of sin, since to do this would argue that sin is not forgiven. Nor can they, with any tolerable degree of patience, entertain the least exhortations to practical godliness; because they pretend that they are exempted from the obligation to perform any branch of it, by their not being under the law. Nay, some of them have been so impudent and daringly wicked as to assert that, if they should commit murder, adultery, or any other crimes of a similar nature, even this would be no bar in the way of their salvation; and that the most vile sins which can be committed, will do them no hurt, nor in the least affect their eternal state. I have, indeed, sometimes thought that this representation of Antinomianism was only a consequence deduced from some absurd doctrines which have been maintained; or that so much of hell could never put on the mask or show of religion in any degree; and that this character belonged to none but those who are open and professed atheists. But though my lot has not been cast among persons of so vile a character, yet I have been informed by those whose souls have been grieved with their conversation, that there are some in the world who thus set themselves against the law of God. There are others, indeed, who are styled Antinomians, whose conversation is blameless, and are not therefore to be ranked with these men, or judged Antinomians in practice; who nevertheless, do great disservice to the truth, and, it may be, give occasion to some to be licentious, by advancing unguarded expressions which will admit of a double construction, without condescending to explain some bold positions which they occasionally lay down. Thus, when they maintain eternal justification, without considering it as an immanent act in God, or as his secret determination not to impute sin to those who are given to Christ, but ascribe that to it which is only to be applied to justification, as it is the result of God's revealed will, in which respect it is said to be by faith; and when they encourage persons from hence to conclude that their state is safe, and maintain that it is the duty of every one to believe that he is thus justified; they certainly advance positions which have a tendency to lead some out of the way of truth and holiness, whether they design so or not. Again, when others speak diminutively of good works, as though they were in no sense necessary to salvation, because they are not the matter of our justification; some may take occasion to think that they may be saved without them.-Further, when others deny the law to be a rule of life, or assert that believers have nothing to do with it; though, it may be, they mean nothing else but that it is not that rule according to which God proceeds in justifying his people or in giving them a right to eternal life, or that a believer is not under the law as a covenant of works; yet many would be ready to think that their words had a different meaning, and so be led out of the way by them, how far soever this might be from their intention. Moreover, if a person seems studiously to avoid confessing sin or praying for forgiveness, some would be ready to judge of his sentiments by his practice; and certainly our denying either of these to be a duty in any sense, is not only contrary to scripture, but inconsistent with the humility and faith which are essential to practical godliness. Or when persons deny that self-examination is a duty, and speak of all marks and evidences of grace, though never so just and agreeable to the scripture-account of them, as legal, or as a low way of a person's coming to the knowledge of himself, or suppose that these marks and evidences are unnecessary, as being inconsistent with the Spirit's testimony; this has a tendency to lead to presumption, which is a degree of licentiousness.-Again, when they assert that God is not angry with his people for their sins, nor, in any sense, punishes them for them, without distinguishing between fatherly chastisements, and the stroke of vindictive justice, or the external and sensible effects of that hatred which God cannot but exercise against sin, and his casting them out of a justified state; such doctrines lead some persons to licentiousness, whatever be the secret meaning of those who advance them. We have an instance of this, as the historian observes, in Agricola, who was Luther's townsman, and great admirer. He, as is probable, did not thoroughly understand what Luther maintained concerning the subserviency of the law to the gospel, and its having no place in the justification of a sinner; or else, f See Sleid. Comment. de Stat. Relig. et Repub. lib. xii. from some unguarded expressions which Luther was sometimes apt to make use of, this friend of his took occasion to advance some Antinomian tenets, namely, that repentance ought not to be urged from the consideration of the breach of the law, that the gospel ought to be preached to sinners before they are brought under conviction by the law, and that, how scandalous and debauched soever persons be in their lives, yet, if they do but believe the promises of the gospel, they shall be jus tified. In these doctrines, Agricola was followed by a party of men. Accordingly Antinomianism is said to have taken its rise, in this part of the world, from that time. Luther, on the other