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A Discourse of the Two Covenants · William Strong

A Discourse of the Two Covenants, Book 1 · Chapter 8 · Section 3

SECT. III. The Subſervience of the Law to the Goſpel as it reſtrains Sin.

§. 1. HAving ſpoken of the Law in the firſt ſenſe, I now come to conſider it in the ſecond. In the one it diſcovers, judges and condemns ſin; and in the other … checks and reſtrains ſin. Here are three things to be conſidered and cleared: (1) That … Law is as a bridle to check ſin, and to reſtrain it. (2) In what reſpects it is ſaid ſo to … (3) How in this alſo the Law is in the hand of a Mediator, uſed as a ſervant or handmaid … the Goſpel.

1. That the Law is as a bridle to check ſin. I deſire you to obſerve three things: 1. That ſin hath in it a fierceneſs and unrulineſs, and therefore men in it are compared unto the moſt raging and unruly creatures in the world, Iſa. 57.20. It is compared to the Sea, which is the moſt unruly and tumultuous, and unquiet creature; if there were never any wind; without, yet it is always unquiet from an inward principle in it ſelf, which you may explain by Jude v. 13.Jude v. 13. Jer. 2.23. Savage creatures and raging waves of the Sea, foaming out their own ſhame And they are compared unto the wildeſt and moſt unruly of all the Creatures, a Drom… dary, Jer. 2.23. which ſome ſay is a She-camel, others ſay it is Cameleo pardalis, a creatur… of a mixed Generation; and they are reſembled unto this creature for its ſwiftneſs, it is on… of the ſwifteſt of all Creatures, and the Female more ſwift than the Male, as Franzius … his Hiſtoria ſacra animalium, has well obſerved. And a Horſe is an unruly creature, his mouth muſt be holden with bit and bridle; a Horſe prepared for the battel, and being chafed to it, of which the Lord ſays, Job 29.19. That he hath cloathed his neck with thunder, he mocks at fear, and does not turn back from the ſword, he ſwallows the ground with fierceneſs, &c. And ſuch is the fierceneſs of a ſinner in his way, Hoſ. 8.9.Hoſ. 8.9. A wild aſs alone by himſelf; in Scripture ſinners are compared to the Aſs for a double property; (1) for his fierceneſs; (2) for his folly, as Job 11.12. Vain man would be wiſe though born like a wild Aſſes colt: and for his fierceneſs a wild Aſs in the wilderneſs, Jer. 2.28. In a wilderneſs an Aſs is alone by her ſelf, under no government, no reſtraint, no rider to rule or bridle her. It's better to meet a Bear robbed of her whelps than a fool in his folly, as 2 Sam. 17.8.2 Sam. 17.8. The fierceneſs of this Creature is noted to be the greateſt in Scripture, Hoſ. 13.8. I will meet them … a bear bereaved of her whelps, &c. And by which the fierceneſs of Gods Judgements is …et out, I will meet them as a bear rob'd of her whelps, &c. and will rend the caul of his heart: …ow the ſame rage will a ſinner be in, when he is met and ſtopped in an evil way, in any way …f ſin whatſoever. There is an unrulineſs in ſin beyond all this, that neither the Bear, nor …y other fierce Creature can vent, All the creatures have been tamed but man, his tongue …an no man tame, Jam. 3. Now you may ſay, why, who ſets bounds unto this Sea, and who …hall command and rule this ſwift Dromedary, this chafed Horſe, this wild Aſs, and this be…aved Bear, &c. ſurely no natural power. Thence,

