Of the Law of God.- GOD
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. [1]
- 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; [2] the first four commandments containing our
duty towards God, and the other six our duty to man. [3]
- 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; [4] and partly holding forth divers
instructions of moral duties. [5] All which ceremonial laws are now
abrogated under the New Testament. [6]
- To
them also, as a body politic, 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. [7]
- The
moral law doth for ever bind all, as well justified persons as others,
to the obedience thereof; [8] 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. [9] Neither doth Christ in the gospel any way
dissolve, but much strengthen this obligation. [10]
- Although
true believers be not under the law as a covenant of works, to be
thereby justified or condemned; [11] 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 duty, it directs and binds them to walk
accordingly; [12] discovering also the sinful pollutions of their nature,
hearts and lives; [13] so as, examining themselves thereby, they may come
to further conviction of, humiliation for, and hatred against sin; [14]
together with a clearer sight of the need they have of Christ, and the
perfection of his obedience. [15] It is likewise of use to the regenerate,
to restrain their corruptions, in that it forbids sin; [16] and the
threatenings of it serve to show what even their sins deserve and what
afflictions in this life they may expect for them, although freed from
the curse thereof threatened in the law. [18] The promises of it, in like
manner, shew them God's approbation of obedience, and what blessings
they may expect upon the performance thereof, [18] although not as due to
them by the law as a covenant of works: [19] so as a man's doing good, and
refraining from evil, because the law encourageth to the one, and
deterreth from the other, is no evidence of his being under the law,
and not under grace. [20]
- Neither
are the forementioned uses of the law contrary to the grace of the
gospel, but do sweetly comply with it; [21] the Spirit of Christ subduing
and enabling the will of man to do that freely and cheerfully which the
will of God revealed in the law requireth to be done. [22]
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