THE Principal Scope of the Doctrinal part of this Epistle, is to assert, prove, and vindicate the great Article of the Christian Religion, Viz. Justification by Faith in Jesus Christ; in Opposition to the Heterodox Doctrine of Justification by the works of the Law: Though, in the prosecution of this, the other Fundamentals of the Gospel are excellently introduced and handled. Among other things he removes those blocks out of the way, at which men were apt to stumble, by an­swering [Page 4] of those Objections that seemed to cast Reflexion on this Truth, and were accordingly improved by the false Teacher [...] Calumniate it withall, thereby to prejudice the newly Conver­ted Christians at it. One of these Cavils our Apostle obviates in our Text; where it is briefly proposed and replied unto. The question he starts is, Do we then make the Law void through Faith? The great offense which the Jews took at Christ and his Evangelical Doctrine, was an Opinion they had imbibed, that it was subver­sive of the Law, under which they were born and Educated, and this they were not able to bear: and because they expected, according to the received erroneous Opinion that had then gotten footing among them, their Justification by by the works of the Law personally performed, they could not endure to hear of Justification by Faith alone in Christ, because it did direct­ly militate against that Tenent: for which cause they resolutely rejected Christ, and bitterly Per­secuted his followers. Hereupon, many Judaiz­ing Christians, partly in a mistaken zeal, for want of a right understanding of this point, partly to avoid Persecution, which was raised prin­cipally on this account, were very much unsetled in respect of this Article. From hence the false Teachers took Occasion to insinuate their Per­nicious Doctrines, tending to the subversion of the Gospel, and grievous Scandalizing of the A­postles, [Page 5] not only among the Jews, but the Gen­tiles too, as Paul makes his complaint in the Epistle to the Galatians. He therefore starts the question, that so he may reply upon it, and remove the Scandal with which the Doctrine of Justification had been injuriously aspersed. The word here Translated to make void, signifies to render a thing idle, unprofitoble, vain, or of no use; and this must needs be an heavy charge, if true, with respect to the Law which was given by God Himself unto men, and must carry in it an high reflection upon his both Wisdom and Goodness, in bringing man-kind under a Law that is vain and unprofitable. Our Apostle therefore makes a double reply to it. (1.) By way of great­est detestation; God forbid: in the Greek, it is, Let it not be; and is affirmed to be an usual form of speech then in custome, by which men were wont to express their abhorrence of a thing as most vile, and accounting it most injurious to be charged with it. q. d. I detest the very mention of such a thing, and look upon it to be no less than Blasphemy. (2.) By asserting the con­trary to this as a Truth, Tea, we establish the Law. The Greek word signifies to make a thing to stand, to ratify or confirm it, to set it upon its basis: q. d. we give the Law the greatest honour that may be. The only thing here to be enquired after, is, what Law the Apostle intends in our Text: and out of doubt one of these two must needs [Page 6] be designed, Viz. either the Moral Law, or else the Mosaical Paedagogy, in which there were ad­joyned to the Law Moral, the Ceremonial and the Judicial, which was given by God to the Nation of Israel, to be observed by them. In which latter sence Paul most frequently useth it in his Epistles, though sometimes with a more particular aim at the Moral, and else where at the Ceremonial part of it: and it may without danger be thus understood in our Text; though I shall have a more especial respect to that which is Moral in the following Discourse: and we may hence Observe this,

DOCTRINE. The Doctrine of Iustification by Faith in Christ, doth not make void the Law of God, but Establish it.

This Observation is not a meerly Theoretical point; for indeed there are no such in Divini­ty; but highly practical, the right ordering of our Conversation being very eminently con­cerned in it. Nor is the Calumny at an end, but the [...]our still continues, and invectives from time to time spread abroad against us, as if, because we are not professedly Arminians, we must needs therefore be Antinomians; or as if we did cast greate contempt upon the Command, [Page 7] because we deny our Obedience to it to have any ingrediency into our Justification: and there­by open a door not of Gospel Liberty, but to all manner of Licentiousness; and not only give men leave, but offer them the greatest encourage­ment to live as they list. Nor is it less on the other side, as if because we give to the Law its Authority and usefulness in Gospel times, we went about to undermine the Gospel, and bring the Children of God under a Yoke of bondage from which Christ hath freed them: for the re­moval of both these, and clearing up of the Gos­pel Truth in this respect, there may this Case of Conscience be briefly discussed, Viz.

Quest. Wherein the Doctrine of Justification by Faith alone doth Establish the Law?

Ans. In the resolution of this, I shall briefly pass over the Consideration of the Paedagogy of Moses, in which the Cerimonial Law was added to the Moral: Of the Abrogation of which Pae­dagogy, with respect to the Ceremonial part of it, I know not that there is now any dispute a­mong understanding Christians; the Gospel be­ing so full and clear in the asserting and proving of it. Yet notwithstanding, the Doctrine of Justification by Faith in Christ, doth in no wise declare that to have been a vain Law, and of none effect; but acknowledgeth to it the whole [Page 8] honour that God hath put upon it. We read in, Rom. 10.4. Christ is the end of the Law, for Righteousness, to every one that believeth; and this refers to the Law given by Moses; from whence we infer, That that Law had a proper aim at Christ, and Justification through his Righteousness, by faith in him. Christ was directly and intentionally the design of it. It was given on purpose to point out a CHRIST to his People. As soon as mans Apostasy had brought him into a neces­sity of a Saviour, without whom he must perish for ever; there was a Gracious discovery made of one to fallen man, in that Precious Promise, Gen. 3 15. But there was a long tract of time to pass between the Promise of this Saviour, and his coming in the flesh to accomplish the work he was designed for: and least this hope deferred should make them to faint, God would that his People should, in the mean time, have something to shadow him out to them, for the help of their Faith, and among other means, this Law was one. It was therefore unto them a vailed Gospel, in which the Person, Natures, Offices, and Work of Christ were represented. Here then let us Observe.