2. The Spirit of God doth aim in his dealings with man to keep under and reſtrain their …ſts. Here you are to diſtinguiſh between what he doth per ſe, and in his own proper nature, …d that which he doth per accidens and occaſionally. The aim of the Spirit of God in all his …orks, is properly and in its own nature to keep down the luſts of men, but yet occaſion…ly his dealing with man doth draw them forth the more: as by ſending an affliction, the …ord doth it to take away his ſin; but yet it does raiſe up his ſin; and ſo does the Law, ſin taking occaſion by the Commandment, and ſo the Ordinances of the Goſpel alſo. And this will appear, Hoſ. 2.6. I will hedge up their way with thorns, and I will make a wall that ſhe ſhall … find her paſture. He compares them to wild beaſts that will not be kept within …unds, therefore the Lord made up a hedge of thorns againſt them, that is, a hedge of af…iction; and if one affliction will not do it, if they ſtill break through the hedge, he will …ollow them with a wall, and all this is to the end, that ſhe may not find her path, that ſhe may not go on and proſper in a way of ſinning; ſhe ſhall meet with difficulties in ſinful ways, …nd they ſhall alſo want ſucceſs, and labour in vain in them: for, though they do follow …fter them, they ſhall not overtake them, diſappointment in the way of ſinning is the Lords …im in all afflictions, Job 33.16, 17. it is, To keep man from his purpoſe, and to hide pride …om his heart. And Paul had a meſſenger of Satan ſent to buffet him that he might not be …ted up through the abundance of revelation. The aim of the Spirit of God is to reſtrain …e luſts of men, and this very reſtraining Grace is a great mercy: There is a twofold re…raining Grace; (1) Upon the actions of men; Pharaoh he had a deſire to the ſin, his luſt …s ſtirred up, but ſays God, Gen. 20. I with held thee. (2) Upon the luſts of men; ſays God, Exod. 34.24. There ſhall no man deſire thy land. To have a mans luſt reſtrained is a great mercy, and it is only during the time of this life; for afterwards God will let out mens luſts to the uttermoſt, as he does the Devils, and their ſin ſhall have rationem poenae, Oh unhappy men when God leaves them to themſelves, and reſiſts not their fury! wo be to them whoſe ſin God connives at. Luth.the nature of puniſhment, as Aquinas obſerves: after this life the demerit of ſin ceaſeth, Quia pertinet ad damnationis poenam, becauſe it belongs to the puniſhment of damnation, as obedience in Heaven belongs to the reward of bleſſedneſs. Thus all reſtraining Grace ſhall ceaſe, as all natural affection ſhall; and the Spirit of God ſhall only work wrath as a ſpirit of bondage in the hearts of wicked men for ever.

3. The Spirit of God does make uſe of the Law as a glorious inſtrument in this work: for he works in reſtraints partly by the Law of God within, and partly by the works of God and afflictions without; but all his aim is, that men may not find their hope, Rom. 1.16. The Goſpel is the power of God to ſalvation; that is, the great and glorious inſtrument of the power of God; ſo is the Law alſo an inſtrument in the hand of the Spirit, for the Spirit of God does work by the Word, and anſwerably to the Word, and not above it, or without it. It is ſo called by the Lord, Jam. 3.2. If any man offend not in word, Jam. 1.26. Jam. 3.2.he is able to bridle the whole body: to put a bridle to any thing in Scripture, does ſignifie to moderate that thing, and reſtrain all the rage and exorbitances of it. Iſa. 37.29. I will put a book in his noſtrils, and a bridle in his lips. Now what is the bridle that does reſtrain the enormities of the tongue? ſee verſ. 15. It is the perfect law of liberty; and this alſo is the bridle for the whole man,Pſal. 149.8, 9. Pſal. 149.8, 9. To bind their Kings in chains, and their Nobles in fetters of Iron, and this honour have all his Saints! To be bound in chains ſignifies two things, Subjection and Reſtraint; now how do the Saints of God do it? the fire goes out of their mouths, Rev. 11. that is,Rev. 11. it is partly by their prayers, and partly by their words, ſetting the the Law of God before them, and by this means they bind them: for they bind up their luſts, they reſtrain their ſins, and they bind over their Conſciences unto wrath, and all the Judgements denounced in the Word of God, they do as it were execute them by their bringing them upon them, as Zach. 1.6.Hoſ. 6.5. Glaſſ. Rhet. Sacr. Ezek. 20.37. Pſal. 2.3. So that they do by the Law of God lay chains upon their Conſciences, and they execute judgements upon their ſouls; and for that cauſe it is conceived that the Law is called the bond of the Covenant, Ezek. 20.37. becauſe (1) as a bond it doth bind to obedience, and all diſobedience it does reſtrain. (2) The Law is counted a bond by men, Pſal. 2.3. Let us break their bonds, and thick weighty cords, it is meant the Law of the Lord which brought them into ſubjection, and they count it cords and bonds which are a token of three things, (1) Of bondage; (2) Of burden; (3) Of baſeneſs; and that alſo may be the meaning of that expreſſion, Gal. 3.22. For the Scripture has concluded all under ſin, &c. And thereupon Luther ſays, Lex carcer eſt, &c. the law is a priſon; for it does reſtrain mens luſts, they cannot walk at large as they deſire to do in ways of evil; and he ſays, It is with unregenerate men under the reſtraints of the law, as it is with wicked men in priſon, he that is ſhut up, does not hate his ſin, but hates the priſon; and the thief is grieved at heart that he is not free, nor at liberty to ſteal.

