A Discourse of the Two Covenants, Book 1 · Chapter 8 · Section 4
SECT. IV. The Subſervience of the Law to the Goſpel as it is a Rule.
§. 1. WE have thus far conſidered the Law as it is in its ſubſervience to the Goſpel, as a glaſs diſcovering ſin, and as a bridle reſtraining it; now we come to the third Conſideration as it is a Rule to guide and direct a man in all the ways of obedience; and it is a Rule within, and a Rule without.
1. It is a Rule within, that is, the Spirit of God given by the Goſpel, or the ſecond Covenant, doth make uſe of the Law of God as an Inſtrument of Converſion, and ſo plants in a man a rule of holineſs and obedience in his own heart, a principle of conformity unto the will of God in all things. The Law indeed cannot do this of it ſelf, looked upon as a Covenant alone, for ſo it is a dead letter, but as it is in the hand of the Spirit, Rom. 7.9. The ſaving knowledge of the Law is brought in by a ſecret and yet ſacred blaſt of the Spirit of God breaking in and blowing when he liſteth.
Now that the Law is an inſtrument in the hand of the Spirit for the converſion of ſouls, is plain: (1) Every part of the Word of God has a converting power, if the Spirit of God be pleaſed to concur with it; for every part of the Word of God is ſeed to beget, as well as milk and ſtrong meat to nouriſh; if any part of the Word of God be ingrafted in the heart, it will change the ſtock of what nature ſoever. (2) It is that which is attributed to the Law, Pſal. 19.7. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the ſoul. Indeed there is ſome difference about the word converting; ſome ſay it is reviving or returning the ſoul when going down to the pit, thou ſayeſt Return again; but it is returning from ſin as well as ſorrow, and therefore Act. 7.38. called verba viva & vivificantia, living and life-giving oracles, which give life here, and bring to life hereafter. (3) That is the promiſe of the new Covenant, I will put my Law into their hearts, and write it in their inward parts: for no man has by nature the Law of God in his heart; for the image of ſin, and the law of ſin is upon the heart of man by nature.Gen. 6.5. Rom. 12.2. [1] The Law of the Lord is by ſin blotted out of the hearts of men, that image of God and conformity unto his will is taken away which they had at firſt, and they have a new law the law of ſin there. [2] It is the Law put into the heart by the Spirit of God, that is the rule of all a mans inward obedience and conformity unto God. Adam had the Law written in his heart, not only a Law without, but inward diſpoſitions conformable to it within: and when man had blotted it out, God wrote it in tables of ſtone; but now he will put it into the hearts of men, ſo that they ſhall have an inward principle anſwerable to the Law-rule without, and whatever he does require in the Law, ſomething within ſhall anſwer to it, but this Law is put in by the hand of God. [3] In Converſion God does put in the whole Law into the heart of man: what Law is it but the Moral Law? that which is a Rule of a mans way without, is the Rule of a mans heart within; and God will put it ſo therein that it ſhall never be blotted out again by ſin, for he will write it there, that it may remain, Litera ſcripta manet, &c. but more particularly obſerve,
1. That no man hath in him the Law of God by nature; but all are enemies unto the Law in their minds, they are not ſubject unto it, neither can be: and therefore the Apoſtle ſays,Rom. 8.7. When the Commandment came, &c. it was a coming Commandment, not of his own fetching; it is therefore ſaid to be a voice crying behind us, This is the way walk in it: for every man by nature hath another law, the law of ſin, the law of his members, which ſtands in oppoſition to the law of his mind; the image he has upon him is the image of the Devil, and he has contrary diſpoſitions in his inward man unto God, and to the will of God in all things, not formed by the word.Rom. 12.2.
2. That which is written there is the Moral Law: There are two great principal parts of a mans holineſs, Faith and Obedience; and becauſe the ground of Obedience is Faith, therefore it is commonly called in Scripture the Obedience of Faith: and anſwerable unto theſe are the two great principal parts of the Word, there are the precepts of the Law, and the promiſes of the Goſpel, and both theſe the Lord makes an ingrafted word: the foundation of a mans faith is the Promiſe, and thereby a man is made partaker of the Divine nature; 2 Pet. 1.4.and the foundation of a mans obedience is the Precept; for in the regeneration we are renewed after the image of him that created it; therefore writing the Law in the heart, is a renewing of the image of God, which in Adam we had loſt, and that was a knowledge of the whole will of God, in whatever concerned Gods glory and his own duty; and he had an inward ability and diſpoſition of ſoul in all things to ſubmit himſelf thereunto with cheerfulneſs. So that in the fall, the Law of God that was written in our hearts, that was ſtamped upon us, and concreated with us, was utterly blotted out, and now the renewing of this Law in our inward man, is our regeneration, a putting the ſame diſpoſitions within us that were at firſt created with us.
3. The finger that writes it is the Spirit; or the writer is Chriſt, and the ink is the Spirit, and the table is the heart; in which the Spirit works the habits of all Grace.De ſpiritu & litera, Cap. 3. Auſtin has decided it againſt the Pelagians, that there muſt not only be freedom of will in men, and a teaching and a moral perſwaſion from God, which they hold; and the Papiſts and Arminians ſince: but there muſt be an almighty work of the Spirit of God upon a man, creating in him a new nature, and putting into a man inward diſpoſitions anſwerable unto what the Law of God doth require, and that by a hand without, and ſo writing does ſignifie ſomething wrote in a man from without; and that I conceive to be the meaning of Rom. 2.15.Rom. 2.15. The work of the Law written in their hearts; all the outward acts of obedience that they do, and their Conſciences accuſing or excuſing them, all thoſe are but the fruits of the work, the efficacy of the Law that is written in their hearts. We do not read that the Law is ſaid to be written in Adams heart, only God created man righteous; but writing notes rather an act from an extrinſecal hand. And therefore I ſhould rather conceive thoſe practic notions, Rom. 2.15. to be written in man by the common work of the Spirit of Chriſt, than to be left in him after the fall, not the droſs of the old Adam, but the foundation of the new, &c. ſo that the Spirit of God has his works wrought in both; only in the one by a common hand, in the other by a ſaving work.
