of his care and love towards his sheep expressed in his knowing owning of them preserving them bringing them to his fold and laying down his life for them concludes all with this This commandement have I received of my Father As if hee should say It is my Fathers Commandement that I should take care of own my sheep bring them into the fold dye for them Now this will and command of the Father it cannot but have special influence upon Jesus Christ to make him willing to save sinners especially it we do but consider two things 1 That this command of the Father it was a special command given to Christ as hee was Mediator or as he was our second Adam As the first Adam had one special command over and above the Moral Law which was written in his heart in his first Creation viz. of not eating the forbidden fruit which was given him as godly men speak over and besides all the ten Commandements to bee a trial a signe or symbole of his obedience to all the rest so as that by his eating or not eating of the forbidden fruit God would judge of all his other obedience So this command of dying to save sinners it was a special Law given to Christ as second Adam over and above the Moral Law which is common to him and us to be as a sign or symbole of his obedience to all Gods other commands so that had Christ failed here God would have accounted him obedient in nothing Yea God the Father layes this upon Christ that look as hee did expect his love hee should bee mindful to perform this his command and therefore from his obedience hereunto hee comforts himself in his Fathers love that hee did love him Joh. 10.17 18. Therefore doth my Father love mee because I lay down my life that I might take it again No man taketh it from mee but I lay it down of my selfe have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again This Commandement have I received of my Father 2 That this will or command of the Father it remains and is infull force even to the last day so long as there are any poor sinners whom the Father hath given to Christ unsaved as Joh. 6.39 40. And this is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which hee hath given mee I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day And this is the will of him that sent mee that every one which seeth the Son and beleeveth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day Christ cannot quit himself of this command untill the last day till such time as hee hath brought all those souls whom the Father will have to bee saved into Heaven 2 Because not onely his Fathers command but his own interest is much ingaged in the salvation of sinners and therefore hee must needs bee willing Every one is willing with that wherein his own interest lyes 1 The interest of his honour and advancement hee should lose much of his honour should not sinners bee saved It is a dishonour to take a work in hand and not go through with it it argues either want of ability or unfaithfulness Christ hath taken the work in hand There is a twofold glory that Christ hath a Personal glory and a Mediatory glory which undoubtedly is and shall bee a very great addition to Christs personal glory of which Christ speaks Joh. 17.10 And all mine are thine and thine are mine and I am glorified in them As a Prince may have a twofold glory by noble birth and noble atchievements and the latter is a great addition to the former Now though Christ should have his personal glory though sinners should never bee saved yet his glory as Mediator that should bee lost 2 Of his Pleasure Christ takes abundance of pleasure in the salvation of sinners as Prov. 8.30 31. Then was I by him as one brought up with him and I was daily his delight rejoycing alwayes before him rejoycing in the habitable part of his earth and my delights were with the sons of men Joh. 4.34 Jesus saith unto them My meat is to do the will of him that sent mee and to finish his worke Luke 10.21 In that houre Jesus rejoyced in Spirit and said I thanke thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight compared with 17. and 18. verses And the seventy returned again with joy saying Lord even the Devils are subject unto us through thy Name and hee said unto them I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven Now should hee not bee willing to save them all this should bee lost 3 Of his gain this should bee lost should hee not bee willing to save sinners because Christ can put his death to no other use For a man to give much for a thing which can bee put but to one use and when hee hath it not to put it to that use but resolve the contrary is to throw his mony on the Dung-hill Now Christ can put his blood to no other use it cannot bee laid out for the use of Angels because it was a sacrifice offered up in anothers nature and not in theirs Heb. 2.16 For verily hee tooke not on him the nature of Angels but hee took on him the seed of Abraham yea the good Angels though they are confirmed by Christ yet is it not by Christ as Mediator but by Christs personal mediation Christ is head of Principalities and Powers but not as hee is Mediator so onely hee is head of the Church but as hee is the second person should Christ bee head to them as Mediator there would bee no difference betwixt Christ being a head to Angels and men And as for the bad Angels they are excluded from it so that Christs blood can bee put to no other use 4 Of his Fathers love for his Fathers love seems to bee linked to his obedience in this particular as Joh. 10.17 18. Therefore doth my Father love mee because I lay down my life that I might take it again c. This Commandement have I received of my Father These four things wherein chiefly mens interesses do lye viz. their credit honour or advancement their pleasure profit and love of friends Christ should lose all these should hee not bee willing that sinners should bee saved 3 Because the several offices of Christ would bee in a great part frustrated should not Christ bee willing to have poor sinners saved As for the Prophetical office what use would there bee of his teaching either outwardly by sending forth Messengers and Ambassadors or inwardly by his Spirit were hee not willing sinners should bee saved except it were to aggravate mens condemnation onely For the Priestly office what use would there bee of Christs
his Will 2 That I may run quite crosse to the Will of God in this or that particular case as touching which his minde is not as yet revealed to me and yet submit to his Will if my will hold firme to Gods in the general The Case of Abraham proves both these his whole life as is most evident from the Story of him was a submission to Gods Will yet in a particular case propounded to him by Sarah before yet he knew the Will of God concerning it viz. the casting out of Hagar and Ishmael hee takes it very hainously and opposeth himself at first to that very thing which yet was Gods Will and God doth no way blame him at all for it only brings Abraham out of the dark by telling him what his Will was and then hee submits himself to Gods Will even in that also Again Particular submission to the Divine Will is two-fold 1 A submission to the Will of God in respect of things behind us and already past 2 A submission to the Will of God in respect of things before us and to come The first respects Gods waies of Providence towards the Creature the second the Creatures waies of obedience towards God Submission to Gods Will as it respects things behind us and already past is A quiet submitting frame of Soul under this or that thing that is befallen it though the thing in it self or at leastwise in the apprehension of the Soul hath something that is evil in it the evil of Punishment I mean not of Sin as Sickness loss of credit estate friends c. upon this account that this or that thing is befallen it either through the agency or permission of Divine Providence Here note that the thing about which this submission of Soul as it