§. 2. How does the Spirit of God make uſe of the Law for the reſtraining of ſin? The Lord has a working upon the hearts of both regenerate and unregenerate men, and he has mighty acts of reſtraint upon them both, and they are the wonderful workings of God in the world: a man that ſhall conſider the rage and malice of wicked men may wonder that the earth is not more filled with violence, there being ſo many Nimrods mighty hunters of men in the earth, that men are not made as the fiſhes of the Sea, the greater to devour the leſs without controul, breaking forth into all exceſs of riot, and blood touching blood: Yea, he that ſhall conſider the rage and madneſs that is in the hearts of the Saints themſelves, as we ſee it in Aſa, he put the Prophet in priſon when in a rage: and David cauſed them to paſs under axes and ſawes, and harrows: and that of Peter, who did curſe and damn himſelf: and that of Theodoſius, by whoſe command ſeven thouſand men were ſlain in the City of Theſſalonica: he would ſoon conclude, truly the very mercy and grace of God in reſtraint is great. And he that ſhall ſee the horrible abominations that men break forth into from day to day, and the ſtrange Apoſtaſies that are come into the world, he muſt conclude even reſtraining Grace is a great mercy, and that this is a glorious and an excellent uſe of the Law,1 Tim. 1.9. wherein it is wonderfully ſerviceable to the Goſpel. Indeed the Apoſtle ſays, 1 Tim. 1.9. that a man uſes the Law lawfully, when he knows and conſiders, that the Law was not given for a righteous man: There is a double interpretation of it that is moſt common: (1) The Law is not given,foreign. that is, not laid upon a godly man as a burthen; for he has not only a Rule without, but he has alſo Grace within, that dictates to him, a living Law within himſelf. So that a godly man lives above the Law, for he has a Law within as well as a Law without, to reſtrain him from ſin; he has an inward principle that makes him hate every falſe way: and what ſhould an obedient and well managed Horſe need a bridle for? (2) The condemning power of the Law is not for the righteous man, againſt ſuch there is no Law: the Magiſtrate ſhould be nothing elſe but Gods Vicegerent, and he is not a terror to good works but to evil; but yet while the Saints of God do live here, and are ſanctified but in part, they need the Law to reſtrain their luſts and corruptions: afterwards when their Graces ſhall be perfected, they ſhall need to call in no external help of a Law either to reſtrain from ſin, or keep them in duty, or to quicken them to it; but now corruption gets the head many times of the Law within, that a man is induced to call in the force of the Law without alſo; and the beſt of the Saints make uſe of many legal conſiderations and motives to conſtrain and reſtrain them in this world.

1. The Law does reſtrain ſin when the Lord ſets before a man the perfection of it. It is therefore called a perfect law of liberty; this was the perfection in which man was created, this was the perfection of the human nature of Chriſt, a perfect conformity unto this Law in nature and life; for he was a living Law. And this is the perfection in Glory when the Saints ſhall have a conformity unto this Law; and from hence the ſoul ſtands in awe of it, the Lord ſhewing a mans abaſement and imperfection ſo far as he comes ſhort of the Law.