4. The thing that the Spirit of God doth write there is the whole Law: he doth write the Goſpel and all the Promiſes thereof; he doth take of Chriſt and ſhew it unto you; Joh. 16.he reveals his glory to you, and the preciouſneſs of Goſpel-promiſes and priviledges; and a man does believe them, and is transformed into them. He does alſo ſhew a man the Law of God, and a man is transformed into the likeneſs thereof, even the whole Law, ſo that a man has reſpect unto all the Commandments, there is an univerſal change; for there is not any part of the Law but it is written within him. Civil men may have ſomething of the Law put into their hearts as the Heathen had, and they may ſhew forth ſomething of the work of the efficacy of this Law in their hearts, and in their lives alſo, but they have but half the copy; but where the Spirit of God does write the Law ſavingly, he writes the whole Law.
5. The Law is written in the heart, as it is written in a Propoſition: that which is written in the greateſt Letters in the Law, hath the greateſt Characters in a mans ſoul; and that which is moſt often repeated in the Law, that is moſt often repeated in the heart, and therefore Rom. 6.17.Rom. 6.17. There is a form of doctrine into which you were delivered as into a mould. Now in a thing caſt into a mould, as there is not the leaſt ſcratch in the mould but it will appear in the thing moulded thereby, ſo anſwerable unto the impreſſion in the mould will the impreſſion be in the thing, and if it be deeper in the one, it will be deeper in the other: now to know God, and to fear him, to cleave unto the Lord Chriſt, and honour him, and obey him, theſe are the great things of the Law of God; wherefore for men to neglect theſe, and have their hearts much taken up though about truths, yet things of leſs conſequence, and lay out the whole intention of their ſpirits in theſe, to tythe mint and cummin, and to be all in meat and drink, and neglect true godlineſs and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghoſt, in which the Kingdom of God conſiſts mainly, this is an evil ſign, and an argument there is not the right moulding of the Law in the heart.
6. Laſtly, It notes an abiding and continuing of the Law there; as things written are for continuance, and for after times. So Jer. 17.1. The iniquity of Judah is written, with the pen of iron; that is, they are ſo ſet upon ſin, and ſo hardened in it, that there is little or no hope of their repentance; their ſin is written in the ſtains and the guilt of it upon their ſouls. So Prov. 3.3. we are exhorted, To write the Law upon the tables of our hearts; that is, by conſtant obſervation and meditation to fix them, and to imprint them. So that the Law is ſaid to be written in our hearts for continuance: the Law that was concreated with us in Adam, Satan has blotted out; but when the Spirit of God does write it there again, by the finger of God, ſurely it is that it may be never more obliterated, or blotted out.
Mat. 11.30.Chriſt ſaith, Mat. 11.30. Take my yoke upon you, for my yoke is eaſie: ſo that Chriſt ſuffers not his people to go without a yoke, he is not foreign, lawleſs, as to his actions, he is not a ſon of Belial, which Glaſſius ſaith, ſignifies, a man without a yoke; and this yoke is the obedience which in the Goſpel the Lord requires, and that is nothing elſe but the obedience of the Law, for though Chriſt hath fulfilled it, yet it lies upon us ſtill as a duty, though not by way of ſatisfaction to be performed, and this yoke is mainly upon the ſouls and the ſpirits of men. Now writing the Law in the heart is a perfect conformity of a mans inward man unto the Law of God, and all duties that the Lord requires; and this is it that makes the yoke eaſie, becauſe it is become another nature, an inward principle; and what a man does ſo work from is not burdenſome; there is a potentia viſiva, a viſive power in the eye, therefore it is not weary of ſeeing; and there is a principle, a law of motion in the nature of the Sun, and therefore it is not weary of motion, becauſe it works from an inward principle. Men do evil with both hands earneſtly, and are never weary; the reaſon is, becauſe they work from an inward principle. And in this conformity unto the will of God, which is taking up the yoke, (1) There is obedientia voti, the obedience of deſire, when a man deſires to obey God in all things, and has a careful reſpect unto all the Commandments, and deſires to make his heart perfect with the Law of God. (2) Obedientia conformitatis, obedience of conformity, when a man does in ſome meaſure anſwer the Law of God in his actions, and in the workings of his inward man. (3) Obedientia reſignationis, obedience of reſignation, when a man can wholly give up himſelf to it, as to the perfect Law, with joy and delight, love the law and finds ſweetneſs in it, and ſees a goodneſs in whatever it requires, and gives up himſelf unto it as the perfect law of liberty, that wherein his happineſs lyes; this is that which makes the yoke eaſie, and the Commandment not grievous: and the ground of it is, becauſe the Law is written in his heart, and this is to ſerve Chriſt in the newneſs of the ſpirit, and not in the oldneſs of the letter, not barely to have a duty in the letter injoined, which is that which only prevails with other men to perform duty, whilſt all that is in their heart is againſt it, they do it, and yet hate the duty when done, and the Law that injoins it; but here is the Spirit of God renewing and working in a man ſuch diſpoſitions of heart, which anſwer the duties of the Law in all things; ſo that a man loves the duties, and the Law that commands them, as ſetting him about a ſervice that he is pleaſed with; ſo that it is the Law that is the yoke of Chriſt, and it is writing it in his heart, that makes it an eaſie yoke. In putting the Law as a rule into a mans heart, the Spirit of God doth let a man ſee, (1) The Holineſs of the nature of God;Epheſ. 