1. That Law was to shew them their absolute need of an Expiatory Sacrifice to take away the guilt of sin from them. It was to convince them of sin; hence we read, Heb. 10.3. In these Sacrifices there is a remembrance of sins. There were hereupon in [Page 9] that Law many Ceremonial uncleannesses by a positive Command, added unto such as were in themselves Moral, which was to give them a deeper Conviction of sin: and this Law requir­ing an Offering upon the breach of any Precept Moral or Ceremonial, under a severe threatning of being cut off from their People, in case of the Omission, told them, that the wrath of God cer­tainly abode on them, except they obtained an Interest in, and applied themselves accordingly unto another who might make an Atonement unto God for them. It said that they could not satisfy the Justice of God for their own sins, so as to obtain a discharge from the guilt of them, by any righteousness of their own, but must have a Sacrifice to do it for them, else the Condemnation must abide upon them. The Sacrifice was to be presented, their sins must be laid on the head of it, they must be confessed over it, it must then be slain, and its blood sprinkled and powred out, and we are told Heb. 9.22. Without shedding of blood there is no remission.

2. It was also to give them good hope of obtain­ing pardon through the offering of another. It was to encourage them not to despair of Pardon of sin, and peace with God, notwithstanding the guilt of sin, and sence of Gods wrath lying hea­vy upon them. The Moral Law was given with Thundrings and Lightnings very terribly; but the Law of Sacrifices came in to relieve them against [Page 10] those amazing terrors: It told them indeed that their hope was not, could not be in any righte­ousness of their own; it had a direct aim at driving them out of themselves, and letting them know that if ever they were pardoned, it must be in the vertue and efficacy of the Sacrifice that was offered for them; but it gave them all en­couragement to look for it in that way: it said that God had found out a way in which they might escape his wrath; that he had provided a Ransom for them, that they need not die: we shall find that whatever Confessions they made of their sins, and what ever repentance they testified, there must be a Sacrifice added thereto, and it was upon that, and not before it or with­out it that God accepted of them, and witnes­sed to his forgiving them. We therefore find, that when God appointed the Sacrifice for this or that Transgression, he annexeth the promise of pardon to the performance of these rites; that then is the burden of all, Lev 4.26,— 31— ult. & 5.10, 13, 16, 18. And it shall be forgiven them This was to convince men of there own inability to make satisfaction to God for sin, of the indis­pensible necessity of such a Satisfaction; and withall to tell them, that there was such an one provided for them.

3. That the whole vertue of all this flowed from Christ. It was not any innate vertue in the Ce­remonies and Sacrifices themselves that did profit [Page 11] those who used them: they had no saving ver­tue, exopere operato, they that meerly relied on them, and looked no further for their help, Of­fered vain Oblations; and on that account God so often, in the Prophets, blows upon their Sacrifi­ces. They did not of themselves purge away sin, or remove the guilt of it; for it was not in them so to do; they had not that in them which could appease the Justice of God, or answer the sentence of the Law which was out against sin. Heb. 10. [...]. The Law can never with these Sacrifices make the comers thereto perfect. And Verse 4. It is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins; and Chap. 9.9. Were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the Conscience. All the vertue in them then was, as they were Or­dinances of God, and had a reference to him that was to come, whom they did represent, and were dark signes of; for this reason, they that offered them were to exercise faith on him, that so they might become influential after a Sacramental manner; upon which account they are called the shadow of things to come, Heb. 10.1. And Christ was the substance: their whole Efficacy depended upon his institution and blessing.

4. Hence, by believing on Christ alone for Justi­fication, the aim and end of that Law is attained. For this was the very ultimate Scope and design of it. God gave it to his People for the time [Page 12] meerly with an eye to this: and they, and onely they who were by it helped to and in the Faith of Christ, complied with the mind of God in it. Now, because that Law was only to serve to this end and purpose, till Christ himself should come in the flesh, and offer up the real Sacrifice for the appeasing of Gods anger, whereof these were but the Types and Representations; hence, though this Law be now laid aside, as being of no fur­ther Service for the People of God, yet it is with an honourable remembrance of it, as having been an excellent instrument in the hand of the Spirit of God, for the Salvation of Old Testament believers by Jesus Christ. Though since he hath taken away the Vail, it be now antiquated, and because the Sun is risen, the shadows are fled; and there being no need of any more represen­tative offerings, since he hath offered up that which is the substance of them; which is every way sufficient for our Salvation; yet it still re­tains the memory of having once been a preci­ous Ordinance of God.