respects Providential Acts is exercised must be something that at leastwise hath a face and countenance of evil for the act of the Soul in closing with that thing which carries good in the face of it is not properly submission because good is a thing which the Soul by a Natural propensity or a kind of inbred promptness and readiness closeth with and embraceth Submission to the Will of God as it respects things before us and to come is A submitting frame of Soul unto that thing whatsoever it be though never so cross to its nature interest or principles it hath formerly taken up that God makes known to the Soul to be any part of its duty either towards him its neighbour or its self This latter submission to Gods Will respects the way of our duty and not Divine Providence as the former the reason why Providence comes not at all in here is because the events and issues of Providence cannot certainly bee known till they are in being now when once a thing is in being it is then no longer to bee looked upon as a thing before and to come but as a thing behind and already past and so the relation it hath is not to this latter but the former Though therefore in the general submission we are to submit to God in the way of his Providence before we see it in being yet can wee not in the particular because we have not a certaine knowledge of the issues of Providence till we see them Indeed we finde in Scripture examples of Saints that did submit with this particular submission to acts of Providence before they were in being as Eli 1 Sam. 3.18 Hezekiah Isa 39.8 but note they were assured of these things before-hand by an infallible Spirit and in that respect the things were as certain to them as if they had been in being we having not assurance as touching future acts of Providence that may befall us or Gods Church by such a Spirit now their example is not our rule III. The OBLIGATION lying upon the Creature to submit to this Will is manifold arising from 1 THe Pattern Christ himself hath left us Matth 26.39 2 The Pattern holy men have left us as Abraham in three most difficult Cases 1 Leaving his Country and relations Gen. 12.1 c. 2 Casting out Ishmael his first borne Gen. 21. 3 Offering up Isaac the Son of his old Age yea of the Promise Genesis 22. of Eli 1 Sam. 3.18 of David 2 Sam. 15.25 26. of Hezekiah Isa 39.8 3 The praying absolutely that Gods will might be done on earth as it is in heaven Mat. 6. 4 The equity that is in the thing it self that the inferiour should submit to the Superiour the Creature to the Creator 5 The impossibility of altering or changing this Will by offering resistance or violence to it 6 The confusion that would be in man considering his owne will is mutable and oftentimes contradictory to it self in case there should not be some other immutable will which remaines ever one and the same for mans will to center in 7 The safety and security of our wills whilst by centring in the Divine Will which is Omnipotent they continually lye under the protection of it so that hereby no power of Earth or Hell can surprize them steal them from us make use of them against us 8 The certainty of having whatsoever we will whilst we will nothing but what is the Will of God 9 The blessed rest and freedome of that Soul from all perplexed thoughts and distractions which hath its will resigned to Gods and its self committed to his dispose in all things 10. The certain and assured hope that Soul may have that nothing but good shall or can befall it whilst its will stands resigned to Gods whose Will and every act of it is absolutely perfectly and superlatively good 11 The admirable perfections of this Will it self which is 1 An infinite Will a will that knowes no finite bounds or limits 2 An immutable VVill which alwaies wills the same thing and in the same manner Psal 33.11 3 A most wise VVill which wills nothing but with infinite Wisdome fore-seeing and thorowly knowing from Eternity every Action and every Circumstance belonging to it that attends in time the thing it wills 4 A most Omnipotent will which by no Creative power can be compelled to act or hindered from acting 5 A most Independent VVill which hath no rule but it self acts absolutely by it self and from its self and according to its owne counsel 6 A most perfect VVill deficient in willing nothing whatsoever it be that is necessary to the perfecting our Grace here or Glory hereafter 7 An eternal VVill never beginning to will what once it did not will nor ceasing to will what once it willed Lastly A most righteous VVill which wills nothing but what is righteous as willed by it and wills it in a righteous way IV. The EXCELLENCY of this blessed Work and Grace appears in these things 1 IT is one of the highest demonstrations of an One-ness with God The VVill is the principal and the ruling part in man whilst that is one with God the whole man is
one with him When a King makes a League with another all his Subjects make League with him the VVill is King Lord chief Commander in the Soul when that closeth with God the whole man closeth when the VVill melts into Gods VVill and is swallowed up in it all the affections melt together and are swallowed up there-with 2 It conduceth greatly to a constant living in God and to him in improper phrase we use to say that a man is where his will is if our wills be in Gods our life is there Enoch is said to walk with God but how the Apostle tells us Heb. 11.5 He pleased God i. e. in effect to say he served not his owne will and desires but Gods 3 It is the nearest conformity that can be in us to the life of Angels Angels are perfect conformists to Gods VVill and therefore we are bid to pray that the VVill of God by us might be done on Earth as it is by Angels in Heaven 4 It is the most acceptable Sacrifice we can offer up to God Abels Sacrifice found acceptance because it was of the fat the will I may call the fat for it is the best part of man when this is offered up to God we offer up the fat Elies Sons made the Sacrifices of the People to be abhorred because they took the fat to themselves our services though never so many and great will be abhorred if this fat bee taken from them 5 It is abundance of Grace in one lump the exercise of much grace together or in one act as before I have noted 6 It is the most perfect imitation of Christ the highest act as I may so say of Christs obedience was his submission of his will to his Fathers therefore the Holy Ghost makes the whole of his obedience to lye chiefly in this Heb. 10.7 8 9. compared with Psalm 40.6 7 8. 7 It is better for us to submit to Gods VVill than to have our owne wills there is no grate acted in the one much in the other I am oft-times made worse by the one seldome or never better but alwaies bettered by the other Self-love is the root that the one growes upon but love to God the root of the other 8 It is the way to have our Mercies given to us again when we give them up to God in a way of submission to his will Abraham gives his Isaac to God and God gives him his Isaac again Job takes it well at Gods hands in taking his Estate from him God gives him his Estate double again V. The EVIL of not submitting to the VVill of God is very great for 1 IT is rebellion against the great God as he is absolute Lord and Soveraign of the Creature For a King to declare his VVill by a Law and the Subject to say I le not submit to it is among men rebellion in him as a Subject yet this case falls short of ours for no King is so absolute a Soveraign as that the bodies lives Souls of his Subjects are by right at his dispose yet such is God who therefore may command all and we are bound to submit 2 It is against Saints relation to God as a Father Christ as their Husband it is not fit for the Child to say when the Father saith do such a thing I will not doe it nor doth it become the relation of a Wife to say Husband I will love you only know this I will not submit to you when as it is