Orthodoxy and Charity United, Essay 3

Orthodoxy and Charity United · Essay 3

p. 73ESSAY III. The True Uſe of the MORAL LAW under the GOSPEL.

Exemplify'd in the Conference of CHRIST with a young Phariſee, explain'd in a SERMON, May 1711.

Matt. xix. 17. — If thou wilt inter into Life, keep the Commandments.

SECT. I. The INTRODUCTION.

HERE it will be neceſſary to run over the ſhort Conference between Chriſt and this young Man, which is recorded by ſeveral of the Evangeliſts, becauſe it will give us a plainer Account how theſe Words are introduced, and lead us into the Knowledge of the true Deſign of them.

Read from the 16th to the 23d Verſe. And behold one came and ſaid unto him, good Maſter, What good thing ſhall I do that I may have Eternal Life? 17. And hee ſaid unto him, why calleſt thou me Good? there is none Good but one, that is God. But if thou wilt enter into Life; keep the Commandments. 18. He ſaith unto him, Which? Jeſus ſaid, Thou ſhalt do no Murder, Thou ſhalt not commit Adultery, Thou ſhalt not Steal, Thou ſhalt not bear falſe Witneſs. 19. Honour thy Father and thy Mother, and thou ſhalt love p. 74thy Neighbour as thy ſelf. 20. The young Man ſaith unto him, all theſe have I kept from my Youth up: what lack I yet? 21. Jeſus ſaid unto him, if thou wilt be perfect, go and ſell that thou haſt and give to the Poor, and thou ſhalt have Treaſure in Heaven; and come and follow me. 22. But when the young Man heard that Saying, he went away ſorrowful, for he had great Poſſeſſions. 23. Then ſaid Jeſus unto his Diſciples, Verily I ſay unto you, that a Rich Man ſhall hardly enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. This is the Hiſtory.

The Perſon who addreſſed the Lord Jeſus Chriſt here, was a young Man, and wealthy, as this ſacred Writer informs us; and that he was a Ruler among the Jews, St. Luke gives us notice, Luke xviii. 18. That he was either a Phariſee, or at leaſt one of the ſtricter ſort of the Jews, ſeems evident, becauſe he ſought after Eternal Life, whereas the Sadducees deny'd a future State, many of the higher as well as the looſer Part of the Nation diſregarded it. He appears leaven'd with the common Phariſaical Doctrine, (viz.) that the way to procure Eternal Life was by his own good Works, by doing ſome good Thing.

'Tis probable he had heard of the Miracles and the Fame of our Bleſſed Lord, and believed him to be a Teacher ſent from God, for he comes in an humble manner as to a divine Prophet, he ſeems to be in good earneſt in the Queſtion which he puts to Chriſt, and ſeriouſly concerned about the Welfare of his Soul. He did not come with a Deſign to enſnare Chriſt in his Words, as that ſort of Men (viz.) the Phariſees often did: Nor did he come with uſeleſs perplexing Queſtions, as the Scribes and Sadducees and Lawyers ſometimes had done: But, as St. Mark relates the Hiſtory, he ſhew'd ſome Tokens of Sincerity. Mark x. 17. for He came running to Jeſus with Diligence and Speed, longing to have the Opinion of a new Prophet p. 75about a Matter of ſuch Importance, as the obtaining of Eternal Life: He kneeled down to him, and paid our Saviour much civil Reſpect: He received the Directions of Chriſt with Attention, and when he found in his Heart that his Love to his Riches would not let him comply with the Terms propoſed, he went away ſorrowful. There was ſomething in his Deſign and in his Deportment, that was lovely and amiable, and we find that our Saviour (as a Man) looked on him with a Love of Complacency, Mark x. 21. But he was not ſo zealous a Lover of God to part with Earth for Heaven.

We may ſuppoſe this young Gentleman, who ſeems to be a Follower or Diſciple of the Phariſees, might probably have one or more of theſe three Deſigns in his Queſtion. (viz.)

I. Whereas the Law of Moſes promiſes long Life in the Land of Canaan, and the Bleſſings of this World to thoſe that are obedient to the Statutes and Ordinances which God enjoin'd to Iſrael; but it ſcarce ever mentions, plainly and expreſly, any Promiſes of Eternal Life in another World, nor the Methods to attain it; and whereas this Youth was fully convinced from ſeveral of the Writings of the Prophets, that there was a future State and eternal Happineſs in another World to be obtained, he comes now to Jeſus, as a new and divine Teacher, to ſeek an Anſwer to this Queſtion about Eternal Life, which he could not find an expreſs Anſwer to in the Law of Moſes; and he would fain know whether he muſt obtain Eternal Life the ſame way that he was to ſeek for a long Life on Earth, and Temporal Bleſſings, namely, by an outward Obedience to the Laws already given to the Jews.

II. We may ſuppoſe him enquiring after ſome ſhorter and more compendious way to Eternal Life, by pract…ſing ſome one or two extraordinary Inſtances of Duty, p. 76and thereby to atone for the neglect of the reſt. This was an Error that prevailed among the Phariſees in our Saviour's Time, as ſeems to be ſufficiently evident from their Doctrine, as it is repreſented, Matt. xv. 5, 6. Whoſoever ſhall make a great Preſent to God and his Temple (as ſome interpret the Word Corban, or a Gift) he ſhall be free from all relative Duties to Parents, &c. So Matt. xxiii. 23. if they did but pay Tythes duly to the Prieſt they might be ſaved, though they neglected the weighty Matters of the Law, Juſtice, Judgment and Mercy, and the Love of God. So the Phariſee that went into the Temple to pray, he faſted twice a-week, and gave Tythes of all that he poſſeſſed, and he accounted himſelf Righteous. Luke xviii. 12.

And upon this account you find the Queſtion propoſed elſewhere to our Saviour, Matt. xxii. 36. Which is the great Commandment of the Law? Some were for Circumciſion, as a moſt ancient Precept, and therefore of the moſt general Obligation: Some for the Sabbath, becauſe it was ſo ſtrictly enjoined to the Jews: And ſome for Sacrifice, as being in their Opinion a ſufficient Expiation and Atonement for any other Defects whatſoever. They thought one or other of theſe to be the critical Points on which Salvation depended.

And generally we find that the Commands of God, of an external or Ceremonial Nature, or the mere Inventions and Traditions of Men, were thus aggrandized by the Teachers of the Jews, as though Heaven might be obtain'd in a ſhort way, by practiſing thoſe Formalities, without the long Labours of Watchfulneſs and Abſtinence from Sin, and Obedience to every moral Command of the Law. Yet we muſt ſuppoſe this Perſon to be one of the better ſort of them too, for he had endeavoured to keep the Moral Law, (at leaſt in the outward and viſible Duties of it) as well as Ceremonial, even from his Youth up, as he tells our Saviour.

p. 77III. Or we may ſuppoſe this young Man hearing the Fame of Chriſt, as the great Prophet that was to come into the World, might expect ſome new and unheard-of Doctrines, ſome new and unknown way to Heaven, which the Law and the Old Prophets had never ſpoken of; eſpecially ſince he thought he had already fulfilled all that they had required: And therefore he came running to Chriſt, kneeling down with earneſt Deſire to be taught this new Revelation, this Method of obtaining Heaven and eternal Life, which the new Prophet was ſent to teach: And perhaps he might imagine Jeſus to be the Meſſiah: And they knew that when the Meſſiah came he would teach them all things, which all the former Prophets▪ and Moſes himſelf had not fully acquainted them with, John iv. 25.

Or may we not ſuppoſe all theſe three Deſigns together, to be in the Heart of this young Queriſt? As if he ſhould ſay, Good Maſter, Moſes in his five Books, hath ſpoken much of Life, long Life in the Land of Promiſe, but hath not given us an expreſs Account of Life Eternal in the other World, nor preſcribed the ſpecial Methods to attain it; I would therefore fain learn that of thee. And whereas the Statutes and Ceremonies, and Commands and Judgments, and Duties of the Law, are very numerous and difficult, is there no one good thing that may be as acceptable to God as all the reſt, and give me a Title to eternal Happineſs, in a ſhort and compendious manner? Or is there any new way to Heaven which thou diſcovereſt to Men? As thou ſeemeſt to preach up a future State, a Heaven and a Hell in the other World, doſt thou come to give any new Directions how to avoid this Hell, and obtain this Heaven?

Our Lord, before he anſwered his Queſtion, takes Occaſion to ask him, why he called him Good, which p. 78was a Title that eminently belonged to God only: The beſt conjecture that Interpreters can make of this Query, is this, (viz.) Jeſus ſearched into his Opinion concerning himſelf, whether he knew or believed that he was the Meſſiah or the Son of God, who was one with the Father, and thereby had a Right to Divine Titles and Characters, and might juſtly be called Good in a Divine Senſe. Perhaps Jeſus might have, before this time, manifeſted this his own Oneneſs with God; but if he had not, yet there were ſeveral Deſcriptions of the Meſſiah in the Old Teſtament, wherein the Names and Titles of the true God are given to the Meſſiah, which could not be given him without ſuch a Oneneſs with God, and therefore he might juſtly take Occaſion to catechiſe ſuch a forward young Man who ſeemed to be conceited of his own Righteouſneſs, &c. 'Tis as if Jeſus had ſaid, Thou calleſt me Good: There is none originally, eternally and perfectly good but God himſelf; none good as God is; none hath right to the Title in the moſt abſolute and exalted Senſe of it but God: Why then doſt thou uſe this Salutation to me, and give me this Title? Doſt thou think any thing more than Human dwells in me? Haſt thou known or obſerved any of thoſe Speeches or thoſe Miracles of mine, whereby I have aſſerted and proved that I am in the Father and the Father in me, or, that I am one with the Father, and ſo partake with him in the Title of Good? See John x. 30, 37, 38. and xiv, 8, 9, 10.

Here it may be remarked, that our Saviour did not uſe to publiſh his own Divinity or Oneneſs with God, in plain and expreſs Terms to the People, but generally by ſuch Methods of Enquiry and Inſinuation. See Mark ii. 5. — 11. where he had forgiven the Sins of a Man that was ſick of the Palſy before he healed him; and then he proves by the Miracle of healing, that he p. 79had a Right to forgive Sin, while the Jews acknowledge that none could forgive Sins but God alone. So John x. 30, — 36. after he had given a hint of his Deity, by ſaying, I and my father are one, the Jews would have ſtoned him for pretending to be God; which he anſwers by ſuch an Enquiry; Since thoſe are called Gods in Scripture, to whom the Word of God came, ſay ye of him whom the Father hath ſanctified and ſent into the World, he blaſphemeth, becauſe I ſaid I am the Son of God? Such a ſort of oblique Inſinuation, or Enquiry concerning the Divinity of his Perſon, ſeems to be our Lord's Deſign in this Text. If this be not the Purport and Intention of this Queſtion, I muſt confeſs I am ignorant of the Deſign of it. But this ſeems to me the moſt probable Conjecture.

Then immediately he proceeds to give our young Queriſt an Anſwer to his Queſtion, If thou wilt enter into Life keep the Commandments.

The young Man again ſeems to have his former Deſigns in his Eye, when he asks which Commandment he ſhould keep? As if he ſhould ſay, Is it any one particular Commandment or Commandments of Moſes that I muſt keep? and if I have kept them, is there any new Commandment thou wilt give me, whereby eternal Life will be inſured to me?

Our Lord replies, Keep the common Commandments of the Law, Thou knoweſt them, as Mark x. 17. 'Tis not by obſerving any one Command and neglecting the reſt, but the way to enter into Life is Obedience to all the old Commandments, for I am not come to break or diſſolve the Law of God, but to confirm or fulfil it, Matt. v. 17, 19. And though our Lord Jeſus▪ mentions only thoſe of the ſecond Table, and the Duties towards Men, yet we muſt ſuppoſe he means incluſively all the reſt; for he ſaith in Matt. v. 19. Whoſoever ſhall teach Men to break the leaſt of the Commandments of the Law, p. 80ſhall be the leaſt in the Kingdom of Heaven, i. e. ſhall have no Place there. Our Saviour doth not give a Diſpenſation to neglect Duties toward God, by mentioning only the Duties toward our Neighbour; but the Reaſon why he mentions them ſeem chiefly theſe two.