But I pass from this to the Consideration of the Law Moral; which was given to man at the beginning, as soon as God had Created him, to be a Rule of Righteousness unto him; and ac­cording as he behaved himself towards it, by O­bedience or Disobedience, so was he to stand or fall: and that which is here to be made evident [Page 13] is That the Doctrine of Evangelical Iustifi­cation is so far from vacating this Law, that it defers to it the greatest honour that can be thought of: And whiles we deny our works at the best, whether of Morality, or of true Sanctification to have any ingrediency into our Justification before God, we are so far from un­dervaluing the Law herein, that we do indeed acknowledge it in its dignity: yea that in no way do we undervalue the Law, but acknowledge it with all its due respect. For the more distinct clearing up of this Assertion, and thereby giving a satisfactory resolution of the case in hand, let us Observe, that there is a threefold usefulness of the Law Moral, two whereof relate to man under the Consideration of that Relation which he bare to the Special Government of God at the first, and when he was in his uprightness; the other hath respect to him Considered as in his Apostate condition, and we shall find all these to be rati­fied and established by the Doctrine of Gospel Justi­fication by Faith, and that which is acknowledged to be usefull, is not made in vain: vanity is the the losse of the end which a thing is designed for, but the Law attains all its ends in this way. Let us then take the account of them, and how they are hereby complied withall.

1. The Law was at first given to man in a Co­venant way with its Sanctions. God not only gave it to be mans Rule, of which we may take totice [Page 14] anon; but also to be the Rule of his own Relative Justice, in his proceeding with man, in his Go­vernment over him. It was therefore the Law of Special Government: and that it might be a­dapted to this purpose, there was annexed to it, a promise of a constant life of happiness in case of mans perfect Obedience to it; and a threat­ning of all miseries on the supposal of his diso­beying it: and accordingly there was a double Sacrament added in the Ratification of it, Viz. The tree of Life, and of Knowledge, these were set as Seals to the Covenant, to signify that God would undoubtedly stand to the terms of it; that he was in earnest, and had obliged himself to see to the accomplishment of the terms of it. Now the Doctrine of Justification by Faith fully Answers this end of the Law to the utmost ex­tent of it, as will be manifest by the following Conclusions.

1. That fallen man hath by sin forfeited the good of the promise, and procured to himself the evil of the threatning in the first Covenant. The life that was therein promised was engaged to perfect Obedience to the whole Law, but man hath not obeyed at all, and on that account his claim to life is gone; he can make no challenge at all of it, the threatned death was against all disobedi­ence, even the least defect in the performance of it therein required; and he hath disobeyed, and on that account is fallen under the efficacy of the [Page 15] threatning. Hereupon, for fallen man to be personally under the Law, and under the Curse of it are inseparable, Gal. 3.10. Whosoever is of the works of the Law, is under the Curse. And this is the true state of every one of Adams Posteri­ty as they come into the World, and as long as they abide in their natural state, and now the Justice of God stands armed against them with vengeance, and is ready to fall upon them, and execute on them all that wrath unto which they are sentenced by the Law.

2. Hence there is a double Righteousness requisite for the Justification of fallen man. There are two things requisite for the entire Justification of one who stands upon his trial, Viz. The acquittance of him from Condemnation, and the declaring of him to be a Righteous Person; that so he may both es­cape the misery he was in hazard of, and be in­vested with happiness according to the Law: and in the declaration of both these, the Law of Righteousness must be regarded, otherwise the sentence cannot be righteous; to this end there must be a perfect active Obedience to it, every way Commensurate to all the Commands of it, or else he is not righteous: and there must be a full Satisfaction given for all the Offense that hath been given by any Prevarication or depar­ture from it, else he remains under the Con­demnation of it: and if there be not both of these found for him, and belonging to him, be­fore, [Page 16] or in order to his being Justified, the Law is superseded, and trampled upon; it is neglect­ed and so made void, which must not be, for so Justice would suffer, which it ought not to do. We shall therefore find both of these put toge­ther, Rom. 3.26. That he may be just, and the justi­fier of him that believeth in Jesus Christ.

3. That fallen man cannot personally answer either of these two, much less both. He cannot perform, for the future that perfect Obedience which is required by the Command; and this by reason of the Impotency, and the Enmity that he is under the efficacy of. He hath lost all his strength, and is not now able to perform a­ny one duty as it ought to be done, and there­fore is said to be without strength, Rom. 5.6. which is the condition of every man in his natural state. He is also acted by a Spirit of malignity against the Law, Rom. 8.7. The carnal mind is en­mity against God: for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be: and although in Conversion the man is renewed again, yet it is but in part, and he hath not attained to be sin­less, nor ever will in this life; 1 Joh. 1.8. If we say we are without sin, we lie, and the truth is not in us. So that [...]f the best duties of the most ho­ly meer man upon earth, should be accepted for his Justification, the Law must so far depart from its rigour, as to abate him these great im­perfections [Page 17] that it allows not; and thus it must not do, for, Matt. 5.18. Till heaven and earth pass▪ one jot or tittle shall no wise pass from the Law, till all be fulfilled. Nor yet can he make Satis­faction to the Justice of God for his sin, the guilt whereof he hath contracted to himself, not by his active Obedience to the Law, in as much as he cannot come up to, much less can he ever do that which the Law requires, besides, the trans­gression of the Law is not satisfied for by doing, but by suffering. Not by passive Obedience, or under­going the penalties denounced, because sin is a­gainst an Infinite Object, and hence eternal suffer­ings are in the threatning, according to the Lan­guage of the word of God: and the reason is because the sufferings of a meer Creature are not sufficient to discharge the debt: otherwise, E­ternity of the duration is not Essential to the punish­ment, for the Son of God undertook it, discharg­ed it, and is delivered from it.