the great duty of her relation 3 It thwarts our Christian Profession Christian Profession declares us to be the Servants of God it is meet the Servant should be ruled by the Masters will not his owne 4 It fights against the life of Faith what is the life of Faith but a constant reliance upon God this reliance being the act of the will ceaseth to be whensoever the will starts aside 5 It is to declare our selves wiser than God whilst we submit not our wills to his for this is certaine God bids us to vaile our wills to his in nothing but what he judgeth best for us for us therefore in this or that thing not to submit is in effect to say Lord in this or that thing I know what is good for my self better than thou dost 6 It makes our condition worse whatsoever it be A man in a Quick-sand the more he struggles the deeper he sinkes so it is with the Soul that struggles against the will of God his condition whatsoever it be is made worse by it 7 It makes our whole life uncomfortable and us weary of it Jonas his stout will made him at last even weary of his life Jonah 4.3.9 8 It renders us unthankful for mercy for note there is no dealing of God with his but hath mercy in it now when in this or that dealing I cannot submit to Gods will I do neither see my mercy nor am thankful for it VI. The RVLES IN THE GENERAL which may bring us to and further us in this submission are 1 SEt this alwaies before thine eyes and let it be thy Christian Motto GODS WILL IS BEST 2 Forbear making conclusions as touching Gods dealings with thee until such time as God hath given thee his light to judge of them or thou art come to the end of them Men ordinarily make conclusions by the light of their owne reason or whilst they are in the middle of a Dispensation This confounds them and makes them to quarrel with Gods dealings so as they can take nothing well 3 Keep thy heart and affections loose from the Creature if they are intangled and engaged that way they will draw in thy will with them then must it needs depart from the Will of God that motion that lies towards the Creature is from the Creator 4 Take not hold of Christs strength by fits only to serve thine owne turn when thou art at a dead lift but let him be thy daily strength thy strength to every action thy strength in every condition then shalt thou in all conforme to the Will of God 5 Apprehend thy will when it begins to start and give thy heart charge with it as with a run a-way The Cockatrice is best crushed when in the egge the Serpent in the will when he first begins to stir 6 Think not more hardly of God because of present dealings than thou findest thou hast cause to think of him for dealings past 7 Confirme thy self as much as may be in those thoughts that thou art a fool and dost not know in the least what is good for thy self the more thou hast drunk in this opinion of thy self the more willing thou wilt bee to bee at Gods dispose 8 Study the Covenant of Grace more the light of that in the Soul will expel the dark conclusions of carnal reason which doe ever oppose Gods Will. The knowledge of this Covenant is the only foundation of all good thoughts of God and his dealing
it is not two Laws but one So it is here And hence it follows that rightly understood they cannot bee contrary each to other but must of necessity agree because they are one for were they contrary they then should cease to bee one Yea they should not onely cease to bee one but cease to bee contraries destroy each other for authority to enact a Law to bee thus and thus and contradict the same in the publication thereof makes both a nullity So that our Conclusion is this viz. The Salvation and Sanctification of sinners is the will of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ This General I shall branch out into two particulars 1 That it is the will of God and Christ sinners should be saved It is the will of God and Christ sinners should be sanctified 1 Both God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are exceedingly willing and earnestly and truly desirous that poor sinners should be saved This is proved Joh. 6.37 38 39 40. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me And this is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day And this is the will of him that sent me that every one which seeth the Son and beleeveth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day Where we have the will of God and Christ set forth in several particulars 1 Christs will manifested 1 By his resolvednesse to entertain all poor sinners coming to him vers 37. I will in no wise not not i. e. nothing in the world shall ever make mee cast out that soul 2 By his great and long journey undertaken for and about their salvation vers 38. I came down from Heaven as to say do poor sinners doubt of my will to save them I do faithfully ingage my self to do it yea let them but consider what a long journey I have made about this work 2 God the Fathers will is shewed 1 By his act of Donation or giving of poor sinners to Christ putting them over into his hands to save them vers 37. All that the Father giveth me 2 By his mission of Jesus Christ vers 38. But the will of him that sent me which is put rather upon God the Fathers will than Christs not as if Christ had been unwilling but onely to convince poor sinners how much and how exceedingly the will of God the Father is in the thing as well as Christs Christ having before expressed his own willingnesse now assures them that hee could not bee more willing than his Father was yea of the two if any hee would make them beleeve that his Fathers will was firstly and mostly in the business 3 By that double charge that the Father layes upon the Son at his sending of him away 1 That none of those be lost which hee had committed to him vers 39. This is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing as to say My Son I put over sinners to you commit them to your care and keeping look you to it that none of those I commit to you bee lost but that they bee all forth-coming in the day when I shall require them for I give them to you and I shall expect tale of them all from you again 2 That to every one beleeving on him hee should give eternal life vers 40. This is the will of him that sent me that every one which seeth the Son and beleeveth on him may have eternal life As to say My Son I send you down on earth among a company of poor sinners and when you come there you shall finde many poor sinners will beleeve on you this therefore is that I would have you to minde when you are gone and think of it as my will whosoever hee is that shall beleeve on you give him eternal life I charge you reject none but whoever hee bee give him eternal life This will of God and Christ in the salvation of poor sinners wee have also Heb. 10.7 8 9. Lo I come here is the will of Christ to do thy will O God here is the will of the Father When God said Sacrifice and offering I wil have no longer these will never satisfie my justice nor throughly save sinners whom I will have to bee saved but I have prepared and fitted thee to bee a sacrifice then saith Christ Lo I come here am I Father if sacrifice and offering will not do it here am I Father take my blood if that will do it or punish mee as thou wilt so that sinner may bee saved To this agree those words of Christ to his Disciples Joh 4.34 My meat here is the will of Christ shewed in his delight is to do the will of him that sent me here is the will of the Father And upon what occasion were these words spoken why upon occasion of the converting of a poor woman To our purpose likewise are those words of Christ spoken Joh. 17. in his last prayer to his Father vers 24. Father I will here is the will of Christ that those whom thou hast given me here is the will of the Father And very observable it is that as God the Father gave the Son a charge and command when hee went down to the earth that of all those which hee had given him