A Discourse of the Two Covenants, Book 1 · Chapter 8 · Section 2
SECT. II. The Subſervience of the Law as it diſcovers Sin.
§. 1. THE firſt part of the Subſerviency of the Law is in point of Sin, and ſo it has a threefold uſe or end,There is a threefold uſe of the Law ſubſervient to the Goſpel. Joh. 12. ſubordinate to the Goſpel, and the Grace thereof. (1) As it is a looking-glaſs to reveal ſin. (2) As it is a bridle to reſtrain ſin, and in both theſe it is a ſervant to the Goſpel. (3) As a Judge to condemn it, and the man for it: There is one that judges you, even Moſes, &c.
1. The Law is a glaſs to diſcover ſin: it is called a glaſs, Jam. 1.24. He that looks into the perfect Law of liberty. Here it is ſpoken of the Moral Law, as Beza obſerves, in oppoſition unto the bondage of the Ceremonial: not that the Moral Law is a Law of liberty, or can ſet us at liberty of it ſelf, but it is ſo to them that are in Chriſt; becauſe it is a Law written in their hearts, and they are ſtabliſhed by a free and a Princely ſpirit. There is a double glaſs that the Scripture holds forth, in which Chriſtians ſhould often look, as this here, and that in the 2 Cor. 3.18.Rom. 3.20. Rom. 7.7. Per legem peccati cognitio, per fidem abolitio. Ambroſ. in Rom. 3. that in the one they may ſee themſelves, and in the other they may behold their Saviour, even the Glory of the Lord. The Law is the one, and the Goſpel is the other. Now the great uſe of this glaſs is, that a man may ſee his own ſpots and deformities, that his ſin may be diſcovered; and therefore the Text ſays, it was added for tranſgreſſions. And of this uſe of the Law the Scripture ſpeaks often, Rom. 30.20. By the Law is the knowledge of ſin; the Law entred that the offence might abound: I had not known ſin but by the Law. And Rom. 7.13. That ſin might appear ſin, and by the Commandment become exceeding ſinful; that is, that he might ſee ſin in the extent of it, and its utmoſt vileneſs and filthineſs; and therefore he ſhews, that there could be nothing worſe than it: he calls it by no worſe name than its own, ſinful ſin; as to call Satan, a deviliſh Devil, is not ſo bad as to call him ſinful Angel; for ſin being the worſt of evils, can have no worſe name than it ſelf; and therefore when the Apoſtle ſays it did appear to him in the utmoſt ſinfulneſs of it, then he ſays it did appear ſin. Lex eſt Index peccati non genitrix, the Law is the Index of ſin, …ot the Parent. As the light enters, and diſcovers filthineſs that before was there, but it lay …id in the dark. And theſe Scriptures do direct us to ſins of two ſorts, which are diſcovered …y the Law: (1) Original ſin, which is called the offence, which was in the world be…ore the Law, even from Adam; for by one man ſin entred into the world, and by him it paſſed …pon all mankind. (2) Actual ſins, whether of the heart or of the life, all the inordinate …otions of the ſpirit tending unto evil, which the Scripture calls luſts;Rom. 7.7. I had not known luſt … be a ſin, unleſs the Law had ſaid unto me, Thou ſhalt not luſt. Here I muſt ſpeak unto two …hings, (1) How does the Law diſcover ſin? (2) How by diſcovering ſin is it a handmaid and … ſervant to the Goſpel?