1. Becauſe theſe Duties to their Neighbours were thoſe which the Phariſees, who boaſted of their own Righteouſneſs, more particularly neglected, while they pretended to much Devotion and Worſhip of God in all the Forms of his Appointment; And therefore our Lord inſiſts particularly upon theſe Commands that relate to our Fellow-Creatures, to ſhew him that theſe were as neceſſary a Part of his Duty, as all the more pompous Services of God in his Temple.

2. Becauſe it might be more eaſy for his own Conſcience to convince him of the Neglect of theſe moral and relative Duties towards his Fellow-Creatures, than of his Neglect of religious Duties towards God: And our Saviour thought when he had named theſe, he had named Commandments enough to ſhew him the Imperfection of his Righteouſneſs: Therefore he don't proceed to mention them all.

And it may be noted, that our Lord reckons up theſe Commands not in their exact Order, nor exactly in the Words of the Old Teſtament, but with a more looſe and negligent way of repeating them, becauſe he ſpoke to a Man that was ſuppoſed to know them already: Thou knoweſt all the Commandments which I refer to, even the Commands of the moral Law, Do not kill, do not ſteal, &c.

SECT. II. The Senſe of Chriſt's Anſwer.

Now the great and important Queſtion comes naturally p. 81into Sight: In what Senſe did our Saviour ſpeak theſe Words to the young Enquirer, If thou wilt enter into Life keep the Commandments? Did he deſign to give him a plain and direct Anſwer how he might obtain Eternal Life and Salvation, according to the Goſpel? or did he deſign only to convince him of Sin, by preaching the Law to him, in order to make him ſee his Guilt and Miſery, that he might ſeek after a better Righteouſneſs than that of the Works of the Law, another way of obtaining Acceptance with God and Eternal Life, than merely by his Doings?

I anſwer, the laſt of theſe ſeems to be the Deſign of Chriſt. He did not intend in theſe Words to give him immediate and direct Inſtruction, how he might actually obtain Salvation, but rather firſt to convince him of Sin, &c. and I would offer theſe following Reaſons for it.

1. Reaſon. The Anſwer of Chriſt is exactly ſuited to his Queſtion. Now his Queſtion was about Eternal Life to be obtain'd by Works, and not about the Salvation of a Sinner by the Mercy of God. He did not ask, as the convinced Jaylor, Acts xvi. 30. What ſhall I do to be ſaved, or to obtain Salvation? But What g… Work muſt I do to obtain Eternal Life by it?

It is granted that Eternal Life is ſometimes put for the final Happineſs of Believers under the Goſpel, becauſe it is included in the Salvation of Chriſt; yet Life and Eternal Life are peculiarly and properly the Bleſſings promiſed in the Law of Works, in which Senſe the Word Salvation is never uſed; and the Scripture in ſome Places by this way of Expreſſion makes this Diſtinction evident. See the Terms of the Law or Covenant of Works, both in its Command and its Reward, as it is deſcribed in direct oppoſition to the Goſpel, and Method of Salvation, in Rom. x. 5, 6. Moſes deſcribeth the Righteouſneſs which is of the Law, that the Man who p. 82doth theſe Things ſhall live by them; whereas the Righteouſneſs of Faith (i. e. the way of Juſtification and Acceptance with God by the Goſpel) ſays quite other things, If thou ſhalt believe and confeſs Chriſt, &c. So St. Paul deſcribes the promiſed Bleſſings of the Law of Works in the ſame manner in his Epiſtle to the Galatians, Gal. iii. 12. The Law is not of Faith, but the Man who doth them ſhall live in them. Life is ſtill the Word of the Promiſe. And in Rom. ii. 6, 7. where the Apoſtle is properly preaching the Law of Works with the Terms of it, 'tis called Immortality, Eternal Life, to be obtained by continuance in good Works or well-doing.

'Tis this Eternal Life and Immortality which was imply'd in the Covenant of Works which God made with Adam. If he eat the forbidden Fruit he ſhould die; but if he obſerved the Commands of God, he ſhould live; and the Tree of Life in the midſt of the Garden was a Symbol or Sacrament of Life and Immortality to ſeal this Promiſe to Man, if he continued in his Obedience to God.

Our Lord therefore gives an Anſwer exactly according to the Queſtion, What good Thing ſhall I do for Eternal Life? ſaith the Enquirer. Keep the Commandments, ſaith our Lord. When the young Man propoſes his Queſtion about final Happineſs in the Terms and Language of the Covenant of Works, our Lord gives an Anſwer in the ſame Language. If thou wilt obtain Life by doing Works, theſe are the Works which thou muſt do, even the Works of the moral Law.

2. Reaſon. I ſuppoſe Jeſus Chriſt the chief Miniſter of the Covenant of Grace would not give this Direction to obtain the Salvation and Benefits thereof, becauſe 'tis the moſt direct Anſwer which a Preacher of the Covenant of Works could give to this ſame Enquiry; If thou wilt enter into Life keep the Commandments. p. 83And this is very different from the Terms of Juſtification and Salvation by the Goſpel, which exclude the Works of the Law, as the way to Pardon and Juſtification, and refer us to Faith in Jeſus Chriſt. See Gal. iii. 11, 12. Rom. x. 5, 6. already cited. Is it not moſt expreſly aſſerted, that by the Works of the Law no Fleſh ſhall be juſtified? Rom. iii. 19, 20. Are not theſe Works perpetually excluded by the bleſſed Apoſtle, whenſoever he is deſcribing the mere Method of Grace and Salvation, or the Means for a Sinner to obtain his Acceptance with God unto Eternal Life? See Rom. iv. 4. To him that worketh the Reward is not reckon'd of Grace but of Debt: But to him that worketh not believeth on him that juſtifies the ungodly (i. e. the Man who has no Works of Righteouſneſs anſwerable to any Law) his Faith is counted for Righteouſneſs. Gal. ii. 16. Knowing that a Man is not juſtify'd by the Works of the Law, but by the Faith of Chriſt, &c. See Gal. iii. 8, 12.

And it is plain, that it is not merely the Law of Levitical Ceremonies that the Apoſtle ſpeaks of, when he excludes the Works of it from our Juſtification, for it is alſo that Law which is written by Nature in the Hearts and Conſciences of the Gentiles, Rom. ii. 14, 15. It is the Law that forbids Stealing and Adultery, Rom. ii. 21, 22. The Law that forbids Coveting, Rom. vii. 6, 7. even this very Law, and thoſe Commandments which our Saviour makes mention of in my Text. 'Tis by the Works of this Law no Fleſh ſhall be juſtified, no Man ſhall be ſaved, or obtain Eternal Happineſs, Rom. iii. 20. Now can we ſuppoſe that Chriſt, the great Meſſenger of God to ſinful Man, and the Prophet of the Goſpel or Covenant of Grace, would give the very ſame advice and Direction to a Sinner how to obtain Salvation, which a Preacher of the Law, or a Zealot for the Covenant of Works, would give to one who thought p. 84himſelf righteous, and never confeſs'd himſelf a Sinner, but enquired about obtaining Life by his good Works?

3. Reaſon. 'Tis hardly to be thought that Chriſt ſhould direct a Man to fulfil the Commands of the Moral Law as the proper way for him to obtain Eternal Life, when through the Weakneſs of our ſinful Nature, he knew the Law could not give Life to Men in their fallen Eſtate, and he himſelf was ſent to provide another way for them to obtain Life. Rom. viii. 3. What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the Fleſh, God ſent his own Son to do for us. Rom. iii. 20. By the Deeds of the Law there ſhall no Fleſh be juſtified in his Sight. This does not ariſe from any Weakneſs or Inſufficiency of the Law itſelf, for it ſtill promiſes Life, and would ſecure it to any Man who was perfect without Sin. But as the Apoſtle ſays, 'Tis become weak thro' the Fleſh, i. e. becauſe Man is ſo much immerſed in Fleſh and Sin, that he cannot perfectly fulfil it. The Law cannot give the Favour of God and Eternal Life, becauſe Man cannot obey it.

And upon this Account the Law of ten Commands which was engraven in Stones is called the Miniſtration of Condemnati…n and Death, 2 Cor. iii. 7, 9. and not the Miniſtration of Life and Righteouſneſs; that is the peculiar Glory of the Goſpel. The Law indeed is holy and juſt and good, and it was originally ordained for Life to innocent Man: But when the Apoſtle Paul came to have his Conſcience awaken'd to a Senſe of Sin by the Law, he found it to be unto Death, Rom. vii. 10. partly by ſhewing him his Imperfection of Obedience, as well as by irritating his indwelling ſinful Inclinations. So far is the Law from giving Life to Sinners.

God honours his Laws ſo much that the Scripture aſſures us, If there had been a Law which could have given Life, Eternal Life, verily Righteouſneſs, Juſtification and Happineſs ſhould have come by the Law. Gal. iii. 21, 22. p. 85But the Scripture hath concluded all under Sin, and condemned them by the Law, and has ſhewn the Inſufficiency of the Law to ſave, that the Promiſe of Eternal Life by Faith of Jeſus Chriſt might be given to them that believe. 'Tis not to be ſuppoſed therefore, that Jeſus Chriſt the Son of God, who was ſent into this World to give or further reveal this Promiſe of Eternal Life by Faith, and to provide another way to Salvation and Eternal Life for fallen Man, becauſe the Law was unable to give it; I ſay, 'tis not to be ſuppoſed that this very Son of God ſhould preach Obedience to the Commands of this Law, as the proper and direct way for a Sinner to obtain Salvation of Eternal Life. This would be like building up again the Hopes of Sinners to obtain Salvation by the Law, which Hopes he came to deſtroy, and to provide a much ſurer Foundation for Hope.

4. Reaſon. 'Tis much more probable that Chriſt in theſe Words deſign'd to lead this young Man to a Senſe of Sin and Guilt, and Self-Condemnation, by preaching to him the Law of God, rather than to give him immediately the direct and plain Advice how a Sinner might obtain Eternal Happineſs; for this is a Work which the Law can do, even in our fallen State: For by the Law is the Knowledge of Sin, Rom. iii. 20, and vii. 7. The Law can convince and condemn, though it cannot juſtify and ſave. Our Saviour knew the Hearts of Men; he knew this young Man was conceited of his own Righteouſneſs, and he had a mind to lead his Conſcience to a Sight and Senſe of the Imperfection of his Obedience, and therefore he preaches the Law to him in many of the expreſs Commands of it, for that very End which the Law might attain, i. e. Conviction of Sin and Self-Condemnation. This is the firſt thing neceſſary in order to the Salvation of Men, and therefore our Saviour begins with it.

p. 86And 'tis well worthy our Notice, that the publick Promulgation of the ten Commandments, with ſuch ſolemn Terrors at Mount Sinai, was deſign'd, in the ſpiritual Intention of it, to lay the Conſciences of Men under Guilt, rather than to make them partakers of Righteouſneſs and Life, Rom. v. 20. The Law enter'd that the Offence might abound, i. e. that the Sins of Men might appear to be great and numerous, beyond what their carnal Imaginations would have ſuppoſed, without the expreſs Letter of the Law, which forbids coveting, &c. The Apoſtle Paul tells us, Rom. vii. 7. He had not known this Concupiſcence to be Sin but by the Law; and that uſeful Expoſitor of Scripture, Mr. Samuel Clark, (who is not wont to be too Evangelical in his Expoſitions) remarks on Exod. xix. 24. That the Charge of forbidding the People to come near Mount Sinai, is often repeated, leſt God break forth upon them, to ſhew that the End of the Law is rather to exclude Men from God, by reaſon of their Sins, than to juſtify or to give Life; for which he cites, 2 Cor. iii. 7. Gal. iii. 10 — 24.