4.24. for man was in this created after God, neither did the Creature behold the Holineſs of God any other way than in the Law which doth forbid the leaſt blemiſh and defilement, all filthineſs of fleſh and ſpirit. (2) Herein a man ſees the glory that was ſtampt upon him in his creation, for his heart was nothing elſe but a perfect copy of this Law created in it; and in this conformity in his inward man to the Law of God, did this image principally if not wholly conſiſt. (3) This is a perfect reſemblance of the Holineſs that was in the humane nature of Chriſt, in whom the Law was fulfilled, for there was no ſin in him, He knew no ſin, neither was guile found in his mouth, he was a lamb without ſpot or blemiſh; he was a living Law. (4) This is a perfect copy of that conformity unto God, that is in the Saints and ſouls of juſt men made perfect: When he ſhall appear we ſhall be like him. 1 Joh. 3.2.The law of his mind ſhall be perfected, and the law of the members wholly deſtroyed. Now we are conformable to the will of God but in ſome degrees; for that perfectio graduum, perfection of degrees, is to come; but the Spirit of God will go over our hearts and write more and more of this Law in us, till we be made in all things anſwerable thereunto. And in our conformity to the Law, (glory being nothing elſe but Grace perfected) ſhall our conformity unto God in Heaven be, where we ſhall not be like God in part, as here we are, but ſhall be wholly conformable to him, which is the perfection which we ſtrive for, and aſpire unto; and therefore the Scripture calls this our perfection, Paul ſaith,2 Cor. 13.9. I long for your perfection, that is, a perfect writing of the Law in the heart, and this fits a man for Goſpel-Ordinances, and the perfection hereof is the reward of the Goſpel; for the Law written in the heart is the foundation of all obedience unto the Law, and the perfect writing the Law in the heart is the higheſt reward of all the Promiſes, and all the obedience of the Goſpel.
§. 2. As the Law is a rule within, being planted there by the Spirit given in the ſecond Covenant, which does change a mans nature, and doth give a man inward diſpoſitions ſuitable thereunto, a law of the mind; ſo is the law a rule to guide and direct a man in his way, unto which all the Saints are to give heed, from which they are to learn their duties, and by which they are to judge of all the ways of God, and the ways of the world; the Law is added unto the Goſpel,Fides efficit quod lex imperat. as the rule to the hand of the workman; the rule is able to do nothing of it ſelf, it is a dead thing, it is the hand only that does the work, and if the hand can do nothing aright without the rule, the Law can work nothing being dead, without the Grace of the Goſpel, that only inabling a man to perform all acts of obedience, and yet the Grace of the Goſpel does inable a man to no other obedience but that of which the Law is the rule. Chriſt himſelf tells us, that his intention in coming was not to deſtroy the Law of God, or put an end to it, or make it void;Mat. 5.17. Think not that I come to deſtroy the Law or the Prophets, and interpreters of the Law. Now there are in the Law but three things to be conſidered, either it is for Juſtification, for Condemnation, or for Direction. Now for Juſtification unto all that are in Chriſt, it is by Chriſt aboliſhed; no man is juſtified by the works of the Law, but by the Grace of Jeſus Chriſt: and for condemnation alſo; for he hath delivered us from the curſe of the Law, and was made a curſe for us. There remains now no other proper uſe of the Law but for Direction, as it is a rule; and therefore either Chriſt has deſtroyed it wholly, or elſe he will have it remain in this laſt ſenſe, and ſo the next verſ. 18. tells us, Heaven and earth ſhall ſooner paſs away, and the whole frame of this world fall to pieces, before the Law ſhall paſs away: therefore it doth remain for Direction unto the Saints unto the end of the world. So Rom. 3.31. the Goſpel does not deſtroy but eſtabliſh the Law; the word in the Greek doth ſignifie,foreign. to ſtrengthen and make a thing firm, that was falling before; ſo by the ſin of man the Law became weak through the fleſh, neither to be fulfill'd in the precept of it, or the curſe, but men muſt be for ever ſatisfying it; now the Goſpel comes and it makes the Law firm: (1) In our Surety; for in him is the precept fulfilled, and the curſe born; he did fulfill all righteouſneſs. (2) In us, becauſe by the Grace of the Goſpel we do attain ſtrength in ſome meaſure to obey the Law, which is encreaſed more and more, till in our nature and actions we ſhall be made perfectly conformable unto the Law in Heaven, and ſo the righteouſneſs of the Law perfectly fulfilled in us, the Lord perfecting his good work that he has begun in the day of the Lord, ſo that the Law remains as a rule to Believers, being not aboliſhed but eſtabliſhed by the Goſpel.