1. How does the Law diſcover Original ſin, and that curſed frame of nature which is in …ery ſin?
1. By ſhewing unto a man as in a glaſs that primitive holineſs and righteouſneſs in which he …s created. For the Law indeed is primitive juſtitiae ſpeculum, the glaſs of primitive juſtice; …or that image of God in which man was created, was nothing elſe but a perfect conformity … the nature of the Law, and will of God in every thing: So that as Chriſt while he was …pon earth in his humane nature was a perfect pattern of that obedience, that the Law requi…ed; ſo that all that he did was agreeable to the Law in every thing,foreign, 1 Pet. 2.21. and he has therein left as a copy to write after: ſo was Adams nature, and ſo ſhould alſo his life have been; he ſhould have known no ſin, neither ſhould any guile have been found in his mouth; he ſhould …ave been, as it was ſaid of one, a living Scripture, and a walking Bible, a living Law; foreign.ſo …hat whatever the Law of God now requires of us, that at firſt God created in us. Now when a man compares himſelf with this Law, and ſees how unanſwerable he is in every thing he does, he thereby comes to ſee how he has utterly loſt the righteouſneſs and holineſs that was in him at the firſt, and the glory of his Creation; his Mind that was in the Creation as full of light as the Sun is, is now darkneſs it ſelf; and his Conſcience is now feared; his heart that was tender unto God, is now hardned; his Memory that was firm, is now frail and leaking; and his Affections that did move rationally and orderly, as the Stars in their courſes, …re now full of nothing elſe but confuſion, madneſs, and diſorder; …d his Thoughts the immediate iſſues and the firſt-born of his ſoul always excellent, ſpiritual, and uſeful, but now poliſh, vain and unprofitable, flying up and down like atoms in the air to no end.
2. A man looking upon this rule does not only ſee a privation of what formerly was his …appineſs and his glory, but he ſees now the quite contrary, Act. 13.10.an oppoſition in him to the Law of God in every thing: that he is an enemy unto all righteouſneſs, and full of the fruits of all unrighteouſneſs, the image of the Devil upon him; ſo that look how the heart of the Devil works againſt God and duty, ſo does his; for he is as like him as a child can be like his father. There is a touch that Satan has left upon a mans ſpirit, and this is upon his whole ſoul,1 Joh. 5.19. alſo all the faculties of it are turned the wrong way, all of them are taken off from God and duty; and therefore a man when he is converted, is ſaid to return; and when the Lord calls him, he is ſaid to hear a voice behind him: but novv by ſin he is turned quite avvay, and there is this devilliſhneſs in him, that he is the more contrary unto any duty, becauſe God commands it; and is carried vvith the greater violence after any ſin, becauſe God forbids it, ſin taking occaſion by the Commandment; which comes neareſt unto direct …ity that can be, to do things by way of revenge, which is the Devils ſin.
3. The Law diſcovers Original ſin by ſhewing the dominion of it; a man cannot reſiſt it, he cannot caſt it off; it has a double authority in the man, the dominion of a Lord,Rom. 6.14. and of a King, a power of command: and thence ſome expound ſin mentioned by the Apoſtle, Rom. 7.6. to be the husband; and it is not much material which, whether the Law irritating ſin, or ſin irritated by the Law be the husband: and ſo ſin has a power of love alſo, an intereſt as a husband to perſwade, and therefore there muſt be obedience, men obey it in the luſt thereof; for he that hath authority over us to command, and a power to perſvvade the heart alſo, he can procure obedience to all his commands vvhen he vvill; but ſo has ſin, and therefore it is called foreign, an encompaſſing ſin, vvhichwhich he cannot caſt off,Heb. 12.1. vvhichwhich he has no povver to reſiſt, it ſo beſets him in every faculty that he cannot take it avvay.
4. The Lavv diſcovers the filthineſs of Original ſin, that it is mire, it is vomit,2 Cor. 7.1. Jam. 1.21. it is filthineſs it ſelf, nay that it is the excrement of naughtineſs, it has defiled the ſoul, it defiles all creatures that are for a mans uſe,Hag. 2.11. as the Leper, whatever he touched is unclean. To the ſoul of man the Sun in his glory was not to be compared; if a man had been caſt into Hell as a Diamond into the dirt, it could never have defiled him, his Holineſs like a Diamond would have ſhined bright notwithſtanding: but ſince the ſoul is defiled with ſin, the defilement is ſo deep, that nothing can waſh it out; it is a ſtain that will remain to eternity upon all that are not waſhed in the blood of Chriſt, as ſpots in ſcarlet and crimſon much ſoap will not ſerve turn to take them out; the fire of Hell will not purge ſin, and therefore when men have been there millions of years, they are as black and filthy and as unpurged as at the firſt entrance into that place of darkneſs and horrour, &c.