And indeed this was one conſiderable part of the Deſign and Buſineſs of our Saviour's perſonal Miniſtry here upon Earth, (viz.) to preach the Law of God in its Perfection, and convince Men of Sin, to let them ſee that they were condemned and expoſed to the Wrath of God, that they might learn the Neceſſity of a Saviour to atone for Sin, and of the Mercy of God to pardon it. He deſcribed the Purity and Exactneſs of the Law, not only to teach his Diſciples and all ſucceeding Chriſtians, that their Obedience to the Law of God ought to be more exact and pure, more inward and ſpiritual, than what the Phariſees required or practiſed, but alſo to ſhew Men the Imperfection of their beſt Righteouſneſs, and that they were all guilty before God, that he might prepare them to receive the Goſpel, p. 87partly by his own preaching it, and eſpecially when it ſhould be publiſhed in greater Brightneſs and Clearneſs, and in its full Glory, after his Reſurrection.

Was not this one great Deſign of his Sermon upon the Mount, where he explains the Law of God in its Lengths and Breadths, and ſhews that it reaches to the Thoughts of Men as well as their Actions? Did he not begin this Sermon with, Bleſſed are the Poor in Spirit, Matt. v. 3. that he might ſhew the way to Bleſſedneſs was not a Self-Sufficience of Soul, and a Truſt in our own Righteouſneſs, but a ſpiritual Poverty, i. e. a humble Senſe of our own Weakneſs and Sinfulneſs? What mean many of his Parables, particularly that of the prodigal Son returning in Rags and Sorrow to his Father's Houſe? Doth it not teach us that the way to be accepted of our heavenly Father is to return to him with a deep Senſe of our Diſobedience, Sin and Miſery, with a humble Repentance, and asking Forgiveneſs? What is the Intent of the Parable of the Phariſee and Publican going up to pray? Is it not to ſhew us that a humble, confeſſing, repenting Sinner ſeeking for Mercy, is much nearer to Juſtification and the Favour of God, than a Man who ſpreads abroad his own Righteouſneſs and juſtifies himſelf? What means our Bleſſed Lord in his perpetual Reproofs of the Phariſees who truſted in themſelves that they were righteous? Did he not frequently talk thus to convince Men of Sin, and ſhew them how imperfect their Obedience was, and how inſufficient to procure Acceptance with God, and to let them ſee that Repentance and Confeſſion of Sin, and Truſt in Divine Mercy, were the only way to Salvation.

'Tis no wonder then if our Saviour had the ſame Deſign in his Eye when he ſaw a rich young Man of a Phariſaical Spirit, come to enquire the way to Heaven by doing ſome good Work; 'tis no wonder that he begun p. 88to talk to him of Obedience to the Law, in order to convince him of Sin, and ſhew him that he was not ſufficiently righteous to obtain Eternal Life by his Righteouſneſs.

'Tis moſt likely that our Bleſſed Lord had a ſpecial Intention in this Place to try the young Man, whether he knew his own State and Caſe as a Sinner who wanted Pardon, and whether he was prepared for the Goſpel or no: Whether he ſtood convinced of Sin, and deſirous of true Salvation, ſuch as Chriſt came to procure for thoſe who were ſenſible of their Guilt and Danger. I have before ſhewed that the firſt Sentence that Chriſt ſpoke to him was with deſign to try his Opinion about himſelf, the Meſſiah, when he called him Good, whether he was one with God or no: And now he tries his Opinion about the inward and ſpiritual Perfection of the Law, and about his own Power to keep it, and about his own Hope of Juſtification thereby: And therefore he at firſt gives him ſuch an Anſwer as ſhould make him bethink himſelf, whether he had obey'd the Law of God perfectly or no.

If he had found him ſenſible of his Guilt and his Imperfections, then moſt probably the compaſſionate Jeſus would have preached to him the pardoning Grace of the Goſpel, which he came to offer to thoſe who repent of Sin, and believe in the Saviour. But when he heard the vain Enquirer juſtify himſelf as a righteous Man, and ſay, All theſe Commands have I kept from my Youth, then our Saviour put him to a freſh and more painful Trial of his Sincerity and Obedience to God, and that partly for his Conviction, inſtead of ſaying, Repent and believe; he did not proceed ſo far as to preach Repentance to him, becauſe he ſaw him ſo much unconvinced of Sin; and he tells us that he came not to call theſe righteous Men but Sinners to Repen…ance, p. 89Matt. ix. 13. i. e. thoſe who own themſelves to be Sinners.

This leads me to the fifth or laſt Reaſon, to prove that this Anſwer was not deſigned by Chriſt as a Direction of the Queriſt how to obtain Salvation, (viz.) It is a quite different Anſwer to the like Queſtions that is given by Chriſt, and by the Apoſtles, when they deſigned to preach the Goſpel in plain, direct and expreſs Language, Mark i. 15. Chriſt ſaith Repent and believe the Goſpel. John vi. 40. This is the Will of him that ſent me, that every one that ſeeth the Son and believeth on him, hath everlaſting Life. And again, This is the Work of God, i. e. the great Work which God now requires, that ye believe on him whom he hath ſent, John vi. 28, 29. So preaches St. Peter, Acts ii. 38. Repent and be baptiſed in the Name of Jeſus Chriſt: So Paul, Acts xvi. 31. Believe in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt and thou ſhalt be ſaved: And ſo John ſpeaks, This is his Commandment that ye believe on the Name of his Son Jeſus Chriſt, 1 John iii. 23. Theſe are the plain and direct Advices of Chriſt and his Apoſtles to ſinful Men, in order to obtain the Favour of God and Eternal Life.

To ſuppoſe therefore that Chriſt did in this Place, and in theſe Words, direct the Enquirer into the proper way of Salvation by the Goſpel, is to ſuppoſe that Chriſt differ'd greatly from himſelf, in the Directions he gave, how Men might be ſaved; and that he and his Apoſtles, and particularly St. Paul, taught very different Doctrines; that Chriſt taught the Way to Salvation by the Works of the Law, and the Goſpel taught it by Faith and Repentance, without the Works of the Law. But this would ſet Chriſt and his Apoſtles ſo much at Variance with themſelves, that 'tis not to be admitted.

p. 90SECT. III. An Anſwer to ſome Objections.

I come now to anſwer ſome Objections againſt my Senſe of this Text, and the chief of them are taken from Dr. Whitby, a moſt ingenious Writer on that Side.

Object. 1. Doth not Chriſt ſay, that to love the Lord our God is the Way to Life, Luke x. 27, 28? Is not this the ſame thing in effect, as when he directs the young Man to Eternal Life, by keeping the Commandments, and that in the ſame Language? For when the Lawyer enquires, What ſhall I do to inherit Eternal Life? Jeſus gives him this Advice, Love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart, and thy Neighbour as thy ſelf: This do and thou ſhalt live. Thus Eternal Life is promiſed by Chriſt himſelf, to our loving God and Man, which is the Epitome or Abſtract of all the moral Commands in one, for Love is the fulfilling of the Law, Rom. xiii. 8, 10.

Anſw. 1. It is very plain that in that Place our Saviour is preaching the Covenant of Works, as well as in my Text, and that for the ſame Purpoſe too, (viz.) for the Conviction of Sin. This Lawyer was not a humble and ſincere Enquirer, but one who came to tempt and enſnare him; and then 'tis no wonder if Jeſus did not give him a plain and direct Anſwer according to the Method of Salvation by the Goſpel. And though he directed others to believe and repent, yet he did not treat a vain young Phariſee, who thought himſelf righteous, and a cunning Lawyer who deſign'd to inſnare him, in the ſame manner that he would treat Perſons who were ſenſible of their Sins, and ſought the way to obtain Pardon and Happineſs, nor did he give them the ſame Directions.

Anſw. 2. Let it be further conſider'd, that the Life-time of Chriſt was not the appointed Seaſon to ſpeak p. 91the Glories of the Goſpel in the fulleſt and plaineſt Language, as I hinted before. His frequent Buſineſs and Practice was to preach the Law, to reprove Sin, and prepare Men for the fuller and more compleat Miniſtry of the Goſpel, which after his Death he ſent his Apoſtles to preach by the Power of his own Spirit: And they publiſh'd the Goſpel of Salvation by Repentance and Faith in the Blood of Chriſt, and Forgiveneſs through his Atonement, much plainer and clearer, and fuller than Chriſt himſelf did in his Life-time among the Multitudes. That Goſpel which he taught them ſecretly, they proclaimed as it were upon the Houſe Tops, according to his Order, Matt. x. 27.

Though Chriſt himſelf gave ſuch Hints of this Goſpel in his preaching, as were ſufficient for Salvation to thoſe that would receive them, yet he might be ſaid to be ſent rather with this dreadful Commiſſion to the Generality of the Jews, Matt. xiii. 13. Iſa. vi. 10. Make the Heart of this People fat and their Ears heavy, and ſhut their Eyes, &c. They were ſuch a ſtubborn and ſelf-conceited and diſobedient People, that God juſtly gave them up to their own Blindneſs and Hardneſs: And for this Reaſon our Saviour ſpake often the great things of the Goſpel to them in Parables**See Sect. 5. Reflection. 1.. He was ordained to be a ſtumbling Stone and Rock of Offence to the Houſe of Iſrael and Judah, Iſa. viii. 14. 1 Pet. ii. 8. and this by the juſt Judgment of God, for their ſtoning the Prophets, and murdering the former Meſſengers of Heaven, for their forſaking the Law of God, and making it void by their Traditions, and for their violent Oppoſition to Chriſt his Son. Chriſt was not always bound to ſpeak the Goſpel to this People in as plain Words as he could, for Reaſons that the Wiſdom of God was well acquainted with, Reaſons that the Juſtice of God righteouſly determined, and the Goodneſs of p. 92God did not think fit to oppoſe. And 'tis no wonder at all that he doth ſpeak in this way to thoſe Men who came with curious Queſtions and with evil Purpoſes to enſnare him, as the Lawyer did in this Account of St. Luke.

Obj. 2. But can we ſuppoſe that Chriſt would deceive a young Man, who came ſeriouſly to enquire the Way to Eternal Life? Can we imagine that Chriſt, in whom dwells all Wiſdom, Truth and Love, ſhould give ſuch Directions as could never bring a Man to Heaven, and eſpecially conſidering that he came into the World on purpoſe to bring Life and Immortality to Light among Men, and to ſhew them the true Way to Heaven?

Anſ. 1. That we may ſecure the Goodneſs of God and the Mercy of Chriſt from any Reproach in this Caſe, I ſay further, that Chriſt did take a very wiſe and regular Method with this young Man to bring him to Salvation, if he would have ſtay'd to attend to it, and had not been full of evil Prejudices, of Self Righteouſneſs, and the Love of this World. For the firſt thing to be done in order to bring Sinners to Heaven (as I hinted before) is to convince them of Sin, and this is done by the Law. This the Apoſtle Paul ſheweth at large in his Epiſtle to the Romans, that Men by beholding the Perfection of the Law, and their Inability to perform it, might become Dead to all Hope from the Law, as he was when he ſays, Gal. ii. 19. I by the Law am dead to the Law; and that they might not expect Life by the Law, but that they might ſeek for Salvation by the Way of Repentance and Faith, or Truſt in Chriſt, and obtain Forgiveneſs of Sins through the free Grace of God in the Goſpel.

