Ans. 1. The law requires that we wor- ship God as our Creator; the gospel re- quires that we worship God in and through Christ. God in Christ is propitious ; out of Ciirist we may see God's power, jus- tice, holiness, — in Christ we see his mercy displayed.
A. 2. Tlie moral law requires obedience, but gives no strength— as Pharaoh required brick but gave no straw — but the gospel gives strength ; the gospel bestows faith on the elect; the gospel sweetens the law, it makes us serve God with delight.
Quest. 2. Of what use then is the moral law to us ?
Ans. The law is a glass to shew us our sins, that so, seeing our pollution and mi- sery, we may be forced to flee to Christ to satisfy for former guilt, and save from future wrath. Gal. iii. 21., " The law wsis <mr school-master to bring us to Christ."
Quest. 3. But is the moral latv still in force to believers; is it net abolished to than ?
Ans. In some sense it is abolished to be- lievers. 1. In respect of justification ; they are not justified by their obedience to the moral law. Believers are to make great use of the moral law — as I shall shew — but they must trust only to Christ's righteous- ness for justification ; as Noah's dove made
use of her wings to fly, but trusted to the ark for safety. If the moral law could justify, Avhat need were there of Christ's dying? — 2. The moral law is abolished to believers, in respect of the malediction of it ; they are freed from the curse and dam- natory power of it. Gal. iii. 13., " Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us."
Quest. 4. How was Christ made a curse for us ?
Ans. Christ may be considered, 1. As thfr Son of God, and so he was not made a curse. — 2. As our pledge and surety, Heb- vii. 22., and so he was made a curse for us:: this curse was not upon his Godhead, but upon his manhood. This curse was the wrath of God lying upon him ; and thus Christ hath taken away from believers the curse of the law, by being made a curse for them. But though the moral law is thus fur abolished, yet it remains a perpe- tual rule to believers ; though tlie moral law be not their Saviour, yet it is their
I guide; though it be not fcedus, a covenant of life, yet it is norma, a rule of living ; e- very Christian is bound to conform to the moral law, and write, as exactly as he can, after this copy, Rom. iii. 31., " Do we then make void the law through faith, God for- bid." Thoujjh a Christian is not under the condemning power of the law, yet he is un-
1 der the commanding power: to love God, to reverence and obev him, this is a law
. alway binds and will bind in heaven. This I urge against the Aiitiuoniians, who say
! the moral law is abrogated to believers ; .
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OF THE COMMANDMENTS.
which, as it contradicts scripture, so it is a key to open the door to all licentiousness. They wlio will not have the law to rule them, shall never have the gospel to save them. HaA'ing answered these questions, I shall in the next place, lay down some gener.il rules for the right understanding of the Decalogue, or Ten Commandments : these rules m«iy serve to give us some light into the sense and meaning of the com- mandments.
Ihde 1. Tlie commands and prohibitions of the moral law reach the heart. — 1. The commands of the moral law reach the heart: tlie commandments require not only out- ward actions but inward affections, — they require not only the outward act of obedi- ence, but the inward affection of loA'e, Deut. vi. 5., " Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart." — 2. The threats and prohibitions of the moral law reach the heart ; the law of God forbids not only the act of sin, but the desire and inclination ; not only doth it forbid adultery, but lust- ing, Mat. V. 28. Not only stealing, but coveting, Rom. vii, 7. Lex Jinmana ligal inanum, lex diva/a conipriinet an imam, — • man's law binds only the hands, God's law binds the heart.'
livle 2. In the commandments there is a synecluhche, more is intended than is spoken. 1. Where any duty is commanded, there the contrary sin is forbidden, &c. When we are commanded to keep the sabbath-day holy, there we are forbidden to Ijreak the eabbath ; when we are commanded to live in a calling, " Six days shalt thou labour," there we arc forbidden to live idly, and out of a calling. — 2. Where any sin is forbid- den, there the contrary duty is command- ed. When we are forbidden to take God's name in vain, the contrary duty is com- manded, that we should reverence his name, Deut. xxviii. .58., " That thou mayest fear this glorious :ind fearful name, The Lord thy God." Where we are forl)i(lden to wrong our neighbour, there is the contrarv duty included, that we should do him all the good we can, by vindicating his name and supplying his wants.
Rule 3. Where any sin is forbidden in the commandment, there the occasion of it is also forbidden. Where murder is for-