and ſome moleſtia, a trouble, and all is becauſe there is a force without, contrary to a principle within. Haman was by the command of the King forced to lead Mordecai's Horſe, and to proclaim before him, This ſhall be done unto the man whom the King delights to honour: how may we conceive this went againſt his ſpirit, and it was as bitter to him even as death it ſelf; and the reaſon was becauſe he had in him an inward principle of enmity and contrariety againſt Mordecai; and ſo it is with every unregenerate man towards God, and therefore though the law does force them to an outward obſervance, yet they do hate that very outward obedience that they do perform, and the law that enjoins it. When the Saints of God have been commanded to do outward honour and obſervance to the dunghil gods of the Heathen, (for ſo they are called) they have choſen death rather, from an inward principle, becauſe they hated obedience to falſe Gods. Now as a godly man would count it a miſery, and the greateſt burden of his life to be forced to bow himſelf before an Idol, ſo there is a principle of enmity in a wicked man unto the true God; for they are all enemies to God, and ſo they do hate to do obſervance alſo, and any outward obedience unto the true God: and as a godly man hates his ſins becauſe he is tempted to them by the law of his fleſh, ſo does a wicked man hate duties, becauſe he is led captive to them by the law of the Lord; and therefore whatever they do in outward appearance, they do it not before the Lord, becauſe they hate it when they do it.
§. 2. We may hence learn the ground of all that hypocriſie and flattery that is expreſſed by unregenerate men towards God and Chriſt, whom they hate with a perfect hatred; it is all of it from the conſtraint of the law: and as the coaction of the law has a further place in men, ſo is a mans hypocriſie the deeper, and becomes either groſs hypocriſie, or formal hypocriſie, as Divines do commonly diſtinguiſh it; the one is hid from others, and the other from a mans ſelf, and yet all this while the man does but act a part as a Stage-player, for ſo the name Hypocrite ſignifies. And therefore we ſee unregenerate men abſtain from thoſe luſts which they dearly love, and are brought to outward conformity in duties which they do truly hate, and have no inward principle to perform. We ſee the humiliation of Ahab, &c. and the obſervation and reformation of Herod, the diſſembled obedience, and forced flattery of the wicked Jews; and in the offers of other ungodly men at Religion,Pſal. 78 34, …5 36 and their hot beginning upon the ways of God. But all this proceeds only from the Coaction of the Law, and the power that it has even upon the hearts and conſciences of the worſt of men. Hoſ. 8.14,Hoſ. 8.14. it is ſaid, For Iſrael has forgotten his maker and buildeth Temples, &c. A man would think, that they that did build Temples had God much in their mind, and did honour him highly, building a Temple to his honour; but yet all this was done in Hypocriſie, and Will-worſhip. They that repaired and beautified the Sepulchres of the Saints departed, that were put to death, ſurely it did argue they did highly eſteem them, and they did it in honour both of their perſons and graces, as Joſeph did to the perſon of Chriſt, and the Phariſees, Mat. 23.29. who did build the Sepulchers of the Prophets; yet Chriſt ſaid, it was all in hypocriſie, for while they pretended to honour the Saints, they did ſeek to deſtroy him that was the King of Saints. Thus we ſee mens taking up an outward conformity unto the Law of God, and ſome inward ſuitableneſs, as being enlightned by the Holy Ghoſt, taſting of the heavenly gifts, &c. which is the higheſt kind of hypocriſie; ſuch as is in a temporary believer, who has the greateſt ſhews of love to Chriſt and to duty: and all this proceeds from this coactive power of the Law, that God has upon the conſcience of unregenerate men; and this may come to a great deal of ſeeming delight, and a man may ſeem to take great ſatisfaction in it. The Lord ſays of Iſrael, They delight to know my ways, with their mouth they ſhew much love, Iſa. 58.2.but their hearts go after their covetouſneſs, Ezek. 33.31. And many ſeem to have a great deal of ſeeming zeal for God and duty: and Chriſt ſays,Joh. 16.2. The time will come when they that kill you ſhall think they do God good ſervice. And Luther ſays of himſelf, Tantus eram ſanctus, ut paratiſſimus fuerim omnes ſi potuiſſem occidere, &c. I was ſo great a Saint (in mine own eſteem) that I was ready to ſlay all if I could, &c. And this he did not for worldly ends, and for advantage ſake, but out of a blind zeal for Religion. Therefore they that take away the reſtraining of the Magiſtrate in the things of Religion upon this ground, becauſe it will but make men Hypocrites; may upon this ground take away the reſtraining power of the Law of God alſo. In ſome reſpects, as to prevent the outward diſhonouring God before men, and corrupting of others, it were to be wiſhed that all unregenerate men were come ſo far as to be Hypocrites; and it was not wiſhed amiſs of the Father, who ſaid, I could wiſh that all were Hypocrites. It were better in reſpect of other men, and honouring God before the world, though it would be never the better in reſpect of a mans ſelf; for feigned love, and ſecret flattery, is in Gods account as bad as open enmity; nothing ſo dangerous in men; eſteem as a falſe friend; Judas was more hateful to Chriſt than all his Perſecutors, becauſe he came to betray the Son of man with a kiſs.
