either in Matter or Manner The Use I shall make of this is of Refutation for since none can pretend to be justified by any Works but such as are good and acceptable in the sight of God and none are such that want the foremention'd Qualifications all the distinctions of Adversaries about the Kinds of Works are to no purpose That this may be more evident I shall rank them under these four Kinds 1. The Socinians who say that the Apostle means Works in their Perfection that are excluded from a divine condescendency to our Impotency he will not require what we cannot perform but will justifie us for what we can Resp 1. If we did and always had perfectly fulfill'd the Law we should have been justifi'd by its Works Rom. 2.13 The doers of the Law shall be justified 2 Tit. 3.7 Not by works of righteousness which we have done 2. It would heinously reflect on the Holiness of God as a Law-giver or Judge to make an Imperfect Law or to Judge a Man just for Imperfect Performance of a Perfect Law Gal. 3.10 Cursed is he that continues not in all things c. The Second Opinion is of them who exclude the Mosaical Law and these of two and may be more sorts 1. Some exclude only Ceremonies and indeed the Controversie began about them Act. 15. the Instances by Paul most mention'd are of that kind Gal. 2.14 16. and by their resemblance of a Remedying Nature the Jews mistook them for the thing it self Thus Lombard and the Schoolmen Alphons a Cast Dom. a Soto But the Law the Apostle speaks of as the Rule of the Works he excludes cannot be Confin'd so narrowly for Rom. 2.15 it 's a Law that the Gentiles had Rom. 3.20 28. a Law that bound all Flesh a Law by which the Knowledge of sin Rom. 4.14 a Law that worketh Wrath. 2. By others the whole Works of the Mosaical Law are excluded in the Pharisaical Sense of them that is as separated from the Essential Duties of the Covenant as given to Adam Noah and Abraham Respon 1. I grant that the Pharisees did mistake the Law in its Extent and Intent too the former Christ corrects Mat. 5. but it 's very reasonable to think that they who had now embraced Christ to whom the Apostle writes had forsaken that Error for the Apostle's Dispute is of another kind not what was their Duty or Work but what place this Work or Duty had with respect to its Reward Whether or not it was truly Meriting and his Business is to prove that let their Works be what they would they could never serve for this Use and the Apostle tells them Rom. 10.4 5. that they did not know Christ compleatly viz. that he was the End of the Law who would put such a Value on their own Works Sir Nor. Knat Observes on Rom. 2.14 that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Work of the Law signifies the Office of the Law this was to Convince a Man of Sin that he might fly to Christ as Galat. 3. 't is called a School-master to bring us to Christ The Law is the Mean He is the End The Moral Law was a Mean to make them sensible of their Need of Christ and the Ceremonial was a Mean to represent him as the End of the other as One who was a Sacrifice and gave satisfaction for their Breach of the Law 2. The Apostle gives no Countenance to this Opinion in his Phrase for Galat. 3.21 If there had been a Law given c. There is an Impossibility in any Law or its Works prescribed to Adam Noah or Abraham since Man was a Sinner to Merit in any sense Justification at the Hand of God 3. Romans 3.20 21 22. The Apostle calls the Works he excludes Works of the Law not in any abstracted sense but Works that the Law required and the Mosaical Law comprehended all the former Laws under it as Joh. 7.32 Ye received Circumcision of Moses not that it was of him but of the Fathers And when the Mâ—saical and the Christian Constitution are opposed Mosâ—ical comprehends the whole Old Testament State 4. The Righteousnesses that are in this Epistle opposed are God's and Mâ—n's not Adam's essential Duties in the first Edition of the Naked Covenant and Moses his in the Political Administration of it Rom. 3.22 The Syriac renders it thus The Righteousness of God by the hand of Faith on that Jesus Christ Not a Righteousness that is God's Gift and is acceptable to God by Virtue of his prescribing it as the Condition he required a Righteousness that lay in the Fruits of Faith or in the Nature of Faith from its Conformity to the Law of the Covenant but a Righteousness that Faith as a Hand takes hold of 5. This Law the Apostle speaks of comprehends all inward Obedience all Righteousness Vid. Ch. 3. and 7. of this Epistle nay the Pharisee Mat. 22. did conclude Love to God to be the great Duty of the Law 3. The third Opinion is of Grotius who if the Writings that go under his Name and have so much Corrupted the Age be his own he was both a Papist and Apostate or if Mr. Baxter's Grotian Errors and that other Book called Grotius Papizans or Walleus in N. T. Preface be to be Credited indeed his Doctrine on this very Point of Justification is a very great Proof it as his Comments on the Epistles doth testifie especially this for tho' they are as Corrupt as he in their Disputes yet rarely in their Expositions are any Papists so Corrupt His Doctrine is thus 1. Works that are only External Civil deserving Praise of Men and by Humane Strength performable are excluded from an Interest in Justification 2. Faith of God is an Esteem of his Attributes and Faith of Christ is the Knowledge of him and his Doctrine 3. To Justifie is to Purifie to Cleanse from Vice so the Works are hypocritical the Faith historical and that which Devils has the Justification papistical Resp 1. It 's very improbable that the Apostle should Dispute so Nervously that a Man cannot be Internally Sanctified by External Works and as improbable that any should be so absurd to maintain it that a Man may become Just by Hypocritical Performances that external Civility is internal Holiness 2. That Law Rom. 7.7 14. requir'd more than external Works 3. Abraham had better Works than External and Paul when he knew nothing by himself yet not thereby Justified did not mean only External 4. They were what Works the Law requir'd and the God that searcheth Hearts nevâ—r made a meer External Law to Judge Men by 4. The fourth Opinion is that which is common among Papists 1. Works before Faith are excluded but not after Faith Sorrow for Sin without the Aids of Grace doth not Merit Preparatory Works to Grace doth not Merit though some and that generally allow a Congruity and Fitness to them others as Becanus deny it This is no more true