hee should lose none Now Jesus Christ having done his work on earth and throughly saved them hee comes as it were in a way of commanding to his Father as if hee should say O Righteous Father you gave me a charge when I left heaven that of all those you had given mee I should lose none this command O righteous Father I have obeyed and of those which thou hast given mee I have lost none And now O Father I come to thee and this is my will which I will have to bee done that those whom thou hast given mee may bee with mee where I am Thus God and Christ seem as it were to command each other as though there were some unwillingnesse in either which is not so there being nothing that the hearts of both breathe more earnestly after than the salvation of poor sinners but onely speaking by way of condescention to our capacities to make us poor creatures sensible how exceeding willing they are to have poor sinners saved they speak thus The Father to shew his willingnesse layes a command upon Jesus Christ and doth as it were hasten him out of heaven about the work though yet there was no need of this it being the joy of his soul and his very meat and drinke to save sinners The Son likewise to shew his willingnesse having done his
Sinners the objects thereof 2 Of his Truth for God having decreed to save Sinners entred into a Covenant with his Son passed his Oath and given his Seal for the confirmation of it what high derogation would it now be to the glory of his truth and faithfulness should he not bee willing to save sinners 3 Of his Wisdome God in his infinite VVisdome having contrived so glorious a way as is that new and living way by the Bloud of Jesus for poor Sinners to be saved in how would it derogate from his Wisdome if after the contrivance of such a way he should be unwilling to doe that for which he contrived it 4 Of his Patience and forbearance Where would the glory of this Attribute be if God should forbear and forbear and yet have no will all this time to the Salvation of Sinners yet doe I not say that God hath a will so save all those whom in his patience he forbears or that God can have no glory of this Attribute in any other way than this of the Salvation of Sinners for I think that God shall have glory of this Attribute in many whom yet he will never save as Rom. 2.4 5. Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance but after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thy self wrath against the day of Wrath and revelation of the righteous Judgement of God but this is my meaning against part and indeed the greatest of the glory of this Attribute which ariseth from Gods shewing mercy to Sinners after his patience hath been long provoked would be lost should not God be willing that Sinners should be saved 5 Of his Justice one would think that if any Attribute of God should or could shine in the condemnation of the whole race of Mankind it should be Justice but yet Justice it self would bee so farre from gaining as that it would have its glory eclipsed should not God be willing that poor Sinners should be saved for it is every whit as much for the glory of Justice to give a discharge upon satisfaction received as to require paiment before satisfaction given and a failing in the one cannot be without a breach of Justice as well as in the other now Christ having given Justice satisfaction for a considerable number of the Race of Mankind should Justice now pass a Sentence upon all without exception it would be much to the dishonour thereof 4 Because God the Fathers exaltation of his Son Christ at his right hand engageth him to it which will appear if we consider two things 1 That God the Father hath called Christ to Heaven and set him down there at his right hand for this very end to be a Prince and a Saviour to poor Sinners Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and forgivenesse of sins which cannot but have much influence upon the Fathers will in this thing for so long as he sees his Son Jesus Christ sitting at his right hand he is put in continual remembrance of the end of his calling him thither to wit the compleating of that most glorious work of the Salvation of poor sinners 2 That God the Father hath set him about a work there put the case God should forget it yet will continually remember him of it which is the work of Intercession whereby Christ spreads that bloud which once was shed here below on earth before the Throne of God in Heaven by which God the Father is put in continual remembrance of that Sacrifice that once here below was offered for sins and what engagements from thence lye upon him to bee willing that poore Sinners should bee saved 5 Because the delight of the Father in this work as it argues that he is willing to have poore Sinners saved so also that he must needs be so because otherwise a great part of his joy and delight which is in this work should be lost This we have Luke 15. where throughout the chapter by the joy of the Man for his Sheep the Woman for her peice of Silver and Father for his Son is set forth the great joy and delight that God takes in the conversion of Sinners that the joy here spoken of is the joy of the Father and not the joy of Angels is clear 1 Because it is no wherein the Chapter called the joy of Angels but joy in the presence of the Angels i.e. God rejoycing before the Angels v. 10. 2 Because the third Parable which is as it were a Comment on the other makes not so much mention of the joy of Servants as of the Father for his Sons return the greatnesse of which joy in this third Parable we have set forth in four or five particulars 1 The Father runs to meet the Son whilst yet the Son was a great way off v. 20. the Son it may be goes flowly but the Father runs to meet him 2 He falls on his neck and kisseth him Josephs salutation to his beloved Benjamin and the rest of his Brethren when he was so full of joy that he wept again for joy 3 He causeth the best robe to be brought forth for him with a ring on his hand when Pharaoh was exceedingly taken and delighted with Joseph he arraies him in rich attire and puts a ring on his hand 4 He makes a Feast and that of the best not only the Calf but fatted Calf vers 23. 5 He triumphs his joy was so great vers 24. all which serves to set forth the exceeding joy and delight of God in the conversion of poore Sinners to declare which upon occasion of Pharisees murmuring at Publicans and Sinners following of Christ is the main scope of this Chapter in all the three Parables 2 For Jesus Christ his will is and must needs be in it as well as the Fathers 1 Because it is the will and command of his Father that hee should save sinners This will of the Father Christ himself layes down as one great argument which moved him to take this work in hand grounding his own willingness upon Gods Joh. 6.37 38. All that the Father giveth mee shall come to mee and him that cometh to mee I will in no wise cast out For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent mee As if hee should say I will not cast out any poor sinners coming to mee because the Father hath willed mee I should not Yea God the Father hath not onely willed the thing but given Christ an express command to go about the business which is somewhat more than bare willing I may will a thing to bee done and that such a one should do it and yet not presently give an express command for the doing of it This command wee have Joh. 10.18 where Christ speaking