4. That faith in Jesus Christ, fully answers all this Rightoousness thus required in the Law of us. We read, Rom. 3.21, 22. The Righteousness, of God without the Law is manifested, even the righteous­ness of God which is by faith in Jesus Christ, unto all, and upon all that believe. Justice in this way hath all the Satisfaction that it doth or can demand, whiles the Grace of God is withall ex­alted in the Justifying of a sinner, according to, Psal. 85.10. Mercy and Truth are met together, [Page 18] righteousness▪ and peace have kissed each other.

This may be opened and confirmed in these four Conclusions.

1. That the righteousness of Christ fully answers the Law in its demands. He hath fulfilled all righ­teousness, for he tells us that it behooved him so to do, Matt. 3 15. Upon this account he is called Jesus the Righteous, 1 Joh. 2.2. He was in his Incarnation made under the Law, to that end that he might be capable of paying all that Obedi­ence to it which it required, Gal. 4.4. He there­fore not only assumed an Humane nature, but the seed of Abraham, Heb. 2.16. i. e. He became one of the stock or lineage who were concerned in the first Covenant, and unto whom the Law of it did extend: and in this nature thus Con­sidered did he pay a double Obedience to the Law under the which he had submitted him­self; and both of them were compleat. In his Active Obedience he did whatsoever the Law re­quired, he had no Spot of Original sin in him, nor had be any Blemish upon him, contracted by Actual sin; he therefore fully pleased his Fa­ther in every thing; which he not only attested to when he entred upon his Publick Ministry at his Baptism, Matt 3 17. But also in his Transfi­guration, when he was at the latter end of it, and ready to lay down his life, Chap. 17.5. We have a character given of him, Heb. 7.26. Holy, [Page 19] Harmless, Undefiled, separate from sinners, and he answered it in all respects, for He did no sin, nei­ther was guile found in his mouth, 1 Pet. 2.22. And in his Passive Obedience, he suffered whatsoever Justice denounced against man for sin; he un­derwent the whole essence of the punishment which the Law had Ordained; be bare the wrath of God, he was made a curse, Gal. 3.13. He made his Soul a Sacrifice for sin, Isa. 53.10. And in these two, he compleatly answered all the demands of the Law.

2. That this Righteousness of Christ was not for Himself but his People. He did not accomplish it on his own personal account, but in their stead. We read, Dan. 9.26. Messiah shall be cut off, but not for himself. And the Prophet fully▪ Observes that all that he went through was with regard to us, in, Isai. 53. He hath born our griefs, and carried our sorrows, Verse, 3. He was wounded for our Transgressions, &c. Verse, 5. By his knowledge shall my righteous Servant Justify many: for he shall bear their iniquities, Verse, 11. As for his Active Obedience, although, being a man and under the Law, humane Obedience was due to it from him; and indeed, if he had not been so, he could not have answered the Law; yet the Manhood of Christ was not a distinct Per­son from his Godhead, in which he differed from other men, but it was the Manhood of the [Page 20] Son of God the second Person in the sacred Tri­nity and was accordingly swallowed up in his Person, who owed no Obedience to the Law, as being above it; nor to take a nature upon him in which he might so obey; he therefore did it in our stead, who were not able to do it for our selves. And as to his Passive Obedience, He could not deserve to suffer the wrath of God, as the penalty of the Law, in a way of Justice, upon his own account: for that pronounceth the threatning against none but delinquents or transgressors; but he, having neither Original sin, nor Actual transgression wherewith he might be charged, yea, having actually Obeyed, and thereby compleatly answered the condition of the Covenant promise, so the reward of Life was due to him, and then he could not deserve to suffer upon his own score; for, for the same Person on his own account to fulfill the conditi­on of the promise, and to come under the con­dition of the threatning are incompatible. It was therefore for his People that he went through all this; Gal. 2.20. Who loved me, and gave himself for me. 2 Cor. 5.21. Who was made sin for us, who knew no sin. And in this regard he is called our Surety, Heb. 7.22.

3. That this Righteousness of Christ is sufficient to satisfy the Law for them in all respects. It was not only enough to have done for himself, had he [Page 21] needed it, but there is vertue and value enough in it to procure for us all that is requisite to our entire Justification; even for as many as he shall see meet to apply it unto, the efficacy of it is vastly extensive; nor is it exhausted by all that is laid out upon all the Elect. As to the Condi­tion upon which, the good and happiness which was exhibited in the Promise of that Covenant, he hath fulfilled it perfectly, as hath been already evidenced; he hath done that which had [...] engaged to man upon his doing of it: and as to the other Condition on which death was threatned, he hath suffered for sin, as our surety, till he was discharged. Justice it self which had him in durance, and under the sentence, hath set him at liberty, and his Resurrection was a glo­rious testimony of it, in that it was after he had stood to answer for us, and born the penalty which was due to us, according to, Rom 4.25. Who was delivered for our Offenses, and raised again for our Justification. Now the sufficiency of this to respond for us appears in the value of it, and that is Infinite; it being the Obedience of an In­finite Person, though in a finite nature, it is therefore called the Blood of God, Acts 20.28. And that is asserted of his thus offering up of himself, Heb. 10.14. By one Offering he hath perfected for e­ver them that are Sanctified. And indeed, there was no other way in which the Law could pos­sibly be so magnified as in this. The Justice of [Page 22] God never sat in such seate and Majesty, as when it Arraigned, Condemned and did Exe­cution upon the Lord of life and glory standing in our stead, and taking on him to answer the Law for us. God herein shewed what a preci­ous value he put upon his own Law; in that he smote his fellow, spared not his own onely begotten Son, when he stood Obnixious to it by becoming our surety. All the sufferings of all the damned do not put such a lustre upon it as this doth: needs then must it have enough in it altogether to justify as many as come to par­take of an interest in it.

