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Deut.30.6.

Ezek. 36.26,

27.

a Cor.3.1,2,3.

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the Land of Egypt, because they continued not in my Covenant, and Iregarded them not faith the Lord. For this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Ifrael after thofe dayes, faith the Lord: I will put my Lawes into their mind and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people. But what Law was it, which the Lord promifeth to write in the hearts of his people? was it not the Law given before by Mofes? con cerning which alfo Mofes exprefleth the fame promife that Jeremy doth; The Lord thy God will circumcife thy heart, and the heart of thy feed, that thou mayest love the Lord thy God, with all thy beart, and with all thy foule that thou mayeft live. Now that Law God himfelfe had delivered in writing, and commanded Moses Exod.34.1,37. alfo to write the fame. Therfore the words of the Prophet as touching the writing of Gods Law in our hearts,can import nothing but this, that the Lawes which were before by the miniftery of Mofes delivered only in Inke and Paper, fhould by the power of the holy Ghoft, through the faith of Chrift be wrought and written in the affections of the heart: that God in Chrift would not only adminifter outwardly the letter of the Law, whe ther in writing or preaching, but would by the regeneration of the Spirit, give grace inwardly to the obedience thereof. And as the Law written in the tables of the heart, and ingraven in tables of stone, is one for substance: fo is the new and the old Teftament. The Law is not opposed to the Law : but the writing to writing. Writing in tables of stone pertained to Mofes or to the Old Testament: writing in the heart to Chrift, or the new Covenant. The Law is the fame, but otherwife adminiftred in the hand of Chrift, then in times paft in the hand of Moses. Mofes gave the Law in tables of ftone, but could not give power or ability to doe what the Law required :but Chrift writeth the Law in the heart, and inableth the faithfull in fome measure to doe what he commandeth. And in the fame place the Lord by the Prophet fheweth, that when he made this Covenant with the Fathers which they brake, he declared himselfe to be an hufband unto them, or joyned himselfe in marriage unto them. But God never joyned himfelfe in marriage unto a people, but by the Covenant of grace. It may be faid the Apoftle fheweth the former Covenant to be faultic, or that another Covenant was lacking. But that is not mentioned to prove the Covenants to be

Jer. 31.32.

Fer.3.14.

two

1

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two in fubftance oppofite one to the other: but because the firft Teftament did not containe the Image of the things themselves, and therfore was not to be refted in, as if we could be juftified by Heb. 10.1 the workes of the Law, or ceremoniall obfervances annexed: but must be used as an introduction to leade us unto Chrift, who is the very Image of the things themselves. This firft Covenant therfore could not be fulfilled or effe&uill, but by the bringing in of a fecond, which was prefigured thereby. For the blood of Bulls and Goats was not availcable to purge away finne: but did prefigure the blood of Chrift, which is effectuall to purge our confciences from dead workes. The blood of Bulls and of Goats, and Heb.9.13, 14. the afbes of an Heifer (prinkling the uncleane, fanctifieth to the purify

ing of the fieft, fc. from a trefpaffe meercly committed against the Law of Ceremonies: but the bloody facrifice of our Lord and Saviour Christ, whereof the legall Sacrifices were tipes and hadowes, was alone (appointed of God, and is effactuall to cleanfe us. from all finnes committed against the Morall Law of God, and to purifie us from fuch dead works, as, not expiated by his blood, would bring forth everlasting death. Of neceffity therfore the first Covenant, because it is of grace, muft bring forth a fecond, in which is fulfilled that which in the firft is prefigured. The Joh.1.17 Joh. 5.46% Law was given by Mofes, and the righteoufneffe of faith was taught by Mofer, as our Saviour reftifieth. Why then doth the Apoftle in the words following add by way of oppofition, but grace and truth came by Jefus Chrift? The fence of the place fcemes to be this, That the Law prefiguring Chrift, and redemption in him, and teaching and commanding what ought to be done, but neither giving grace to doe it, not containing the fubftance of the thing prefigured, was given by Mofes: but graceto doe what was commanded came from Chrift, in whom alfo the fubftance of what was prefigured by the Ceremonies, is ful filled. But if the Law of Mofes fent the Jewes to Chrift, and directed them how to walke believing in him, but of it felfe did not give grace or truth, of neceffity it must make knowne Christ in fome fort, and command faith in him: which is proper to the Covenant of grace. The Lawis a killing letter (faith the Apoftle) and the miniftration ef death and condemnation. But the fame Law, which is called a dead or killing letter, is ftiled a lively word, or Lively oracles, that is, fuch as give life: The words of Paul that