5. The Law diſcovers that Original ſin is the ſeed of all ſin, and it contains virtually all ſin in it,Jer. 6. Jam. 1.14. it is ſin in the fountain; an evil man out of the treaſure of his evil heart caſts out evil things, murder and adultery. A man is tempted by his own luſt, it is his father, and it is his mother; luſt conceives and brings forth ſin: all actual ſins are much more in the heart; there is a beam in the eye, and a dimneſs in the heart; and I conceive by all occaſions alſo ſin is drawn out, and he can look upon no creature but he conceives ſin from it,1 Joh. 2.15. whatever is in the world is the fuel of luſt; there is nothing but is the object and draws out ſome luſt in the heart.
6. The Law diſcovers the deceitfulneſs of Original ſin, that all the luſts of a mans heart are deceitful luſts,Epheſ. 4.24. Jer. 17.9. Jam. 3.15. Heb. 3.13. and the heart is deceitful above all things, who can know it? that a man can never fathom the bottom of it, for there is a devilliſhneſs in it; that whatever policy there is in Hell, all this is in ſin; the wiſdom of the fleſh will take all opportunities to ſin, and make proviſion for the fleſh, and by often ſinning mens hearts are hardned, and they uſe much policy alſo in drawing others to ſin, and to keep them off from that which is good, to ſet them upon things that are unlawful, or elſe to pervert and poyſon them in thoſe things which are lawful, to make an improvement of every occaſion, and to grow upon the ſudden beyond what a man could have imagined, as we ſee it in Peter, from lying he proceeded even to curſing and damning himſelf.
Hab. 2. Deut. 25. Epheſ. 4.19. Jud. 11. Iſa. 56.7. The Law diſcovers the unſatiableneſs and unweariedneſs that is in Original ſin, and the infiniteneſs that is in it; it is compared to drunkenneſs, the more men drink the more they deſire, and it is like Hell that is never ſatisfied; the pleaſures of ſin enlarge the ſoul, but never fill it, there is a greedineſs in ſin, men pour out themſelves, they are greedy dogs that can never have enough, there is ſuch a dog-like appetite after ſin, they do evil with both hands earneſtly, always, modo & modo non haberet modum; and therefore eternity of puniſhment is reſerved for it, God dealing with the creature not according to his actions, but intentions; the ſinner would have it infinite, extenſively and intenſively, and therefore peccat in aeterno ſuo, &c. he ſins in his eternity, and God puniſheth in his eternity.
8. It diſcovers the demerit and effects of Original ſin, that it brings a man under the curſe, which is all evil, and the wrath of God in Hell, all the curſes in Gods book, and all the plagues of Gods Juſtice, all the torments of Hell, which either infinite wiſdom can find out, or infinite power inflict, and that to eternity; and that not only upon himſelf, but upon all the creatures for his uſe; Curſed is the ground for thy ſake, and curſed ſhalt thou be in thy houſe,Rom. 8.20. and the curſe enters into the timber, and there is a vanity of corruption brought upon them all, it turns a land into barrenneſs, makes the Stars fight againſt them, and the Clouds to drop vengeance: and there is the deſert of ſin written in the drops of rain, it hinders the influences of Heaven, binds up the influences of the Pleiades, which no man can do, &c.