Anſ. 2. Though this young Man had a vain Conceit of his own Righteouſneſs, yet there was ſomething in him naturally pleaſing, agreeable and engaging, ſo that Chriſt as Man looked upon him and loved him, Mark x. 21. p. 93He had ſome liking to ſuch a towardly and hopeful Youth, and preach'd the Law to him, to convince him of Sin, in order to his Salvation: But when he profeſſed himſelf to be ſo righteous in his own Eyes, as to have kept all the Commands of the Law, his divine Wiſdom then ſaw it proper to put a harder Trial upon him (viz.) to ſell all that he had and give to the Poor, and to become a Follower of Chriſt. Now if this young Man had loved God ſo well as he pretended, and believed Chriſt to be a Prophet come from God, he ought to have obey'd him, even in this difficult and ſelf-denying Command; which Command was put upon him, partly to convince him that he did not love God ſo well as he imagined, and which hard Trial probably would never have been put upon him, if he had not been ſo conceited of his own Righteouſneſs.

It muſt be obſerved alſo, to vindicate the Honour, Faithfulneſs and Goodneſs of Chriſt, that if the young Man had followed theſe Directions of Chriſt at the End of the Conference, he had been ſaved: Our Bleſſed Lord gave him ſufficient Advice for Eternal Life, if he would have taken it. Come, ſell what thou haſt, and give it to the Poor, and follow me, and be my Diſciple; and then it would follow, Thou ſhalt learn of me the Way to Heaven more perfectly, and I will teach thee the Way of Repentance, and Faith, and Holineſs unto compleat Salvation. But the young Man loved his Money, and went away ſorrowful, that he could not keep all his Riches and obtain Eternal Life too.

Obj. 3. Doth not God all along in the Writings of the Old Teſtament, in ſucceſſive Ages, promiſe Life in this ſame ſort of Language to thoſe that obſerve and do his Commandments, and that, both by Moſes and by the Prophets? And did not the Saints, under the Old Teſtament, obtain Life this Way? Lev. xviii. 5. p. 94He that doth them (that is the Commands of God) ſhall live in them, Ezek. xx. 11. this Promiſe is repeated: And in Ezek. xxx. 15. If the Wicked walk in the Statutes of Life, without committing Iniquity, he ſhall ſurely live, he ſhall not die: Now this dying cannot mean a natural Death, for they knew they muſt die Naturally; therefore it muſt mean a Deliverance from Eternal Death, and Aſſurance of Eternal Life. 'Tis therefore certain, that all pious Perſons, under the Old Teſtament, obtain'd a Right to Life eternal, by this Obſervance of the moral Precepts of the Law. Theſe are Dr. Whitby's own Words.

Anſ. 1. This Life which is here promiſed in theſe Texts to the Jews, in a literal Senſe, chiefly means long Life in their own Land, and Peace and Freedom from Sorrows and Miſeries in this World: And though the Freedom or Preſervation from Death (which is promiſed by Moſes to thoſe who keep the Statutes, Laws and Ordinances enjoin'd to Iſrael) does not mean an intire Preſervation from Temporal Death; ſo neither in the obvious and literal Senſe does it mean a Security from Eternal Death, but rather a Freedom from Death, as it is a general Term uſed to include all temporal and painful Evils, and particularly from ſudden and violent Death, from cruel, lingering and ſhameful Death, from Death in foreign Countries, and untimely Death in the midſt of their Years. This is very evident, if you read thoſe Expreſſions of Moſes, Deut. vi. 24, 25. and Deut. xxx. 15 — 30. Ezek. xxxiii. 10, 15. So Solomon, in his Prayer, 1 Kings viii. 31, — 50. Nehemiah, in his Prayer, Neh. ix. 29 — 31. teach us to explain it. Life is put for all that is good, and Death for all that is Evil.

'Tis evident that God governed the Jews with regard to temporal Bleſſings and temporal Curſes, in the Way of a Covenant of Works. As to the external p. 95and temporal State of their Perſons, their Church, and their Nation, they were under a Covenant of Works; and God, who was their King or political Head, dealt with them from time to time in ſaving them, or in puniſhing them according to their Works: And 'tis very obſervable, that 'tis this very Promiſe of Life, upon condition of doing the Works of the Law which the Apoſtle takes to deſcribe that Covenant of Works, by which the Jews could not be ſaved as to their eternal State, ſee Rom. x. 3, 5. and ix. 31. The Man that doth them ſhall live in them.

If it be objected, that God allow'd of their Repentance for Sin in this his Law or Covenant as their King, and ſometimes he ſaved the Nation upon their Repentance, and therefore it muſt include the Goſpel or Covenant of Grace; yet I anſwer, it may ſtill be called a Covenant of Works, becauſe a mere external viſible Humiliation and Reformation, without a real Penitence at Heart, was accepted by God as their King, as ſufficient to divert Divine Judgments from the Nation, and ſometimes from particular Perſons, who had provoked God's Anger by external and viſible Iniquities. 1 Kings xxi. 2. Seeſt thou how Ahab humbleth himſelf? I will not bring this Evil in his Days; whereas all his Humiliation was his rending his Clothes, wearing of Sackcloth and Faſting, and a little outward Appearance of Reformation, but 'tis evident that his Heart was not changed. See 1 King. xxii. 27.

It may be granted, indeed, there was much Grace and Mercy mingled in this Political Law or Covenant of Life, between God as a Civil King, and Iſrael as his Subjects in this World; but ſtill this was not the Goſpel or Covenant of Grace and Salvation, whereby the pious Jews were ſaved from the Wrath of God, as their ſpiritual Lord and Ruler in the other World, and whereby they had their Sins pardoned, and were p. 96made Partakers of Eternal Life; for the Rites of the Law could not cleanſe the Conſcience from Sin in the Sight of God. Heb. ix. 9. and this leads me to the next Anſwer.

Anſ. 2. Beſides the frequent Charges which are given to the Jews to keep the Commandments of God, in order to obtain Life, we find alſo frequent Calls to inward and hearty Repentance of Sin, to make their Hearts clean, to forſake their evil Thoughts, to rend their Hearts and not their Garments, and ſo truſt in the pardoning Mercy of God; and there are many Promiſes of Pardon to the Penitent, and the Favour of God to thoſe that fear him and hope in his Mercy, in order to lead them to obtain the Happineſs of the other World and Eternal Life. See Iſai. lv. 7, 8. Let the Wicked forſake his Way, and the unrighteous Man his Thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have Mercy upon him, and to our God, and he will abundantly pardon. Pſal. cxxx. 4, &c. There is Forgiveneſs with thee that thou may'ſt be feared. Let Iſrael hope in the Lord; with the Lord is plenteous Redemption. He ſhall redeem Iſrael from all his Iniquities. One might tranſcribe many Pages to this Purpoſe out of Iſaiah, Jeremiah and David. This is more Evangelical Language, ſhewing the Way for Sinners to obtain Salvation: This is the Goſpel that was preached to them as well as to us. Heb. iv. 2. And even to them was preached alſo the Goſpel of the Meſſiah, and the Salvation of Men by the Meſſiah the Seed of Abraham, Gal. iii. 8. Iſa. liii. 5, 6, 11. He was wounded for our Iniquities: The Lord hath laid on him the Iniquities of us all. And 'tis ſaid, Acts x. 43. To him give all the Prophets witneſs, that whoſoever believeth in him ſhall receive Forgiveneſs of Sins through his Name. Thus it plainly appears, that the mere keeping of the Commands, as written in the moral Law, was not the proper Term or Rule of their Acceptance with p. 97God unto Eternal Life, under the Old Teſtament: For there is nothing of this Doctrine of Repentance and Forgiveneſs, nor of the Meſſiah, contained in the Ten Commands.

Let it be obſerved alſo, that even in thoſe legal Promiſes, which enſure Life to thoſe who kept the Commands of God, there is a more ſpiritual and Evangelical Senſe ſometimes imply'd: For under this Word Life, and theſe temporal Bleſſings which were promiſed, Eternal Life and eternal Bleſſings were typify'd and held forth to thoſe that looked through the Veil, and that fulfilled the Will of God in ſpiritual and ſincere Obedience, with an humble Senſe of their Sins, and Truſt in divine Forgiveneſs. But the Ground of their Acceptance with God unto Eternal Life, or their Right to Heaven and Salvation, was not this their Performance of the Works of the Law; for their beſt Works were all imperfect, and they were ſaved by Faith even as we. Gal. iii. 6 — 9. i. e. by truſting to pardoning Mercy, ſo far as it was revealed under that Diſpenſation.

And as the Salvation itſelf was typify'd by temporal Bleſſings, ſo the Way to this Salvation, which was Repentance and Truſt in the Mercy of God through the Meſſiah, was typify'd by offering Sacrifices of Blood, and by many Waſhings and Purifyings, both by Blood and Water, which implied a Confeſſion of their Defilement: And the Saints or righteous Men of that Day, hoped for the Mercy of God, as diſcover'd more plainly in the Promiſes, and perhaps alſo, ſome might underſtand it as hinted in theſe Types and Figures. They knew that Bleſſedneſs was to come upon Men to whom God imputed not their Sins, or to whom the Lord imputed Righteouſneſs, or accounted them as righteous in his Sight by his Mercy, though they were very imperfect, and far from Righteouſneſs, i. e. a perfect juſtifying Righteouſneſs, p. 98even if they put together all their Works of Obedience to the Commands of God. David often ſpeaks of the Impoſſibility of our attaining the Acceptance of God by our Works, Pſal. cxxx. and cxliii. 14 and 19. If thou ſhouldest mark Iniquities, O Lord, who ſhall stand? Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant, for in thy Sight ſhall no Man living be justify'd. There is none Righteous; no, not one. Who can underſtand his Errors? He ſeeks for Pardon of Sin by Repentance and Truſt in the Mercy of God, Pſal. li. and cxliii. &c. And he pronounces the Bleſſedneſs of thoſe to whom God forgives their Iniquities, Pſal. xxxii. or to whom he imputes Righteouſneſs without Works, as St. Paul explains him. Rom. iv. 6. and **And here, by the way, I would take Occaſion to relieve or explain one great Difficulty, which occurs in the reading of St. Paul's Epiſtles; eſpecially thoſe to the Romans and the Galatians. 'Tis evident that when St. Paul deſigns to repreſent the Terms of the Covenant of Works, (viz.) Do this and live, and Curſed is every one that continues not in all Things written in the Book of the Law to do them, Rom. x. 5. Gal. iii. 10, 12. he doth it by Citations out of the Old Teſtament, or the Jewiſh Scriptures, becauſe the Language of the Political Covenant which God made with the Jews, (as he was their King, and they were his Nation or People) was the Language of the Covenant of Works, and God governed them very much in that way with regard to their temporal Rewards and Puniſhments. On the other Hand, when St. Paul gives as the Terms of the Covenant of Grace, or the Goſpel, (viz.) Faith in the Grace of God thro' a Saviour, he alſo cites the Old Teſtament, or the Jewiſh Scriptures. So Rom. iii. 21. Rom. iv, 3, 6, 7. Rom. x. 6 — 11. Gal. iii. 8, 11. Becauſe the Covenant of Grace, or the way of Salvation and Eternal Life, was alſo preſcribed, tho' in a more obſcure manner, in the Old Teſtament, partly by Promiſes made to Repentance and Truſt in the Mercy of God, and a Meſſiah that was to come, and partly by Sacrifices and Waſhings, which were Types and Figures of Repentance and Pardon, thro' the Blood of Chriſt, and Sanctification of the Spirit. Thus the Righteouſneſs of God was witneſſed by the Law and the Prophets. Rom. iii. 21. I think without this Clue 'tis impoſſible to read and underſtand the great Apoſtle's Way of arguing in thoſe Epiſtles. See more in the Harmony of all the Religions that God ever preſcribed. Chap. v. and vi.Rom 10:5Gal 3:10Gal 3:12Rom 3:21Rom 4:3Rom 4:6Rom 4:7Rom 10:6Gal 3:8Gal 3:11this p. 99encouraged him to confeſs his Sins, and repent of them, as in Pſal. xxxii. and li. and cxxx.