2 Cor.3.6,7,9 years or as fome bookes have it: λόγον ζώντας, ε Syr. verba vie Da Ar.Sermo fore. nem vivam..

A&.7 38.
Lev. 18.5.
Ezck.20.13.
Neh.9.29.

a Cor.3.15, 16.

fore are not to be understood abfolutely of the Law, but as it was separated from Chrift and the Gospell, of men who did reft in the Law, and fought to be juftified by it: whereas Chrift was the end of the Law, which the Jewes not perceiving, they erred from the truth, and perverted the true fence and scope of the Law. For the miniftery of Mofes, as it is referred to the mind and counfell of the Lord, is bright and illuftrious: but the carnall people could not behold that brightneffe, and therefore the Law is vailed to the carnall Jew, that he cannot behold the light that shineth therein. Even unto this day, when Mofes is read, the vails is upon their heart. Neverthelesse, when it fhall tarne unto the Lord, the vaile shall be taken away. That is, when Ifrael fhall be turned unto the Lord, the vaile fhall be taken away, that in the law it felfe they may fee Chrift, whom now being blind by reason of their indurate mind, they could not fee. For there was a double vaile drawne over their eyes, the first of hatred against Christ, the fecond of the Law it felfe, in which Christ was revealed, but not fo clearely as in the Gofpell: which double vaile fhall be ta ken away, when they fhall be converted unto Christ. The Law worketh wrath, and difcovereth finne: yea reviveth it. What the Apostle fpeaketh of the Law, in thefe and other above rehear fed paffages, is to be understood of the whole Jewish pedagogic, viz. the Law Morall and Ceremoniall as it was given by Mofes, Pfal.19.7,8,9. And as here, the Law is faid to worke wrath, and terrific: fo elsewhere it is faid to cause the foule to returne, to enlighten the eyes, and rejoyce the heart. Of neceffity for the reconciliation of these fayings of the Prophet and Apoftle in fhew contrary, it must be granted that the Law animated by Chrift is pleafant and Calv, in a Cor. delightfull, but as it is barely confidered in oppofition to Chrift and to the Gofpell, as it exacteth perfect obedience, but giveth no ability or power to performe what is required, it woundeth, nies are visible terrifieth, killeth and worketh wrath.

Na.25.7.
Rom.4.15.

& 3.20. & 7.9.

& 119.47.

Bera in Rom.

2.27.

3.17. Col.2.13.

The ceremo.

words preaOf the Law there is a twofold ufe and confideration. One 25 ching Chrift, it is a rigid exactor of intire obedience, and hand-writing against and they pre us for finne, and thus of it felfe barely confidered, it woundeth, ched our guilt, and wrath be but healeth not, it reviveth finne, but mortifieth it not. The olonging unes ther, as it pointeth to Chrift in whom Salvation is to be found, and directeth how to walke in all well-pleasing before the Lord: and thus it is an easy yoke. The Law confidered without Chrift

US

woundeth,

A.7.53.