4. That Faith entituleth us to this Righteousness. The New-Covenant tenure, on which all that Christ did and suffered becomes ours, is by be­lieving on the Son of God. This indeed is no Article in the first Covenant, nor needs it to our being benefited by it; Christ as surety for us, responded that in our name, and so it is in his hands for us; but there must be a way of Con­veyance by which we may be actually benefited by it; and thus is it. Jesus Christ is the next and immediate Object of that Faith which is in the Gospel required for our Justification; and one great design of his offering himself in our stead, was that he might have this benefit to convey to us, on which account he is said to be our Justification, 1 Cor. 1.30. And that he may be [Page 23] so unto us, his Righteousness is exhibited for us to embrace that so we may have it made ours; for, without a righteousness there can be no Justification; for that must be that upon which such a sentence proceeds; now we have none of our own that will do, our best is ragged, and polluted; it will not bear a Law tryal; where­as that of Christ is perfect, and the Law hath no exceptions to make against it: but it will not stand to Justfy any but those whose it is. It is not its meer sufficiency, but the Applicati­on of it, that will benefit the person. Now the Gospel invites us to accept of Christ on the terms proposed in it, and tells us that so his Righteousness shall be ours; and this is done by believing on him; and for this Reason, we are told, Rom 4 5. That to him that worketh not, but believs on him that Justifieth the ungodly, his faith is accounted for Righteousness. Not that faith it self doth answer the Law, for there is no such cl [...]use in the whole Law that engageth the life of that Covenant to believing; but because in and by believing we accept of Christs Righteousness on Gods offer, and thus it becomes ours by im­putation, and is every whit as pleadable by us at Gods Ear, for our Justification, [...] it had been our own personal, performed [...] being that of our surety for us, and done [...] our name; and this is called the Righteousness of God by faith, Phil. 3.9. It is of God both because it is of his [Page 24] providing, and because he who wrought it out is a Divine Person: and it is said to be by Faith, because so it comes to be applied to us. So that though God Justifies us freely by his Grace, in as much as he reckons the Righteousness of his Son to us on our believing, without any merit in our faith: yet he doth it in such away as the Law hath its compleat Satisfaction, and the Justice as well as the Mercy of God is made to shine forth in it Illustriously, because he doth it with a regard to the Righteousness of Christ which he performed in our stead, according to the tenour of the eternal compact; we are therefore told, 1 Jeh. 1.9. If we confess our sins, be as faithfull & just to forgive us our sins. Thus Justification by faith in Christ, establisheth the Law considered as a Covenant in respect to [...] Sanctions.

2. The Law was given to man at first to be the Rule of his whole Life This also refers to the Consideration of Special Government, in the which God set before man a way in which he should serve to his end. If we consider the Law by it self, abstracted from the Sanctions added to it, by which [...] past into a Covenant of works, so it was [...] to the Humane nature, be­ing every [...] suited to his frame and constitu­tion: and God gave it to man to be an ever­lasting Rule to direct him in all things; and it is [Page 25] mans both duty and wisdom to conform to it accordingly, Job 28.28: To man he said, the fear of God is Wisdom, and to depart from evil is under­standing. Now though the Apostasy, having robbed man of Gods Image, or those created Graces of Sanctification, by which he was furnished for conformity to this Law, hath rendred him una­ble to perform by himself the Obedience requi­red; so as to answer it as a Covenant, and to stand for his Justification in the sight of God: and on this account God hath provided another for him, which can only be his by Imputation, else his Salvation had been a thing desperate, and never to have been hoped for; yet this faith doth not make void the Law as a Rule to men, according to which they ought to order their whole Conversation in this world; nor doth it discharge them from the duty of Obedience which they owe to it, but it requires it. God hath not repealed the Command, although he hath provided to take off the Curse from men, in the way before pointed: and though the Gospel encourageth men to believe for Gods acceptance of that Obedience which is sincere, notwithstanding all its adherent imperfections; yet it enjoyns him to practice conformity there­to; and thus also it establisheth the Law. For,

1. The Gospel, which is the Rule of our Faith▪ requires our Obedience to God, as we hope for eternal [Page 26] life. I might here be endless in counting up New-Testament instances for this. See, Rom. 8▪ 13. If ye live after the flesh ye shall die. Heb. 12.14. Follow holiness, without which no man shall see God. 1 Joh. 3.3. He that hath this hope in him, pu­rifieth himself as he is pure. Yea, this is the very teaching of the Gospel, expressed in, Tit 2.11, 12. The grace of, &c. i. e. the Gospel of Grace, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously and Godly in this present world. The Gospel no where encourag­eth men to neglect themselves, to take no heed to their ways, but live as they list, and indulge themselves in the sins whereby their fleshly lusts are gratified, upon the account of their believ­ing in Christ for his Righteousness to Justify them, but it every where disclaims it, as a thing contrary to the design of it, and the Apostle looks upon the very mentioning of such a thing with utmost detestation, Rom. 6 1, 2. What shall we say then? shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid.

