great ufe 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 m; difcovering alfo the finful pollutions of their nature, hearts and lives n; fo as, examining themselves thereby, they may come to further conviction of humiliation for, and hatred against fin o; together with a clearer fight of the need they have of Chrift, and the perfection of his obedience p. It is likewife of ufe to the regenerate, to re eth on a tree. Gal. iv. 4. But when the fulness of the time was come, God fent forth his Son made of a woman, made under the law, v. 5. To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of fons. Acts xiii. 39. And by him all that believe are juftified from all things, from the which ye could not be juftified by the law of Mofes. Rom. viii. 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jefus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. m Rom. vii. 12, Wherefore the law is holy; and the commandment holy, and juft and good. v. 22. For I delight in the law of God, after the inward man. v. 25. I thank God through Jefus Chrift our Lord. So then, with the mind, I myself ferve the law of God; but with the flesh, the law of fin. Pfal. cxix. 4. Thou haft commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. v. 5. O that my ways were directed to keep thy ftatutes! v. 6. Then fhall I not be afhamed, when I have refpect unto all thy commandments. I Cor. vii. 19. Circumcifion is nothing, and uncircumcifion is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. Gal. v. 14, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23. See in the Bible. n Rom. vii. 7. What fhall we fay then? Is the law fin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known fin, but by the law: for I had not known luft, except the law had faid, Thou shalt not co ftrain vet. Rom. iii. 20. Therefore by the deeds of the law, there fhall no flesh be juftified in his fight: for by the law is the knowledge of fin. o James i. 23. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glafs: v. 24. For he behold eth himfelf, and goeth his way, and ftraightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. v. 25. But whofo looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man fhall be bleffed in his deed. Rom. vii. 9. For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, fin revived, and I died. V. 14. For we know that the law is fpiritual: but I am carnal, fold under fin. v. 24. O wretched man that I am, who fhall deliver me from the body of this death! p Gal. iii. 24. Wherefore the law was our school-mafter, to bring us unto Chrift, that we might be juftified by faith. Rom. vii. 24. (See before in the letter o. v. 25. in letter m.) Rom. viii. 3. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God fending his own Son in the likeness of finful flefh, and for fin condemned fin in the flefh: v. 4. That the righteoufnefs of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 7 James ftrain their corruptions; in that it forbids fin q; and the threatenings of it ferve to fhew what even their fins deserve, and what afflictions in this life they may expect for them, although freed from the curfe thereof threatened in the law r. The promises of it, in like manner, fhew them God's approbation of obedience, and what bleffings they may expect upon the performance thereoff, altho' not as due to them by the law as a covenant of works t. 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 v. VII. Nei q James ii. 11. For he that faid, Do not commit adultery, faid alfo, Do not kill. Now, if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a tranfgreffor of the law. Pfal. cxix. 101. I have refrained my feet from every evil way that I may keep thy word. v. 104. Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every falfe way. v. 128. Therefore I efteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every falfe way. r Ezra ix. 13. And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great trefpafs, feeing that thou our God haft punished us less than our iniquities deferve, and haft given us fuch deliverance as this; v. 14. Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of thefe abominations? wouldst not thou be angry with us, till thou hadst confumed us, fo that there fhould be no remnant nor efcaping? Pfal. lxxxix. 30. If his children forfake my law, and walk not in my judgments; v. 31. If they break my ftatutes, and keep not my commandments: v. 32. Then will I vifit their tranfgreffion with the rod, and their iniquity with ftripes. v. 33. Neverthelefs, my loving kindnefs will I not utterly take from him, nor fuffer my faithfulness to fail. v. 34. My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. (Lev. xxvi. to the 14. verfe.) With 2 Cor. vi. 16. And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath faid, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and' I will be their God, and they fhall be my people. Eph. vi. 2. Honour thy father and thy mother (which is the firft commandment with promife.) v. 3. That it may be well with three, and. thou mayeft live long on the earth. Pfal. xxxvii. 11. But the meek fhall inherit the earth: and' fhall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. With Mat. v. 5. Bleffed are the meek, for they fhall inherit the earth. Pfal. xix. II. Moreover, by them is thy fervant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. Gal. ii. 16. Knowing that a man is not juftified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jefus Chrift, even we have believed in Jefus Chrift that we might be juftified by the faith of Chrift, and not by the works of the Jaw: for by the works of the law fhall no flesh be juftified. Luke xvii. 10. So likewife ye, when ye fhall have done all those things which are commanded you, fay, We are unprofitable fervants: we have done that which was our duty to do. v Rom. vi. 12. Let not fin there fore reign in your mortal body, that G 4 ye Chap. XX VII. Neither are the fore-mentioned ufes of the law contrary to the grace of the gofpel, but do fweetly comply with it w; the fpirit of Chrift fubduing 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 x. CHAP, XX. Of Chriftian Liberty, and Liberty of Confcience. THE liberty which Christ hath purchased for believers under the gofpel, confifts in their freedom from the guilt of fin, the condemning wrath of God, the curfe of the moral law a; and in their being delivered from this prefent evil world, bon ye should obey it in the lufts thereof. v. 14. For fin fhall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the law, but under grace, 1 Pet. iii. 8. Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compaffion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous. v. 9. Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwife, bleffing: knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye fhould inherit a bleffing. v. 10. For he he that will love life, and fee good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they fpeak no guile. v. II. Let him efchew evil, and do good; let him feek peace and enfue it. v. 12. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. With Pfal. xxxiv. 12. What man is he that defireth life, and loveth many days, that he may fee good? v. 13. Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from Speaking guile. y. 14. Depart from eyil, and do good; feek peace, and purfue it. v. 15. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears. are open unto their cry. v. 16. The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of dage them from the earth. Heb. xii. 38: Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may ferve God.ac ceptably, with reverence and godly fear. v. 29. For our God is a confuming fire. VII. w Gal. iii. 21. Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid; for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteoufnefs fhould have been by the law. x Ezek. xxxvi. 27. And I will put my Spirit within you, and caufe you to walk in my ftatutes, and ye fhall keep my judgments, and do them. Heb. viii. 10. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Ifrael after thofe days, faith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and and write them in their hearts; and I will be to them a God, and they fhall be to me a people. With Jer. xxxi. 33. But this fhall be the covenant that I will make with the houfe of Ifrael, after those days, faith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and will be their God, and they fhall be my people. I. a Tit. ii. 14. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all dage to Satan and dominion of fin b, from the evil of afflictions, the fting of death, the victory of the grave, and everlasting damnation c; as alfo in their free access to God d, and their yielding obedience unto him, not out of flavish fear, but a childlike love and willing mind e: all which were common alfo to believers under the law f. But, under the New Teftament, the liberty of Chriftians is further inlarged, in their freedom from the yoke of the ceremonial law, to which the Jewish church was fubjected g; and in greater boldnefs of accefs to the throne of all iniquity, and purify unto himfelf a peculiar people, zealous of good works. I Theff. i. 10. And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raifed from the dead, even Jefus who delivered us from the wrath to come. Gal. iii. 13. Chrift hath redeemed us from the curfe of the law, being made a curfe for us: for it is written, Curfed is every one that hangeth on a tree. b Gal. i. 4. Who gave himself for our fins, that he might deliver us from this prefent evil world, according to the will of God and our Father. Col. 1. 13. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath tranflated us into the kingdom of his dear Son. Acts xxvi. 18. To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgivenefs of fins, and inheritance among them who are fanctified by faith that is in me. Rom. vi. 14. For fin fhall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. c Rom. viii. 28. We know that all things work together for good, to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Pfal. cxix. 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted: that I might learn thy ftatutes. 1 Cor. xv. 54. So when this corruptible fhall have put on incorruption, and this mortal fhall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pafs the faying that is written, Death is fwallowed up in victory. v. 55. O death, where is thy fting? O grave, where is thy victory? v. 56. The fting of death is fin; and the ftrength of fin is the law. v. 57. But thanks be to God who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jefus Chrift. Rom. viii. I. There is therefore now no condemnation to them who are in Chrift Jefus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. d Rom. v. 1. Therefore being juftified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jefus Chrift. v. 2. By whom alfo we have accefs by faith into this grace wherein we ftand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. e Rom. viii. 14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the fons of God, v. 15. For ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. I John iv. 18. There is no fear in love; but perfect love cafteth out fear: because fear hath torment: he that feareth is not made perfect in love. f Gal. iii. 9. So then they who be of faith, are bleffed with faithful Abraham. v. 14. That the bleffing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jefus Chrift; that we might receive the promife of the Spirit through faith. g Gal. iv. 1. Now I fay, that the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth no thing of grace b, and in fuller communications of the free spirit of God, than believers under the law did ordinarily partake of i. II. God alone is Lord of the confcience k, and hath left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men, which are in any thing contrary to his word, or befide it, in matters of faith or worship. So that to believe fuch doctrines, or to obey fuch thing from a fervant, though he be lord of all; v. 2. But is under tutors and governors, until the time appointed of the father. v. 3. Even fo we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. v. 6. And becaufe ye are fons, God hath fent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. v. 7. Wherefore thou art no more a fervant, but a fon; and if a fon, then an heir of God through Chrift. Gal. v. 1. Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Chrift hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Acts xv. 10. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the difciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? v. 11. But we believe, that thro' the grace of the Lord Jefus Chrift, we fhall be faved, even as they. h Heb. iv. 14. Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is paffed into the heavens, Jefus the Son of God, let us hold faft our profeffion. v. 16. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Heb. x. 19. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the hoheft, by the blood of Jefus, v. 20. By a new and living way which he hath confecrated for us through the vail, that is to fay, his flesh; v. 21. And having an high priest over the houfe of God: v. 22. Let us draw near with a true heart, in full affurance of faith, having our hearts fprinkled from an com evil confcience, and our bodies washed with pure water. ter. i John vii. 38. He that believeth on me, as the fcripture hath faid, out of his belly fhall flow rivers of living wav. 39. But this fpake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him, fhould receive; for the holy Ghoft was not yet given, because that Jefus was not yet glorified. 2 Cor. iii. 13. And not as Mofes, who put a vail over his face, that the children of Ifrael could not stedfaftly look to the end of that which is abolished. v. 17. Now the Lord is that Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. v. 18. But we all with open face, beholding as in a glafs, the glory of the Lord, are changed into the fame image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. II. k James iv, 12. There is one law-giver, who is able to fave, and to destroy: who art thou that judgeft another? Rom. xiv. 4. Who art thou that judgeft another man's fervant? to his own mafter he ftandeth or falleth : Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him ftand. / Acts iv. 19. But Peter and John anfwered and faid unto them, Whether it be right in the fight of God to hearken unto you, more than unto God, judge ye. Acts v. 29. Then Peter and the other apoftles anfwered and faid, We ought to obey God rather than men. 1 Cor. vii. 23. Ye are bought with a price, be not ye the fervants of men. Mat. xxiii. 8. But be not ye call ed |