2. The Law reſtrains ſin ſo far as the Lord demonſtrates its Authority, Jam. 2.8. The Royal or Princely Law, wherein the Authority or Soveraignty of the Great King does appear; for wherein does the authority of Princes lye, but in their Laws? and he is counted a rebell that does diſobey them; and that of the Apoſtle, Rom. 2. Through breaking the Law diſhonoureſt thou God: and the Nomothetick power is that wherein the greatneſs and the height of Majeſty lyes; and this Law we are ſubjected to by bond of Creation, as having received our being from the Lord; and by a bond of Stipulation, having given up our conſent to the Law, having given the hand unto the Lord, &c. and as being the rule by which the Lord will judge men at the laſt day; and this kept Joſeph in awe againſt the importunity of his Miſtreſs, How ſhall I do this great wickedneſs and ſin againſt God? the Majeſty and Authority of God is deſpiſed in it; and the Soveraignty of the Law being exalted in his heart carried with it a kind of moral impoſſibility, (for there be natural and moral impoſſibilities; as the Apoſtle in the 1 Cor. We can do nothing againſt the truth, but for the truth.) And ſometimes the people of God in the violence of a temptation have been forced to fly to the Commandment; as in the point of ſelf-murder one was fain to do, the temptation was ſo impetuous, that he was forced to repeat the Commandment for ſome hours together, Thou ſhalt do no murder; thou ſhalt do no murder.

3. Sin is reſtrained from the Curſe of the Law, and the Judgements that it does denounce againſt offenders, and the ſeveral examples of the executions of them: ſays Job, Chap. 31.23. Deſtruction from God was a terror to me, and becauſe of his highneſs I could not indure. And 2 Cor. 5. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we perſwade men. And obſerving the ſeveral examples of Judgments, and the Curſe of the Covenant upon wickedneſſes which are wrought, that others may ſee and fear, and do no more wickedly. When a man looks upon the Judgements that are abroad, as the Curſe of the Law executed, a man ſhould ſay, I will not tranſgreſs. It was the ſin of Judah, that at the Captivity of Iſrael ſhe would not be warned, and would not receive correction: for that man that has the Law againſt him, has God againſt him.

4. Sin is reſtrained from the Harmony of the Law; he that breaketh one is guilty of all, &c. This makes men ſtand in awe of the Divine Commands.

5. From Gods love to the Law, it being that which is ſo dear unto God, Heaven and Earth ſhall paſs away, but not an iota of the Law; which is dearer to God than Heaven and Earth. The Saints are foreign, and they have a conformity unto God in all things, they love what God loves, and they hate what God hates. Says the Pſalmiſt, I hate them that hate thee, Pſal. 119.10.4.yea I hate them ſore, as if they were my enemies. Through thy precepts I get underſtanding. He ſays, He did love the Law as his portion and inheritance; as that which was ſweeter to him than honey: and his obedience unto which did bring him in all his comfort, and therefore, I have refrained my feet from every evil way: this is my life and this is my wiſdom in the ſight of the Nations.

Laſtly, What authority and command the Law of God has in the hearts of men, is that that Gods eye is much upon, and with ſuch men he is pleaſed, and the power of Gods Grace is ſeen mainly in the awe of the Law upon their hearts and lives, which other men deſpiſe, and caſt behind their back: ſays the Lord, To him will I look that trembles at my word. Iſa. 66.2.And there is a man that fears an oath, My heart ſtands in awe of thy Word, elſe I had broken forth and given way to corruption, but I durſt not. Iſa. 11.6. A little child ſhall lead him, that which is moſt eaſily done; and 2 Chron. 32.12. ſee the charge againſt Zedekiah, for he humbled not himſelf before Jeremiah the Prophet ſpeaking from the mouth of the Lord. If a man come to us from God, and in the name of God, if we deſpiſe him we deſpiſe the Lord.