John 1.1 Rom. 2.14 But it has received a newer and later Edition under Moses and yet a Newer under the Gospel by Christ and his Apostles and a Newer still when the Spirit writes a Clear and Regular Copy thereof from the Law upon the Hearts of Men which is called The engrafted Word 1 John 2.7 8. You may find the same Law called New and Old and it 's usual in Scripture to call that that is renewed New 2. The Gospel brings the Law under a New Authority The Reverend Mr. Baxter says well That ever since the Fall the very Law of Nature has been in the hand of Christ Psal 75.3 The Earth and all the Inhabitants thereof are dissolved I bear up the Pillars of it Selah All things had turned into a meer Chaos if he had not stept in to preserve an Order upon a New Bottom and there is no Order without a Law or Rule Ver. 31. of the Context it is said Faith that is the Gospel doth Establish the Law Christ could not be King or Governour of the World without a Law and his Law must reach as far as his Government is extended He could not Judge the World but by a Law Psal 93. 97. The Earth's Commanded to Rejoyce and the multitude of Isles to be Glad because such a Lord Reigns and from the 7th of the Acts 31 to 39. we may see 't was Christ that Delivered the Law upon Mount Sinai for he is said to be the God of Abraham and yet to be an Angel and more fully and particularly Mat. 5.17 he Delivers the same Law Mat. 28. Gospel-Ordinances are solely founded upon his Authority 1 Cor. 5. Church-Censures to be administred in his Name 3. The Gospel gives to the Law a New-Spring or Principles of Obedience Adam received Ability from God to obey but the Ability was due and it is now forfeited and lost We are created in Christ Jesus unto good Works The End of the Commandment is Charity out of a Pure Heart and of a good Conscience and Faith unfeigned Rom. 8.3 The Law of the Spirit of Life It is this Living Sprit that enables us to fulfill the Law I might add to this the Newness of Security it being by Promise Jer. 32.40 I will put my Fear into their Hearts that they shall not depart from me And the Newness of the Order the Promises stand here first and then the Precepts God puts his Law in our Hearts before we Obey 4. The Gospel gives to the Law New Ends This is a Common End with the former that it directs our Duty and acquaints us with the Nature of God but it doth not now stand as that which we are to be justified or Condemned by There is a Righteousness of Faith that now comes in Room of that Righteousness of the Law so as it hath lost that Old End it has gained some New Ones 1. To teach us the knowledge of Sin 2. What Christ has done for us And 3. What Need we have of him 4. What we have Received from him And 5. Fits and Prepares us to be Fellow-Companions of his and though it's Obedience doth not give Right to Heaven it serves for a certain Mark of the Right to Heaven Rev. 22.14 Blessed are they that do his Commandments that they may have Right to the Tree of Life The Text says not that doing gives a Right but that all have a Right who do 5. The Law receives from the Gospel New Motives Ends and Motives differ as Future and Past Creation Provision and Providence were the Motives of our First Duty but now Christs Redeeming us and the Spirits Callng us are Great Motives to obey the Law We see Dilivery from the Bondage of Egypt was a Motive to the Isralites 6. There is a New Manner of Acceptance Acceptance was formerly Bottomed upon the Exact Conformity of our Rightousness to the Law but Now Faith is the Reason of Acceptance Without Faith 't is impossible to please God What soever is not of Faith is Sin All is to be done and accepted in the Name of Christ Works before were Accepted for their being a Fulfilling of a Law now they are for Christs Fulfilling the Law for us the Imperfection or Sinfulness of the Action is Pardoned on his Accompt 7. The Gospel Renders a New Measure of Law Obedience Acceptable not that the Law is Altered in its Perfection for Perfection in Faith is still required and Perfection in Patience Let Patience have its Perfect Work but the Work is made up between the Spirit and the Son the Defects in Measure Manner or Circumstances are Forgiven if it be the Sprits Work I may add here Repentance because Perpetuity was one of the Measures of former Obedience and Repentance Comprehends the whole Duty of the Law but it only Implies an Interruption that our Obedience has been for a considerable Time stopt it is to be wise after Folly and to be Obedient after Rebellion The Chief Circumstance it differs in from former Obedience is a leavihg off to do Ill so Repentance must be Obendience to the same Law was Broken 8. The Gospel adds many New Objects to the Duties of the Law By the Law we were to have no Gods for our God but one Now we are also to have No Mediator but one There is but one God and one Mediator between God and Men so that Commandment