hand, was forced to take a great deal of pains to rectify his mistakes; which, though it tended to Agricola's conviction, yet did not put a stop to the spread of his errors, which he had before propagated. As for those who were charged with Antinomianism in England, in the last century, such as Dr. Crisp, Eaton, Saltmarsh, Town, and others, whatever their design might be, and how much soever they were remote from the charge of Antinomianism in practice; though it be alleged by some in their vindication that the principal thing they had in view was to bear their testimony against the prevailing doctrine of Arminianism, which was studiously propagated by some persons of great character and influence in the nation; yet we cannot but conclude that they would have done more service to the cause of truth, had they been more cautious in explaining their sentiments, and saved those who had favourable thoughts of them, in other respects, the trouble of producing some expressions out of their writings, to convince the world that they did not hold those dangerous notions which were charged upon them. It is too evident to be denied, that many have understood their opinions in the worst sense; who have hence been ready to charge the most important doctrines of the gospel with leading to licentiousness. One result has been, that some are more sparing in defending those truths which ought to be insisted on and explained, though in words more intelligible and unexceptionable. THE JUDICIAL AND THE CEREMONIAL LAW. QUESTION. XCVIII. Where is the moral law summarily comprehended? ANSWER. The moral law is summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments, which were delivered by the voice of God upon mount Sinai, and written by him in two tables of stone, and are recorded in the twentieth chapter of Exodus; the four first commandments containing our duty to God, and the other six our duty to man. HAVING considered the moral law, as written on the heart of man at first, and the knowledge of it as in some degree attainable by all who exercise their reasoning. powers; we are, in this and some following Answers, led to consider that epitome or abstract of it which was given to the Israelites by the voice of God upon mount Sinai, which is contained in the Ten Commandments. But as we are considering this instance of divine condescension to them, it may not be reckoned altogether foreign to our present design, to give some brief account of those other laws which God gave, together with the moral law, most of which were communicated from mount Sinai. We may observe, therefore, that, together with the moral law, there were several forensic or judicial laws given by God for the government of the people of Israel, which more especially respected their civil rights. And there were other laws which had a more immediate subserviency to their attaining the knowledge of those things which related to the way of salvation by the promised Messiah, which are more fully revealed in the gospel. These are what we call the ceremonial law. Both are to be considered before we come to speak concerning the moral law, as summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments. The Judicial Law. We shall speak first concerning the judicial law. It cannot be supposed that so great a people, so much interested in the care of God, to whom he condescended to be their king, should be without a body of laws for their government. Accord. ingly, there were some given them by him, which were founded in and agreeable to the law of nature and nations; which all well-governed states observe to this day, such as that murder should be punished with death, and that theft should be punished with restitution or some other punishments which may best tend to deter men from it. Moreover, there were other judicial laws given to Israel, which had a more immediate tendency to promote their civil welfare, as a nation distinguished from all others in the world; which laws expired when their civil polity was extinct. These were the following: 1. Such as tended to prevent the alienation of inheritances from the respective families to which they were at first given. God commanded, that if a man died without children, his brother should marry his widow to raise up seed to him, to inherit his estate and name." 2. If an Israelite had become poor, and was obliged to sell his land for the payment of his debts, the purchaser was to admit any of his family to redeem it; or, if they could not, he was, nevertheless, to restore the land at the year of jubilee, which was every fiftieth year.h 3. If an Hebrew servant was sold for the payment of debts, which he could not otherwise discharge, his master was obliged to release him after six years' service. But if the servant chose to stay with his master longer than that time, out of the love he bare to him; then he was to have his ear bored, as a token that he should serve him, without being subject to the aforesaid laws, which made provision for his discharge after a certain number of years.k 4. The land was to lie untilled, and the vineyards and olive-yards were to be free for every one to come and eat of the fruit of them every seventh year. This law was designed more especially for the relief of the poor amongst them, who had no distinct inheritance of their own.' 