105 in that it forbids fin q; and the threatnings of it ferve to fhew what even their fins deferve, and what afflictions in this life they may expect for them, although freed from the curfe thereof threatned in the law r. The promises of it, in like manner, fhew them God's approbation of obedience and what bleffings theymay 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 VII. Nei grace v, q James 2,11. For he that faid, Do not commit adultery,faid alfo, Do not kill. Now, if thou com mit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a tranfgreflor of the law,Pfal.119. 101.I have re frained my feet from every evil way that I may keep thy word, v,104.Through thy precepts Iget 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 false way. r Ezra.9.13. And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trefpafs, leeing that thou our God haft punished us lefs thanour 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? wouldlt not thou be angry with us, till thou hadst confumed us, fo that there fhould be no remnant nor efcaping? Pfal.89. 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 willl vifit their tran!greffion with the rod, & their iniquity with ftripes. . 33. Neverthelefs, my loving kindness 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. (ev. 26.tothe 14.verfe.)With 2 Cor. 6, 16, And what agreement hath the templeof God with idols? for yeare the templeof the living God; as God hath faid, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God,and they thall be my people Eph. 6. 2. Honour thy father and thy mother(whichis the firit commandment withpromife.) v.3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayeft live long on the earth, Pfal. 37. 11. But the meek fhall inherit the earth: and thall delight themfelves in the abundance of peace. With Mat. 5 5. Blefled are the meek, for they fhall inherit the earth. Pfal. 19. 11. Moreover, by them is thy fervant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. t Gal.2.16. Knowing that aman is not juftified by the works of the law,but by thefaith of Je us Chrift, even we havebelievedin Jefus hrift that we might be juftified by the faith of Christ, and not bythe works of the law: for by the works of the law thall no fleth be justified. Luke 17. 10. So likewifeye, whenyefhall have done all tholethingswhichare commanded you, lay, We are unprofitable fervants: we have done that which was our duty to do. v Rom 6. 2. Let not in there fore reign in yourmortalbody,that ye 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. HE liberty which Chrift hath purchased for believers under the gospel, 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 present ye fhould obey itin the lufts there of. . 14. For fin fhall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. 1 Pet. 3.8. 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 yearethere unto called, that ye thould inherit a blef fing v. 10. For he that will love life,and fee good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they (peak noguile.v. 11. Let him efchew evil,and do good; let him feek peace and ensue it. v. 12.For the eyes of the Lordare over the righteous,and his earsare open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is againft them that do evil. With. Pfal. 34. 12. What man is he that defireth life. and loveth many days,that hemay fee good? v. 13. Keep thy tongue from evil,and thy lips from fpeaking guile.v. 14. Depart from evil, and do good:feek peace, and purfue it. v. 15. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous,andhiscars are open unto theircry. v. 16.The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remem evil brance of them from the earth. Heb.12.28 Whereforewereceiving a kingdom whichcannotbemoved, let us have grace, whereby we may ferve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear. v. 19. For our God is a confuming fire. VII. w Gal. 3. 21. Is the law then against the promiles of God? God forbid; for if there had been a lawgiven which could have given life, verily righteoufnefs fhould have been by the law. x Ezek. 36. 27. And I will put my fpirit within you, and caufe you to walk in my ftatutes,and ye fhall keep my judgments, and do them. Heb. 8. 10. For this is the covenant that I will make with the houfe of Ifrael after thofe days, faith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind,and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God, and they thall be to me a people. With Jer. 31.33. But this fhall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Ifracl,after thofe days, faith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write in their hearts, and I will be their God, and theyshall be my people. 1. a Tit. 2.14.Who gavehimfelf for us, that he might redeem us from evil world, bondage to Satan and dominion of fin b, from the evil of afflictions, the fting of death, and the victory of the grave, and everlafting damnation c; as alfo in their free accefs to God d, and their yielding obedience unto him, not out of flavish fear, but a child like love and willing mind : 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 cere monial law, to which the Jewish church was fubjected g; and from all iniquity, and purify unto himfelf a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Theff. 1. 10. And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, ev en Jefus which delivered us from the wrath to come,Gal.3.13.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. 1. 4. Who gave himself for our fins, that he might deliver us from this prefent evil world, ac cording to the will of God and our Father. Col.1. 13. Who hath delivered us from the power of darknefs,and hath tranflated us into the kingdom of his dear Son. Acts 26. 18. To open their eyes,and to turn them from darknefs to light, and from the power of Satan untoGod, that they may receive forgiveness of fins, and inheritance among them which are fanctified by faith that is in me. Rom. 6. 14. For fin fhall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. c Rom, 8. 28. We know that all things work together for good, to them that love God, to them who are thecalled according to his purpofe. Pfal. 119. 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted: that Imightlearn thy ftatutes 1 Cor. 15. 54.So when this corruptable fhall have put on incorruption, and this mortal hall have put on imortality,then shall be brought to pafs the fayingthat is written,death is fwallowed up in victory. v.55. O death, where isthy fting? O grave, where is thy victiory?. 