Thou shalt have no other Gods before me says also Thou shalt have no other Mediator The Apostle Paul says There are many called Gods and called Lords but to us there is but One God and One Lord. We are to love our Brethren by the Law of Nature but Now we are to sympathize with them from that Change that is made in Nature by Sin Bear ye one anothers burdens and so fulfill the Law of Christ The Angels have now new Objects of their Duty since the Fall for they serve the Mediator they protect and defend his Church We were to trust in a Righteousness of our Own for Life by the first Law but the Righteousness of another is a New Object the Gospel brings in 9. There are many positive Precepts added to the Law by the Gospel The Law of Nature is so large as to comprehend all Duty under this Axiom That we are to do whatsoever God enjoyns or reveals but beside it has subdivided Axioms in particular to which all Kind of Duties are specifically reducible The Fourth Command doth now as well require the Observation of the First day of the Week as it did formerly of the Seventh for the Injunction and the Blessing are both annexed to the Sabbath not the seventh and the Jews themselves reduce all the Sacred Time to it The Second Command doth Now comprehend all positive Ordinances under the Gospel Baptism Lords Supper Ministry Church Order and all other external Worship they are as justly reducible to that Command as Circumcision Sacrifices and Legal Washings were Mr. Baxter says acutely That
the Law of Nature is what a reasonable Nature observes to be due from that Relation that is between Men and God or Men and Men Mutatâ Naturâ mutatur Lex Naturae To Love our Enemies to be Charitable to the Poor to Repent of our Offences had been Paradoxical Duties to a sinless Man but now they are plain Duties of the Law of Nature 10. From these very Circumstances the Gospel brings a greater clearness and particularness to the Duties of the Law than the Law it self since the Fall The Blessed Trinity that great Mystery which is the adequate Object of our Worship is more manifested by the Gospel than ever the Law could have done the Example of Christ fulfilling all the Law before the Eyes of Men has not only cast an Honour but a lustre upon it as it never had before the formal Reasons of Duties were never so discovered as they are by the Gospel besides those Comments that in the Gospel he and his Apostles have made of it 11. The Gospel has yet a greater Influence upon the Law in removing of it's rigorous way of exacting Obedience of Fallen Man it has a Coercive Irritating and Condemning Power upon them First A Coercive because by the Terror of its Threatnings it Commands what Man abhorrs and when the poor Sinner obeys he doth it as a Brute for fear of blows 1 Tim. 1.9 The Law is not made for a righteous man but for the lawless and disobedient c. The Quietists say that properly the Name of a Law arises from the Contention and War between Man's Inclinations and Duties but when the Law is Writ in our Minds and becomes our Delight it is a Gospel not a Law however when the Gospel brings in Light and Strength it becomes a very easie Yoke The Law of the Spirit encreases it's strength and the Law of the Members decay and dye We obey by a kind of perswasion God's Efficacy is so gentle upon the Soul Galat. 5.8 This perswasion cometh not of him that calleth you Secondly It has an irritative or Pollutive Power It 's an Old Proverb Nitimur in vetitum Our desire encreases by being forbid Sins taking occasion by the Commandment wrought in me all manner of Concupiscence for without the Law sin was dead Some think that Swearing Prophaning the Name of God and Adultery arises chiefly from this Natural Contradiction in us to the Nature of God if Persons thought them no Sins they would never so much delight in them Thirdly It has a Condemning Power 2 Cor. 3.9 it 's called a killing Letter The Gospel is a City of Refuge There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who has satisfied the Law for all interested in him This is a Newness altering the Law from what it was to Man sinful not sinless 12. The Law which of it self is the Spring of Terrors for the strength of Sin is the Law becomes a Handmaid to Consolation in and thrô the Gospel partly by its discovering to us that Christ has fulfilled the Law for us this is the Marrow of the Gospel and by it the Law of Works is turned into a Law of Faith Partly as it is an instrument to interest us into the Gospel partly as the Law fulfill'd or satisfy'd by Christ is seen by Faith By the Law we have the Knowledge of Sin James 1.24 That 's a Glass to see our selves in 2 Cor. 3.18 The Gospel is a Glass to see Christ in the more vile and horrible the Looks of the one appears the more aimiable appears the other The Law is a Judge Rom. 7.9 to kill the Man by Sentence and to revive Sin Man by Nature and Satan's deceitfulness is very secure and a great Self-flatterer but if the Spirit of the Gospel enliven the Law it makes a Man conclude all the Threatnings on himself and bring him under a Spirit of Bondage He cries I am accursed I possess the Sins of my Youth my Sin is ever before me I am undone So the Gospel Spirit takes the killing Letter of the Law and rouses him out of his Lethargy it makes a Man weary and heavy laden it makes People a People prepared for the Lord for then he begins to see what he thought Righteousness Guilt and what he thought Gain Loss 13. The Gospel Spirit makes a Bridle of the Law to restrain Sin The Wicked cry Let us cast off these Cords from our Neck but when the Spirit comes a little Child may lead them By this Law restraining Grace Works Men are perswaded to forbear Evil by the Lords Terrors