§. 3. The next Uſe is of Examination: Ʋſe 4 Seeing that the Law has this power even upon unregenerate men, that it can reſtrain from ſin, and conſtrain to duty, and that godly men do duty and abſtain from ſin, by vertue of the law written in their hearts; how ſhall a man know that he abſtains from ſin, and does duty by the law of his mind, from an inward principle in his heart, or elſe is only conſtrained from a law without, and not from a law within? (for the Love of Chriſt conſtrains the Saints to deny all ungodlineſs and worldly luſts.) Whether we forbear to ſin, and abſtain from it, and perform duty, and be much in it from reſtraining Grace, or renewing Grace? Whether we do ſerve God in the newneſs of the ſpirit,Rom. 7.6. or the oldneſs of the letter? It was before converſion but a dead letter to him, and did only command duty, but it did no way transform the ſoul in the inward man; but there is in a man being regenerate the newneſs of ſpirit, that is a mans inward man being renewed by the Holy Ghoſt, &c.
Now the rules of Trial are theſe:
1. Let a man by the Coaction of the Law be put upon duty never ſo much, and never ſo often, yet it will never aſſiſt him; nay, the more he doth duty, the leſs ſtrength he ſhall have to do it, the weakneſs of his nature will increaſe by it; as the longer he does abſtain from ſin, the more the luſt will ſpread, and the ſtronger it will grow: the more he does pray the leſs love he ſhall have to the duty; and though he may get a dexterity in the outward performance, yet the leſs he ſhall be able to perform it in a ſaving and ſpiritual manner: whereas renewing Grace gives a man ſtrength, a mans heart is prepared to pray, and the ſpirit of Grace is a ſpirit of ſupplication; a man has an Unction from the Holy Ghoſt, that flows from his union with Chriſt, and from the Holy Ghoſt; and he has a ſtrength in duties, the more he does them, the ſtronger he grows in all the ways of God. The righteous ſhall grow ſtronger and ſtronger, and he that has clean hands ſhall hold on his way, Job 17.9. and ſhine brighter and brighter, and grow ſtronger and ſtronger; the more he knows, the more he does follow on to know the Lord. And whereas another man has done duty many years, and is grown more weary of it, and more formal in it, but knows no more what does belong to the ſpiritual performance of it now, than he did when he began it; and he does poſſibly abſtain from ſin, but it is not from an inward principle and power of holineſs, but from an external motive, which only keeps it under in the courſe of his life; and therefore although by abſtaining the luſt may ſeem weakned, and to decay by degrees, yet really it grows, and they prove more deſperately wicked; as appears by men that the unclean ſpirit is gone out of, and returns with ſeven worſe ſpirits; and they that have made great and goodly ſhews of Holineſs, yet afterwards fall into the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt.
2. A man that does duty from the Coaction of the Law is partial in it, and takes notice only of thoſe duties to which he is conſtrained, and where the law of God lays a ſtrong hand upon him; but as for other things he is not at all ſolicitous. Herod will do many things, but other things that either the Law does not ſo immediately and earneſtly preſs upon him, or his luſt will not diſpenſe with, thoſe he will leave undone. But renewing Grace makes a man to have reſpect unto all Gods Commandments, and to hate every falſe way; it ſets a man againſt every ſin, but ſpecially againſt a mans own iniquity, and thoſe ſins that are ſpiritual, that are from Satan, per modum imaginis, as part of his image, wherein they are moſt like the Devil.