§. 3. How is the Law from its reſtraint upon luſt a ſervant and a handmaid unto the Gospel? This will appear alſo in theſe Particulars.

1. The great end of the Goſpel is to eſtabliſh the Earth, and to continue the World; for by ſin an utter deſtruction ſhould have come upon men and upon all the creatures for mans uſe, only there is a ſtop put upon Juſtice for a time, the change of the Covenant bringing in a change of the Government, and the Kingdom that was before the fall, adminiſtred by God immediately, is now committed into the hands of the Son, as he is God-man, our Mediator. So Pſal. 8. He has put all things in ſubjection under his feet, Iſa. 49.8.and he has given him as a Covenant to eſtabliſh the earth. And it is upon this ground that thoſe expreſſions are, Pſal. 93. The Lord reigns, he is clothed with Majeſty; the world is eſtabliſhed that it cannot be moved. And Pſal. 97.1. The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice. All this is ſpoken of the Kingdom of Chriſt and his Government that is committed to him by the Father under the ſecond Covenant, and by vertue thereof ſince the fall. And this the Lord doth by the reſtraint of the Law two ways. (1) Hereby the luſts that are in a mans heart are kept under, that they deſtroy not one another, for luſt is cruel; ſee it in the ſecond man that ever was in the world, and he that firſt actually brought murder into the world, and Nimrod a hunter of men before the Lord, and as cruel to men as if they were beaſts; nay they are themſelves Beaſts, and have the cruelty of Beaſts, and men would be as the fiſhes of the Sea, the greater would devour the leſs, they have no King over them, and are acted by the ſpirit of the Devil, and his name is Abaddon the deſtroyer, his delight is wholly in deſtruction; and if the Lord did leave men to the violence of their luſts, and the impetuoſity of temptation, they would overflow as water over-running all banks and bounds, and blood would touch blood, where either as ſome ſay by blood is meant murder,Hoſ. 4.2. or all manner of horrible wickedneſs (and ſo ſome take it) ſo there is all manner of cruelty, and all manner of unnatural wickedneſs, even to the deſtroying of one another, as we ſee it in Egypt, every mans ſword ſhall be againſt his brother, and in the cruelty at the deſtruction of Jeruſalem. Now how comes it to paſs that it is not ſo every where? Only from the reſtraint of the Law laid upon the ſpirits of men, and by this means the world is quieted, as Luther in Gal. 3. hath obſerved, Di…bolus regnat in toto orbe terrarum & impellit homines ad omnis generis flagitia: ſicut ergo hominibus obſeſſis vincula & catenae injiciuntur, ne quem laedant; ſic toti mundo qui eſt obſeſſus a diabolo adeſt Deus legibus cohibens manus & pedes, ne praeceps ruat in omnis generis flagitia. (2) The Lord has ſet bounds unto the ſins of the World as well as unto the ſins of particular perſons and Nations; which when they have by degrees filled up, judgment ſhall come upon them to their deſtruction. As there was a fulneſs of ſin when the Flood came upon the world, and it repented the Lord that he had made man upon the earth: ſo there is a fulneſs of ſin when the World ſhall be burnt; and when all the wicked have filled up their meaſure, then ſhall the fire of Gods wrath be kindled upon the World, unto which it is reſerved. Only then when the World was drowned, becauſe there was a holy ſeed remaining upon the earth, the Lord did ſpare the earth for Noahs ſake, becauſe there was a bleſſing; but when all the Elect of God ſhall be tranſlated from this earth to Glory, then there ſhall be an utter deſtruction, and the earth ſhall be burnt up, at leaſt refined by fire. Now if there ſhould not be a reſtraint laid upon the luſts of men, every one that is now a Serpent would become a Dragon; and they that now ſin as men, would act like Devils, and the meaſure of mens luſts would be quickly fulfilled, and the end of the World would be ſuddenly haſtned. Now becauſe God has appointed a time that the World ſhall ſtand for Goſpel ends, and to ſhew forth the Grace of the Goſpel, that mercy may rejoice, and triumph over judgment, therefore he does reſtrain the luſts of men, that the fulneſs of the ſin of the World may be filled up by degrees.