what would become of either the Gospel or the Church if it were not for this Use of the Law Farther the Law is a Rule for directing Evangelized persons how to live and it is a Pattern from which the Spirit transcribes a Copy into the Heart of Man It is a Mean of Conversion The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul The Gospel is much honoured when the Saints walk orderly according to this Rule The Second Enquiry is about their Opinion whom the Apostle here opposes viz. What a Christianiz'd Pharisee is For Act. 15.5 such they were I do not say they were the only but the principal party he opposes how far their Faith and Profession reach'd and wherein that Error did consist is next to be considered We find they were of two Kinds Some that did oppose the Mosaical Law to the Gospel as the Unbelieving Pharisees Or the Natural Law as the Pagan Philosophers The one did overvalue Ceremony the other Morality We find the Apostle often disputing against both against the former Rom. 9.3 Philip. 3.1 Gal. 3.5 against the latter 1 Cor. 1.23 Coloss 2. Acts 17.19 The former Party did compose the Law with the Gospel Acts 15.5 Certain of the Pharisees who believed said it was needfull to Circumcise 'em Gal. 2.21 If righteousness be by the Law Christ dyed in vain this Argument would have been of little strength against the Pharisees who crucifi'd him and thought he dy'd a Malefactor but of great Influence against them who mixed Moses and Christ Law and Gospel and expected Salvation from their mutual Concurse The latter denyed the reality of Jesus his Satisfaction and Righteousness but these did deny the Fulness of it they would eak or add to it and except it were the Church of Thessalonica we find by Paul's Epistles that there was not any Church but what was molested and partly corrupted by this Error In the Epistles to Corinth the Apostle calls them false Apostles deceitful Workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ 2 Cor. 11.13 In the Epistle to the Galat. he calls it another Gospel by which they were Bewitched We find the Church of Ephesus is Forewarned of such Acts 20.30 And in the Book of the Revelation they are Charged of Falling from their First Love yet it is Doubtful whether that came by this Error or not For Christ Appoves of her Orthodoxy
bear both the Place of a Sentence and a Condition which is needfull to reconcile these two Opinions R. 1. By Condition they mean not a Condition properly in a Law or a foederal Sence as we use the Word in Bargains between Man and Man for the Civilians inform me these three Properties make a Condition 1. Potestative that it be in the Parties Power to perform 2. Casualty in it self and to the other Party uncertain 3. Causal in that it bear a Valuable Consideration The Law will not suffer a Man to injure himself so far or another to deceive him as to get a Title to an Estate of two or three hundred Pounds per Ann. for an hundred Guineas But the Apol. informs us that This Condion is neither in our Power 2. Nor Uncertain 3. Nor Meritorious therefore not a Condition properly Nay further tho' the Gospel be a Law and this Law is the Condition of the Covenant yet it is not a Legal Condition Therefore it must be in a Physical or Logical Sence if not in a Law Sence and a Necessary Connection is enough for the one viz. Logical as if a Man be Reasonable he is capable of Learning and if capable of Learning he is reasonable and Priority enough for the other as that Wood must be laid to the Fire before it can be burnt And this Opinion is very agreeable with Condition in this Sence for there is not only a Necessary Connexion between Faith Repentance and Justification but there is a Priority the Covenant of Grace partakes more of Orderliness it is Order'd in all things than of Conditionalness for the Foundation is before the Relation the Sign before the Signification the Gift of Faith and Repentance is before its Connotation of our Pardon or being receiv'd into Favour Nay further there is not only the Gift of Faith but the exercise of this Grace as mix'd with our Faculties and become a Duty in order of Nature antecedent to this Connotation or Signification of our being now brought under Divine Favour because the way of Communicating this Gift is by Calling speaking immediately to the Soul and representing spiritual Ideas making us behold as in a Glass the glorious Image of the Lord discovering unseen and hoped for things as before and after both is further explained and the Gift cannot be without this exercise by which God and the Soul unite and mutually apprehend one another In short thus That this Gift may not only be long unperceiv'd by the Receiver but that it cannot Signifie untill in Exercise tho' as a Gift it doth signifie There is but one thing more that Justification and Glory are suspended upon these Duties of Faith and Repentance R. Either by Suspension he means no more but Necessary Consequential so we Agree and I do not find his Arguments will prove more For a Testament is fully as proper a Title that gives Name to the whole Bible as Covenant or Bargain and Civilians say the If used in Testaments which is so frequent in Scriptures is a demonstrative If that doth not Suspend but Design the thing Promised and some certain Time or Manner of Conveyance If he understand it a Legal Suspension it 's the same with a Legal Condition which he has deny'd before for Conditio est dispositionis suspensio ex eventu incerto ei opposito and has an Obliging Influence on the Promiser and Conferrs a Title of Right to the Benefit promised I might Conclude this with some Testimonies out of the Fathers but though I find Phrases to answer my Purpose I find the Style sometimes Loose and