never utterly destitute of that seed of God, and life of faith, that love of Christ and the brethren, that sincerity of heart and conscience of duty, out of which, by the operation of the Spirit, this assurance may in due time be revived 9, and by the which, in the mean time, they are supported from utter despair".

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CHAP. XIX. Of the Law of God.
OD gave to Adam a law, as a covenant of works, by

which he bound him, and all his posterity, to personal, entire, exact, and perpetual obedience ; promised life upon the fulfilling, and threatened death upon the breach of it; and endued him with power and ability to keep it *.

q 1 John jii. 9. Whosoever is born that they shall not depart from me. of God doth not commit sin : for his Isa. liv. 7. For a small moment have seed remaineth in him: and he can. I forsaken thee: but with great mernot sin, because he is born of God. cies will I gather thee: Ver. 8. In a Luke xxii. 32. But I have prayed for little wrath I hid my face from thee thee, that thy faith fail not; and when for a moment; but with everlasting thou art converted, strengthen thy kindness will. I have mercy on thee, brethren. Job xiii. 15. Though he saith the Lord, thy Redeemer. Ver. slay me, yet will I trust in him; but 9. For this is as the waters of Noah I will maintain mine own ways before unto me: for as I have sworn that him. Psal. Ixxiii. 15. If I say, I will the waters of Noah should no more speak thus : behold, I should offend go over the earth ; so have I sworn against the generation of thy children. that I would not be wroih with thee, Psal. li. 8, 12. (See letter p immediate- nor rebuke thee. Ver. 10. For the ly before.] Isa. 1. 10. [See letter p im- mountains shall depart, and the hills mediately foregoing ]

be removed;

but

my kindness shall not r Micah vii. 7. Therefore I will depart from thee, neither shall the colook unto the Lord : I will wait for venant of my peace be removed, saith the God of my salvation : my God will the Lord, that hath mercy on thee. hear me.

Ver. 8. Rejoice not against Psal. xxii. 1. My God, my God, why me, O mine enemy : when I fall

, I hast thou forsaken me? why art thon shall arise ; when I sit in darkness, so far from helping me, and from the the Lord shall be a light unto me. words of my roaring? (Psal. Ixxxvii. Ver. 9. I will bear the indignation of throughout.] the Lord, because I have sinned a- I. a Gen.i. 26. And God said, Let gainst him, until he plead my cause, us make man in our image, after our and execute judgment for me : he will likeness : and let them have dominion bring me forth to the light, and I shall over the fish of the sea, and over the behold his righteousness. Jer. xxxii. fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and 40. And I will make an everlasting over all the earth, and over every covenant with them, that I will not creeping thing that creepeth upon the turn away from them to do them good; earth. Ver. 27. So God created man but I will put my fear in their hearts, in his own image, in the image of God

II. This law, after his fall, continued to be a perfect rule of righteousness; and, as such, was delivered by God upon mount Sinai in ten commandments, and written in two tables b; the four first commandments containing our duty towards God, and the other six our duty to man.

created he him: male and female, according to the scripture, Thou shalt created he them. With Gen. ii. 17. love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do But of the tree of the knowledge of well. Ver. 10. For whosoever shall good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: keep the whole law, and yet offend in for in the day that thou eatest thereof, one point, he is guilty of all. Ver. 11. thou shalt surely die. Rom. ii. 14. For he that said, Do not commit adulFor when the Gentiles, which have tery; said also, Do not kill. Now, if not the law, do by nature the things thou commit no adultery, yet if thou contained in the law, these having not kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law, are a law unto themselves; the law. Ver. 12. So speak ye, and Ver. 15. Which shew the work of the so do, as they that shall be judged by law written in their hearts, their con. the law of liberty. Rom. xiii. 8. Owe science also bearing witness, and their no man any thing, but to love one thoughts the mean while accusing or another: for he that loveth ano. else excusing one another. Rom. x. ther, hath fulfilled the law. Ver. 9. 5. For Moses describeth the righte. For this, Thou shalt not commit adulousness which is of the law, That the tery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shald man which doeth those things shall not steal, Thou shalt not bear false live by them. Rom. v. 12. Where. witness, Thou shalt not covet ; and fore, as by one man sin entered into if there be any other commandthe world, and death by sin : and so ment, it is briefly comprehended death passed upon all men, for that in this saying, namely, Thou shalt all have sinned. Ver. 19. For as by love thy neighbour as thyself. Deut. one man's disobedience many were v. 32. Ye shall observe to do there. made sinners ; so by the obedience of fore as the Lord your God hath comone shall many be made righteous. manded you : ye shall not turn aside Gal. iii. 10. For as many as are of the to the right hand or to the left. Deut. works of the law are under the curse: x. 4. And he wrote on the tables, acfor it is written, Cursed is every one cording to the first writing, the ten that continueth not in all things which commandments, which the Lord spake are written in the book of the law to unto you in the mount, out of the midst do them. Ver. 12. And the law is of the fire, in the day of the assemnot of faith ; but the man that doethi bly: and the Lord gave them unto them shall five in them. Eccl. vii. 29. me. Exod. xxxiv. 1. And the Lord Lo, this only have I found, that God said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables hath made man upright; but they of stone like unto the first : and I will have sought out many inventions. write upon these tables the words that Job xxviii. 28. And unto man he said, were in the first tables, which thou Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is brakest. wisdom ; and to depart from evil is c Matt. xxii. 37. Jesus said unto understanding