2. The Law ſets before a man and diſcovers his actual ſins, and that in many particulars: It ſhews a ma… what diſhonour every ſin does unto Gods glory; a man gives not glory to the God of Heaven, but debaſes him as much as in him lies, by caſting diſhonour upon him, ſaying The way of the Lord is not equal;Is God unrighteous? I ſpeak as a man, ſays Paul. he deſpiſes his Juſtice, turns his Grace into wantonneſs, and gives the glory of God to any thing elſe; for in every actual ſin a man ſets up a new God, and ſerves the Devil in it, who is the God of this World. The Idols of mens hearts (as well as of their hands) ſtrike at the very Being of God, and alſo at the excellency of Gods rule, the Law being the Septer by which the Lord rules, and that by which his Soveraignty is ſeen in the world;Rom. 7.12. it is the glorious royal Law, the perfect Law, it is holy, juſt and good, infinitely ſurpaſſing all the Laws of men. I have ſeen an end of all perfection, but thy Commandment is exceeding broad. And not only the holineſs of the Law, but the harmony of it is oppoſed, he that breaks one is guilty of all; he that neglects any one command willingly, is undoubtedly an hypocrite, and he diſobeys all; for ſincerity is accompanied with univerſality. Then the Law opened in its ſpirituality ſhews a man the intention of his heart, much more than it does in his actions; and the intent of the ſin goes beyond that of the ſinner: it ſhews alſo the infection of it upon others, for evil words corrupt good manners, it is as rottenneſs, a plague, a gangrene, there is an infection in them all. This one act of ſin would defile the whole man; as we ſee it has done in Adam, and the Angels that fell; the act defiles the nature, and the nature defiles the man; the leaſt vain thought deſerves death, and the leaſt idle word qualifies a man for Hell; and therefore there is more evil in the leaſt act of ſin, than there is good in all the creatures, becauſe they cannot all expiate it,Chryſoſt. and make ſatisfaction for it. Theſe things the power of nature can never diſcover, no though a man hath the letter of the Law; but the Spirit of God makes uſe of theſe ends, that the …race of the Goſpel may be the more glorious, and the blood of Chriſt the more precious, …hich can purge ſuch helliſh ſtains as theſe, and take away that evil that elſe were impoſſible … be done away.
§. 2. The Law is a Judge, it has an accuſing power, as it is a witneſs againſt a man,Joh. 5.45. Ezek. 22.2. and as a Judiciary power, Wilt thou judge them ſon of man, wilt thou judge them? So that Mi…ſters pronouncing the ſentence of the Lord in the Law, are ſaid to paſs a ſentence up… the actions and ſtates of men; he is convinced of all, and he is judged of all. 1 Cor. 14.24.And therefore …e Apoſtle argues from the word and the judgment thereof unto God, whoſe word it is, and …o ſhall be our Judge at the laſt day. The Word is a curious diſcerner; Heb. 4.12.As a man that is skill… in any Langu… and able exactly to judge of the idiome and properties thereof, and can …cern any abſurdity, impropriety, and incongruity in ſpeech, we ſay he is a Critick; and …t which one man may think an elegancy, he thinks to be an impropriety: ſo it is with the …ord of God; and the reaſon is, becauſe all things are naked unto that God, that Judge with …m [in this Law] we have to do; and therefore when this Word is brought home to the …nſcience in a convincing way, that the ſoul cannot deny it, it is ſaid to be a receiving of …gement in a mans own heart, before that great and dreadful day come, Heb. 10.27. Now … judgment of the Law is ſeen in theſe three Particulars: (1) It revives ſin. (2) It con…ns the ſinner. (3) It does make a man ſtoop to and own this condemnation, and lye …n under it, as his portion, from which no man, no power on earth can acquit ….