Oratorical and sometimes they Design another thing which I wish a late Author had minded who Attempts to prove the New Law out of the Fathers when Daille who was better acquainted with them says It 's in vain to make them Judges in many of the Controversies between us and the Papists and yet this Authour would bring them to Prove a more Nice Point become a very late Question In what sense the Law is New thoro the Gospel or the Gospel may be call'd a Law I shall only instance his first Citation out of Justin Martyr p. 228. c. and I am willing to be judged by any of the Subscribers that will take the Pains to read it if Justin intends any thng more than the recommending the Christian Constitution and proving it preferable to the Mosaical For he says This New Law is Posterior to Moses his Law but the Apologist's New Law has been ever since the Fall of Adam He says this New Law is Christ and his Testament Any may see he took Law in no strict Sense when he calls Christ and his Testament a Law he calls it a Testament Eight times in that Page and nigh Seventy times in that Dialogue and seldom I think not above Four times a Law without the Explicatory word Testament added yet I think this Opinion will help to wrest the Fathers out of the Papists Hands The Fathers use the Words Justifie and Sanctifie often promiscuously for making Just and Holy The common Answer by Protestants is the Fathers use the Word according to its Grammatical Signification not Forensical Use To which the Papists answer Then they were not acquainted with that sense This affords another for we may say to Sanctifie is to Justifie in the same Sense that Christ says This Bread is my Body that is a Sign of it And so we may understand the Fathers Est or Is Metonymically for est Signum and we may find enough among their Writings to shew that all the Parts and Degrees of Sanctification are Signs of Justification which doth sufficiently shew that tho' this Phrase is New that the Gift of the Holy Spirit in order to our Sanctification stands in the room and place of a Justificatory Sentence yet the Sense is not for it is the Sign yea the spiritual Initiating Sign of our being in Covenant with God This is the Covenant I will make with them I will pour out my Spirit on them Being in Covenant is a Relative Blessing as well as Justification and they are inseparable Now says the Lord my giving my Spirit imports this I take thee to be one of my People I avouch thee this Day to be mine The Prince's Proclamation of Pardon to a Rebel or the Judges Justificatory Sentence of a Person suspected accused imprison'd is the first Authoritative Signification of the Governments Favour So what is the first Sign of Divine Favour must stand in the place of a Justifying or Pardoning Sentence but these absolute Blessings that are proper to the Elect of Faith and Repentance are the first Intimations of Divine Governments receiving us into Favour therefore the Gift of them is the Absolving Sentence A third Propos'd Head was the Time of our Justification which being meant of the first Act necessarily follows from the former Proposition to be neither later nor sooner than the first Moment of our Conversion
or Vertue in a Mans Conversation towards God or Man is natural as to the Principle for what are Principles of Action in a Man by common Gift of Knowledge or Honest Inclinations are natural Principles Before the Law given to Moses we may find footsteps of all the Ten Commandments for Abel believed in God which is the Duty of the first and Sacrificed which is the Duty of the second and in the third Generation when but very few Families on the Earth and not above three to wit Adam Seth and Enos's that were Worshippers except we Charitably Hope some were Proselites of the Cainitish Race publick worship was established for then Men began to call upon the Name of the Lord This was Obedience both to the second and third Commandment which did suppose Obedience to the fourth to wit a sanctifying some publickly known Time for Worship whose Determination God by Positive Command had fixed though from a natural Reason to wit the Seventh-day in which God had rested from the greatest and best of Works he had yet done in the World The fifth and the seventh Command is manifest in the Practice of Marriage for therein was the Period of Subjection to Parents terminated in leaving Father and Mother and an Aera of faithfulness to the Wife begun express't in cleaving to her and it is probable that last and crowning Duty of Childrens Subjection to their Parents is taxed as broken by these Sons of God who took unto themselves Wives according to their own Choice Gen. 6.7 The sixth and ninth Command were both broke by Cain who murdered his Brother and then not only denied it but denied the Knowledge of such a Fact Gen. 4.8 9. The eighth and tenth Command are thought by some especially the Quietists to have been neither Commands nor broken because there could be no Coveting of enlarging Property but rather of Men to share of the common good and Sin gave occasion to particular Commands though of such a General Nature But we find Adam guilty of both in coveting of a Diety and robbing God of his Property when but one Tree was reserved in all the World for an acknowledgment of Gods having the Primitive Right And we find Gen. 6. that the abounding Lusts of the Heart was the cause of the Deluge and all Lust is coveting The Ordinance of Circumcision was appointed to be a Monument and Conviction of the Lusts of the Heart and the Necessiâ—y of Mortification the Sweat of the Brow and toil of labour were appointed as the means of our Maintenance and the Nimrodical Hunting was a robbing men of what God had blessed their labour