56. The fting of death is fin; and the strength of fin is the law.. 57. But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory, through our Lord 'efus Chrift. Rom. 8.1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Chrift Jefus, who walk not after the fleth, but after the fpirit, d Rom. 5. 1. Therefore being ju ftified by faith, we have peacewith God,throughour! ord JefusChrift, 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. 8. 14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the fons of God. 3.15. Foryehave not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the fpirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 1 John 4. 18. There is no fear in love; put perfect love calleth out fear: because fear hath torment: he that feareth is not made perfect in love. fGal. 3. 9. So then they which be of faith, are bleffed with faithful Abraham. v. 14. That the bleffing of Abraham mightcomeon the Gentiles through Jefus Chrift: we might receive the promife of the fpirit through faith. g Gal. 4. . Now I fay, that the heir, as long as he is a child,diffe reth nothing froma fervantthough he and in greater boldness of access to the throne of grace h, 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 1. So that to believe fuch doctrines, or 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 because ye are fons,God hath fent forth the fpirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father, 7. 7. Wherefore thou art no more a fervant, but a fon; and if a fon, then an heir of God through Chrift, Gal. 5. 1. Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Chrift hath made us free, and be not entangledagain with the yoke of bondage. Acts 15. 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 through the grace of the Lord Jefus Chrift, we thall be faved even as they. h Hcb.4.14. Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is paffed into the heavens, Jefus the Son of God,let us hold faftour 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. 10, 19. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holieft, 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 one high prieft 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 to evil confcience,and our bodies wafhed with pure water. i John 7. 38. He that believeth on me, as the fcripture hath faid, out of his belly fhall flow rivers of living water. v. 39. But this fpake he of the fpirit, which they that believe on him,fhould receive; for the holy ghoft was not yet given, becaufe that Jefus was not yet glo rified.2 Cor. 3. 13. And not as Mofes,which put a vail over his face, that the children of Ifrael could not ftedfaftly look to the end of that which is abolished, v. 17. Now the Lord is that fpirit; 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 4, 12. There is one law giver, who is able to fave, and to deftroy, who art thou that, judgelt another? Rom 14 4. Who art thou that judgeft another man's fervant? to his own mafter he ftandeth or falleth: Yea, he fhall be holden up, for God is able to make him ftand. I,Acts 4. 19. But Peter and John anfwered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the fight of God to hearken unto you, more than unto God, judge ye. Acts, 5. 29. Then Peter and the other Apoftles answered and faid, We ought to obey God rather than men. I Cor, 7.23. Ye are bought with a price, be not ye the fervants of men, Mat. 23. 8. But be not ye called to obey fuch commandments out of confcience, is to betray true liberty of confcience m; and the requiring of an impli cite faith, and an abfolute and blind obedience, is to destroy liberty of confcience, and reafon also n. III. They who, upon pretence of Chriftian liberty, do practife any fin, or cherish any luft, do thereby destroy the end of chriftian liberty; which is, that, being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, we might serve the Lord with Rabbi, for one is your mafter,even Chrift,and allye are brethren,v. 9. And call no man your father upon the earth : for one is your father, which is in heaven. ". 10. Neither be ye called malters; for one is your master, even Christ. 2 Cor. 1. 24. Not for that we have dominion over yourfaith,but are helpers of your joy: forby faith ye ftand, Mat. 15. 9.But invaintheydo worfhipme, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. m Col. 2. 20. Wherfore if ye be deadwith Chrift fromtherudiments of the world; why as though living in the world, are ye fubject to ordinances, v. 22. Which all are to perish with the using, after the commandments and doctrines of men? v.23. Which things haveindeed a fhe wof wifdomin will-wor fhip and humility, and neglecting of the body, not in any honour to the fatisfying of the flesh Gal.1.10 Fordo Inow perfwade men,or God? or do I feek to please men? for if I yet pleafed men Ifhould not be the fervant of Christ. Gal. 2,4. And that because of falle brethren,unawars brought in, who came in privily tolpy out our liberty, which we have in Chrift Jefus, that they might bring us into bondage: 7.5. To whom we gave place byfubje. ction, no not for an hour; thatthe truth of the gospelmight continue with you. Gal. 5.1 Standfast there fore in the libertywherewith Chrift hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the ycke of bondage. n Rom.10.17. Sothen, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word ofGod. Rom.14.23. And he that doubteth, is damned if he eat, becaufe heeateth not of faith: for whofoever is not of faith, is fin. Ifa. 8. 20. To the law, and to the teftimony: if they speak not according to this word, it isbecause there is no light in them. Acts 17. 11. These were more noble then thofe in Theffalonica,in that they received the word with all readinefs of mind, and searched the fcriptures daily, whether those things were fo. John 4, 22. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship; for falvation is of the Jews. Hof. 5. 11. Ephraim is oppreffed, and broken in judgment; becaule he willingly walked after the commandment. Rev, 13. 12. And he exercifeth all the power of the first beast before him, and caufeth the earth, and them which dwell therein,to worfhip the first beaft, whofe deadly wound was healed. v. 16. And he caufeth all, both fmall and great, richand poor,freeand bound,toreceive a mark in the right hand, or in their foreheads: v. 17. And that no man might buy, or fell, fave he that had the mark, or the name of the beaft, or the number of his name. Jer, 8, 9. The wife men are alhamed, they are difmayed and taken; lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord, and what wildom is in them. III. o Gal. i |