1. The Law has this uſe as a Judge, to revive ſin, Rom. 7.9.Rom. 7.9. Here is a double ſtate that …e Apoſtle mentions, that he was in, (1) He was alive. I could do any duty, and I thought …tept the Law perfectly, and alſo in preſumption I thought my ſelf in a good eſtate,Phil. 3.7. and all …y duties I counted gain, ſuch as ſhould bring me in gain, ſuch as ſhould bring me in great … comes of glory at the laſt day; and all this while ſin was dead, it was to me in reſpect of …y preſent ſenſe and ſting, as a dead thing, and I was no more troubled at it, nor affected …th it, than if there were no ſuch thing; ſin was in its proper place, and therefore ſeemed …t heavy, as Philoſophers ſay, That Elements are not heavy in their proper place, though in …mſelves they are ſo. So alſo whilſt the ſtrong man armed keeps the houſe, all that he …ſſeſſes is in peace. (2) But here is another ſtate of Paul, that is, ſin revived in the guilt, and … condemning power thereof; the Law ſhewed him, that there was a ſting yet in it that …ld be his ruin, if it were not taken out of the way, and that though the door was ſhut, y… ſin lay at the door of his Conſcience. Conſcience is a door that will open,Gen. 4.7. and being once opened, either by the Miniſtry of the Word, or by death, and the preſence of the Lord, ſin which now ſeems to be dead, will in the guilt of it break in again. What a miſerable thing … it to have ſuch a door-keeper! And then I died; that is, I ſaw my ſelf to be a dead man,Luther. and … a ſtate of death, wrath and condemnation, and that death was my portion, and Hell my …roper place. How was this change wrought, that ſin was thus revived that was dead when … …aul was without the Law, and yet was alive when the Commandment came? Paul was …rn a Phariſee, and therefore never without the Law in the literal ſenſe of it; he had the …ter of the Law, and he was according to that in the righteouſneſs of the Law, blameleſs; …t the Commandment came in the life and power, in the ſpiritual ſenſe, and in the efficacy thereof, ſet on by the Spirit of Chriſt, making it a ſervant to the Goſpel, by this it was that ſin was revived: For without the Law ſin is dead, Rom. 5.13.Rom. 5.13. Before the Law ſin was in the world, but ſin is not imputed where there is no Law. The meaning is not, that men were not eſteemed ſinners, and puniſhed as ſinners, or that all men were righteous before the Law was …iven upon Mount Sinai; for death as well as ſin raigned from Adam till Moſes: but it muſt be either underſtood comparatively in reſpect of God; that is, God did not impute it ſo much, or as ſo great a ſin, becauſe they ſinned againſt a dimmer light, and a darker diſcovery of the will and mind of God; or elſe, which I rather conceive, not imputed by their own Conſciences, they did not lay it unto their own charge as ſo great and ſo hainous, becauſe the abominable nature thereof was not ſo clearly diſcovered; and therefore the Law entred that the offence might abound, as the light diſcovers ſpirits, as Index peccati non genitrix, the Index of ſin, not the parent. So that though men be ſinners,Ambroſ. and very great and hainous ſinners, yet they do not charge themſelves with it, nor impute it unto themſelves, neither are they affected with it, but walk cheerfully under the burden of it, as if it were nothing. Satan has by nature in every man a Kingdom, and he does there moſt of all deſire a peaceable and a quiet government, and therefore he ſets up that luſt as Prorex, and the Vice-roy in the man that is moſt affected in the ſoul, in which the man takes moſt ſatisfaction and contentment, that thereby he may keep the whole man in peace; and therefore Mat. 12.45. though he go out of the man and be not caſt out, and does it for a further end, going out in ſome bodily luſt, yet he walks in ſome dry places ſeeking reſt and finding none: he loves not to be diſquieted in his government, though he does many times make an improvement of it to bring into the man ſeven worſe ſpirits. And it is ſtrange for a man to conſider, what a power the Devil has over men in this particular to keep all quiet! There is a deceitfulneſs and a bewitching nature in every ſin, that a man is hardened by it, there be ſtrong holds,Heb. 3.13. Iſa. 28.15. 