in So we find the Moral Law in this Law of Nature The next Enquiry is about the Evangelical Law whether any Prints of that is to be found under it yea or not and taking the natural Law most properly and as here the Apostle explains it in his Discourse for a Sign of Divine Will about our Duty as revealed in Nature or by Creation and Providence we may find footsteps of it here 1. For the Duties of it here are both Faith and Repentance rendred concludable from Divine Forbearance and Goodness Rom. 2.4 Not knowing that the Goodness of God leadeth thee to Repentance but after thy hardness and impenitent Heart c. 2. As there are Evangelical Duties so Evangelical Influence Chap. 1.18 Who hold the Truth in Vnrighteousness here was a Truth preserved alive against their Wills and as Gen. 6.3 the Spirit of the Lord was said to strive with men and 1 Pet. 3.20 Those Souls that are now in Prison had once the Spirit of Christ dealing with them and also Evangelical Acceptance If the Vncircumcision keep the Righteousness of the Law shall not his Vncircumcision be counted for Circumcision for Circumcision is not that which is outward in the Flesh but in the Man whose Praise is of God Therefore the Law of Nature being excluded there is an Evangelical Law excluded which Suarez calls the Con-natural Law and Gratian says Jus naturale est quod in lege Evangelio continetur and Mr. Baxter says It is the first Edition of the Covenant of Grace which two ways was published to all the World 1. By Natural Light discovering God Merciful in his Nature 2. By External Proclamation 1. Once to Adam that there should come a Seed of the Woman who should tread down the Head of the Serpent 2. In Noah and 3. In Christ For altho' none comes to the Father but by the Son and there is no other Name given under Heaven by which men might be saved yet it doth not follow that particular and distinct Knowledge of the Messiah was absolutely Necessary for that many Infants who were saved have not and the Disciples who lived with Christ were doubtful about it yea Peter forbid him to yield to Death when he was very nigh to suffer for it The Third Law excluded is the Moral Law whereof the Decalogue qui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receives all things is the Summe To take the Moral Law according to common Sentiments there is by it these three things added to the Natural Law 1. A Positive Institution with great Solemnity from Mount Sinai with several Positive Determinations that are not immediately concludable by the Light of Nature 2. The Spiritual Extension of the Moral Law is manifested through Corruption much of the Law of Nature was obscur'd as whether Fornication or Usury were Sins or Thoughts of the Mind before Formal Consent or latent Inclinations to Unlawful Things A third Edition is of Life and Authority to the Sanction men very much Question whether a Man was liable to Eternal Death for evil Inclinations Yea or No but this Law is added because of Transgression that is both to discover it as the Apostle says Rom. 7. I had not known Sin if the Law had not informed me so the Conviction of Sin was weak until the renewed Sanction of the Law has made it more terrible Sin gets many fair Colours Covetousness gets the Name of Frugality until the Spirit discover both the Sin and the Curse doubtful Duties are establish'd weak and faint Notions reviv'd corrupt Thoughts are corrected the need of a Saviour more Manifested and the Jewish State settled in a more perfect Condition than any State in the World Now we find this Law is excluded for Rom. 3.20 For by the Law is the Knowledge of Sin there is no Law discovers Sin so as the Moral The Natural Law discovers Sin but neither so powerfully nor so plainly the express Word of God discovers the Malignity of Sin the Root and Original of Sin and the dreadful Issue and Event of Sin more plainly and clearly and removes all those Fogs and Mists that created many doubts by which we were apt to think great Sins small small Sins none and no Sins so hateful in the sight of God as they are The Ceremonial Law discovers Sin but by Accident its Primitive Intention
has Conditionally died for all and sincere Obedience to this new Law of Faith is the Condition which they say is called Faith from the Facility and Easiness of obeying it because it requires no more Obedience but with a Proportion to our Faith and the Measure of our Faith is the Perspicuity and Assurance of Divine Revelation The Socinian and Arminian deny Merit but that is from the Odium of the Word only for Crellius the Socinian says No Master of Justice and Equity would rob his Servant of a due Reward for a fault or two God would not lay such a snare in the way of Wicked Men to deprive them of Hopes and discourage them from Duty And Poppius the Arminian describes the Christian Religion by those Works that consist in Obedience to the Commands of God and Christ and on respect to which depends the Reward of Eternal Life yea which he is not to have without the Work be Plenè Consummatum intirely and fully Perfect And the Papists mean no more by Merit they do not think their Works merit Heaven by a strict Commutative Justice that is us'd in Bargains nor Distributive in the rigour of the first Covenant but in Justice attemper'd with Equity and tinctur'd with the meriting Blood of Christ a Justice arising between a Foederal Promise and the most mean Condition And the Sincere as well as Learn'd Mr. Baxter says in his Catholick Theology he only differs from them in the Word because offensive and that we ought rather to rejoice the Papists have so much Truth among them than reject the Truth because they hold it But whether he dy'd in this Opinion that our Works gave