sacrifice of blood on earth or intercession in heaven were hee not willing sinners should bee saved Yea what need had there been of this had not Christ been willing hee might have spared all his labour and cost below and work above too had it not been for this For the Kingly office what use would there bee of Christs reigning in his Churches in the hearts of his people mortifying their sins quickning their graces leading ruling of them were hee not willing sinners should bee saved all that part of his Kingly office which is exercised with his Scepter of love would bee uselesse So that the Offices of Christ would bee almost wholly frustrated were not Christ willing sinners should bee saved Now do but consider what great in fluence this must needs have upon Christ to make him willing for 1 Hee is put into his Offices by his Father First made a Prophet by God Heb. 3.1 Wherefore holy brethren partakers of the heavenly calling consider the Apostle and high Priest of our profession Christ Jesus Secondly A Priest Heb. 5.5 6. So also Christ glorified not himself to bee made an high Priest but hee that said unto him Thou art my Son to day have I begotten thee As hee saith also in another place Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec Thirdly A King Psal 2.6 Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Sion 2 His Father hath fitted him for these To bee a Prophet hee hath given him a tongue Isa 50.4 The Lord God hath given mee the tongue of the learned that I should know how to speake a word in season to him that is weary To bee a Priest hee hath given him a body as Heb. 10.5 Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not but a body hast thou prepared mee To bee a King hee hath given him a Scepter and Anointing and a Throne as Psal 45 6 7. Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever the Scepter of thy Kingdome is a right Scepter thou lovest righteousnesse and hatest wickednesse therefore God thy God hath anointed thee with the oyle of gladnesse above thy fellows Now should Christ after all this bee unwilling to save sinners this would highly displease the Father 3 Christ hath accepted of these Offices to take an Office and never intend to performe it is high deceit Now should not Christ bee willing to save sinners hee should do thus The saving of sinners is the very end of all these Offices 4 Because the sundry Relations that Christ stands in unto poor sinners makes him willing yea argues hee must needs bee so that poor sinners should bee saved When I say Christ stands in Relation to sinners I do not mean that they are to be looked upon as sinners as they stand in that Relation but Christ stands in Relation to them who are in themselves sinners There are divers Relations betwixt Christ and his people as of a brother and brother Master and servant Father and children Husband and wife King and subjects Head and members Now these Relations cannot but much engage the heart of Christ to bee willing to save sinners if wee consider 1 How that Relation it selfe is a great begetter and knitter of affections what begets such affection betwixt Father and childe Husband and wife Relation And from hence the parties related are made to wish and endeavour the good of each other 2 That Christ stands in all these Relations Hee is Master King Brother Father Husband Head all these If to bee but in one of these Relations as a Father or Husband make a man so willing and industrious of the good of the party related to then much more to bee in all Now Christ is in all and therefore cannot but bee exceeding willing 3 That these Relations can never bee broken Earthly Relations may bee and are dissolved they are knots death unties But now the Relation betwixt Christ and his poor sinful creatures can never bee broken and therefore if Christ once stood related to them and thereby became willing to have them saved hee must of necessity be so for ever because this Relation holds for ever 5 Because Christ having taken our nature upon him makes him that hee is and hee must needs bee willing to have poor sinners saved if wee consider three things 1 That Christ took our nature upon him for this as one main end that hee might bee made a merciful High Priest Heb. 2.17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren that hee might bee a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people Christ as God was merciful before but his taking our nature makes him merciful as man as well as God and willing to save sinners 2 No sooner had Christ taken our nature but presently there was a merciful disposition wrought in him or an inclination to save sinners as Heb. 10.5.7 Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not but a body hast thou prepared mee then said I Lo I come in the volume of the book it is written of mee to do thy will O God No sooner hath Christ a body prepared but hee hath a will and inclination to save sinners This merciful disposition or inclination of his heart to save sinners it is now natural to him as hee is man as well as God Now things which are natural to us wee cannot but bee exceeding willing and inclinable to do nature is such a drawer This wee may see if wee do but compare Heb. 10.7 Then said I Lo I come to do thy will O God with Psal 40.7 8. Then said I Lo I come I delight to do thy will O my God yea thy Law is within my heart Where this will of God to save sinners is said to bee a Law within his heart Object But if it bee so as you say That it is the will of God and Christ that sinners should bee saved Then will it follow that all sinners must necessarily bee saved because what is the will of God that shall and must of necessity bee effected Ans I grant it were it the will of God and Christ that all sinners should be saved then indeed it would bee so but this wee have never said You cannot draw an universal proposition from an indefinite because the universal subject in one is taken universally but not so in the other Now when I say it is the will of God and Christ that sinners should bee saved I speak of sinners indefinitly not universally Yea further the Scripture speaks expresly that it is the will of God that some sinners should not bee saved as Rom. 9.18 19. Therefore hath hee mercy on whom hee will have mercy and whom he will he hardeneth Thou wilt say then unto me why doth hee yet finde fault for who hath resisted his will Where the Apostle vers 18. makes the hardening of sinners unto damnation to bee as well
his tears his fastings his humiliations his lamentations his leaving of sin and doing of good stands engaged as it were to give him Heaven and Salvation he then walks legally when the course and stream of his life and actions runs this way that all his prayers humiliations resolutions covenants resisting of sin c. is to this very end that God hereby would be moved to pardon his sins justifie him give him Heaven and eternal life which had hee not some hope to procure by these things hee would neither pray nor hear nor mourn for sin nor doe any thing else he then most certainly walks legally after the flesh 3 When a man in his obedience hath altogether respect to the external or outward part of the Law contenting himself if that be but done never looking to the internal or spiritual part thereof his walking is legal and after the flesh In this manner did the Scribes and Pharisees those great Legalists apply themselves to the keeping of the Law by a litteral observance of what it required accounting it kept when the external works which the Law required should be done was performed or the outward act of sin shunned which the Law willed them to forbear Upon which ground according to the principles and practices of the Pharisees Paul saith of himself that hee whilst hee continued a Pharisee was touching the righteousness of the Law blameless Phil. 3.6 upon this ground likewise doe the Papists assert their Opus operatum the work done as sufficient to Justification and Salvation never regarding how the same is done Now whensoever a man in Prayer hearing the Word or any other Duty hath only respect to the external part contenting himself with that if that bee done never looking to the spiritual performance thereof he walks legally 4 When a man blesseth himself in his obedience and pronounceth himself happy because of that he walks legally Thus Paul whilst hee was a Pharisee did blesse himself in his way Rom. 7.9 I was alive without the law once i. e. so long as I gave up my self to an outward observance of the law being without the law in respect of the true spiritual meaning thereof I was alive in my owne conceit I thought all was well with me and that I was a happy man Thus likewise the proud Pharisee Luke 18.11 12. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself God I thank thee that I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this Publican I fast twice in the week I give tithes of all that I possesse how doth hee blesse himself in his way of works and crow it over the poor Publican because hee was a Sinner and had no works When therefore a man blesseth himself in his obedience and thinks himself some body pronouncing himself happy because of this as many men will say I thank God all is well with me I have no doubt about my Salvation I am not nor never was I a Drunkard or Swearer c. I was never given to cheat or cousen as others my Neighbours will doe but I pray and read good Books and hear good Sermons c. a man then walks legally after the flesh 5 When a man performes his obedience ever and altogether in his owne strength the law as a covenant of works it calls for obedience but it gives a man no strength but what he hath of his owne to doe it Hence it is called a voyce of words Heb. 12. and a killing letter 2 Cor. 3. because it requires obedience under penalty of death and knowes the creature hath no strength to obey and yet gives him none and so by its very command it kills all those that are under it Now when a man sets himself to keep the law in his owne strength neither finding nor knowing nor feeling nor looking after nor desiring any other strength to enable him to doe his duty then his owne he then walks legally after the Flesh and all his obedience is obedience to a covenant of works Thus much of the Second particular what remaines I leave unto the next opportunity Why Legal walking is walking after the Flesh SERMON IV. Rom. 8.1 Who walk not after the flesh WEe are now upon the Character of those Persons who are freed from Condemnation they are such who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Flesh and Spirit in this place by the acception of the termes in other places and the consideration of the scope of the Apostle in this are as I told you the last day to be understood either of the Law and the Gospel or the old and new man Walking after the flesh that is either legal walking or walking after the corrupt principles of the old man Walking after the Spirit that is either Gospel walking or walking after the renewed principle of the new man I began with the words in the first acceptation as they hold forth Legal and Gospel walking and so I laid downe these Propositions viz That Legal walking is walking after the flesh Gospel walking is walking after the Spirit Concerning the first I have shewed 1 What I mean by Legal walking 2 When a man's walk is a Legal walk I now proceed to the third 3 Why Legal walking is called walking after the flesh Ans 1. Because there is nothing of the Spirit of God that goes along with a legal walk The Spirit was not given by the Covenant of works and therefore so long as a man walks in the way of that Covenant there is nothing of the Spirit of God that goes along with him Now we usually call that flesh that hath not Spirit in it take a man when he is dead wee say hee is flesh nothing but flesh because the Soul and Spirit is gone so take a legal Walker hee is flesh his walking is flesh because there is nothing of the Spirit of God in him nor his walking hee praies but there is nothing of the Spirit of God in his prayers and therefore though hee pray dayes and weeks and months together all is but flesh he mourns and humbles himself for sin resolves vowes and strives against it but doing all this in a legal manner there is nothing of the Spirit of God in all this and so all is but flesh 2 Because Legal walking is walking in the way of Nature the Covenant of works was given to Adam as out common person and sois in the Nature of every man Rom. 2.14 15. For when the Gentiles which have not the law doe by nature the things contained in the law these having not the law are a law unto themselves which shew the work of the law written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts the meane while accusing or else excusing one another Now in Scripture phrase Nature is called flesh Joh. 3.6 That which is borne of the flesh is flesh i.e. that which is borne of meer Nature can be no more but
Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Kingly Law or the Law of Christ as King of Saints This distinction Christ teacheth us Mat. 5. where repeating and opening of the Moral Law he saith it was said of old thus and thus i. e. thus Moses said thus the Law as it was Moses his Law said but saith he I say unto you i. e. thus the Law as it is my Law saith unto you This Paul well knew and therefore Rom. 7. handles the Law under this two fold consideration as Moses his Law he saith we are dead to it delivered from it and have nothing to doe therewith as Christs he saith he did approve of it delight in it and endeavour to conforme thereto So Rom. 8.2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death he makes a clear distinction betwixt the Law as it was in Moses his hand administring sin and death to those under it and in Christs giving spirit and life and he saith that beleevers by being under the Law as Christs are freed frâ—m as Moses's And in Gal. 2.19 For I through the Law am dead to the law that I might live unto God He tells us that by vertue of being under the Law as it is in the hand of Christ he tells us he was dead to it as in the hand of Moses These things laid down I say Gospel walking is to make the Law of God i. e. the Moral Law as it is the Law of Christ the rule of our lives and actions For the making out of this three things are to be proved 1 That the Moral Law in Gospel-times is a Rule to Beleevers else making it our Rule cannot be Gospel-walking 2 That it is a Rule only as in the hand of Christ 3 That to obey and observe the Law as it is in the hand of Christ is truly and properly Gospel-walking The first I make good by these Arguments Argument 1. If the coming of Christ doth not destroy the Law as a Rule but fulfill or compleat the same then is the Law in Gospel-times a rule to beleevers But the first is true Matth. 5.17 Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfill What fulfilling is the fulfilling here spoken of Not so much Christs fulfilling the Law for us as our common person though this bee a truth as the perfecting or compleating of the Law I came to fulfill the Law that is to compleat the Law to fill up the Law which the Jewes took by halves or peece-meals and this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth properly signifie to replenish perfect or fill up a thing being as some say a Metaphor taken from a Ship under sayl whose sayls are filled with wind and this Christ's own speaking to the end of the Chapter clearly shews he going on to declare the spiritual sense and meaning of the Law beyond what the Jewes understood thereof or Moses had discovered to them Therefore the latter Argum. 2. If the Moral Law bee a perpetual and everlasting Rule to Saints in all Ages then to Saints in Gospel-times But the first is true Mat. 5.18 for Verily I say unto you till heaven and earth passe one jot or one tittle shall in no wise passe from the Law till all be fulfilled As long as Heaven and Earth remaines so long doth the Law remaine and the fulfilling thereof remaine Here observe by the way that the Greek word translated fulfilled is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth not signifie as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used in the precedent verse to perfect or fill a thing up but to doe or performe a thing Now there is a two-fold fulfilling or performing of the Law a fulfilling or performing thereof in Christ as our Head and common Person this was perfectly accomplished by and in Christ when hee was here and there is a fulfilling or performing of the Law in us the Members this because it is imperfect and wrought by degrees goes perpetually on increasing till wee come to bee wholly like our Head and this I take it is that which is here spoken of which shall remaine as long as Heaven and Earth remaine i. e. as long as Heaven and Earth stands Saints shall goe daily on fulfilling of the Law till in the end their obedience comes to bee perfect as Christs was Argum. 