2. The Goſpel ſends us unto the Law as a rule of duty, Luk. 16.30, 31. They have Moſes and the Prophets, the Law and the Expoſitions of the Law; and the Lord requires, Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy ſoul, as well under the Goſpel as under the Law. And Jam. 1.25. He that looks into the perfect Law of liberty, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the word; and therefore Jam. 2.8. we are exhorted to fulfill the royal Law, and to keep the precepts of the Law, and to walk in them. The whole Law as to its ſecond Table, is fulfilled in this one word, Thou ſhalt love thy neighbour as thy ſelf: and for this cauſe Chriſt in his firſt Sermon frees it from its corrupt gloſſes, and interpretation of the Phariſees, and reſtores it unto its ſpiritual ſenſe, becauſe it was to be of a perpetual uſe in the Church of God; and it is ſo perfect a rule, that Chriſt added no new precept to it, but only interpreted and expounded the Law, and reſtored it unto its primitive and original glory.
3. Chriſt has left us an example, and he is unto us not only the principle of holineſs, from whence it is derived,Mat. 11.29. Phil. 2.5. but alſo the pattern to which it is conformed, Joh. 13.15. Now the acts of Chriſt were of two ſorts, (1) Acts of Office, as he was a Mediator, by which he merited of God the Father pardon and acceptation for us, and ſo we cannot imitate him; but there are (2) acts of Moral obedience, which he did as our Mediator, and as our Pattern; and in theſe we are to follow Chriſt unto this day: for his whole life was nothing elſe but a ſpiritual Commentary upon the Law of God; and herein we muſt be followers of all men as they follow Chriſt; becauſe there is a defect in all mens conformity to the Law, but ſo there was not in Chriſt.
Joh. 4.3.4. So far as we come ſhort of it, even the beſt of the Saints, we ſin; for what is ſin but a tranſgreſſion of the Law? therefore to the Saints the Law is a rule of obedience, or elſe they ſhould never tranſgreſs it; and if a man would try and examine his ways, he muſt bring it to the rule; for it is a rule for examination. Adam was bound to the Law, and therefore his leaſt tranſgreſſion was a ſin; and we are bound as ſtrictly as Adam was, and ſo far as a juſtified perſon comes ſhort of univerſal obedience unto the whole Law, he ſins as well as Adam in the ſtate of innocency; only in the Goſpel by the Mediation of Chriſt, the ſin is pardoned. Therefore under the Goſpel there is no other rule of obedience, but the Law of God, and every ſin is a tranſgreſſion thereof. Chriſt came into the world to be made a curſe for ſin, but not a cloak for it: the Saints are bound to the Law under the danger of committing ſin, though not under the danger of incurring death; and therefore ſin is foreign, a tranſgreſſion, and Chriſt when he would ſhew a ſin, has recourſe to the Law, and alſo in all his temptations; and ſo Act. 23.5. ſome expound that of Paul, I wiſt not brethren that he was the high Prieſt, becauſe it is written Thou ſhalt not curſe the ruler of thy people, &c.
5. The Law hath all the properties of a rule, (1) It is recta, right, the Law of the Lord is holy and perfect. Pſal. 19.(2) Nota, known, it is promulgated and made known in the authority of God himſelf, I have written to them the great things of my Law, and they have counted it a ſtrange thing. (3) Adaequata, anſwerable unto the thing to be meaſured by it; and ſo is this Law ſpiritual, Rom. 7. and gives laws to the ſpirits of men, and to their words, and their actions; there is no caſe can fall out, that there is not a rule to be found for it in the word,Pſal. 119.96. were our eyes opened to behold the wonders that are there. I have ſeen an end of all perfections, but thy law is exceeding broad. In all the laws of men we can look beyond them, but there is a latitude here,Pſal. 119. that we cannot reach; it was to David his counſeller; and it is ſuch a counſeller that you cannot put that caſe to it, that it cannot reſolve and fully clear; if thou give ear unto it when thou walkeſt by the way, it ſhall lead thee, and when thou riſeſt up, it ſhall walk with thee as a friend and counſeller.
6. That is the rule of obedience to a man in this life, by which God will judge him in the life to come, and according to which he will reward him, Rom. 2. They that have ſinned under the law ſhall be judged by the Law, as many as are of the works of the law are under the curſe. Joh. 12. There is one that judges you even Moſes in whom you truſt. And Paul ſays, The Lord will judge men according to my Goſpel. And the greater Grace there is rejected, the greater ſhall their judgement be; but the curſe that is executed upon wicked men in Hell, is the curſe of the Law, which the Lord Chriſt did undergo for thoſe that are his; and the reward both here and hereafter is very great, in keeping of them there is great reward, in this life the fruit is unto holineſs, and in the end everlaſting life. And though the Law be to all unregenerate men a Covenant of Works, and a curſe of the ſame Covenant made with Adam, yet this is made a handmaid unto the Goſpel, and is the only rule of all Goſpel or new obedience; the ſtrength to perform it is from the Goſpel, but the duties to be performed are from the Law; the ability to walk is from the Goſpel, but the way in which we muſt walk is the way of the Lords precepts.
Objections anſwered. §. 3. There are ſome Objections againſt this, that are neceſſary to be cleared; not that I deſire to enter upon a Controverſie, or a Polemical diſcourſe, but becauſe it will help us to underſtand many Scriptures, and ſo happily free us from many ſnares, in which men are ſometimes taken.
Object. 1 Mat. 11.13. Luk. 16.16.It is ſaid, That the Law and the Prophets were till John, ſince the Kingdom of God is preached, and every man preſſeth into it; therefore the Law was to laſt no longer, and is not therefore as you ſay to be preached as a ſervant unto the Goſpel, becauſe its ſervice and its prophecie is ended; for in John Baptiſts time it did expire, it laſted ſo long, and no longer.