Thus it appears, that the bare keeping the Commandments of the Law was neither under the Old Teſtament nor the New, the Way to Salvation and Eternal Life for Sinners: But ſince the Law was weak, and unable to ſave, by reaſon of the weakneſs of our Fleſh or ſinful Nature, Rom. viii. 3. that is, ſince the Law promiſes Life only to thoſe who obey the Commands perfectly, and Men could not obtain Life this Way by reaſon of the Imperfection of their Obedience, there were many Calls to Repentance, and to truſt in the Mercy of God, given to the Jews, in the Old Teſtament, as the preſcribed Way for Sinners to obtain Salvation; which Duties, together with the Grounds of them, and the Bleſſings promiſed to them, are much more clearly revealed in the New Teſtament.

I might confirm theſe Anſwers to Dr. Whitby, out of his own Expoſition on Rom. x. 9. Juſtification (ſaith he) is here expreſly aſcribed to Faith; and that not as including Works, but only as being that Principle which, when it is cordial and ſincere, will certainly produce them: I ſay, not as including all thoſe Works which by the Goſpel are required to Salvation, for then the Righteouſneſs of Faith muſt be deſcribed as the Righteouſneſs of the Law (viz.) that the Man who doth theſe things ſhall live in them, which is contrary to the Words of the Apoſtle, ver. 5, 6. So far does the Force of Truth, in ſome Places, conſtrain honeſt Minds to admit and confeſs what in other Places they are very unwilling to allow, and which they almoſt contradict: But this muſt be charged on the common or univerſal Influence of human Frailty and miſtaken Prejudices, and for want of an equal, uniform, ſimultaneous and comprehenſive View of all p. 100the Parts of Religion together, which no human Mind perhaps in the preſent State can arrive at.

Object. 4. There is another Objection which may be ſtarted againſt my Expoſition of this Text, that is drawn from Rev. ii. 2, 14. Bleſſed are they that do his Commandments, that they may have right to the Tree of Life, and may enter through the Gates into the City, i. e. into Heaven, and enjoy Eternal Life. Surely, ſay ſome, theſe Words muſt be acknowledged to be the Language of the Goſpel, or the Covenant of Grace, and not of the Law or the Covenant of Works: For they are the Words of Chriſt himſelf, after his Aſcenſion to Heaven, and yet 'tis plain that doing the Commandments is here repreſented as the Way to obtain Eternal Life in Heaven.

Anſw. But 'tis as plain that Doing the ten Commandments of the moral Law, are not the only things that are meant here in this Text: But theſe Commandments which give a right to the Tree of Life, &c. include at leaſt, if not chiefly deſign, the peculiar Commands of God in the Goſpel, (viz.) Repentance for Sin, Faith in the pardoning Mercy of God through a Redeemer, which is productive of Love to God and Man. To prove this, read Matt. iv. 17. Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand, Mark i. 15. Repent and believe the Goſpel, Mark xvi. 16. He that believeth ſhall be ſaved. John iii. 22, 23. And whatſoever we ask we receive of him, becauſe we keep his Commandments, and do thoſe things that are pleaſing in his Sight: And this is his Commandment, that we ſhould believe on the Name of his Son Jeſus Chriſt, and love one another as he gave us Commandment.

Now as Adam by doing the peculiar Commands which God gave to him, might have obtained a Right to the Benefits of the literal Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden, (i. e. Immortality) So Chriſtians by doing the p. 101peculiar Commandments of the Goſpel, may be ſaid, in ſome Senſe, to obtain a Right to the Benefits of the ſpiritual Tree of Life (i. e. Chriſt Jeſus) and may enter into Heaven: But a mere Obedience to the Commandments of the moral Law is never preſcribed as the Way to obtain a Right to the Benefits of Chriſt, but rather an Obedience to the Commands of the Goſpel, which are peculiarly Repentance and Faith in Chriſt.

It may be yet further obſerved, that the Commands to which Chriſt directed the young Man in my Text, in order to enter into Life, were not Faith and Repentance, but only the ten Commands of the moral Law: for he directs the young Man preciſely to the Commands of the moral Law, and tells him, thou knoweſt what theſe Commands are. Now this young Man was ſo full of his own Obedience to that Law, and ſo confident of it, that he ſeems not to know the Commands of Confeſſion of Sin and Repentance for it; much leſs did he think of the other Command of Faith in the Mercy of God through a Mediator. So that if it be never ſo much allow'd, that Obedience to theſe humbling and ſelf-abaſing Commands of the Goſpel, Faith and Repentance, may give a Right to the Benefits of Chriſt, and to an Entrance into Heaven, yet an Obedience to the ten Commands of the moral Law could not make a Sinner's Way to Heaven and Eternal Life: But theſe ten Commands are thoſe which Chriſt points out to the young Phariſaical Inquirer.

Upon the whole it appears, that when our Saviour ſaith to the young Man in my Text, If thou wilt enter into Life keep the Commandments, he did not mean to give him the plain and direct Preſcription of the Goſpel in order to the Salvation of a Sinner, but rather began with him in preaching the Law, in order to ſhew him his Duty by the Law, and to convince him of Sin.

And from this View of things, I think we may draw p. 102this plain Obſervation (viz.) That whereſoever the keeping the Commands of God is propoſed to Men in Scripture as the Way to Life, it either means that the Way to obtain long temporal Life and temporal Bleſſings, was to obſerve the Jewiſh Laws, according to the political Covenant of God made with the Jewiſh Nation at Sinai; or it means that perfect Obedience of Thought, Word, and Action to all theſe Commands which God gives us, is the Way to obtain Life Eternal by the Covenant of Works and Law of Innocency: Or if at any time the Context plainly determines this Phraſe, keeping the Commandments, to ſignify the Way to obtain Salvation under the Goſpel, then the Word Commands muſt extend to include the Evangelical Commands of Repentance for Sin, and Truſt in the pardoning Mercy of God through a Mediator.

And the Reaſon is plain; for this is the great Difference always obſerved between the Law and Goſpel, or between the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace, (viz.) that the Covenant of Works or the Law, teaches us to claim Life as a Debt by our own exact Obedience to the Commands of the Law; but the Covenant of Grace or the Goſpel, teaches us humbly to ſeek for Life or Salvation by Confeſſion of Sin and Repentance, and by depending on the free Mercy of God, through a Mediator, for the Forgiveneſs of Sin and Acceptance with God**Here I would caution my Readers to take notice, that I am not now debating that Point, In what manner the Righteouſneſs, Atonement or Death of Chriſt is apply'd to us in order to our Intereſt in Forgiveneſs of Sins, the Juſtification of our Perſons, or our Right to final Happineſs: That is an Argument of a different Conſideration from the preſent Debate. All that I propoſe here to treat of is to determine that obvious Queſtion, whether Chriſt is plainly and directly ſhewing a conceited young Man the way of obtaining Salvation according to the Goſpel or Covenant of Grace, when he ſays to him, If thou wilt enter into Life keep the Commandments of the moral Law; or whether he is not rather leading him to Convinction of Sin, by preaching the Law to him, that he may be better prepared and inclined to receive the Salvation of the Goſpel..

p. 103SECT. IV. Of what Uſe is it to keep the Law then?

Before I proceed I would anſwer another Objection or Query or two, upon this Subject, (viz.) Of what Uſe is the Law of God in a Chriſtian Country? Or what Uſe is there of keeping the Commandments of the moral Law, if we are not to obtain Eternal Life by them?

Let the firſt Enquiry be anſwered firſt. Of what Uſe is the Law of God in a Chriſtian Country, where the Goſpel of Chriſt is preach'd?

Anſw. It is to be feared there are ſeveral thouſand Souls in a Chriſtian Nation, who make a general Profeſſion of the Religion of the bleſſed Jeſus, and yet have no ſerious Senſe of the things of God and Religion in their Hearts: And it is evident to daily Obſervation, that in a Land profeſſing the Goſpel of Chriſt, there are Multitudes who have abandon'd all Piety even in the Form of it, as well as the Practice and Power thereof, and there are ſome who have loſt even Morality itſelf; now the Law of God is needful to be maintain'd, and publiſh'd in ſuch a Nation as this, to keep the ſinful World in awe, and to preſerve even wicked Men from running to all exceſs of Riot and Iniquity, by preſſing the Commands of God always upon their Conſciences, and by ſetting before them the Vengeance and Curſes of the Law of God, which are due to Sinners, to preſerve the World from univerſal Diſorder and Wickedneſs. If there were no ſuch Repreſentations of the Holineſs and Juſtice of God in the World, what ſhameful Impieties againſt God, and moſt outragious Iniquities and Villanies would be ſpread among the Children of Men: So that there would be no ſuch thing as Peace, and Civility and Honeſty to be found in ſeveral Places. The Apoſtle Paul tells us, 1 Tim. i. 9, 10. Knowing this, that the Law is not made p. 104for a righteous Man, but for the Lawleſs and Diſobedient, for the Ungodly and for Sinners, for Unholy and Prophane, for Murderers of Fathers and Murderers of Mothers, for Manſlayers, for Whoremongers, for them that defile themſelves with Mankind, for Menſtealers, for Liars, for perjured Perſons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to ſound Doctrine.

The holy Apoſtle acknowledges, where the Law of God is originally written in the Heart, and a Man is made righteous by a thorough Sanctification of all the Powers of Nature as it is in Heaven, there is no ſuch need of the Commands, Threatnings, and Terrors of a penal Law, to keep Men in the practice of Obedience; their own innocent or renewed Nature, their ſincere and univerſal Love to God, and to his Law, will powerfully incline them to the Practice of Holineſs, without the Terrors and Puniſhments from the Hand of the bleſſed God, being always kept before their Eyes.

It is true, there are ſome Caſes wherein the Law of God may not be well known, even to good Men, or may be miſtaken by them, and there may be need of ſpecial Commands to diſcover what is our Duty, and what is Sin: But where the Law is well known, the inward Power of univerſal Goodneſs in the Soul, without theſe outward Terrors, is made effectual to preſerve Holineſs and Obedience in the Life.

But perhaps you will then reply, Where there are true Chriſtians found, of what Uſe is it for them to keep the Law of God? This is the ſecond Enquiry, and to this I would give ſeveral particular Anſwers, beſides the firſt and general one. In general I ſay then, it muſt be acknowledged, that there are ſo many Remains of indwelling Sin in the beſt of Men, that Fears and Terrors of the Puniſhments of God, have their Uſe in this imperfect State, to prevent the Soul from p. 105warping aſide to ſinful Practices, under ſtrong and ſpecial Temptations. Such frail and imperfect Creatures are we in this preſent State.

I proceed now to give ſome particular Anſwers to this Queſtion, Of what Uſe is it to keep the Law? and they are ſuch as theſe.

Anſw. 1ſt. Though we are not ſaved from the Puniſhment of Hell, nor pardoned and accepted to Eternal Life and Happineſs in Heaven, by virtue of our poor imperfect Obedience, and keeping the Commands of the moral Law, yet we can never be ſaved without it: For our Love to the Law of God and a hearty Inclination to keep it, is a great Pa… of the very Salvation which the Goſpel provides for ſinful Men. Jeſus Chriſt the Son of God is become our Saviour, not only to ſave us from God's Wrath, 1 Theſ. i. 10. but alſo to ſave us from our Sins. Matt. i. 21. and Tit. ii. 14. He gave himſelf for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity, and purify to himſelf a peculiar People zealous of good Works. We muſt be reſtored to the Image of God as well as to his Favour; now his Image is all Holineſs.