3. All that a man does from the Coaction of the Law will never laſt; a man may abſtain from ſin a while, but if a man have the nature of a dog he will return to his vomit, and as a Sow will wallow in the mire ſtill, waſh her never ſo clean; yea, he will return with the greater greedineſs, by reaſon of the former abſtinence, and ſo a man may perform duty a while; but as Job ſays, Will the hypocrite pray always? For he is but as a flag that cannot grow without mire; and if once the fleſhly reſpects of ſetting upon duty be taken away, his duties will wither: For either praying will make a man leave ſinning, or ſinning will make him leave praying: or if not publickly, yet will at leaſt kill all his ſecret duties, and make thoſe that are publick, degenerate wholly into a form.
4. Whatſoever a man does by Coaction of the Law, a man has no ſweetneſs in it, it is with no delight and complacency; for things forced are not pleaſant: let a man do the leaſt ſervice that he is forced to, and it is a burden; whereas let the greateſt works in the world, and the moſt toilſome be done, if a man undertake them willingly, he can find pleaſure in them; as we ſee men do in recreations, running and wreſtling, &c. So to a Saint the yoke of Chriſt is a pleaſing yoke, and his burden light; a ſoul can dance under it, and the thoughts of his leaving ſin is very pleaſant to him; and when he does duty he delights in it according to his inward man, and his ſoul is ſatisfied as with marrow and fatneſs, he is then in his element when he is keeping the Commandments of God. Set water over the fire and make it boil never ſo much, yet take it off, and it will return quickly into its former coldneſs, and will be the colder for its former heating: and ſo it is here, it is not agreeable to nature, and therefore can never be pleaſing, either for an unregenerate man to perform duty, or for a regenerate man to commit ſin.
5. Whatever a man doth by the Coaction of the Law, a man hath no communion with God thereby, nor is he drawn nearer unto God. A gracious heart is ſenſible of the want of God, and therefore his end in all that he does is to ſeek God, that he may find him; and becauſe in Ordinances God will be found, and has there promiſed a ſpecial preſence, therefore he ſeeks him there; and he labours to ſtir up his Graces in his approach to God, and God does in mercy draw near unto him, becauſe what he does is from an inward principle of godlineſs: but a man that does duty from a natural conſcience only, he does not draw near to God, but his ſpirit draws back all the while, and looks upon God as an enemy; and therefore he has no fellowſhip with the Lord. The Law indeed puts him upon duty, and as a task he doth it, but he has no more experience of the approaches of God in it, or his love, or the power of his Grace, the kiſſes of his mouth, the ſtayings of God with flaggons, and comforting with apples, &c. but a ſoul that does duties from a principle of godlineſs, is ſenſible of his ſpiritual abſence from God in duties, and of his ſpecial preſence, and would not loſe his communion with God in duties for a world; but other men are ſatisfied in the duties meerly, and their ſinning and hearing is much alike to them; and if they have done the duty, conſcience is ſatisfied and they have all they deſire, &c.
Ʋſe 4 §. 4. Here we ſee what a happineſs it is to the Saints, that they are freed from the Coaction of the Law, that they are not ſo under it as unregenerate men are: For (1) they do no good by conſtraint. The regenerate man is always ready to obey the will of God, he is a man that acts from an inward principle, and therein lives above the Law; he that is born of God never ſins, but always obeys God;1 John. every thing that the Law commands is pleaſant to him, and the Commandments of God are not grievous;Cant. 3.10. as Chriſts Chariot in which he comes to us is paved with Love, ſo is our way to Chriſt paved with Love, and hence a man is never weary; but the longer a man continues in the ways of God, the more he is ſatisfied with them, becauſe where is a ſuitableneſs, there is no wearineſs: the Sun is not weary with ſhining, nor the fire weary with burning, nor are the Angels in Heaven ever weary of beholding God for ever, becauſe their happineſs is perfected by it; nor are the Saints in earth weary of doing the will of their Heavenly Father, neither doing-work nor ſuffering-work; to bear Chriſts Croſs is not grievous to them, to be reproached for his name's ſake is counted all joy; they deſpiſe the pleaſures of ſin for a ſeaſon, living in the ſure hope of their enjoying rivers of pleaſures that are at Gods right hand for evermore.