Anſw. 1. It cannot be the meaning that the Law and the Prophets were to ceaſe, Luc. 16.17.and to be wholly aboliſhed; for Chriſt immediately confirms them, and ſays, Heaven and earth ſhall ſooner paſs away than a tittle of the Law ſhall paſs; which words are added, as Interpreters generally obſerve, to prevent that objection againſt, or miſinterpretation of this Doctrine of Chriſt, the Law and the Prophets were till John, but yet miſtake me not, as if I would be underſtood acſi poſt haec lex in eccleſia exauctoratae eſſet, as if henceforward the Law ſhould be abrogated;Cartwr. for Heaven and Earth ſhall ſooner paſs than the Law, which is a glaſs to diſcover ſin, and a rule to guide in duty to the end of the world; and there will be uſe of this rule without, as long as Heaven and Earth ſhall laſt, and this frame of Heaven and Earth ſhall continue, till the image of God be perfectly renewed in all the Saints, and the law written perfectly in their hearts, and they are a law fully unto themſelves, and ſo can live above the law, and can live upon the law, till then you will need the law without, and ſo long this law ſhall continue and be of uſe in the Church of God.
2. The meaning therefore is, that the ſtate of the Old Teſtament, which is here called the Law and the Prophets, that is, that manner of diſcovering of the mind of God unto his people, which was in the Law and the Prophets, that was unto John, that is by ſpeaking of Chriſt to come, and promiſing a higher and a greater light, and a greater meaſure of the ſpirit in after times; but yet it was not accompliſhed, but in 1 Pet. 1.12. To them it was revealed, that not unto themſelves, but unto us they did miniſter the things that are now reported to us, to whom the Goſpel is preached, with the Holy Ghoſt ſent down from Heaven, which things the Angels deſire to look into. So that the ſtate of the Church of God under the Old Teſtament, and the manner of revelation of the mind of God, and that meaſure of diſpenſation of the Spirit of God, and not the Typical part only, as ſome would have it, is here meant. So that the Ceremonial Law and the Prophets did but ſpeak of Chriſt to come, and did vaniſh in John's time, the Subſtance being come, the Shadows muſt fly away; but alſo all that manner of diſpenſation being more obſcure and leſs ſpiritual, and leſs powerful, all that did end, becauſe the Law and the Prophets did but ſpeak of Chriſt to come, but John of Chriſt already come, Behold the lamb of God, &c. ſo much that word in the Original ſignifies.
3. At the coming of Chriſt the Law and the Prophets were as it were taken away, not by abrogation, but by way of excellency, as when the Sun riſes, the Stars diſappear, and are darkned, and all mens eyes gaze on the Sun. This is a new and a higher and more glorious way of diſcovery, 2 Cor. 3.10. That which was glorious had no glory, in reſpect of the glory that excelled, becauſe now Chriſt was manifeſted to be more fully that which he was ſtiled to be before, Dan. 8.13. the word Palmoni ſignifies the wonderful numberer of ſecrets, or as Junius and Glaſſ. what has innumerable ſecrets. And there are divers ſuch names given unto Chriſt in the Scripture, his name ſhall be called Wonderful Counſeller, to ſet forth his nature and his actions, Prov. 30.1. Ithiel and Ʋcal, &c. The Angel Dan. 9. prays unto Chriſt to diſcover unto him how long the Viſion concerning the daily Sacrifice, and the deſolation of the Sanctuary ſhall be: for as Chriſt is the head of the Angels, ſo he is the teacher of the Angels alſo, and the ſecrets of the Counſels of God he knows, and he reveals them unto the Angels, in anſwer to their prayers.Rev. 5. Now there being a fuller and a more glorious way of revelation, and a fuller diſpenſation of Grace, the ſtate of the Old Teſtament under the Law and the Prophets is to be done away, not by way of Abrogation, but by way of Excellency; and ſo theſe Scriptures alſo I conceive are to be underſtood, They ſhall ſay no more The Lord lives that brought up his people out of the land of Egypt, Jer. 2.3.&c. Not that this mercy ſhould be wholly forgotten, but as it were darkned and obſcured by a greater mercy, and a more glorious deliverance: and that place alſo, They ſhall no more teach one another, ſaying, Know the Lord, for they ſhall be all taught of God from the greateſt unto the leaſt: that is, there ſhall be a more full and glorious way of diſcovery, that in compariſon of that abundance of light, when the light of the Moon ſhall be as the light of the Sun, and the fulneſs of Grace, vvhen the vveak ſhall be as David, there ſhall be no need of thoſe former vvays of inſtructions, but they ſhall have their teaching more immediately from the Lord: and ſo that place, There ſhall be no more need of the light of the Sun and of the Moon, there ſhall, be a fuller and more glorious light; there ſhall novv ſeem to be no need of theſe former vvays of inſtruction by them: and alſo that place, they ſhall ſee his face; Rev. 22.4.not that men ſhall have the Beatifical viſion here, but that there ſhall be a fuller manifeſtation of God, inſomuch that in compariſon of what it was before, it ſhall be even, as ſeeing his face in glory; as there ſhall be no more death, no more ſorrow, no more crying; not that abſolutely there ſhall be no more, for while there ſhall be ſin there will be cauſe of ſorrow, and there ſhall be death till the Reſurrection, when the change of them that are found alive at the Lords coming, ſhall be to them inſtead of death; death is the laſt enemy that ſhall be deſtroyed, immediately before the giving up of the Kingdom of Chriſt unto the Father; but the peace and proſperity of the Church ſhall be ſuch, all the former perſecuting Monarchies being deſtroyed, that there ſhall be in compariſon of what there was in former times, no more death, nor ſorrow, nor crying under perſecutions, and groaning and mourning under the cruelties of men no more. And thus you ſee for all this the Law and the Prophets continue till Heaven and Earth be no more.