2 Cor. 10.5. ſtrong reaſonings for it, and there are thick boſſed bucklers for reſiſtance, Job 15.26. that men may not feel it; there is a hardneſs of heart, a feared Conſcience, there is a cuſtom in ſinning, and there is a virtual league with death, and with Hell, Job 5.23. they ſhall be at league with Sin and Hell, as a good man is in league with peace and reſt: A formal league with Sin and Hell they are not capable of, but a virtual covenant and a league, taking off acts of hoſtility. Whatever a man is in Covenant with, he fears no danger from, and men walk as if Death and Hell were at an agreement with them, and they fear no evil, but are ſetled upon their lees; and they make lyes their refuge, and under vanity they hide themſelves. There is, ſays Bernard, a twofold evil Conſcience, a peaceable evil Conſcience, and a troubled evil Conſcience. And the firſt ſtate is more dangerous, when a man is like unto the dead Sea (as ſome are like the raging Sea, which latter is better than the former) upon ſuch a ſoul let wrath be diſcovered, and judgement threatned, it is but ſpeaking terrour to a deaf man, nay to a dead man; nay let plagues be executed, and not only ſo, but let the hand of the Lord be lifted up eminently in the threatning, and they will not ſee; nay let it fall down in the judgement, and they will not ſee: Bray a fool in a mortar, and his folly will not depart. But he is as a man lying down in the middle of the Sea, and as one ſleeping on the top of a Maſt; he ſees no danger, there is nothing that he can lay to heart; but he ſays,Pſal. 49. I ſhall have peace; as Deut. 29.19. While he lives he bleſſeth his ſoul. Now comes the Law as a Hammer unto ſuch a ſoul, and that ſets before a man its abſolute Soveraignty over the man; it is the Royal Law, ſhews a man that God is an enemy to him, and writes bitter things againſt him; and it is this Law by which he will ſurely judge him at the laſt day;Zach. 1.6. and though he may fly from it a while, yet it will overtake him; though the decree may bear a great while a judgement in the womb of it, yet it will at laſt bring forth, and for ought thou knoweſt it may be Hell before the morning; there is but a thread of patience between thee and everlaſting burnings. That ſhews a man the vanity of all his former hopes, and plucks off all that cobweb lawn and varniſh that the Devil has caſt upon his actions and ſtate; and there is a ſtorm that overflows his hiding place; the Lord lets him ſee in Spiritual judgements (as he does in Temporal judgments when men promiſe themſelves great things) that the bed is too ſhort, the covering too narrow for him to reſt upon. Then offer him the pleaſures of ſin, and he cannot taſte them, they are to him the greateſt deteſtation: Oh how bitter is it to remember that which was formerly ſweet to commit? and what a terrible companion is that ſin in the guilt of it, that was in the act of it moſt delightſome? The bitterneſs of ſin is ſo great, that all the comforts of the creatures cannot ſweeten it; as Judas he caſt down the thirty pieces of ſilver quickly, he had no pleaſure in his money. So a ſoul crys out, My iniquity is gone over my head, and as a ſore burden too heavy for me to bear.
§. 3. 2. The Law of God condemns the ſinner; ſays the Apoſtle, Sin revived and I died. Rom. 9.7. Hoſ. 6.5.2 Cor. 3. The miniſtration of death and condemnation, &c. There is a hewing and a ſlaying by the words of the Lord, he doth ſmite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he does ſlay the wicked. Jer. 6.11.And therefore the word of the Lord is called, the fury of the Lord; what fury or vengeance ſoever is poured out upon a land or ſoul, it is all by this word, that is the inſtrument, and theſe are the effects thereof. The Law ſaith, Curſed is every one that continues not in all things written in the Law: and Conſcience makes the aſſumption, truly this curſe is my portion. The ſoul of man is not more prone to ſin than it is to ſelf-juſtification; every man deſiring to eſtabliſh his own righteouſneſs. And the great work that we have in the Miniſtry is this, to beat them from their own confidences, men will not paſs the ſame ſentence upon themſelves that the Law does. If men would but look upon themſelves in this glaſs, and ſtand unto the ſentence of this judgment, they would not be ſo ſeverely judged by the Lord; but there are ways of ſelf-deceiving from that abundant ſelf-love, and ſelf-flattery that is in the heart of man, that they deſire to be deceived; and there is no man in the world that can be ſo great a flatterer of another, as every man is of himſelf, … does ſmooth over himſelf and makes all pleaſe, as a flatterer doth:Pſal. 36.2. Jer. 23.31. therefore the falſe …rophets are ſaid, to ſmooth their tongues that there may be nothing that may diſtaſte, … be unpleaſant; and ſo men will not own their own condemnation, they will not …e ſhame. But when the Law comes, and the Spirit of God therein gives in evidence a…inſt the man, brings forth the hand writing, and chargeth a man with his pride and un…anneſs, and