2. It does exceedingly exalt the Goſpel, and the Grace thereof, that it does make ſuch a uſe of the Law, as is unto man fallen above the nature of the Law, and contrary to the uſe that ſin does make of the Law. (1) It is above the power of the Law unto man a ſinner; for the Law is become weak through the fleſh, Rom. 8.4.as we ſee they that know the Law, yet pour out themſelves to all exceſs of riot, and give themſelves over unto all manner of abominations. He that ſays, thou ſhalt not commit adultery, doth himſelf commit adultery, &c. All this ſhews that the Law of it ſelf is weak: it can forbid ſin indeed, but it cannot reſtrain it; as it can require duty, but it cannot enable a man thereunto; but as Bernard has obſerved, It commands without grace, and it puniſhes without mercy. Reſtraining Grace in reſpect of ſin, and aſſiſting Grace in reſpect of duty comes not from the Law, but from the Spirit that is given in the Goſpel working with it. (2) It is contrary to the uſe that ſin makes of the Law, for ſin takes occaſion by the Commandment, and the Law is ſo far from being a means of reſtraining luſt, that by the Commandment corruptions are improved and increaſed, Rom. 7.8, 11. the flood riſes the higher by the damm that is made againſt it, and there is this devilliſhneſs in ſin, that it does take occaſion by the Commandment to deceive a man, that is, it does work in a man a greater apprehenſion of the ſweetneſs of it, and a greater deſire to it, and longing after it; becauſe it is in the Commandment forbidden; and from the very prohibition does ariſe the ſtrength of the temptation; a man ſhould never have had his heart ſo much carried out after it, if the Lord had not forbidden it; and then a man ſays, Stollen waters are ſweet, and the bread of deceit is pleaſant. Now when Satan and ſin ſhall take occaſion by the Commandment to improve corruption, and to draw it forth, that the Spirit of Chriſt in the Goſpel ſhould make a quite contrary uſe of it, to reſtrain it, and bind it up, it does much exalt the power of the Goſpel, and the ſpirit of the Goſpel which works with this Law.