such a Right to the Reward I doubt for in his little Book against Dr. Crisps Errors he says I formerly believ'd the formal Nature of Faith to lye in Consent as he elsewhere explains it the Marriage Consent that binds to all the Duties of the Married State and so gives Right to all the Priviledges but now says he â— Recant it which he could not do so often as he us'd without great Measures of Humility I believe says he it lies in Trust this makes the Right to lie in the Object for it is I depend on Christ as the Matter or Merit of my Pardon my Life my Crown my Glory But thirdly the Gospel which is the equal Interpretation of the Law in its exactness plainly teaches us that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Equity is to be apply'd to the Subject of the Law and the Law by immutable Justice requir'd Death but there was place for Equity in change of Persons a Sponsor or Surety might be admitted to dye and some way there must be Infiniteness in the Death because an Infinite Majesty offended but the Law left it doubtful whether the Infiniteness must be in the Duration of Suffering or Dignity of the Sufferer and Equity has interpreted it of the latter As if a Father was permitted to suffer for a Son or a Summe should be paid in Gold which the Words of the Law required to be paid in Silver or Copper For Equity is saith Aristotle a Correction of the Law wherein it is deficient in Words by reason of its Universality Or I think better an Explication of the Words of the Law according to the Will of the Law-giver in an extraordinary emergent Case Or as Crellius says it is a Justice mixt with Mercy or a Virtue mitigating the Acrimony of the Law from Consideration of Circumstances as St. James says The Wisdom that is from above is Pure Peaceable Gentle and Easie to be entreated full of Mercy and good Fruits the Fruit of Righteousness is sown in Peace And thus generally Protestants expound the Equity of the Law to be Gods admitting yea giving Christ as a Surety for us he was made under the Law as a subsequent Surety The first Covenant did not say Thou Adam either first or second Adam shalt die for then the first Covenant had been the Covenant of Grace still there was no need of another Covenant as the Reverend Mr. Baxter doth strenuously prove but when we were under the Curse of the Law he came in and took our Room and became a Curse to redeem us from it and the Law as fulfilled by him for us is to us truly a Law of Faith according to the Text For farther Explication and Confirmation of which I shall propose these four Heads First That all the Functions and Offices of our Lord Jesus Christ all he said and did or suffered was in Obedience to a Law Secondly I shall a little explain the Nature of this Law and its Righteousness Thirdly That Law he did fulfill for us in our Room and Stead Fourthly That Law and its Righteousness is to us a Law of Faith and consequently the Law here mentioned in the Text it is not proposed to us as a Rule of our Obedience but as a matter of our Faith yea our Faith Interests us in it and makes its Righteousness effectively ours For the Proof of the first We find by Eternal Compact between the Father and the Son in the Mediatorial Covenant the Son came under a Mediatorial Law Psal 40.6 7 8 9. In that Emphatical Account of it we may make these Observations 1. There was a Compact by which he calls God his God O my God 2. By Vertue of that Covenant which was recorded in the Volume of the Book his place was to become a Servant Lo I come I am ready to obey 3. His Service was to fulfill the Divine Will I delight to do thy Will 4. This Will was a Legal Will Thy Law is within my Heart for Law is a just act of a Superiors Will. 5. The Law required him to be a Sacrifice Heb. 10.10 By the which Will we are sanctified through the Offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all 6. That no other Sacrifice either pleased God without this or but this Sacrifice and Offerings thou didst not desire 2. By Vertue of this undertaking the Son became under an Obligation to obâ—y this Law Heb. 2.17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren And Luke 24.46 And thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the Dead Yea this Obligation did extend to the most Minute Particles of his Life John 4.4 He must needs go through Samaria 3. In an answerableness to this Obligation he did all he undertook Hence is it said of him He did all things well and John 8.28 29. I do nothing of my self but as my Father hath taught me I do always those things that please him And Chap. 4.34 My Meat is to do the Will of him that sent me and to finish his Work Psal 69.4 5. Then I restored that which I took not away O God thou knowest my foolishness and my Sins are not hid from thee John 15. It is applied to Christ and Theod. in Lat. Graec. expounds it thus It is
and ten Years after Christ oh the 12th Chap. 3. he cites Deuteronomy 29.1 These are the Words of the Covenant and thus expounds it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Covenant is nothing else but a Law and the Midrash on Leviticus distinguishes thus between Statutes Judgments and Laws in Chap. 26.46 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Law is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doctrine Learning and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Statutes are Midrashoth Glosses Expositions and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judgments are Hadaenin Decisions of Cases in Law and Aben Ezra on psal 19.8 gives this Etymon of it the Law is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Law because it shows the Right way and Converts Souls by taking away their Doubts and Fears