2. All the duties of the Moral Law are of the matter of the Obedience required by the Gospel. It is true, Repententance towards God, and Faith in Jesus Christ, considered as they are terms of the New-Covenant, unto which the promise of spe­cial mercy is annexed, are purely Evangelical; and how far they are, as Commanded by God, re­ferrible to the Moral Law, I now dispute not: [Page 27] But this is observable, that the whole Decalogue is reinforced in the New-Testament, not meerly to shew men their impotency, but to direct them in their present duty; and all the seve­ral Precepts of it are there urged upon believers, and they are Commanded to obey them, as they are the Subjects of the Gospel dispensation. This needs not to be particularly exemplified, being obvious to all such as are Conversant in the Scriptures, and particularly in the Hortatory part of the Apostolical Epistles, in the which we shall find all the duties of the Law, both to­wards God and our Neighbour inculcated; and we read, Jam. 1.25. Whosoever looketh into the per­fect Law of liberty, and continueth therein, &c. this man shall be blessed in his dead.

3. That Jesus Christ, as our Redeemer, hath bought us for this Obedience. True, the last end of Redemption is for the Exaltation of the glory of the riches of free Grace; but this also is a subordi­nate design which was aimed at by it. Christ purchased his people, that he might have a Seed to serve him, when the world lay in wickedness. Hence, not only our eternal Salvation, but also our holy living is frequently made mention of as that which he had an eye at, when he came to lay down his life for us. See for this, Luke 1.74, 75. That being delivered out of the hands of out enemies we might serve him without fear, in ho­liness and righteousness, all the dayes of our life. Tit. [Page 28] 2.14. Who gave himself for us, that he might [...] us from all iniquity, and purify to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works ▪ 1 Pet. 1.18. Ye were redeemed from your vain Conversation. And upon this account, holiness is prest upon us, from the Consideration of the price which was paid for us, 1 Cor. 6.28. Ye are bought with a price, there­fore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit.

4. Jesus Christ is to this and made our Sanctifi­cation. These two therefore are put together, 1 Cor. 1.30. Who is of God made to us, our Righte­ousness, our Sanctification: and they are evermore inseparable, wherever Christ is one he is also the other: he therefore not only came to save us from Hell, but from our Sins two; hence he is said to take them away, Joh. 1.29. Behold▪ the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world. And this is the reason rendred why he was called Iesus, Matt. 1.21. Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his People from their sins. He is not our Sanctification by way of imputation, as he is our Righteousness, but as he is the Author of our Holiness in us, and the Subject in whom all those graces are laid up which are requisite for our Sanctification, as in a Treasury, from whom they are to derive unto us, that so we may be Sanctified by them; so that vertue proceeds from him to us for this end, hence that, Joh. 1.16. Of his fulness we have all received, and grace for grace. And what is this [Page 29] Communicated unto us for, but that we may hereby be enabled again to perform true Obe­dience to the Law or Command of God, which we were before altogether incapable of doing? And this is by restoring of the Image of God again to us, which we had forfeited and lost in the Apostasy. This is called the new man, because it contains in it a whole body of grace; and it is said to be renewed after God, Eph. 4.24. Now if God had not designed to have Obedi­ence to his Law paid him by those who are redeemed by Christ, this had not been neces­sary; the restoring of it then evidently declares what it is that he expects of us, Viz. that we should regulate our lives according to this prin­ciple.

5. The Spirit as our Sanctifier, together with faith, puts all the Sanctifying graces into us. That faith by which we believe unto Justification, is in it self one of the graces of Sanctification; and all saving graces are infused into us at once. Sanctification is an entire work as to parts, though it be at first imperfect in respect of de­grees; in which regard it is called a new man, and a new creature; and in it the whole is said to be renewed, 2 Cor. 5.17. If any man be in Christ Jesus, he is a new Creature, old things are past away, behold all things are become new. We are also said to be Sanctified throughout, in Soul, Body, and Spirit, 1 Thes. 5.23. And what are all [Page 30] these graces for, but to empower us for the dis­charge of the duties which are required of us; it is because without them we cannot serve God according to the Command. It was by the loss of them at first that man lost his strength, and became unable to serve God: this strength is again restored to us, when these graces are re­covered in us: and of what use or service would they be to us, but that we may thereby be helped to serve God in newness of life? the being of them in us, needs then must infer the to be our duty.