hardneſs of heart, and ſays, this thou haſt done; then the ſoul ſays, I have …ed in betraying the innocent blood, I have done exceeding fooliſhly: Men and brethren what …l we do to be ſaved? Now every word of the Law comes home to him with life and with …er, and all the curſes of the book he reads as his portion, and ſays, This is the inheri…e that Adam has left me, and this have I alſo purchaſed for my ſelf.Tertull. There are a generati… of godly men in the world, that read over the Promiſes of the Goſpel, and they do claim … as their portion, and their inheritance for ever, but they are nothing to me, they are … childrens bread, and I am a dog, a devil. Truly the Devils are better creatures and were … to do the Lord more ſervice, and yet they periſh under the curſe of the Law, and they …ble at the ſentence of it, and there is as much hope of a Devil,Jam. 2.19. in the ſtate that I am in … as there is of me. I know God is merciful, but not beyond the rules of the Word, whilſt the Word ſpeaks wrath, all the men in the world cannot ſpeak peace to me. Every …tion is a curſe to me, and there are no Providences that I can look upon in mercy; my …ngs are curſed, and my ordinances are blaſted; they ſhall add to my ſins and haſten my …eance. It's wonderful that ſeeing the time of patience has its period, the Lord has …hed it forth to ſo great a length, that I have had thirty or forty years cut off of eter… as a reſpite of thoſe eternal torments. Theſe are the workings of men under the ſenſe …reaking the Law.
The Law holds a man under this conviction, and ſelf condemnation,foreign. that a man cannot … off from it; that a man ſhall ſay with David, Pſal. 51. My ſin is ever before me. And … 3.2, 3. here we are all compared unto priſoners, I am ſhut up under the Law, it is my …, (and if that be not enough to manifeſt that our bondage under it is ſure, and there … way to eſcape) he ſays, we have a garriſon to attend us, as the word ſignifies;1 Pet. 1.5. the ſame …d is uſed of Gods keeping of us to ſalvation. So that the ſoul is kept under by it, and al…s poring upon its miſery, and cannot look off it, it is ſhut up under it: and this is meant …he ſpirit of bondage, Rom. 8.15.foreign. the word in the Greek is uſed partly for the Holy Ghoſt ſelf, and partly for the inward diſpoſitions that it works in the hearts of men, as a ſpirit …ve, and fear, and joy; that is, ſuch a temper and frame of ſoul wrought by the Holy …ft: and fo…t is the Spirit of God by the Law working upon a man ſuch a frame of heart, …r of ſorrow or fear, Hoſ. 4.12. A ſpirit of whoredom is in the middle of them, &c. …s, they were bent to backſliding. So when a man cannot caſt off his fears, and the bondage … own heart, then a man is ſaid to be under a ſpirit of bondage and a ſpirit of fear, and …e ſinners are all their life long by fits, Heb. 2.15. The ſoul of man deſires nothing … than the pleaſure of ſin and peace in it; and therefore it does as a Deer when it is w…ded, it runs and leaps, and does all that poſſibly it can; but haeret lateri lethalis aerundo, …rtal arrow ſticks in the ſide. A man runs to the pleaſures of ſin, to his old companions, as …re to King Jareb for help; and if that will not do, then he runs to Duties, and the man …ys and crys, and all will not heal the man, and he cannot caſt the ſight of his ſin behind back, and it is as gaſtly and as unwelcome even as Hell it ſelf. A man is under Conviction … a wild Bull in a Net, full of the fury of the Lord, and he beats every way; but the …e he ſtrives, the more he is enſnared, till at laſt his ſoul lyes down under the apprehenſi… of it, and does poſſeſs the ſins of his youth, Joh 13.26.foreign As the thoughts of a mans heart called the poſſeſſions of his heart; for all that a man does poſſeſs is by thoughts, and that … which a mans thoughts dwell moſt, that a man is ſaid to poſſeſs moſt.Job 17.11. Now the man crys … What fruit have I now in thoſe things whereof I am aſhamed? Oh wretched man that I … who ſhall deliver me from the body of this death! And his ſoul lyes down in his ſhame, and …ths and abhors himſelf continually, is afraid at the ſhaking of a leaf, expects daily when …e inſtrument and meſſenger of vengeance ſhall come for him; and Job 31. His life draws …er to the deſtroyers, and he doth ſeem to ſmell the ſavour of death, and of unquenchable fire,Lex eſt carcer ſpiritualls & verè infernus. Luth. …d his ſoul is continually filled with horrour and amazement, the terrors of the Almighty ſet him round about, he is ſo faſt in priſon that he cannot get forth, he is under the wrath … God, as Chriſt is ſaid to be in priſon, and David ſo ſpeaks of himſelf alſo.