Mankind by the Fall have not only loſt their Original State of Innocency and Happineſs, but their natural Powers are corrupted, the Mind, Will and Paſſions are perverted, and defiled, and turned away from God, and from their Duty to his Law. Now 'tis one great Deſign of the Goſpel to rectify theſe Diſorders in the Nature of Man: 'Tis one of the Promiſes of the Goſpel that the Law of God ſhall be written in our Hearts, Heb. x. 16. and one of the great Offices and Buſineſſes of Chriſt, as a Saviour, is by all the Methods of his Grace and Power, to reduce our Hearts to the Love of God and his Law: He is made Sanctification to us as well as Redemption, 1 Cor. i. 30. So that for Men to talk of being ſaved without Love and Obedience to p. 106the moral Law of God, is to talk plain Inconſiſtencies, or to affirm what natural Reaſon can never allow, and what Scripture and the Goſpel never deſigned; in ſhort, 'tis to talk of being ſaved without Salvation.

The moral Law of God is of Eternal Obligation upon Creatures: And it would be our conſtant Duty to obey it, even if we could ſuppoſe there were no ſuch future State, no ſuch Eternal Life provided for Men as the Goſpel reveals. It ariſes from the Relation between God and his Creatures. We can never be diſingaged or releaſed from this Duty by the Goſpel, which brings in Pardon and Mercy to ſave us from the Puniſhment due …o our Defects or Tranſgreſſions of the Law; but not to releaſe us from Obedience to it.

A holy God will not ſave Sinners from Hell, and forgive them their Sins, without making them holy. Chriſt in all his abounding Love to Sinners, will not become a Miniſter of Sin, Gal. ii. 17, 19, 20. The Deſign of God in his Grace to Sinners, by Jeſus Chriſt, is that they might be holy and without Blame before him in Love, Eph. i. 4. And hereby we ſhew that the Grace of God, in the Forgiveneſs of Sin, is not loſt upon us, but obtains the End for which it was deſign'd, (viz.) to bring us back to God and Holineſs.

Anſw. 2. Good Works are neceſſary to manifeſt our Gratitude to God for his pardoning Mercy: Theſe are our Returns of Love to the bleſſed Jeſus for his dying Love manifeſted to us, 2 Cor. v. 15. He died for all Ranks and Characters of Men, Jews and Gentiles, that they who live ſhould not henceforth live to themſelves, but is him who died for them, and roſe again. 1 John iv. 19. We are bound to love him, and we do love him becauſe he firſt loved us. 1 Cor. vi. 20. Ye are bought with a Price, therefore glorify God with your Body and Spirit, which are God's.

p. 107Anſw. 3. Good Works are alſo neceſſary to render us uſeful to Men our fellow Creatures, and to make our Profeſſion honourable in their Sight. Good Works are recommended by St. Paul for this Purpoſe, Tit. iii. 8. This is a faithful Saying, and I will that thou conſtantly affirm, that they who have believed in God might be careful to maintain good Works. Theſe things are good and profitable to Men. 'Tis neceſſary to convince the World that our Goſpel is all holy, and that it indulges and allows of no known Sin: That this Goſpel is a divine Bleſſing to Mankind, that it carries Bleſſings with it whereſoever it comes, that it cures the Vices of the Mind, and the ſinful Paſſions of the Heart, that it ſuppreſſes all Injuſtice and Cruelty, Fraud and Malice, Envy and Oppreſſion, and every evil Work which Sin and Satan have introduced into this World. A Chriſtian muſt preach and prove the Purity and Power of his Goſpel in his whole Converſation, that it changes a Lion into a Lamb, an Earth-Worm into an Angel, and a Son of Adam into a Child of God. This is the Way to adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour, as St. Paul expreſſes it, Tit. ii. 10. This muſt force a Conviction upon the Eyes and Ears, and Conſciences of Men, that there is ſomething Divine and Heavenly in our Religion.

Anſw. 4. Without Holineſs and Good Works we are not, nor can be conformable to our Lord Jeſus Chriſt: And yet all the Members muſt be conformed to their Head, when they are preſented by him before the Father. Rom. viii. 29. God has predeſtinated all his Children to be conformable to the Image of his Son, that he may appear to be the Firſt-born, and in all things may have the Pre-eminence. He muſt preſent them without Spot and Blemiſh, like himſelf, in the other World, that they may dwell with him for ever. And in this World the Diſciples muſt reſemble their Lord; Chriſtians p. 108ſhould be publick Bleſſings to the World, as their Maſter was, who went about doing good, Acts x. 38. and they ſhould be known to be his Followers by this bleſſed Character.

Anſw. 5. Another Uſe of Good Works is to evidence the Truth of our Faith, and our Intereſt in this Salvation, James ii. 20, 24. For Faith which does not produce good Works is dead, and cannot ſave us. Our Faith in Chriſt is made known to ourſelves, as well as to the World, by our Works, Rom. viii. 1. They who are in Chriſt Jeſus, and are free from the Condemnation of the Law, muſt walk not after the Fleſh, but after the Spirit, 1 John ii. 2, 3, 5. Chriſt is the Propitiation for our Sins, and hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his Commandments: And it is by keeping or obeying his Word, that we know we are in him.

Anſw. 6. Works of Holineſs, a new Heart and new Obedience, are needful to fit and prepare us for the actual Poſſeſſion and Bleſſedneſs of Heaven, for without Holineſs no Man ſhall ſee God. **Note, when I ſpeak of Good Works, or Works of Holineſs, as neceſſary toward our final Salvation, or our complete Poſſeſſion of heavenly Bleſſedneſs, I mean all the inward Exerciſes of holy Fear, and Love, and Hope, and Obedience, and Dependance, and Patience in the Heart, &c. as well as the outward Performances of the Acts of Religion and Righteouſneſs in the Life: But it muſt ſtill be underſtood with this Limitation, viz. They are neceſſary where there is Time and Room, Opportunity and Capacity for the Performance of them; ſo that this doth not exclude Infants from Salvation, who are not capable of exerciſing the Principles of Grace: Nor doth it exclude dying Penitents who have no ſpace of Time allow'd them for living a Life of Holineſs.And in this View a ſincere Return to God with Obedience to his Commands, is a neceſſary Requiſite, in order to our final Salvation, Heb. xii. 14. This bliſsful Viſion of God is reſerved only for the pure in Heart, Matt. v. 8. Sanctification is the beginning of our Salvation, and 'tis eternally neceſſary to continue it. We can never be happy in the p. 109Preſence of God till we are like him in Holineſs. Nor can we be fit Company for the holy Angels, or the Spirits of the Juſt made perfect, unleſs we are conformable to their Temper.

And it ſhould be obſerved alſo, that this Preparation or Fitneſs for Heaven, may be ſometimes repreſented as a Right to the Bleſſedneſs of it, becauſe the Promiſes of Heaven are ſometimes made to thoſe who are thus qualify'd and prepared, and theſe Promiſes give them a Right to it**Some Divines have here diſtinguiſh'd (as I have elſewhere ſhewn) between a Jus haereditatis, or a Right of Heirſhip through Faith in Chriſt, whereby we become the Sons of God, and have a Title to Heaven, and a Jus aptitudinis, that is, a Right of Fitneſs, whereby we are actually prepared, by Sanctification and Holineſs, for the Poſſeſſion of this Heavenly Inheritance. He that is an Heir by Birth or by Adoption, has a Title to an Eſtate or a Crown; but he acquires a Right to the actual Poſſeſſion, by being train'd up to a Fitneſs for it, at the time appointed, by him who is his natural Father, or his Adopter.. Matt. v. 3, 5, 6, 8, &c. Bleſſed are the pure in Heart, for they ſhall ſee God, &c. Rev. xxii. 14. Bleſſed are they that do his Commandments, that they may have Right to the Tree of Life, and may enter through the Gates into the City. Yet it may be remember'd what I ſaid before, that theſe Commandments do not ſignify directly the ten Commandments of the Law, but rather the Commands of Jeſus Chriſt, or of God in the Goſpel, which indeed include a ſincere Obedience to the moral Law, and ſomething more (viz.) Repentance and Faith in Chriſt.

Anſw. 7. I might add, in the laſt place, that Holineſs of Life or Obedience to the Commands of God, is neceſſary in order to make the Proceſs of the last Judgment appear equitable and righteous in the Eyes of all Mankind; for Chriſt the Judge ſhall render to every one according to their Works, Rev. xxii. 12. Rom. ii. 5, 6. 1 Cor. xv. 58. And p. 110indeed this is one chief Deſign of God's appointing ſuch a ſolemn and publick Tranſaction as the laſt Judgment, that all the Creation may ſee the Equity or Righteouſneſs of the Dealings of God with Men, that he awards the eternal Recompenſe to Saints and Sinners, according to their different Characters of Vice and Virtue, Sin and Holineſs. The Veſſels of Wrath are by their own Rebellion and Impenitence fitted to Deſtruction, and the Veſſels of Mercy are by ſanctifying Grace and Holineſs before prepar'd unto Glory, Rom. ix. 22, 23.

Though our own Works are by no means ſufficient to atone for Sin, or to procure the Favour of God or Eternal Life, for ſuch guilty Creatures as we are, yet there is (as Dr. Owen, I think in his Book of Juſtification, calls it) a rewardable Condecency in the Works of Holineſs, and there is many a Promiſe of heavenly Rewards made to them in the New Teſtament: Now when Chriſt ſhall adjudge the Wicked to Hell, and the Saints to Heaven, the whole Creation muſt approve the Equity of his Dealings with Men. In the mean time the Saints ſhall admire the Grace of God, and the Mediation of Chriſt, while they ſee how unworthy they and their Works are of ſuch a glorious Reward.

Thus we find there is abundant Reaſon for our Obedience to the Commands of the moral Law tho' it is not made the proper Condition, or preſcribed Term of our Acceptance with God, and of obtaining Happineſs by the Goſpel; for 'tis only perfect Obedience to theſe Commands in Thought, Word and Deed, can give us a Right to Eternal Life, according to the Law. And yet a ſincere Endeavour after univerſal Obedience to them, is one neceſſary Requiſite of our being approved by Chriſt at laſt, and our actual Entrance into Heaven, according to the Goſpel: Hereupon I am bold to affirm, that thoſe Perſons whom all theſe Reaſons p. 111cannot draw to the ſincere Practice of Holineſs, may be ſure they never believed in Chriſt, and are not Partakers of the Salvation of the Goſpel; for the great and neceſſary Duty of Chriſtianity is Faith which works by Love, Gal. v. 6. The Heart is purify'd by true Faith, Acts xv. 9. And Faith without Works is dead, and is unable to ſave us, Jam. ii. 20, 26.

SECT. V. REFLECTIONS.

1. Reflection. It is a dangerous thing to miſtake the great Deſign of Chriſt's Miniſtry here on Earth. Let us learn from this Diſcourſe, that our Saviour often preached to Sinners the Goſpel of Grace and Forgiveneſs, of Repentance and Faith in himſelf; yet that his chief Buſineſs here, was not to preach the Goſpel conſtantly, nor to preach it in its full Light, Perfection and Glory; but rather to prepare the Way for it when he had laid the Foundation in his own Death and Reſurrection, and when his Kingdom ſhould be ſet up in the World in his Apoſtles, and by his Spirit, and built upon this Foundation. He prepared the Way for his Spirit, and his Apoſtles, even as John the Baptiſt prepared the Way for him.

The great Buſineſs of Chriſt in this Life on Earth, was to appear with the Characters of the Meſſiah on him; to anſwer the Types and Propheſies that went before concerning him; to paſs through the Stages of Life without Sin as our Example; to yield a perfect Obedience to the Law, and fulfil all thoſe Precepts in Perfection which we could never fulfil; to preach the Law in the Spirituality and Perfection of its Demands, and begin to open the Goſpel; to reſign and ſubmit himſelf to Death, as a Sacrifice for Sin, accurſed by p. 112the Law, and devoted to the puniſhing Juſtice of God: And hereby he laid a Foundation for clearer preaching the Goſpel of Forgiveneſs of Sins through his Blood, which Doctrine he juſt mentions to his Diſciples at the laſt Supper.