him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy II.6 James i. 25. But whoso look. God with all thy heart, and with eth into the perfect law of liberty, and all thy soul, and with all thy mind. continueth therein, he being not a for. Ver. 38. This is the first and great getful hearer, but a doer of the work, commandment. Ver. 39. And the this man shall be blessed in his deed. second is like unto it, Thou shalt James ü. 8. If ye fulfil the royal law love thy neighbour as thyself. Ver. 40.

III. Besides this law, commonly called Moral, God was pleased to give to the people of Israel, as a church under age, ceremonial laws, containing several typical ordinances; partly of worship, prefiguring Christ, his graces, actions, sufferings, and benefits; and partly holding forth divers instructions of moral duties All which ceremonial laws are now abrogated under the new testamentf

IV. To them also, as a body politick, he gave sundry judicial laws, which expired together with the state of that people, not obliging any other now, further than the general equity thereof may require 8. On these two commandments hang new moon, or of the sabbath-days: all the law and the prophets.

Ver.17. Which are a shadow of things III. d (Heb. Chapter ix.] Heb. x. 1. to come; but the body is of Christ. For the law having a shadow of good Dan. ix. 27. And he shall confirm the things to come, and not the very im- covenant with many for one week: age of the things, can never with and in the midst of the week he shall those sacrifices, which they offered cause the sacrifice and the oblation to year by year continually, make the cease ; and for the overspreading of comers thereunto perfect. Gal. iv. 1. abominations he shall make it desolate, Now I say, that the heir, as long as even until the consummation, and that he is a child, differeth nothing from a determined, shall be poured upon the servant, though he be Lord of all; desolate. Eph. ii. 15. Having abolishVer. 2. But is under tutors and gover- ed in his flesh the enmity, even the nors, until the time appointed of the law of commandments contained in father. Ver. 3. Even so we, when we ordinances, for to make in himself of were children, were in bondage under twain one new man, so making peace; the elements of the world. Col. ji, 17. Ver. 16. And that he might reconcile Which are a shadow of things to both unto God in one body by the come ; but the body is of Christ. cross, having slain the enmity thereby.

e 1 Cor. v. 7. Purge out therefore IV. 8 [Exod. Chapter xxi. Exod. the old leaven, that ye may be a new xxii. 1. to the 29tb Verse. See both in lump, as ye are unleavened : for even the Bible.] Gen. xlix. 10. The scepChrist our passover is sacrificed for tre shall not depart from Judah, nor us. 2 Cor. vi. 17. Wherefore come a lawgiver from between his feet, unout from among them, and be ye sepa- til Shiloh come; and unto him shall rate, saith the Lord, and touch not the gathering of the people be. With the unclean tbing; and I will receive 1 Pet. ii. 13. Submit yourselves to you. Jude, ver.

23. And others save every ordinance of man for the Lord's with fear, pulling them out of the fire; sake: whether it be to the king, as hating even the garnient spotted by supreme: Ver. 14. Or unto governthe flesh.

ors, as unto them that are sent by Col. ii. 14. Blotting out the hand. him for the punishment of evil-doers, writing of ordinances that was against and for the praise of them that do us, which was contrary to us, and well. Matth. v. 17. Think not that I took it out of the way, nailing it to am come to destroy the law or the his cross. Ver. 16. Let no man there- prophets : I am not come to destroy, fore judge you in meat, or in drink, or but to fulfil. With ver. 38. Ye have in respect of an holy-day, or of the heard that it hath been said, An eye

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Chap. XIX. V. The moral law doth for ever bind all, as well justified persons as others, to the obedience thereof;h and that not only in regard of the matter contained in it, but also in respect of the authority of God, the Creator, who gave it. i Neither doth Christ in the gospel any way dissolve, but much strengthen this obligation k.

VI. Although true believers be not under the law as a covenant of works, to be thereby justified or condemned ; yet is it of great use to them, as well as to others ; in that, as a rule of life, informing them of the will of God and their for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. ke Matth. v. 17. (See in letter g.) Ver. 39. But I say unto you, That ye Ver. 18. For verily I say unto you, resist not evil: but whosoever shall Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to one tittle shall in no wise pass from him the other also. 1 Cor. ix. 8. Say the law, till all be fulfilled. Ver. 19. I these things as a man? or saith not Whosoever therefore shall break one the law the same also ? Ver. 9. For of these least commandments, and it is written in the law of Moses, shall teach men so, he shall be called Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the least in the kingdom of sheaven : the ox that treadeth out the corn. but whosoever shall do and teach Doth God take care for oxen? Ver. them, the same shall be called great 10. Or saith he it altogether for our in the kingdom of heaven. James ii. sakes? for our sakes, no doubt, this 8. (See in letter b before.] Rom. iii. is written : that he that ploweth 31. Do we then make void the law should plow in hope ; and that he that through faith? God forbid : yea, we thrasheth in hope should be partaker establish the law. of his hope.