But since they mean by Doctrine of Faith the Gospel and the Gospel being regulated by this Mediatorial Law Law of Faith and Doctrine of Faith are the same things and it is usual in Scripture to use a Law and its Works of Righteousness promiscuously Hence without the Law and without Works are the same and so the Law of Faith and the Doctrine of Faith are the same for it 's a Doctrine of what was done in Conformity to this Law Thirdly The Opposition between the two Members in this Text doth Confirm it for Law of Faith cannot be here understood a Law requiring Evangelical Faith as a specifical distinct Duty from the Works the other Law did require For first Faith it self is a Work 2 Thes 1.11 The Work of Faith with Power 1 Thes 1.3 Remembring your Work of Faith and in John To Work the Work of God is to Believe For thus there would be no Distinction betwixt the Law of Works and Law of Faith for the Moral Law required Faith in God and the Ceremonial Law required Faith in him that was Typified by their Sacrifices But to come nigher to this Opposition as it is explained by the Socinians and Arminians it must either lie in the Object or in the Precept or Duty but in none of them As to the Object God and Christ there is no Essential difference there for either it must be between the Persons and then there must be three Faiths specifically distinct Or it must be between the Office and Nature and we cannot say there is any greater Distinction there between God and Mediator than between God and Creator God and Preserver or Governor or Sanctifier all which are Incitements and Motives of our Faith or Love or as Mr. Durham calls it Objectum Considerationis or as Cloppenburgh Objectum Formale sub qua but not Ratio formalis quae vel propter quam and such distinct Formalities make no distinct Worship or Faith We see the Lords bringing the People out of Egypt is set down as an Incitement to their Observation of the Moral Law I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt it is far from making a new Law distinct from the Moral so Gods becoming our Redeemer and delivering us out of the Regions of Darkness and Prisons of Bondage is the strongest Motive that ever was and this Sinning against such a Motive which is a Sin against the Gospel is the greatest Sin and as there is no specifically distinct Object in the first Table so there is none in the second to render our Evangelical Obedience to it distinct from our Moral For the Sympathizing with our Neighbour under Adversity as it s said Bear you one anothers Burdens and so fulfill the Law of Christ it is no farther remote from Loving our Brother being only Charity denominated from his Condition than not stealing of his goods from him killing of him bearing false Witness against him or those other Precepts are but it 's called the Law of Christ because that kind of Love was the Spring of all his Obedience to the Mediatorial Law the principal part of his Work was to bear our Burden but the Socinians are in a greater difficulty here than others who deny the Deity of Christ and yet do Religiously Worship him Their Work should be how to find out a new Table not how to find out a new Law to place a kind of Obedience in that is neither proper to God nor Man nor are they altogether free of this Task who thô they own the Mediator to be God yet as such talk of a specifical distinct Law of Duties to him from what we owe to God as to Repentance the Ability to perform it and the Acceptance of it being interrupted and imperfect Duty flows from the Gospel yet there is a Necessity that the Law it is regulated by be the same Law that was broken It was Mans Duty to Love God to fear him to have Faith in him and to obey him he has now by Sin omitted these Duties what is else the Essence of his Repentance but the repeating and renewing of it again that he that broke the Law now keep it If he observe not the Law he did violate it is no Repentance Repentance and Primitive Obedience differ no more than the Image of God that Man was created in and Regeneration which is a renewing of him to the same likeness of Knowledge Righteousness and Holiness as the Divine Nature is the rule of this Image both in one and the other else it were no Image so that Holy and perfect Law of God founded on what is his due from what he has been and is to the Creature called the Moral Law is the same Rule to our Actions distinct Formalities in Objects make distinct Sciences and Arts and may occasion distinct Precepts or Acts for it is an imperfect Law if it reach not to every Condition of the Subject Hence Suarez says The Law of Nature before and after the fall differ only as the Acts of the same Law in Time of Peace and War The Law says one thing to a Married Man and another to an Unmarried it has distinct Statutes to every Condition but the Law is one A Law meets with many changes and yet remains the same as a Man doth and is yet the same Man in Essence 1. In Use it may serve for directing the Obedient convincing and condemning the Guilty and be the same Law still So the Moral Law was that we were to be justified or condemn'd by in the Primitive State that use of it ceases when the Soveraign Prince Pardons then the Dignity of the Intercessor or his own Bowels of Mercy is his Measure So God now proceeds with us according to what our Mediator has done for us that is the Law of Faith not according to what we have done It is strange to say Faith in a Mediator will justifie and not Faith in God or that Faith in God belongs not to the Moral Law or that it s now having a Pardon for its Object and before a Reward brings it under another Law the Angels have many a new Duty and new Object of Faith but their Law remains the same 2. The