Object. 2 But it is ſaid in this Text, Gal. 3.19. that this ſubſerviency of the Law was but to laſt till the ſeed ſhould come, unto whom the promiſe was made, and afterwards be given in the hand of a Mediator,Verſ. 16. But till then; and that ſeed is ſaid to be Chriſt, and therefore now Chriſt being come, who is that ſeed, this ſubſerviency of the Law is ended, for till then it was to laſt and no longer.
Anſw. 1. Some would ſeem to underſtand this only of the Ceremonial Law, which they ſay is afterwards ſaid to be a School-maſter to bring men unto Chriſt: and ſo Beza ſeems to carry it, namely that the School-maſter is only the Ceremonial Law, (which I conceive our former whole diſcourſe of the uſe of the Moral Law in this great work of bringing a ſoul to Chriſt by diſcovering of ſin, and reſtraining ſin, and ſhewing a man the way of Goſpel-obedience, hath fully rectified) but if we conſider what is ſaid verſ. 12, 13. this will be clearly manifeſted; for he ſpeaks of that Law that ſaith, He that doth them ſhall live in them; and of that Law that ſaith, Curſed is every one that continues not in all things written in the book of the Law to do them: which cannot be meant of the Ceremonial Law, but of the Moral Law; and therefore if this Interpretation could ſtand, the anſwer were eaſie, that the ſubſerviency of the Ceremonial Law was to end when the ſeed came, and yet the Moral, the copy of the firſt Covenant, was ſtill to remain, and might be a ſervant to the Goſpel, and Goſpel-ends: but it muſt be underſtood of the Moral, and that was the Law that was added till the ſeed came.
2. Some by the Law underſtand the whole Pedagogy of Moſes in the Ceremonial, Judicial, and Moral Law; and ſo Beza and Pareus, that way of diſcovering of the mind of God under the time of the Law, which was to laſt only till the coming of Chriſt the promiſed ſeed, and all theſe were added becauſe of tranſgreſſion, that the Jews might thereby be ſtirred up to long for Chriſt to come, and to pray and wait for the conſolation of Iſrael, being ſhut up under the Law, and this darker and obſcurer and leſs ſpiritual adminiſtration, till Faith ſhould come, that is, the diſpenſation of the Goſpel which was afterward to be revealed, as it is ver. 23. for though the Saints were heirs of the Promiſes, yet they were during that adminiſtration, as it were under the morning twi-light, the Sun not being yet riſen, as Beza has it; and ſo by the Law, he underſtands the ſame that before we underſtood, in the continuance of the Law and the Prophets untill John, and makes the ſenſe of the words to be the ſame.
3. Some do conceive the ſeed to be meant primarily indeed of Chriſt perſonal, but yet in the ſecond place of Chriſt Myſtical, Chriſt with the whole body, of Chriſt and the Church: the promiſe being made unto Chriſt primarily, being primus foederatus, the ſecond Adam, and the Head and Prince of the Covenant; yet ſo, that as the firſt Covenant was not made with the firſt Adam in his perſon only, but together with him with all his poſterity in him, ſo the Covenant is firſt made with Chriſt the ſecond Adam, but yet not with him apart from his body, but with them in him: and ſo they underſtand the ſeed to be not only Chriſt in himſelf, though he be primarily meant; but alſo Chriſt in his body, all the faithful: and then the meaning ſeems to be this, that ſo long as there are any of this ſeed to come, or to be brought into the body of Chriſt, and to be continued and kept there, ſo long there will be this uſe of the Law,Reinolds, the uſe of the Law as given for the Seed. diſcovering ſin, reſtraining it, and condemning it, that they may with the greater earneſtneſs fly to the city of refuge. And as for thoſe places, Rom. 6.14. and Rom. 7. it is ſpoken of Adam as under the Law as a Covenant, and as a Husband irritating, ſtrengthning, and ſtirring up ſin in us, ſin taking occaſion by the Commandment; for ſo he ſaith, Sin ſhall not have dominion over you, for you are not under the Law; as a husband ſtirring up ſin in you, and thereby bringing forth fruit unto death; but under grace, as pardoning, and ſo healing corruption, and ſubduing ſin, and breaking the power thereof; and ſo you are not under the Law provoking ſin, and ſtrengthning it, but under Grace healing, ſanctifying, and ſubduing it: Gal. 5.18. As many as are led by the Spirit are not under the law, irritating ſin, and forcibly compelling unto duty. Thus a man may be freed from the Law in theſe evil effects of it, which are but fruits of the Curſe, even upon the Law of God it ſelf, accidentally, as it meets with a corrupt nature, and yet the Law remain unto thoſe good ends for which it was given in the hand of a Mediator for our Salvation, and to advance the Grace of the Goſpel.