§. 4. Now how doth the Law in all this advance the ends of the Goſpel? how is it, as …agar, added becauſe of tranſgreſſion?
1. It prepares the ſoul, and the Spirit thereby works thoſe qualifications required to be … the ſoul that comes to Chriſt; for Chriſt will not come into an unprepared ſoul; his ſub…cts are a people prepared for the Lord. He ſent John Baptist before to prepare his way, for there are valleys to be filled;Mat. 11. and there are mountains to be laid low: Come all ye that are weary, and heavy laden, and I will eaſe you; take my yoke, having had experience of the iron yoke of ſin.
2. The Law prepares the ſoul by making the opinion of a mans own righteouſneſs die, and letting him ſee a periſhing need of Chriſt,Phil. 3. that what was before gain, he may now count loſs; therefore there is hereby wrought in the ſoul, a longing for Chriſt, and an inſtinct of Union with him; the Law is as the avenger of blood, unleſs it did purſue, many men would never regard to fly to the city of refuge.
3. It will make the Grace of God the more glorious, and the blood of Chriſt the more orient, and Salvation the more acceptable, when in ſuch a time of extremity the Lord brought light out of darkneſs;2 Cor. 4.6. and then a man ſays, I thank my God through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord. And therefore there be ſeveral diſpenſations of God, ſome have leſs of thoſe breakings by the hammer of the Law than others have, for the Lord is a free agent; but there are no men in the world that prize Chriſt and exalt his righteouſneſs, and relie more upon his Grace,1 Tim. 1.13, 14. than they do that have lain under moſt of theſe breakings, and have been longeſt in this wilderneſs.
4. It makes a man fear ſin ever after, that which he hath had ſo great a ſmart for, when he was under the hammer of the Law;Pſal. 85.8. he will ſpeak peace to his people and to his Saints, but let them not turn again to folly.Hoſ 3. ult. When a man ſhall remember the bitterneſs of his ſpirit in times paſt, and call to mind the gall and the wormwood, then ſin is loathed by him; David commits Adultery no more, Paul Perſecutes no more, Peter denies Chriſt no more, &c.
5. It makes a man pliable to do whatever God would have him: Lord what wilt thou have me to do? A little child ſhall lead them, Iſa. 11.6. Diſobedience is grounded in pride; My ſoul ſhall weep in ſecret for your pride. Jer. 13.17.And there is nothing breaks a mans pride, and make a man walk more humbly with God than this does, Mic. 6.8.
6. This makes a man to ſet a high price upon the ſpirit of Adoption, that enables him to cry Abba father, after he has had experience of a ſpirit of bondage. The bread in his fathers houſe had never been ſo pleaſant to the Prodigal, had he not been in want, and taſted husks. Heaven is never ſo ſweet as it will be after the trials of this life; when men have com… out of great tribulation, and made their garments white in the blood of the Lamb, then to be gathered into Abrahams boſom it is much the ſweeter; to reſt from their labours and their works to follow them; when a man has been under a hard maſter, to be ſet at liberty is th… ſweeter; when a man out of a Priſon comes to a Throne: this, I ſay, makes him honou… that Spirit, and keep cloſe to him, and cheriſh the motions of it ever after, and be carefu… not to be led into the ſame darkneſs again. The Spirit of Chriſt is a delicate Spirit, and whe… it is grieved, it withdraws from a ſoul, and ſuſpends the comfort and quicknings that it uſed to enjoy, therefore the ſoul ſets a high price upon the ſpirit of Adoption.