3. If the preaching of Faith doth not make voyd the Law but establish the same then doth the Law still remaine as a Rule to Beleevers in Gospel-times But the first is true Rom. 3.31 Nay we establish the Law i. e. by the preaching of the Gospel wee doe not over-turn the Law make men Libertines and free them from the obedience of the Law no but we establish the Law set it upon a better and surer bottome than it stood on before and bring men to a more free full and spiritual observance thereof than they will bee brought any other way therefore the latter Argum. 4. If the substance of those things which are required in the Moral Law are commanded in the Gospel promised to Gospel-times then doth the Law remaine a Rule to Beleevers still But the first is true as for example Doth the Law in general require of us to love God with all our heart with all our soul with all our might and with all our strength and to love our neighbour as our selves and doth not the Gospel every where command these things Doth the Law require of us to love serve and obey one God and the true God and doth not the Gospel doe this Doth the Law require us to worship God in his owne way forbidding all Idol worship and doth not the Gospel doe this 1 Cor. 10.20 21. 2 Cor. 6.14 15 16 17. doth the Law require us to sanctify Gods Name and doth not the Gospel too Jam. 5.12 Doth it require the sanctifying of the Sabbath and is not this promised to Gospel-times Ezek. 44.24 in the purest Gospel which shall be when the Jewes are called they shall hallow Gods Sabbath and I take it for this reason the command of keeping the Sabbath is mentioned both in the Moral Ceremonial and Judicial Law in the Judicial Law to teach us that the keeping holy one day of seven is natural in the Moral to teach it is Moral and in the Ceremonial Law to teach us the command of the Sabbath is Evangelical the Ceremonial Law being but the Gospel under Types and Figures Doth the Law require obedience to Superiours and doth not the Gospel yea is not the Fifth command in expresse words commanded Ephes 6.2 Doth the law forbid Murder Adultery Theft False-witness-bearing coveting anothers goods and right and are not all these forbid in the Gospel Rom. 13.9 therefore the law remaines a Rule to beleevers under the Gospel Argum. 5. If Christ as a common person did yeeld obedience to the Moral Law then is the
is reiterated over and over every new manifestation being as it were a new application 3 By Christs Advocateship Satan our enemy hath his mouth stopped above The Devil is busie in accusing of Saints but now Christ comes and saith hee Lord this is an enemy what hee speaks is false and hee speaks it out of malice Just as wee see it sometimes at Sessions or Assizes such a one comes and layes an accusation against such a one but in comes some Councellor that is very great and inward with the Judge and saith May it please you my Lord such a one is a very honest man I know him well and yonder is a base fellow that accuseth him out of spleen and what hee saith I will evidence to bee false and hereupon the man hath his mouth stopped Lastly What wee may learn hence as our duty 1 Come to Christ poor soul not withstanding all thy sins and infirmities Thou hast committed such and such sins against Christ and therefore art afraid to come to him Consider Christ is an Advocate on purpose for the comfort and incouragement of thy foul against sin the Apostle layes down Christs Advocateship here as a refuge against sin Come Christ will sue thee out a pardon I do not say that this is all Christ is an Advocate for to deliver from the guilt of sin no Christ is an Advocate too to plead for all grace for thee But I say this is one special end of Christs being an Advocate and the great end laid down here in the Text to secure thee from guilt The ability of Jesus Christ to save to the uttermost Heb. 7. is put upon this Office of being an Advocate Object O but I fear Christ doth not intercede for mee were I sure of that I should come Answ Hee intercedes for those that come and therefore come and thou mayest bee sure hee intercedes for thee 2 Doest thou finde at any time the Spirit inabling thee to poure out thy soul with groans here below then assuredly Christ prayes for thee above Object But though Christ intercede for mee yet will hee continue to intercede Will not my sin make him give over interceding Answ Hee intercede alwayes hee ever lives to make intercession it is the work as I may say hee lives in heaven to do it is his calling and Christ should bee out of his calling should hee not do it Intercession is as much his work in heaven as dying was on earth Object 3. But I eye my own salvation much in coming to Christ will hee intercede for such a comer Answ Hee intercedes for those that come to him for salvation Hee lives to make intercession for them 2 Duty Let us hold fast our profession Heb. 4.14 Seeing then that wee have a great High Priest that is passed into the Heavens Jesus the Son of God let us hold fast our profession And Chap. 10. vers 23. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering for he is faithful that promised Doth Christ own us above before his Father let us own him before men 3 Duty Let us love Christ more and minde his glory more Is his love such as that he here on earth did lay out himself for us and in Heaven hee is laying out himself for us Then let us love him more and minde his glory and his honour more 4 Duty Let us bee frequent in our addresses to God by Christ 1 Let us come with more boldness seeing wee have such a one to speak for us 2 Let us come with more confidence 5 And lastly Let us improve this Intercession of Christ First Improve it in all our wants Secondly In all our doubts and fears Thirdly In all our duties Fourthly In all our falls Fifthly In all our temptations Sixthly In the busling of all our corruptions And in it Let us improve first The continuance of it i.e. There is no time wherein Christ doth not intercede Secondly The perfection of it Thirdly The prevalency of it Fourthly The continual acceptance of it The onely way for Saints to bee delivered from the Errors and Evils of the Times IN Two SERMONS on 1 Tim. 6.11 But thou O man of God flee these things and follow after righteousness godliness faith love patience meekness IN the former verses the Apostle discovers and condemns the evil practices and opinions of sundry false reachers crept in amongst the Churches in his dayes In this hee warnes Timothy and in him all Christians for the words are not spoken to Timothy as a Minister onely but also as a Christian it being the duty of all Christians though of those in such place more especially to shun and avoid these men their principles and practices But thou O man of God flee these things which that they might do hee sets them about work of another nature Follow after righteousness godliness c. What is the meaning of this I shall not explain the several termes and things onely this learn they are all spiritual things and of another nature to those things the false teachers cryed up So that in general the meaning is Follow spiritual things Wouldest thou escape the Errors and Evills of these men Then do not as they do stand doting about empty questions but follow after pursue high and spiritual things make it thy work and business to minde and speak such things I shall speak only of