3. Reſtraining Grace which the Spirit of God does work in a man by the Law, is of great uſe, and does mightily exalt the Grace of the Goſpel, in preſerving from open violences and immoralities. (1) In reference unto the Saints, that they are not deſtroyed, for they are ſheep in the midſt of wolves, their ſouls are amongſt lions, and therefore it is a wonder that they are not deſtroyed; it is God that lays a reſtraint upon their enemies luſt ſometimes, and they deſire it not, and ſometimes upon their acts, and they cannot effect it. Abimelechs luſt was reſtrained in reference to Abraham, I kept thee that thou ſhouldſt not touch her. And as to Laban, God laid a charge upon his ſpirit; and ſo it was with Herod in reference unto John the Baptiſt: and it is by this reſtraint laid upon the hearts of wicked men, that the lives and liberties of the people of God are preſerved; and this is every day as great a miracle in ſome reſpect as to ſet bounds to the Sea, that it do not overflow, and as to ſtop the Lions mouths, or to hinder and reſtrain actum ſecundum, the ſecond act, of the Fire in the Babyloniſh Furnace, that it did not burn ſo much as the garments of the three Children: and that your peace and proſperity, and that the progreſs of the Goſpel is not interrupted, that the Devil does not caſt ſome of you into priſon, and ſeek your blood as in time paſt, it is not that he is not as truly the Deſtroyer ſtill as in times paſt, but the Lord reſtrains the luſts of men that he cannot act them and draw them forth as he has done formerly. (2) In reference unto wicked and ungodly men, that live in their ſins and periſh in them. Though it is true while the corrupt will prevails, and a mans enmity to God remains, ſo long is a man a ſinner before God in every thing, becauſe he is in his habitual frame of heart an enemy unto all righteouſneſs.Auſtins Epiſt. 144. But it is a great common mercy that wicked men have by the Goſpel, that their luſts are not let out to the uttermoſt; and the greateſt judgment that men can be given over to, is to be given up to their own hearts luſts, delivered over unto the power of ſin, and to be acted by Satan to the higheſt, and the utmoſt, as Judas, the Devil entred into him, it was but a higher degree of acting of him in a way of wickedneſs. The reſtraint that is acted upon them leſſens the guilt, and does not ſpread ſo much in the defilement, the act of ſin does intend the habit. Nor is it ſo dangerous and infectious unto others; for ſinners in their actions are corrupters, and by their example taint many with evil ways and words; the more their reſtraints are, the leſs will their judgement and condemnation be; and they ſhall have this fruit by it, which will be a great one hereafter. Seeing that all men are ſinners in Adam alike, and ſin in one man is as much improved as in another; that all men are not alike ſinful in this life, and alike miſerable in the life to come, (for there be degrees of wrath;) and that all men do not ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt, and are not by Satan hurried on to the great Tranſgreſſion; it is no thanks to the man but merely to reſtraining Grace! So in Mar. 10.21. the young man that came to Chriſt,Mark 10.21. Chriſt is ſaid to love him; he was proud, and ſtood upon his own righteouſneſs, and he was covetous, and did part with Chriſt to reſerve to himſelf an Eſtate, and went away from him as being offended at his Doctrine, and never returned again; and yet it is ſaid that Chriſt loved him; what was there lovely in ſuch a man? Here Interpreters diſtinguiſh [1] of the act, [2] of the object. [1] Of the Act, they ſay there is a double love of Chriſt, ſo Cartwright; Quia illi grata eſt humani generis conſervatio, ideoque politicas virtutes amare dicitur, Tenues & paulatim per ſe evaneſcentes imaginis ſuae reliquias. Beza.a Humane and Divine; a Divine love, that is to Salvation; ſo he loves only the Saints; but there was a humane love, and ſo he loved his friends and kindred according to the fleſh, who yet did not believe in him. And ſome ſay there is a double love of God, and of Chriſt as God; there is a peculiar and a fatherly love, and this he bears only to his own people; but there is alſo a common love, whereby he loves whatever is of his own in any of the Creatures. So Beza and Calvin. But I ſhould rather call them the common works of the Spirit of Chriſt, diſpenſed unto unregenerate men under the Goſpel. [2] They diſtinguiſh of the Object, he …oved the remainder of his own Image, or rather the works of his own Spirit in him, though they were common, that he was preſerved unchangeable, in tanta morum corruptela, where there was ſuch a general and univerſal overſpreading of wickedneſs; and this was Donum Dei gratuitum naturale illam pravitatem non quidem immutantis, ſed in quibus illi placet paulatim reprimentis, Bernard. i. e. Not mortifying but reſtraining ſin. So that all this was grounded upon the reſtraining Grace the Lord did vouchſafe unto him in his younger years; for to be preſerved is a good thing, a great gift, it is a great mercy not to be tainted with the common corruption, and not to wallow in the common mire of the times, nor to be given over thereunto. (3) In reference unto godly men, before and after their converſion. [1] Before a mans converſion; ſo it was with Paul, Phil. 3.who was concerning the righteouſneſs of the Law blameleſs, and one that did not ſin againſt his Conſcience, even then when he perſecuted the Church, Act. 23.1. becauſe there is the greater guilt and horror upon a mans Conſcience, having ſo highly diſhonoured God, the greater bitterneſs to a man having inſnared and corrupted others by his example, and the greater matter of temptation, Satan repreſenting unto a man anew the ſweetneſs that a man has taſted in former ſins, and his former experience of it does exceedingly ſtrengthen the temptation, and make a mans heart to hanker the more earneſtly after them. [2] After converſion reſtraining Grace is a mercy; Keep back thy ſervant from preſumptuous ſins, Pſal. 19.13. Alſo the word does ſignifie to reſtrain, or keep a man back, or with-hold him as with a bridle; the ſame word is uſed in Gen. 20. I with-held thee from touching her. And ſo David, Set a watch before the door of my lips. So that though luſt will be in a mans heart, and though it will ſometimes ariſe, and all the power of Grace cannot keep it under; yet to have it reſtrained, that it ſhall not break forth, and a man not to be hurried upon ſinful actions is a great mercy. After converſion for the luſt of Adultery to be up in David, and he deſired her, and yet if he had been kept from the act, it had been a great mercy; and ſo in numbering the people his luſt was up, and to have been kept from the act would have been a great mercy; as we ſee it in the caſe of Nabal, his luſt was up, but how does David bleſs God, that it did not break forth into acts, but that the luſt was reſtrained before-hand: and ſo do all the Saints of God bleſs the Lord that ſometimes by his Law, and ſometimes by afflictions, and by the admonitions of friends, or by the reproach of enemies, any luſt is kept within its bounds from breaking forth, or that there is a reſtraint of it in any meaſure, that a man doth not pour out himſelf upon it with greedineſs, that a man is not wicked in the higheſt degree, and that carnal fear doth not prevail upon him as it did upon Peter, and carnal love as it did upon Sampſon or Solomon, and paſſion as it did upon Aſa, &c.