6. Faith is to carry us to Christ for grace and strength to help us in our work. This is certainly one Service about which it is to be imployed, as well as to rely upon him for Righteousness: in which regard we are directed to him for strength also, Isai. 45.24. In the Lord have I Righ­teousness, and strength. There is a new life which we are to live, and this is to be done by the Ex­ercise of Faith, Gal. 2.20. I live by the faith of the Son of God. And we are told, Heb. 10.38. The Just shall live by faith, which points, not only to the life of dependence, but also to that of Obe­dience. And the Apostle dares not to presume upon himself, but upon the strength of Christ, Phil. 4.13. I can do all things through Christ strength­ening of me. And the reason why our faith is thus to depend on him for his Assistance in helping of us so to doe, is because there is a love in [Page 31] which it is to exert it self, Gal. 5.6. Faith which works by love. It is not an idle but a working faith which is in the Children of God, now that it may thus work, it is not sufficient in it self; for though it be an active principle, and dispos­ed to such a manner of operation, yet it is de­pendent, not only for the maintaining of it in being, but also that it may exert it self, Joh. 15.5. Without me ye can do nothing; and for this it is to be always going forth to Christ for the fetch­ing in of fresh supplies. And what is this love about which faith is so to be conversant, but the fulfilling of the Law? Rom. 13.10. It therefore saith, that the Law is its Rule.

7. Hence, the Spirit, together with faith, puts an holy fear into us; and offers motives to excite it, Faith is frequently in the Scriptures of the Old Testament expressed by the fear of God: and the reason is, because of the inseparable conco­mitancy of this fear, it being a genuine fruit of faith; and the very things which it credits do serve to excite and maintain this fear in us; and we are told that it is a new Covenant blessing, for God to put his fear into the hearts of his People, Jer. 32.40. I will make an everlasting Co­venant, &c. I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me: here then we have the end or design of his putting it into them, Viz. to keep them from disobedience; and what need of that, except this Obedience were requir­ed [Page 32] of, and expected from them? It is to keep them in aw, that so the corrupt part in them may not prevail, or take advantage by their car­nal security, to draw them into such things as would be displeasing to God: and to promove this God gives Solemn Gospel warnings to his Children, of the danger they will certainly ex­pose themselves to, in case by their self neglect they should be drawn away from their duty, into the transgression of his Commands. Here are also the sharp rebukes of Providence which sometimes Gods own Children do meet with in this regard; and they are exemplary, that all Israel may here and fear, and avoid doing the like.

8. And the Gospel directs us to renewed acts of Repentance and Faith upon our short comings. The Children of God, being renewed but in part, can do no duty entirely perfect, according to the tenour of the first Covenant; and having the remainders of sin in them, which is a Law in their members, and a body of death, often takes ad­vantage to make Captives of them, and draw them to acts of disobedience: now all the de­fects, in the Obedience of the Children of God are hidden under the Robe of Christs Righte­ousness; and there is a pardon out upon his ac­count, to be applied to them for all their follies; but yet, as faith tells us that there is an Advocate with the Father for us if we sin, so it tells us that [Page 33] we ought not to sin, 1 Joh. 2.1. And besides, we are acquainted, that all the sins of believers them­selves, which have boldness or presumption at­tending upon them, do make a breach be­tween God and them, though not to their re­jection, yet to their feeling of his holy displea­sure, by some manifest discoveries of it: and the way to have this breach made up again is thus prescribed. And we are told, 2 Cor. 7.10. That Godly sorrow worketh repentance into Salvation not to be repented of. Yea the very daily unavoidable imperfections of Gods Children, call for the con­tinued exercise of Repentance and Faith: In which Repentance we acknowledge our sins, and our just deservings by them, and do with grief and hatred renounce them; and in which Faith, we go to Christ for the pardon of these, the covering of them under his Robe, and the new witnessing in us to our Justification, and for more strength to be given us to withstand the Sug­gestions of Satan and Solicitations of the carnal part in us. All of these things most plainly dis­cover what a value the Doctrine of faith in Christ puts upon the Law of God as a Rule.

3. The Law is, since the fall of man, made use of by God to be an help to bring men to Christ, and faith in him. The Apostle saith, Gal. 3.23, 24. Before faith came, we were kept under the Law▪ shut up unto the faith; where the Law was our [Page 34] School master, to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. God improves the Law to drive sinners to a Saviour; to make at Christ welcome, and readily accepted by them: and this is done in the work of Conviction, which the Spirit of God produceth in men, in order to their accepting of Christ, and thus also Faith doth not make void the Law, but establish it.

Observe then,

1. The Spirit of God by the Law convinceth men of sin. And indeed there is no other way to convince them of it: for sin in its very na­ture bears a relation to the Law, and is accor­dingly described from this relation, 1 Joh. 3.4. Sin is the Transgression of the Law. There is there­fore no other light but that which can make such a discovery in the Consciences of men, hence, that in, Rom. 7 7. I had not known sin but by the Law. So that if we should make void the Law, we thereby wholly take away all the distinction between sin and holiness, for that is a certain truth, Rom. 4.15. Where there is no Law, there is no transgression. It must be by a Law that a difference is made between right and wrong. The way therefore by which the Spirit of God brings men to know themselves to be sinners, is by shewing them the Law, making them to see and know that they are under the Com­mand of it, owing Obedience to it; and making them to see the face of their Souls and of their [Page 35] lives in it, as in a glass; and when they are made to compare the one with the other, they here­by come to see their own sinfull condition, which, for the want of such an Application, they were before strangers to.