The law was

fon is faid to doc,ad nutum

is

fieth,Gen.1.21

woundeth, killeth and reviveth finne by reafon of our Corruption: But the Law confidered in Chrift, and as it pointeth unto him, killeth corruption, and converteth the foule. In the Epiftle to Gal.3.10,17. the Galathians the Apostle oppofeth the Covenant of Grace to the Law in many things; as that the Law accurfeth every one that givě ad ordina. continueth not in all things, that are written in the booke of the tiones angelovi, Law to doe them: that it was foure hundred and thirty yeares Syr Ar per after the Covenant, which was confirmed before of God in wandatum,as Chrift, &c. But it is to be remembred, that in thofe paffages the Rom.13.a. as a Apostle difputeth against the Jewes, who trufted in the workes dead of the Law, and thought by the blood of Bulls and Goats to be patris: as purged from their finnes, or of them that joyned the Law with used, Num.16. Chrilt in the matter of Juftification, as if Juftification had been 340r fecundum, in part at least by the workes of the Law; which the Apoftle e- juxtao dinatio very where condemnes as contrary to the intent and purpofe of es, figni. the Lord in giving the Law. The contrariety then of the Law paralell to this or Old Teftament, even of the Law as it beareth the figurative are Gal3. 19. fprinkling of the bloud of Chrift, and fo pointeth us to him, unto Heb, 2.1. The the new Testament, or Covenant of grace, is not in themselves, reafon & truth of thefe fayings but in the ignorance, pride and hardnefle of heart of them, who feem to be that understood not, or did pervert the right end of the Law, as if the Angel wch was given for Justification. The Law as it oppofed to Chrift,doth appeared to accurfe every one that continueth not in all things, that are writ- Mofes in the ten in the booke of the Law to doe them: because he that trufteth buth, v. s. and in the Law, is convinced by the Law to be a tranfgreffour: but was with him the Law as given to them that be in Covenant, doth reprove eve- nes,v.39.did ry tranfgreflion, and convince every man of finne, who conti- out of the midft nueth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to of the Angels, do them, but doth not accurfe the offendour in every jot or title,be- which did on caufe in Chrift fin is pardoned and forgiven. To the Jew,who refted every fide coin the works of the Law, and refufed Chrift, the Law which was bout, give the given foure hundred and thirty yeares after, did make void the Law upon promife, or Covenant confirmed before of God in Chrift: Mount Sinai, But according to the true meaning of the Law, and to them whereof the that used it aright, it did not make void the promife but eftablish it. Sanctuary was What the Apostle citeth of the Law out of Deuteronomy, and no- salagnay. a figure. Διαταγή άγο teth of the giving of the Law after the promile, is for substance in is the preached by the Prophet Jeremy at the Lords appointment, when me that de he fpeaketh of this Covenant of grace without all queftion. Heare cretam vigili.

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in the wilder.

paffe him a

5,6.

Jer. 11.2,3,4, ye the words of this Covenant, and speake unto the men of Judah, and fay unto them, thus faith the Lord God of Ifrael, Curfed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this Covenant, which I commanded your Fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the Land of Egypt from the iron fornace, saying, obey my voice and doe them, according to all which I command you to foall ye be my people, and I will be your God. That I may performe the oath which I have sworne unto your Fathers, to give them a Land flowing with milke and honey, as it is this day: Then answered I and faid, so be it, O Lord. Then the Lord faid unto me, proclaime all these words in the Cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerufalem, faying, Heare ye the words of this Covenant, and doe them. This Covenant then, which God made with Ifrael, was for fubftance one with that he had made before with the Patriarks, that is, it was a Covenant of grace and mercy: though the Law, to them that rested in the works thereof, and perverted the right use and end of the Law, was a killing letter and ministration of death.

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Ifa.2.2.

CHAP. VIII.

A particular explication of the Covenant that God made with Ifrael, and what Mofes brought to the further expreffure of the Covenant of Grace.

His doubt being thus difcuffed, we may proceed with more Tfacility

of

his free-grace and mercy made this Covenant with Ifrael upon Mount Sinai, fifty daies after the Ifraelites were delivered out of Exod.19.18 Egypt: as fifty dates after the deliverance of his people from the bondage of fin and Satan, the fame Lord proclaims his Gospel or new Covenant upon Mount Sion in Jerufalem, the Metropolis or royall feat of Abraham or Davids feed. God, I fay, of his infinite love and undeserved mercy did make this Covenant: for if he remember mercy, when he performeth his Covenant, then it was of meere grace, that he entred into Covenant. Allo it is of merNehem.9.32. ey that God doth troth-plight him unto any people; for the promife runneth, I will betroth thee unto me for ever: yea, I will

Micha 4.20.
Gal.4,34.

Heb. 12. 18.

Pi 103.17,18,

Hof.2.19.

betroth

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