5. They were prohibited from taking usury of an Israelite, though they might of a stranger. The reason of this law might be that they might exercise brotherly kindness and charity to one another, in which sense the law is in force to this day; especially when the poor borrow money to supply themselves with necessary food, in which case it is now unlawful to take usury. Or the reason of it was, that the Israelites lived upon their farms or cattle, by which they seldom got more than what was a necessary provision for their families; so that the paying of usury whenever they were necessitated to borrow money, would have proved their ruin in the end. Hence they were not to take usury of an Israelite, but of a stranger they might; because these enriched themselves by merchandise, and were gainers in a way of trade by what they borrowed. 6. All the males were to come up to Jerusalem, to appear before God, and perform public worship in the temple three times a-year, namely, at the solemn festivals, the passover, pentecost, and the feast of tabernacles.m 7. Six cities of refuge were appointed for those to flee to for protection, who killed any one by accident; though a near kinsman, as an avenger of blood, might kill the manslayer before he came to one of these cities. The design of this law was to induce them to take care that none might lose their lives through inadvertency. And there was provision made in these cites for the manslayer to dwell safely; whereby a just difference was put between such an one, and a wilful murderer." Thus concerning the judicial laws. The Ceremonial Law. We now proceed to consider the ceremonial laws which were given them, the design of which was to lead them into the knowledge of Christ, and the way of salvation by him, then to come. These may be considered under six heads, which we shall briefly notice. g Deut. xxv. 5, 6; Matt. xxii. 24. k Exod. xxi. 5, 6. 1 Chap. xxiii. 10. o Heb. x. 1; Gal. iii. 24, 25. h Levit. xxv. 11—13, 25-27. i Exod. xxi. 2. m Deut. xvi. 16, 17. n Numb. xxxv. 15, 26, 27. 1. It was ordained that all their males should be circumcised. Circumcision was designed to be a visible mark put on the church, whom God had set apart for himself, that they might be distinguished from the world. But the principal design of it was, that it might be a sign or seal of the blessings of the covenant of grace, in which God promised that he would be a God to them;' and by observing this rite, they were to own themselves as his people.P 2. There were various ways, whereby persons were reckoned unclean, and ordinances appointed for their cleansing. They were rendered unclean by eating those birds, beasts, fishes, and creeping things, which God had pronounced unclean, and not designed for food. Moreover, they were polluted by touching the dead bodies of such unclean birds, beasts, fishes, or creeping things. Again, some diseases, incident to the bodies of men, which were more than ordinarily noisome, rendered them unclean, such as the issue, leprosy, &c. Besides, the clothes they wore, the houses they lived in, the beds on which they lay, their ovens, and the vessels used in eating or drinking, were, on several accounts, deemed unclean; and accordingly were either to be cleansed or destroyed, otherwise the owners of them would be polluted by them.t This law was designed to signify how odious and abominable sin, which is a moral pollution, is in God's account, who is 'of purer eyes than to behold iniquity.'" We might also observe that there were various ordinances appointed for their cleansing, in order to which, several sacrifices were to be offered, and divers washings with water. The former signified the way of our being delivered from sin by the blood of Christ, as the procuring cause of forgiveness; the latter, our being cleansed from sin by the internal, powerful influences of the Holy Spirit, in regeneration and sanctification.z 3. There were holy places, such as the tabernacle and temple, with their vessels and ornaments. The tabernacle was erected according to the pattern which God showed to Moses in the mount;a and was so framed that it might be taken to pieces, and removed from place to place, as often as the host of Israel changed their station in the wilderness. Accordingly, there were Levites appointed to take it down and set it up; and also waggons, with oxen, to carry it, excepting those parts of it which belonged to the holiest of all, which were to be carried on men's shoulders. The temple was the fixed place appointed for public worship at Jerusalem; first built by Solomon, and afterwards rebuilt by Zerubbabel. Both this and the tabernacle signified that God would dwell in the midst of his people, and accept that solemn and instituted worship which was to be performed by his church in all ages. temple was designed to be a type of the incarnation of the Son of God, who is styled Emmanuel, God with us;' and who, in allusion to it, calls his body a temple. Moreover, the courts of the tabernacle and temple, and the ministry performed in them, had each its respective signification annexed to it. That in which the priests came daily to minister, wherein gifts and sacrifices were offered, prefigured Christ's offering himself a sacrifice upon earth, for the sins of his people. And the inner court, which was the holiest of all, into which none but the high priest was to enter, and that with blood and incense, signified Christ's 'entering into heaven, to appear in the presence of God for us.' 