Ʋſe 1 §. 4. Firſt then it is for Inſtruction in ſeveral particulars: 1. It ſhews us the great end of God in publiſhing the Law, it was for the Saints, and for their good only. The Law was publiſhed by Chriſt, he was the Law-giver, of him Moſes received lively Oracles;Act. 7. and Heb. 12. the end and giving of the Law was in reference unto the ſeed to whom the promiſe was made. As there is a double end of the Goſpel, ſo there is of the Law. (1) That which was intended principally and by it ſelf, and that only was Salvation both in the Law and in the Goſpel, to advance the ends of the Goſpel. (2) There is an accidental end,Intentio principalis & per ſe. that which follows not from the nature of the thing but from the evil diſpoſition of the ſubject, and ſo unto all unregenerate men the Law doth diſcover their ſins, and make them out of meaſure ſinful; doth irritate and ſtir up their corruptions, and ſo doth heighten and increaſe them, and their condemnation for them, as the Goſpel doth: but yet we may ſay of the Law as Chriſt does of himſelf, That he came not into the world to condemn the world, but that the world by him might be ſaved: yet by accident he did condemn the world, being deſpiſed, and ſet for the falling as well as the riſing of many in Iſrael; but the proper and principal intent of his coming, was ſalvation and not damnation; ſo here. I may ſay of the Law, as it's ſaid of Chriſt, had there not been ſome ſouls that Chriſt did intend to life, he had never come into the world; ſo had there not been a ſeed unto whom the Law vvas to be a ſervant, the Lord had never given the Lavv, never renevved it, for there vvas condemnation enough in the vvorld before, and death enough before, and the vvrath of God did abound upon men, the Goſpel brings it not upon them, but leaves them under it; neither vvas it Gods intention in the Lavv, to bring them under further condemnation, though it does through their corruption prove ſo; but had it not been for the ſeed, the Lavv had never been added as a handmaid to the Goſpel: ſo that all the uſe of the Lavv, and the diſcoveries of it to unregenerate men, they do ovve to the Saints; for it vvas for their ſakes only that Chriſt did reveal it again to the vvorld.
2. See the folly of thoſe that cry dovvn the preaching of the Lavv; it vvas publiſhed by Chriſt the foundation of the Goſpel, and the only Goſpel Preacher, the great Evangeliſt,foreign as Gloſſ. and Jerome do expound the vvord, Iſa. 41.27. and yet the Lavv is diſpenſed unto the ſeed by, and in the hand of this Mediator; he that loved this ſeed ſo, that he laid dovvn his life for it, abaſed his glory, and veiled his Godhead; yet he did as a fruit of his love unto this ſeed, deliver the Lavv unto them, and in the days of his fleſh interpreted it; and vvill you ſlight his Love? vvill you ſay it is unneceſſary? He that appointed the city of refuge did as neceſſarily appoint an avenger of blood to purſue, or elſe men vvould not have fled unto that city. Will you ſay this is preaching damnation, and driving men to deſpair? vvas it not preached by Chriſt, whoſe heart was ſo full of love and thoughts of Grace, and who wept over Jeruſalem? he preached the Law, and publiſhed it for his ſeeds ſake. Truly when we preach the Law we preach Salvation, and not damnation intentionally; the Lord did deli…er the Law for Salvation, to ſerve the ends of the Goſpel, and ſo we do preach it; and …et if it proves not ſo, it is by accident, by reaſon of the corruption of the heart of man; …he damnation that it meets withal is thence. Therefore ſee your folly, and be aſhamed of your ignorance: It is a high act of Grace, and one of the greateſt priviledges that Believers have by Chriſt, that the Law is a ſervant to the Goſpel, and yet that Mercy you deſpiſe, and that Grace you do not love; you are to be aſhamed of your folly and unthankfulneſs herein.
3. It ſhould teach Miniſters that the Law muſt be preached to the ſame intent that it was revealed and delivered in the hand of a Mediator, and to the ends of the Goſpel, and that not only the curſes and threatnings of the Law, but the precepts and duties of the Law alſo. In the curſes and threatnings of the Law our Divines have uſually ſent men to Chriſt to bear thoſe; but duties have been preſſed, though not without Chriſt,foreign Nazian. Orat. 17. but that a ſufficiency is to be had in him, and acceptance from him, yet not laying Chriſt as the foundation of duties as he ſhould have been, in time paſt; but men have been preſt to duty without a through diſcovery of a mans Union with Chriſt as the ground of his aſſiſtance and acceptance, as there ſhould have been, and ſo men have been put upon duties in a Moral or Legal way, as if they had wrought them by their own ſtrength, and had a power in themſelves; though without Chriſt, by reaſon of their imperfection, they could not be accepted; and ſo the way of the Goſpel hath not been ſo clearly diſcovered, and the ſubſerviency of the Law unto the Goſpel-grace, as it ſhould. When the Law is ſo preached that men are ſtirred up to ſeek for Grace in another, and to obey him, and when the Grace of the Goſpel is thus offered, as that it inables a man to walk in the way of the precepts of the Law, this is indeed to preach the Goſpel; when a man does ſo publiſh the Grace thereof that he does alſo publiſh the Law as a ſervant thereunto.
4. See how the heart of God is much in the Salvation of Sinners, and to exalt the Grace of the Goſpel, and honour and magnifie Mercy:Iſa. 53.10. it is now that he would force men to accept of it. If men were left unto themſelves, Chriſt ſhould never be accepted, but die in vain, and not a man ever be ſaved; though there were a city of refuge, unleſs there were alſo an avenger of blood; it is not enough for to offer mercy, a moral perſwaſion will not do it; but there is without, a Law compelling, breaking, and within there is a ſpirit drawing, and the drawing of the Father, Joh. 6.44. lyes in a great meaſure in this work of the Law; the Lord bringing the ſoul ſo low, that the Blood of Chriſt, and the Grace of the Goſpel is precious, and a man will accept him upon his own terms, and ſay, This is a faithful ſaying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Chriſt came into the world to ſave ſinners. Thus is the Son a ſervant unto the Father,Iſa. 42.1. and the Law alſo a ſervant to the Son, and put into his hand; and this ſhews how much the heart of the Lord is on this work, and next to the ſubjecting of his Son, is the ſubſerviency of the Law thereunto.