2. By the Law he convinceth them of their great misery by sin. The Spirit of God, when he comes to apply himself powerfully to the Souls of men, is wont, not only to make them see and confess themselves to be sinners, i. e. transgressors of the Precept to which they owed Obedience; but to be rendred Guilty by their sin; which that he may do, he shews them the misery which sin hath exposed them to, and brought them un­der the doom of, hence that, Jer. 2.19. Know & see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that then hast forsaken the Lord thy God: not only that they have so done, but that it hath made them mise­rable. And this he doth by discovering to them the Law in its Sanctions. He sets before them the curse that there is in it, the death that it meriteth against all the breakers of it; and makes them feelingly to confess that all this be­longs to them, because they are guitly of the sin against which it is denounced, and are under the Law as a Covenant in their natural estate, in as much as they are not under grace, by which only they can be freed from the Dominion of the Law. Thus Guilt comes to be festared upon their Consciences, according to, Rom. 3.19. What­soever [Page 36] things the Law saith, it saith to them that are under the Law; that every mouth may be stopt, and all the world become guilty before God.

3. By the Law he convinceth them of the neces­sity of their perishing, unless this guilt be removed from them. And this is consequent upon the two former: for, having made him to see his sin, and the Curse of God which is out against him for it; he now shews him the righteous severity of the Law, and thereby how strongly it holds him bound over unto death, unless the Law have its full Satisfaction for him. Next to the Conviction of sin, wrought by the Spirit of God in the man, is that of Righteousness, Joh. 16.8. He shall convince the world of sin, of righte­ousness. And there is a double Righteousness here designed, one is the righteousness of his Condem­nation, the other is the righteousness necessary for his deliverance. He causeth him to see that the sentence declared in the Law is just, and no more than his sin deserves, that God is righte­ous in denouncing of it, Rom. 7.12. The Law is holy and just, and that the Justice of God stands engaged to see to the Execution of this sentence, according to the tenour of it, except there be such a Righteousness interposed as may fully answer it, and be every way as large as the Law demands; for though the Law had not this ex­ception expresly inserted in it, yet the whole tenour of the Gospel declares that it did not ex­clude it, for so it had put a bar to the possibility [Page 37] of fallen mans Salvation, which it did not, but was a medium to the Exaltation of Gods rich Grace in it. He shews man the positiveness of the threatning, Gen. 2.17. In the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely dy. Ezek. 18.4. The soul that sinneth, it shall die.

4. By the Law he shews them their utter insuffici­ency to offer to the Justice of God, such a Righteous­ness of their own, as shall answer its demands. The Apostle tells us, Rom. 7 9. When the Commandment came, sin revived, and I died. i. e. I found my self to be but a dead man; that all my righteousness would not save me from the death therein threatned. The Law discovers the nature of the Righteousness required in it to be Spiritual, and the man himself to be carnal, and so no ways able to comport with it, Rom. 7.1 [...] The Law is Spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. And thus he is convinced that he can do nothing spiritually, so as the Law requires; yea that in every thing he comes short of legal perfection; Verse 15. and so he concludes that it is but a vain attempt for him to go about to seek the reparation of his condition by any strength of his own; and that if he have not a better righ­teousness than this to stand for him, he is of necessity undone for ever.

5. By this means he makes a Saviour welcome. It is true, that all this will not of it self recover the heart, which is full of enmity, to the Gospel [Page 38] way of Salvation by Christ; there must there­fore be something else done; but the Spirit of God treats with men in a way accommodated to their nature, and to that end he sets home these Convictions for this purpose: hear how the Apostle expresseth it, 1 Tim. 1.15. This is a faithfull saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came to save sinners, of whom I am Chief. This right sense of Sin, drave him to admire and embrace the Doctrine of Salvation by Christ. Now,

1. As if there were no sin, there would be no need of a Saviour, so without the sight of it, this necessity cannot be apprehended. What saith Christ him­self? Matt. 9 12. The whole have no need of a Phy­sician, but they that were sick. Hence, whiles men feel not the [...], they enquire not after a Christ, nor is the glad tidings pf the Gospel at all wel­come to them: whereupon all the urgent plead­ings with them to be reconciled to God which are used, are disregarded, and they can say unto Christ depart from us; and tell him they have no Occasion for him.

2. If there be no danger by sin, there would be no want to be saved from it. If men were not un­der wrath and a Curse for sin, they could see no necessity of seeking a deliverance from it: and hence so long as men live in a fearlessness of this, thinking that all is well, and that there is no con­troversy between God and them, they do not [Page 39] seek to fly from the wrath to come. Secure sin­ners, who think God to be one like themselves, and to approve of their ways, can have no regard to a Christ, whose business is to bring Salvation to them: whereas they know no need of Salvation, who were never touched with the fear of Damnation.

3. If there were help any where else, Christ would not be regarded. Proud men will never repair to Christ, till they know that relief is to be had no where else, and are made to say as, Jer. 3.23. Truly in vain is Salvation hoped for from the hills; truly in the Lord our God is the Salvation of Israel. Every natural man would fain be his own Savi­our; and hence, Slight Convictions do but drive men to legal Reformations, & to rest there ▪ none but they that feel themselves perishing will cry out to him. Now in all this the Law is acknowledged, Justified, magnified; and by this way it reacheth the glorious end for which it was designed in the Everlasting purpose of God, referring to his chosen in Christ. Labour we then to get this right apprehension of the Gospel, and the Faith therein discovered unto us; and let us carefully practice according to it, endeavouring always to pay this respect to the Law of God So shall we not be justly charged either with NEO­NOMIANISM or ANTINOMIANISM.