VI. I Rom. vi. 14. For sin shall V. b Rom. xiii. 8, 9. (See above in not have dominion over you: for ye letter b.] Ver. 10. Love worketh no are not under the law, but under grace. ill to his neighbour: therefore love is Gal. ii. 16. Knowing that a man is the fulfilling of the law. Eph. vi. 2. not justified by the works of the law, Honour thy father and mother, which but by the faith of Jesus Christ ; even is the first commandment with pro- we have believed in Jesus Christ, that mise.) 1 John ii. 3. And hereby do we might be justified by the faith of we know that we know him, if we Christ, and not by the works of the keep his commandments. Ver. 4. He law : for by the works of the law thai saith, I know him, and keepeth shall no flesh be justified. Gal. iii. 13. not his commandments, is a liar, and Christ hath redeemed us from the the truth is not in him. Ver. 7. Bre. curse of the law, being made a curse thren, I write no new commandment for us : for it is written, Cursed is unto you, but an old commandment every one that hangeth on a tree. Gal. which ye had from the beginning: iv. 4. But when the fulness of the the old commandment is the word time was come, God sent forth his which ye have heard from the begin- Son, made of a woman, made under ning. Ver. 8. Again, a new com- the law. Ver. 5. To redeem them mandment I write unto you, which that were under the law, that we thing is true in him and in you: be- might receive the adoption of sons. cause the darkness is past, and the Acts xiii. 39. And by him all that be. true light now shineth.

lieve are justified from all things, from i James ii. 10, 11. (See in letter b.] which ye could not be justified by the

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duty, it directs and binds them to walk accordingly ; ► discorering also the sinful pollutions of their nature, hearts, and lives ; " so as, examining themselves thereby, they may come to further conviction of, humiliation for, and hatred against sin; together with a clearer sight of the need they have of Christ, and the perfection of his obedience. P. It is likewise of use to the regenerate, to restrain their corruptions, in that it forbids sin;9 and the threatenings of it serve to shew what even their sins deserve, and what afflictions in this life they may expect for them, although freed from law of Moses. Rom: viji. 1. There ner of man he was. Ver. 25. But is therefore now no condemnation to whoso looketh into the perfect law of them which are in Christ Jesus, who liberty, and continueth therein, he bewalk not after the flesh, but after the ing nor a forgetful hearer, but a doer Spirit.

of the work, this man shall be blessm Rom. vii. 12. Wherefore the law ed in his deed. Rom. vii. 9. For I is holy; and the commandment holy, was alive without the law once ; but and just, and good. Vér: 22. For 1 when the commandment came, sin redelight in the law of God after the in- vived, and I died. Ver. 14. For we vard man. Ver. 25. I thank God, know that the law is spiritual; but through Jesus Christ our Lord. So I am carnal, sold under sin. · Ver. 24. then, with the mind I myself serve the Owretched man that I am! who law of God; but with the flesh the shall deliver me from the body of this law of sin. Psal. cxix. 4. Thou hast death? commanded us to keep thy precepts p Gal. iii. 24. Wherefore the law diligently. Ver. 5. O that my ways was our schoolmaster to bring us une were directed to keep thy statutes! to Christ, that we might be justified Ver. 6. Then shall I not be ashamed, by faith. Rom. vii. 24. [See before in when I have respect unto all thy como letter o. 'Verse 25. in letter m.] Rom.. mandments. 1 Cor. vii. 19. Circum. viii. 3. For what the law could not cision is nothing, and uncircumcision do, in that it was weak through the is nothing, but the keeping of the flesh, God sending his own Son in commandments of God. Gal. v. 14, the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23. See in the condemned sin in the flesh: Ver: 4 Bible.

That the righteousness of the law a Rom. vii. 7. What shall we say might be fulfilled in us, who walk not then? Is the law sin? God forbid. after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Nay, I had not known sin but by the 9 James ii. 11. For he that said, law : for I had not known. lust, ex. Do not commit adultery, said also, Do. cept the law had said, Thou shalt not not kill. Now, thou commit no 2.covet. Rom. iii. 20. Therefore by the dultery, yet if thou kill, thou art be.. deeds of the law there shall no flesh come a transgressor of the law. Psal. be justified in his sight: for by the cxix. 101. I have refrained my feet law is the knowledge of sin.

from every evil way, that I might o James i. 23. For if any be a hear- keep thy word. Ver. 104. Through er of the word, and not a doer, he is thy precepts I get understanding ; like unto a man beholding his natural therefore I hate every false way. Ver. face in a glass; Ver. 24. For he be. 128. Therefore I esteem all thy preholdeth himself, and goeth his way, cepts concerning all things to be and straightway fargerreth what man right; and I hate every false way.