Ʋſe 2 It ſhould ſtir us up to make uſe of the Law in ſubſerviency to the Goſpel; for ſo long as we are in this life, the ends of the Goſpel are not accompliſhed, there is ſtill ſin to be diſcovered and reſtrained, and condemned, there are inward principles (the Law in the heart) to be perfected, and there are duties in which men are to be directed in their whole courſe; and ſo long as the ends of the Goſpel are not attained, ſo long the Law is ſtill to be uſed: and this is that mentioned 1 Tim. 1.8.1 Tim. 1.8. The Law is good if a man uſe it lawfully: that is, when it is uſed by us as it was delivered and publiſhed by Chriſt; not for Juſtification, ſo as to exact righteouſneſs and acceptation from it, not to ſet it up againſt Chriſt, and the Grace of the Goſpel, to make the way of the Goſpel void, as the Jews did, Rom. 10.3. but in the hand of a Mediator, and for the ends of it; and they are the great things of the Law; it is the Royal Law, and therefore it is a dangerous thing to abaſe it, and therein to take the name of God in vain. And as to neglect the Salvation of the Goſpel, ſo to deſpiſe the convictions or inſtructions of the Law. When the Law is uſed to diſcover ſin, and to keep a man always low and humble in the ſenſe of his own vileneſs, it makes him ſet a high price upon Chriſt, and the Mercy and Grace of God in him, and makes him to keep cloſe to him, to keep in the city of refuge, becauſe the avenger of blood is without the gate to expect him; and that which did at firſt bring a man in, will keep him in; for Chriſt is made a curſe for us: There is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus. Rom. 8.1.And when a man comes once to delight in the Law of God, it is ſweeter to him than honey, and dearer to him than thouſands of Gold and Silver, upon this ground, becauſe it furthers the Salvation of the Goſpel: as Paul ſays, I delight in the law of the Lord in the inward man; ſo far as a man hath an inward principle of conformity to the Law, and is regenerate, ſo far the Law is his delight; the more a man is ſanctified,Mat. 11. ult. the more precious and ſweet it is to him; the Commandments of Chriſt are not grievous, but he doth willingly take up the yoke of Chriſt, becauſe it is ſweet and light, and profitable. There is a ſweetneſs in obedience as vvell as an eaſe, and there is a profit alſo; for there is a fruit unto holineſs here, as vvell as the end everlaſting life; and vvhen the Lavv does bring a man dovvn, to follow the Lamb whither ſoever he goes, and to vvalk humbly vvith his God, and ſay, Lord what wilt thou have me to do? this is properly for a man to uſe the Law lawfully, for the Law is added to the Goſpel, as the Rule is to the work-mans hand; and the yoke of Goſpel-obedience is nothing elſe but the duties that the Law requires, as being the ſervant unto the Goſpel; the way of the Goſpel is ſtill the way of thy Precepts, O God.
Ʋſe 3 It is alſo for Conſolation, it is the greateſt ground of comfort, and the greateſt gift of God, even next unto Chriſt and the ſecond Covenant, that he hath made the Law a ſervant thereunto. It's much that the Lord has given us all the Creatures, and they are all our ſervants, Angels and Principalities, and Powers, all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollo; and the curſe of the Law alſo, perſecutions, afflictions, death, are all ſanctified; but above all that he has made the Law a ſervant to the Goſpel, For the ſting of death is ſin, and the ſtrength of ſin is the Law; all is from the Law, and all our fear is from the Law, and to have the Law of God to charge ſin upon a man is the great ground of a mans terror, becauſe it comes to the Conſcience with the Authority and Majeſty of the great King, the higheſt Judge and Law-giver; now to have this Law made a ſervant, and in ſubordination unto all a mans ſpiritual and eternal welfare, it is a very high ground of a mans conſolation; and ſo a man under the ſecond Covenant loſeth only that which is evil in the firſt Covenant, but all the good of the firſt Covenant he attains under the ſecond; whatever good the firſt Covenant can do him; he hath that alſo purchaſed by Chriſt for him, through the overplus of the Grace, the ſuperabundant Grace of the ſecond Covenant, that we may ſay Grace abounded much more; thus, Out of the eater came meat, and out of the ſtrong came ſweetneſs; and that which was the ground of the greateſt terror in the world, a man can now claim as his portion, talk with as his counſeller, and feed upon as the ſweeteſt of all his delights, that his ſoul is even raviſhed with it. Thus the Lord has ſubjected the Law to the Goſpel, and do you rejoice in its Miniſtration.
Thus have we brought this large Tract to an end, which is the Key of all the whole Treaſury of God: wherein you have heard, (1) That God in the Creation did deal with man in a Covenant-way. (2) The foederati, the Covenanters were Adam and his Poſterity. (3) The terms of this Covenant were perfect, perſonal, and perpetual Obedience. (4) The Condition on Gods part was Life Spiritual, Temporal and Eternal. (5) This Covenant Adam brake, not only for himſelf but for all his poſterity. (6) That the Curſe of the Covenant broken is death ſpiritual, temporal and eternal. (7) That the Covenant of Works is not aboliſhed by the fall, but all unregenerate men ſtand under it ſtill. (8) That this is to every unregenerate man a deſirable Condition. (9) That under this Covenant all unregenerate men are for Irritation, Coaction and Condemnation. (10) There is a Tranſlation out of this Covenant, and an aboliſhment of it to all that are regenerate. (11) The Subordination of it to the Goſpel.
The END of the Firſt Book.