As for his own publick Preaching, it chiefly conſiſted in clear and full Explications of the Law of God in its Spirituality, which had been ſhamefully obſcured and curtailed by the Jewiſh Doctors; in bringing the inviſible Worlds of Heaven and Hell into a nearer and brighter View; in vindicating his own Conduct againſt the Accuſations of Men; in maintaining his own Character, as one ſent of God; in reproving the Jews for their corrupt Traditions, for their Hypocriſy, for their Self-Righteouſneſs, for their Uncharitableneſs to the Gentiles, and thus calling the World to Conviction of Sin and Repentance, and preparing the Way by his Parables for the Reception of the Gentiles into the Church. When he preached the Goſpel of his Atonement for Sin and Faith in his Blood, it was rather in ſecret to his Diſciples; or if in publick, 'twas generally in dark Sayings and Parables, and myſtical Expreſſions, ſuch as, The Son of Man being lifted up and drawing all Men to him, giving his Fleſh for Meat to the People, and his Blood for Drink, &c. The plaineſt Intimations, which (I think) Chriſt ever gave of the Salvation of Sinners by his own Death as a Sacrifice, to People who were not his Diſciples, was in thoſe metaphorical Words two or three times repeated in the Tenth Chapter of John, I am the good Shepherd, who giveth his Life for the Sheep. But when his Death and Reſurrection had laid a fairer Foundation for the Goſpel, then he taught it his Diſciples much more plainly after his Reſurrection, both by his Converſation and by his Spirit, and ſent them to publiſh it to the whole World more gloriouſly than ever he himſelf p. 113taught it to the Jews. See this explain'd more at large in Dr. Watts's ſecond Sermon on the Atonement of Chriſt.

Now, I ſay, a Miſtake in the Deſign of Chriſt's publick Preaching, may lead many People into ſome unhappy Miſ-apprehenſions about ſeveral Things, and particularly about the Way of Salvation by the Goſpel. For,

1. When we hear Chriſt preach the Law ſo much, and ſpeak of entering into Life by keeping the Commandments, if we imagine all this to be the clear Goſpel, we ſhall ſeek to be ſaved as it were by the Works of the Law, which the Apoſtle ſo ſeverely reproves the Galatians for, and the Jews or Jewiſh Chriſtians, who dwelt among the Romans. Rom. ix. 31, 32. Gal. iii. 1, &c. and iv. 21. and v. 4. And if our Opinions and Conduct be the ſame, we ſhall expoſe ourſelves to the ſame ſacred Reproof of the Apoſtle, and be greatly bewildered in the Way to Heaven.

2. Such a Miſtake in the Deſign of Chriſt's preaching the Law, as though he taught it as the Way for the Salvation of Sinners, will incline us to expound the Law in ſo groſs and defective a Senſe, as the Phariſees did of old, that ſo expounded, Sinners may be able to keep it, and obey the Commands of it ſufficient to gain Salvation thereby. It will tempt us to retrench and diminiſh the Perfection of its Demands of univerſal Holineſs in Thought, Word and Deed; becauſe otherwiſe we cannot yield a perfect Obedience. Whereas it is much more glorious to God, the Governor of the World, to ſuppoſe his holy Law ſtill maintains its own perfect Purity, and its original Demands of conſtant univerſal Obedience; and 'tis more glorious to God our Saviour, to ſuppoſe that he has provided an effectual Way for the Salvation of ſinful Creatures, who truſt in divine Mercy, and who p. 114love the Law of God, though their beſt Obedience to it be very defective.

3. Such a Miſtake will lead Miniſters to neglect the mention of the Death and Sufferings of Chriſt as a Sacrifice for Sin, and as the Foundation of our Pardon and our Hope; it will lead them to omit theſe important Points in their Deſcriptions of the Goſpel, and in their Accounts of Faith in Chriſt; becauſe Chriſt never ſpoke ſo publickly and plainly to the People, of making Atonement for Sin by his Death, &c. And upon this Account we ſhall be in danger of leaving this Doctrine out of our Directions of Sinners when they ſeek the Way to Salvation, which is now made plainer and more neceſſary ſince the Death and Reſurrection of Chriſt are accompliſhed, ſince the Apoſtles have particularly explain'd this Doctrine, and the New Teſtament is compleat.

4. This Miſtake will tempt us to ſet Chriſt and his Apoſtles at variance about the Way of Salvation. Chriſt ſays, If thou wilt enter into Life, keep the Commandments; and the Apoſtles ſay, The Law is the Miniſtration of Death, but believe on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and thou ſhalt be ſaved; and we are juſtified by Faith without the Works of the Law, &c. And thus we ſhall make the Holy Scripture contradict itſelf: Or if we endeavour to accommodate and reconcile theſe ſeeming Oppoſitions, upon a Suppoſition that Chriſt in the Language of my Text preached the Goſpel, it can never be done, with Fairneſs and Juſtneſs of Thought, without ſtraining the Words of Scripture from their natural Senſe; and it will ever bring a Darkneſs upon the Diſtinction between the Law and Goſpel, and leave the Way of Salvation by the Goſpel under much Confuſion.

5. This will tempt and incline us to expound the clear Goſpel, which we find in the Writings and Preaching of St. Paul, St. Peter, and St. John, after the Death and p. 115Reſurrection of Chriſt, by one of the legal Expreſſions of our Saviour, when in his own Life-time he preach'd the Law for the Conviction of Sinners: We ſhall interpret the Words and Language of the Goſpel into the Senſe of the Law of Works: We ſhall almoſt explain away the Covenant of Grace, and make a Covenant of Works of it: And thus, perhaps, expoſe ourſelves to the Danger of St. Paul's Cenſure and Anathema, by preaching another Goſpel, or perverting the Goſpel of Chriſt, Gal. i. 8.

6. This Miſtake will lead us to ſlight and deſpiſe the Writings of the Apoſtles, as though they never did nor could preach the Goſpel ſo clearly as Chriſt himſelf; whereas they were really deſign'd and ſent forth after the Death and Reſurrection and Aſcenſion of Chriſt, to preach the full Goſpel to the Nations in clearer and ſtronger Language than Jeſus himſelf ever did to the Multitude; they were inſtructed and commiſſioned to publiſh the Way to Salvation by Chriſt, in a brighter and more explicite Manner and Expreſſion, than his Divine Wiſdom thought proper to do before he had actually died and roſe again, by which Tranſactions he laid the Foundation for preaching the Goſpel more clearly and perfectly.

A Miſtake about the perſonal Miniſtry of Chriſt, in ſuch Paſſages as this in my Text, will make us look upon the glorious and evangelical Paragraphs in the Sermons and the Epiſtles of Peter, Paul and John, as mere affectionate and fervent Pieces of Diſcourſe, according to the warm Temper and lively Fancies of thoſe honeſt and zealous Men, who in the Heat of their Spirits ſpoke many Things myſtically and unintelligibly. This hath been the profeſs'd Opinion of ſome who are called Chriſtians concerning the great Apoſtle; and upon this Account they think none of his Writings are to be read without great Caution: But if you will p. 116ſeek the Way of Salvation aright (ſay they) you muſt go to the Mount, and hear our Saviour's Sermon there, in the v. vi. and vii. Chapters of the Goſpel of St. Matthew, while they neglect the more evangelical Speeches even of Chriſt himſelf. This has been the Language of ſome Men, the Leaders of the Conſciences of the ignorant Multitude, who are by Nature inclined enough to a Covenant of Works, and need not be taught and perſuaded to build all their Hopes of Heaven upon the Works of the Law, which Chriſt never deſigned in that noble and admirable Sermon of his on the Mountain.

But now if we ſuppoſe Chriſt frequently preaching the Law, on purpoſe to ſhew the Jews the groſſeſt Defects and Imperfection of their Obedience, and their Need of a Saviour, and giving ſuch Hints of the Goſpel as were ſuited to that Diſpenſation of his Life and perſonal Miniſtry; and if we ſuppoſe the Apoſtles more fully preaching this Goſpel (which our Saviour juſt opened and begun in his Lifetime) and publiſhing it in all its Glory of Righteouſneſs and Grace, after the Death and Reſerrection of Chriſt, becauſe it was not proper to be thus clearly preached before, then we may well reconcile the different Language of St. Paul and of Chriſt, when one ſaith, Believe on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt and thou ſhalt be ſaved, and the other, If thou wilt enter into Life keep the ten Commandments. 'Tis certain that the Law is not againſt the Promiſes, Gal. iii. 21. but the Law is our Schoolmaſter, and Leader of us as Children to Chriſt; ſo the Greek Word Paidagogos means, Gal. iii. 24. Conviction of Sin by Chriſt's preaching of the Law, leads Men, as in a lower School, as yet, to proceed farther, and to ſeek for and embrace the Grace of Chriſt in the Goſpel, as 'tis preached more fully and clearly by his Apoſtles under the Teachings of his Spirit.

p. 117This Scheme and View of Things being well adjuſted in the Mind, will help us to underſtand many of thoſe legal Expreſſions in the New Teſtament, which might ſeem to lead us to the Covenant of Works again, or which ſeem to mingle the Law and Goſpel for Salvation, if we will but remember that the Holy Ghoſt in the New Teſtament ſometimes diſcovers the Law in its Severity and Perfection of Demands for the Conviction of Sin, as well as for the Diſcovery of our Duty, and ſometimes reveals the Goſpel in the Riches of its Grace, for the Faith and Salvation of awakened Sinners.

REFLECTION II.

How firm and durable is the ancient and perfect Law of God, which requires perfect, conſtant and perſevering Obedience? It is an eternal Law: It is not yet aboliſhed, though the Goſpel be introduc'd, nor ſhall it be through all the Ages of Mankind, and the ſeveral Diſpenſations of God toward Men. The moral Law is ſometimes ſaid to be a Tranſcript or Copy from the Nature and Attributes of God; the Duties there required bear the more perfect Stamp and Signature of his eſſential Perfections, and therefore the Law muſt be unchangeable.

And not only the Requirements of Duty, but I think the Sanctions of the Law alſo in its promiſed Rewards and threatned Penalties are everlaſting. He that doth theſe Commands perfectly ſhall live in, or by them: But Curſed is he that continueth not in all the Commands of the Law to do them, and he muſt die, Gal. iii. 10, 12. I do not find any Scripture that tells me, that the Commands, or the Sanctions are repealed, p. 118**If it ſhould be ſaid, that the Apoſtle in Heb. vii. 18. ſays, There is verily a diſannulling of the Commandments for the Weakneſs and Unprofitableneſs thereof, for the Law made nothing perfect, &c. I anſwer, that the Context plainly ſhews that the Words Law and Commandment here, do not mean the Moral Law, but refer either to the Sinai Covenant, or the whole Scheme of the Jewiſh Oeconomy, and particularly to the Levitical Prieſthood which is abrogated, becauſe it could not make a proper Atonement for Sin. If it ſhould be objected yet again, that the ſame Apoſtle in Rom. vii. 6. declares, that we are now delivered from the Law, that being dead in which we were held; and that the Law in this Place means the Ten Commandments, becauſe the Apoſtle argues from the Tenth Command, Thou ſhalt not Covet: I anſwer, that the Apoſtle there plainly means, that now under the Goſpel we who are true Chriſtians, and are entered into the Covenant of Grace by Faith, are deliver'd from the Bondage and Chains of the Law as a Covenant of Works, whereby our indwelling Sins were rather irritated and provoked than ſubdued: It is dead, i. e. it has loſt its unhappy Influences on true Believers: But not that the Law itſelf is aboliſhed, either as a Rule of Life to Chriſtians, or as a condemning Covenant of Works to thoſe who are not entered into the New Covenant or a State of Grace, by Faith and Repentance: For he adds, v. 12. that even now the Law is holy, and the Commandment holy, and juſt, and good. If this might be explained by a Similitude, I think 'tis much in the ſame manner as the Penal Laws againſt the Proteſtant Diſſenters in England, are not aboliſh'd, but ſtand in Force ſtill: Yet they have no Power to hurt any Perſon who accepts of the Act of Toleration, and qualifies himſelf accordingly: Tho' indeed there is this Difference, that it can never be ſaid, that thoſe Penal Laws are now, or ever were either Holy, Juſt or Good, as the Law of God is.Heb 7:18Rom 7:6though God hath provided a Way to deliver Men who receive the Goſpel and enter into God's new Covenant from the Bondage of the Law as a Covenant of Works, and to releaſe and free repenting Sinners from this curſed Death, to deliver them from this Sentence of Condemnation, and to beſtow on them the Bleſſings of Eternal Life.