'd The As for the vessels of the tabernacle and temple, some of these were in the first court, which is also called 'the sanctuary; in which was the candlestick, the table, and the show-bread, 'e the laver and the altar;f all which were designed for types. The candlestick signified the church, and the preaching the gospel therein; whereby light is held forth to the world. The show-bread set up, signified the communion which the members of the church have with Christ, and with one another; as he styles himself the 'bread of life,' or, the bread of God, which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world." The laver signified that, when we draw nigh to God, our persons and our services ought to be pure and holy. To this the 'k apostle alludes, when he says, 'Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. The altar, which was holy, and sanctified the gift that the high-priest offered on it, so that 'every thing that touched it was holy,' signified that the divine nature of Christ added an infinite worth to what he did in the human, in which he offered himself a sacrifice to God. These were the vessels in the outer court.-Those in the inward court, or holiest of all, in which were the golden censer, the ark of the covenant, and the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat,' were a symbol and type of God's special presence with his people, which is their glory, or of the Son of God's dwelling with us in our nature. The mercy-seat, which was placed over the ark, signified that the mercy of God was displayed to sinners through Christ. The cherubim of glory with their wings spread, overshadowing and looking down upon the mercy-seat, signified that the angels behold and admire the stupendous work of our redemption. The altar of incense, and the golden censer, were types of the intercession of Christ for his people; and the fragrancy of the incense typified the acceptableness of that intercession in the sight of God. There were, besides, three more things in the holiest of all, which are particularly mentioned. One was 'the pot of manna,' which was miraculously preserved from corruption throughout their generations, as a memorial of the bread which God had fed them with in the wilderness, and a type of Christ, the bread of life, who was to come down from heaven. There was also Aaron's rod, which was preserved in memory of the wonders which were wrought by it in Egypt, at the Red Sea, and in the wilderness. It is said also to have blossomed and yielded almonds ;' which seemed to typify the flourishing state of the gospel, which is called, 'the rod of God's strength.'r Moreover, the two tables of the law were put into the ark, whereby the exceeding holiness of the law was signified, and also that it should be fulfilled and magnified by Christ, when he came to dwell among us. Thus we have given a brief account of the holy vessels of the temple and the tabernacle. We might have added that there were various ornaments of the temple and the tabernacle. They were adorned with silver, gold, and precious stones, carved, and curious needle-work; which rendered them exceedingly rich and beautiful. The temple, in particular, was the wonder of the world, far surpassing all other buildings, either before or since. Its splendour may be supposed to shadow forth the spiritual beauty and glory of the gospel-church, and of the heavenly state, in which the church shall be brought to its utmost perfection. Thus concerning those holy places, which were immediately designed for worship. There were other holy places, such as the land of Canaan, which was styled the holy land,' while the inhabitants of it were called a holy nation,' or 'the people of his holiness.'u As this was a place where God gave them rest, and a settlement, after forty years' travel in the wilderness, it was a type of that rest which the church was to expect from Christ under the gospel. Moreover, Jerusalem was an holy city; because thither the tribes went up to worship," and God was present with them there.a 4. There were laws which respected those whom God had appointed to be ministers in holy things. These were the Priests; the Levites, who were to assist the former in some parts of their office; but especially the High-priest, who was the chief or head of them all, and who is considered as an eminent type in several respects of Christ's priestly office. There were also various ceremonies instituted, which were observed in the consecration of them. In particular, they were to be washed with water; ablution with which was a rite used in the consecration of persons and things, and signified that they who ministered in holy things should be holy in their conversation. Moreover, there were several garments to be made and put on them, which are styled 'holy,' and designed for glory and for beauty.'d k Heb. x. 22. o Pet. i. 12. 1 Matt. xxiii. 19. s Exod. xxv. 3-7; 1 Chron. xxix. 2-5. x Isa. xi. 10; Heb. iv. 9. a Ezek. xxxvii. 27, 28. d Chap. xxviii. 2, et seq. m Exod. xxix. 37. y Nehem. xi. 1; Matt. iv. 5. These n Heb. ix. 3-5. r Psal. cx. 2. u Isa. lxiii. 18. z Psal. cxxii. 4. c Exod. xxix. 4. |