4. By the Goſpel luſt is ſubdued and mortified, and that is one great end of the Goſpel, That we ſhould deny ungodlineſs and worldly luſts, Tit. 2.13, 14. And having theſe promiſes ſhould purifie our ſelves from all filthineſs of fleſh and spirit, 2 Cor. 7.1. And he that has this hope does purifie himſelf even as God is pure. But the Spirit of God doth make uſe of the Law even to this end alſo, and the reſtraints thereof. There is a double way for the mortifying of ſin: (1) By infuſing a new principle of Grace: (2) By reſtraining the old principle of ſin. (1) There muſt be a new principle of Grace infuſed, which will work out the contrary, and hinder the actings of it, the ſpirits luſting againſt the fleſh; We are not under the Law but under Grace, therefore ſin ſhall not have dominion over you, Rom. 6.12. Not under the Law, ſtrengthning and irritating ſin, but under Grace ſubduing it, the Spirit of God-working in a man a new and another nature,Joh. 3.6. which is contrary unto ſin, and is like unto that ſpirit of holineſs that works it: That which is born of the ſpirit is ſpirit, Joh. 3.6. and it cannot ſin, becauſe it is born of God. (2) There is a power of the ſame Spirit of God reſtraining and keeping under the luſts of men,Pſal. 19.13. and thereby deſtroying them; With-hold from me preſumptuous ſins: in me they are, and I find in my ſelf a proneneſs to them, but keep them under. With-hold me from the actings of them, leſt they grow upon me, and get the dominion over me. As by the exerciſe of ſin it does increaſe, ſo by the reſtraining of it it does die, and is brought to nothing. It is as fire, if it be covered and have no vent, it will go out, and as Trees the more they grow above ground, the more they ſpread under ground, lop them continually that they grow not above, and they will by degrees wither and die; Grace doth grow by the actings of it, and ſo does ſin; and if a man ſhould have Grace in his heart, and yet never bring forth fruit, though it could not wholly die becauſe it it an immortal ſeed, upheld by the Spirit of Grace, yet it would never thrive. There is a double way that the Devil takes to increaſe ſin in a wicked man: [1] He doth infuſe all the devilliſhneſs into them that he can; the Devil entred into Judas, and put it into his heart to betray Chriſt; the wicked one toucheth them. [2] All that wickedneſs that is in them he does act and draw forth to the utmoſt. And there is a double way of the decay of Grace: (1) By ſtirring up and ſtrengthning the contrary principle of ſin. (2) By hindering Grace from acting in all things: and ſo though it be immortal ſeed, yet in the degrees of it it will decay: So it is here, the Spirit of God infuſing a new principle, and reſtraining and hindering the actings of the old, by this means ſin dies by degrees, and the heart is weaned and taken off from it, and this is done by the Law.