It is granted indeed, as the Apoſtle confeſſes, Rom. viii. 3. That through the Weakneſs of our Fleſh the Law is become weak and unable to ſave Sinners; becauſe their p. 119corrupt Nature and fleſhly Inclinations render them unable to keep it perfectly; but, as I intimated before, it is not weak in its own Nature to give Life. Chriſt in my Text preaches the Law, and ſays, If thou keep the Commandments. (i. e. with a perſevering Conſtancy, and a ſinleſs Perfection) thou ſhalt enter into Life: What Chriſt ſpeaks is true. If any Man appear who hath been guilty of no Sin, and hath fulfilled the Law of God in every tittle of it in Thought, Word and Deed, he ſhall have eternal Happineſs. Rom. ii. 7. They who ſeek for Glory, Honour and Immortality, by patient continuance in well doing (en ergo agatho, in one good Work, without intermiſſion or interruption by any Sin) they ſhall have Eternal Life. This is the Language of the Law of Works. But our Incapacity to fulfil this Law in our fallen State, hath awaken'd the Compaſſion of God to provide a Goſpel of Grace and Pardon, and to ſend his Son Jeſus Chriſt down from Heaven to Earth for this very Purpoſe, that humble, repenting, returning Sinners, who truſt in the Mercy of God through a Mediator, might be ſaved, even while they cannot fulfil the perfect Demands of his pure and holy Law, though they ſincerely endeavour it.

The Great and Bleſſed God maintains his holy Law ſtill in its own Perfection and Glory, though we have loſt our practical or moral Power of obeying it perfectly: I ſay, we have loſt, by our Fall in Adam, our moral or practical Power of perfect Obedience to the Law; but our natural Powers of Underſtanding, Will and Affections remain, and there is no other natural Power or Faculty required, in order to obey it. And ſince our natural Powers remain, the Great God requires perfect Obedience of us, and all Men, to his holy Law, and yet he aſſures us by his Goſpel, that he will not inflict the Curſe of the Law on thoſe who heartily repent of their Sins, and truſt in Chriſt, though p. 120they do not or cannot yield perfect Obedience to this Law.

He doth not leſſen or diminiſh the Demands of his Law, which requires Perfection ſtill; for his Nature is too pure to require only an imperfect Obedience. If God under the Goſpel, had quite laid aſide, or aboliſhed his Law, and required or commanded no more than ſuch a ſincere imperfect Obedience, or ſuch good Works which converted and pious Men perform, then they would fulfil the Requirements or Commands of God, and would have no Sin, and ſuch Perſons would need no Pardon. But this is contrary to the whole Tenor of the New Teſtament. If we ſay we have no Sin, we make God a Liar, we deceive ourſelves, and the Truth is not in us, 1 John i. 10. The Law of God is Eternal, and demands perfect Obedience of every Creature: But his Grace pardons thoſe who cannot come up to the perfect Demands of this Law, by reaſon of the moral Impotence contracted by the Fall, if they apply themſelves to Jeſus Chriſt his Son, according to the Rules of the Goſpel.

The Law therefore is Holy, and Juſt, and Good, and will be ſo to all Generations, Rom. vii. 12. and when our Saviour was beginning his divine and admirable Expoſition of it on the Mount, he warns us in Matt. v. 17, 18. Think not I am come to deſtroy the Law and the Prophets: I am not come to deſtroy but to fulfil: for verily I ſay unto you, till Heaven and Earth paſs, one jot or one tittle ſhall in no wiſe paſs from the Law till all be fulfilled; and our Lord Jeſus Chriſt has put Honour upon his Father's Law ſeveral ways.

1. He preached and explained it in the glorious Purity and Perfection of it.

2. He fulfilled it all himſelf in moſt exact Obedience, and thereby ſet all his Followers an admirable Example how to fulfil it.

p. 1213. He ſuffered Death for the Diſhonour we had caſt upon it by our Sins, not to deſtroy the Sanction of it, but to free us from the Curſe.

4. He hath taken all the Rules or Commandments of it into the Scheme of his Goſpel, as divine Rules and Directions for the conſtant Practice of Believers, and obliges them to obey it with their utmoſt Care and Endeavour, though he hath taken away from them that Curſe and Condemnation, which originally belongs to every degree of Diſobedience.

5. He ſends his own Holy Spirit continually to write this Law in the Hearts of his People, and to form and mould their Souls to a delightful Conformity to the Rules of it.

Thus it appears, that Chriſt Jeſus himſelf and the very Scheme of the Goſpel doth confirm and not aboliſh the Law. Rom. iii. 31. The Law is everlaſting, and the Goſpel doth not deſtroy it, while yet it relieves guilty Creatures from the deſerved Penalties.

REFLECTION III.

How uſeful is it to meditate and ſtudy, to preach and explain the Law of God, and that not only for the Direction of our Life and Actions, but alſo for the ſame End that our Saviour preach'd it in my Text to this young Man, (viz.) to convince of Sin. So Rom. iii. 20. By the Law is the Knowledge of Sin, Rom. iv. 15. The Law worketh Wrath; it ſheweth to the Conſciences of Men the Wrath of God, which is due to Sin, and therefore ſaith the Apoſtle, I by the Law am dead to the Law. Gal. ii. 1, 19. By conſidering and ſtudying the Purity, the Extent, and Perfection of the Law of God, I am dead to all Expectation of Righteouſneſs and Life by it, for I ſee I cannot fulfil its pure and perfect Demands, and therefore I fly to the Goſpel as my only Refuge and Hope.

p. 122We muſt be made ſenſible of our Guilt of Sin, our Liableneſs to Death and Miſery, and our Incapacity to ſave ourſelves by the Law, that we may fly to the Goſpel of Grace. We muſt be wounded by the Law that we may ſeek and find healing by the Goſpel. The Law impreſt on the Conſcience is an excellent Preparative for the Goſpel of Forgiveneſs; for Sinners that are not awaken'd to a Senſe of Sin and Danger, will nor hear the ſweet Invitations of the Saviour. Dare not charge and cenſure thoſe as legal Preachers, who frequently preach the Law of God in its Demands and in its Curſes: There is abundant Uſe of preaching the Law, for many excellent Purpoſes under the Diſpenſation of the Goſpel: Jeſus himſelf is our Pattern.

REFLECTION IV.

How happy are we who live under the clear and complete Light of the Goſpel, as it is explain'd and illuſtrated by the inſpired Apoſtles, ſince the Death and Reſurrection of our bleſſed Saviour. We are happier in ſeveral Reſpects, than thoſe that lived even in the Life-time of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. We are ready to ſay within ourſelves, Surely if I had ſeen Chriſt in the Fleſh, I muſt have loved him: If I had beheld his pure and perfect Example of Holineſs, I could not help imitating: If I had heard him ſpeak as never Man ſpake, I muſt have embraced his Doctrine, and ſubmitted to his Inſtrctions: But we are much miſtaken in this Thought, for we might have been carried away from Chriſt by the common national Prejudices againſt him, we might have been among the proud Phariſees, building up a Righteouſneſs of our own, and refuſing the Goſpel, while we heard Jeſus himſelf preach it. Multitudes who heard this glorious Preacher rejected his Divine p. 123Counſels, and periſhed in their Unbelief and Diſobedience, though they had as good an Opinion of themſelves as we have.

Beſides many other Advantages that we have now, beyond what they had in the Days of Chriſt; beſides the many Predictions and Promiſes that are ſince accompliſh'd, which confirm his Miſſion; beſides the Explication of a greater part of the old Teſtament, by the Apoſtles, than could have been done before the Death of Chriſt; beſides the many Proofs of the Chriſtian Religion, which we derive from the Reſurrction and Aſcenſion of Chriſt, and the Arguments drawn from the miraculous Gifts of the Spirit, which could never have been brought in our Saviour's Life-time, we have this Advantage alſo among others, that we have the Goſpel ſet in a clearer Light by his Apoſtles, in their Sermons and Epiſtles, than our Saviour himſelf ſet it in, by his own perſonal Miniſtry.

That Divine Teacher explain'd the Law clearly, and ſet the Commands of it in their full Light and Beauty, partly to lead us to a more ſpiritual Practice man the Phariſees, and the Jewiſh Doctors of the Law were acquainted with, and partly to ſhew our utter Incapacity of keeping the Law, or obtaining Eternal Life by it: He alſo began to publiſh the Goſpel of Grace, Repentance and Forgiveneſs; but (as was declared before) his ſovereign Wiſdom did not think proper publickly to explain and illuſtrate this Goſpel of Forgiveneſs with the Doctrine of his own Sacrifice, his Death, his Atonement for our Sins, his Reſurrection for our Juſtification, his Interceſſion for us in Heaven, and his ruling the World for the Good of his People: He left all this to be done by his Apoſtles, when the Spirit ſhould come down upon them and teach them many things which they could not bear in his Life-time, and which therefore he did not clearly teach them. John xvi. 12.

p. 124Value therefore and love the Goſpel, and return not to the Law of Works, as the Means or Rule of your Juſtification, Gal. iv. 21. Tell me ye that deſire to be under the Law, do ye not hear the Law, how it curſes every Sinner, and condemns them all without Remedy and without Hope? 'Tis the Buſineſs of Sinners to fly to and live upon this Goſpel of Forgiveneſs, and not ſeek to eſtabliſh their own imperfect Righteouſneſs before God. Rejoice in the Way of Juſtification by the Obedience, Death and Reſurrection of the Son of God in Fleſh. Never hope to obtain Pardon of Sin, and to ſecure the Salvation which Chriſt has revealed, by your own keeping the Commandments of the Law, for your beſt Righteouſneſſes are all very defective and inſufficient: But repent of Sin, truſt in Chriſt, and live upon atoning Blood and pardoning Grace, while you humbly ſeek after the higheſt Degrees of Holineſs and Conformity to the Commands of the Law. By this means you ſhall magnify the Law of God, and make it honourable in the Sight of Men, even while your Hope of Salvation and Eternal Life is entirely owing to the rich Grace of God in the Goſpel of his Son Jeſus: To him that has loved us, and waſhed us from our Sins in his Blood, to him that has redeemed us from the Curſe of the Law, by being made a Curſe and a Sacrifice for us, be Glory, Honour and Dominon for ever and ever. Amen.

It is proper to put in a Remark here, which perhaps would have been better placed at the End of the firſt Eſſay, viz.

That that ingenious Commentator Dr. Whitby, was well known to the learned World, when he wrote his Comment on the New Teſtament, to be a pretty warm Defender of the Ariminian Doctrines concerning the Will of Man and Divine Grace, &c. though at the ſame time he was a zealous Oppoſer of the Socinian Sentiments concerning the Perſon of Chriſt, and a ſtrict and zealous aſſerter of the Doctrine of his Satisfaction and Atonement for Sin, and probably he borrow'd … of his Sentiments on that Point from Dr. Owen, on the Epiſtle to the Hebrews. In his latter Days, a little before his Death, he ſeemed to raiſe the Character of the human Nature of Chriſt as high as the Arians do, but ſuppoſed it ſtill below Divinity.