the latter part of the words and of them only as they are a direction though more is in them given to Timothy and all beleevers how they may escape the Errors and Evills of false teachers Follow after righteousness Doct. The only and special way for a Saint to be delivered from the Errors and Evills of the Times hee lives in is to have his heart as much as may bee taken up with and his spirit exercised about high and spiritual things I shall prove this point from 1 Tim. 4. Where the Apostle having foretold the dangerous errors of the latter times vers 1.2 3. presently mindes Timothy of spiritual things as the onely preservatives against distempers of this nature Vers 7. and 12. Exercise thy self rather unto godliness Bee thou an example of the beleevers in word in conversation in charity in spirit in faith in purity 2 Tim. 2.22 But follow righteousnesse faith charity peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart Having certified Timothy of the dangerous errors and fearful miscarriage of Hymenaeus and Philetus hee straightway gives him in charge to minde spiritual things as if hee had said Had Hymenaeus and Philetus laid aside their vain bablings and minded these things more they would never have miscarried as they have done So 2 Tim. 3. Having foretold of those perillous times which should bee in the last dayes vers 1 2. and given Timothy to understand that some there were already abroad whose temper and manners were like them which in after times should arise yers 6 8. hee presently mindes
rather perfect it then is the Law a rule to Saints even in Gospel-times But the first is true Matth. 5.17 Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfill or to fill it up or perfect it as the Original word properly signifies i. e. to compleat the Law by adding that to it which the Scribes and Pharisees by their Traditions had taken from it and to this the whole scope of Christs discourse in this Sermon agrees Therefore must the latter also Avg. 2. If the Moral law bee a perpetual and an everlasting rule to Saints in all ages then to Saints in Gospel-times But the first is true Matth. 5.18 Verily I say unto you Till heaven and earth passe one jot or one tittle shall in no wise passe from the law till all bee fulfilled As long as heaven and earth remain so long doth the Law remain and the fulfilling of it remain The word here rendred fulfilling signifies a performing or doing and so it doth not respect a doctrinal fulfilling as doth the word translated fulfil in the former Argument but a practical Now the Law practically is fulfilled 1. In Christ as head and common person of this Children this fulfilling had its perfect accomplishment when Christ was here on earth 2 In the Saints which are his members This because it is imperfect and wrought by degrees goes perpetually on increasing till wee come to bee wholly like our Head And this latter I conceive to bee that which shall remaine as long as heaven and earth remaines the meaning whereof is Saints shall daily go on fulfilling of the Law till in the end their obedience come to bee perfect as Christs was Arg. 3. If the preaching of faith doth not make void the Law but establish the same then doth the Law still remain as a rule to Saints even in Gospel-times But the first is true Rom. 3.31 Do wee make void the Law through faith God forbid nay wee establish the Law i.e. by the preaching of the Gospel wee do not overturn the Law make men Libertines but establish it i.e. set it upon a better and surer bottome than it stood on before and bring men to a more free full and spiritual observance thereof then they can bee brought unto any other way ergo the latter Arg. 4. If in Gospel-times it bee a manifest Argument of a carnal minde not to bee subject to the Law of God then surely it must needs be a duty incumbent upon Saints and such as are spiritually minded to bee subject to it But the first is true Rom. 8.7 ergo the latter Arg. 5. If love which is the substance of the whole Law bee a duty incumbent upon Saints in Gospel-times then is the Law even in Gospel-times a rule to Saints But the antecedent is true Rom. 13.8 Owe no man any thing but to love one another for hee that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law Gal. 5.14 For all the Law is fulfilled in one word even in this Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self Hence Christ summes up Moses Ten Commandments into two whereof the first is love to God the second love to our neighbour Matth. 22.37 38 39. ergo the Consequent Arg. 6. If the Moral Law in Gospel-times bee given forth to Saints as the Law of Christ the great King of Saints then are Saints in Gospel-times to submit to it as a rule for wee are commanded to yeeld obedience to the Law of Christ Joh. 14.15 Gal. 6.2 And Paul tells us that himself was under the Law to Christ 1 Cor. 9.21 yea it were unreasonable to think that Christ being a King should not have a Law to give forth to his subjects which they ought to obey As upon the translation of the Priesthood out of the hands of the Typical High Priests into the hands of Christ the true High Priest there is made of necessity as the Apostle argues Heb. 7.12 a change or translation also of the Law So may I say upon the translation of the Scepter out of the hands of those Kings and Governours of Israel which were onely typical of Christ into the hands of Christ the great King of Saints and Nations there is made of necessity a translation also of the Law for hee being a King hee must have a Law to rule by But the Moral law in Gospel-times is given forth to Saints as the Law of Christ for love which is the fulfilling of this Law Christ gives forth as his great Commandement Joh. 13.34 Chap. 15.12 17. And hence the Moral Law is called the Royal Law i.e. the Kingly Law or the Law of Christ as King Jam. 2.8 Therefore is it a rule to Saints in Gospel-times Arg. 7. If the Moral law bee not inconsistent with Gospel-liberty then is it a rule to Saints in Gospel-times for there is nothing abrogated under the Gospel but what is inconsistent with Gospel-liberty But the Moral law is not inconsistent with Gospel-liberty the reason is plain because in Gospel-times it is called a Law of Liberty Jam. 2.11.12 So speake yee and so do as they that shall bee judged by the Law of liberty which it could not bee were it inconsistent with the liberty of those time Therefore the Moral law is a rule to Saints even in Gospel-times Arg. 8. That rule which considered in it self is spiritual holy just and good cannot bee abolished to Saints in Gospel-times for if so then should God abolish something that is spiritual holy just and good But such is the rule of the Moral law Rom. 7.12 14. ergo Arg. 9. That cannot bee the liberty of Saints under the Gospel which never was any part of the bondage of Saints under the Law but subjection to the Moral law as a rule was never any part of their bondage but rather indeed their free-dome their joy their delight I mean consider the Moral law simply and nakedly as a rule This is clear Psal 119.14 I have rejoyced in the way of thy testimonies as much as in all riches vers 24. Thy testimonies also are my delight and my councellors vers 45. And I will walke at liberty for I seeke thy Precepts 46. I will speake of thy testimonies also before Kings and will not bee ashamed 47. And I will delight my selfe in thy Commandements which I have loved 72. The Law of thy mouth is better to mee than thousands of gold and silver 97. O how love I thy Law it is my meditation all the day Yea every verse almost throughout this long and sweet Psalme speakes the very same language with these Arg. 10. If the most eminent and enlightned of Gospel-Saints have approved of the Law delighted in it served it then is it a rule to Saints in Gospel-times But the first is true and found in Paul Rom. 7.16 I consent unto the Law that it is good vers 22. I delight in the Law vers 25. I serve the Law c.