1. By the sanction of the law, we intend the promises and penal- ties wherewith by God the observation of it and obedience unto it was enforced. This the apostle hath respect unto in sundry places of this Epistle; the principal whereof are reported in the following dissertation. To represent this distinctly, we may observe that the law falls under a threefold consideration ;—first, As it was a repe- tition and expression of the law of nature, and the covenant of works established thereon; secondly, As it had a new end and design put upon the administration of it, to direct the church unto the use and benefit of the promise given of old to Adam, and renewed unto Abraham four hundred and thirty years before; thirdly, As it was the instrument of the rule and government of the church and people of Israel with respect unto the covenant made with them in and about the land of Canaan. And in this threefold respect it had a threefold sanction :—
2. First, As considered absolutely, it was attended with promises of life and threatenings of death, both eternal. The original promise of life upon obedience and the curse on its transgression were inse- parably annexed unto it, yea, were essential parts of it, as it con- tained the covenant between God and man. See Gen. ii. 17; Deut
500 THE SANCTION OF THE LAW [ EXERC. XXI.
xxvii. 26; Rom. vi. 23, iv. 4, x. 5, xi. 6; Lev. xviii. 5; Ezek. xx. 11; Gal. ui. 12, 13.
3. Now, in the administration of the law, the church was thus far brought under the obligation of these promises and threatenings of life and death eternal, so far interested in the one and made ob- noxious unto the other, as that if they used not the law according to the new dispensation of it, wherein it was put into a subserviency unto the promise, as Gal. ili, 19-24, they were left to stand or fall according to the absolute tenor of that first covenant and its ratification; which, by reason of the entrance of sin, proved fatally ruinous unto all that cleaved unto it, Rom. viii. 3, ix. 81.
4. Secondly, The law had, in this administration of it, a new end and design put upon it, and that in three things:—(1.) That it was made directive and instructive unto another end, and not merely preceptive, as at the beginning. The authoritative institutions that in it were superadded to the moral commands of the covenant of works, did all of them direct and teach the church to look for righteousness and salvation, the original ends of the first covenant, in another and by another way; as the apostle at large disputes in this Epistle, and declares positively, Gal. ii, throughout. (2.) In that it had a dispensation added unto the commands of obedience, and interpretation, ar’ érsixeiay, by condescension, given by God himself, as to the perfection of its observance and manner of its per- formance in reference unto this new end. It required not abso- lutely perfect obedience, but perfectness of heart, integrity, and
uprightness, in them that obeyed. And unto the law thus con- |
sidered the former promises and threatenings were annexed; for the neglect of this use of it left the transgressors obnoxious to the curse denounced in general against them that continued not in the whole law to doit. (3.) It had merciful relief provided against sin, for
the supportment and consolation of sinners, as we shall see in the —
consideration of their sacrifices. .
5. Thirdly, It may be considered as it was the instrument of the rule and government of the people and church of Israel, according to the tenor of the covenant made with them about the land of Canaan, and their living unto God therein. And in this respect it had four things in it:—(1.) That it represented unto the people the holiness of God, the effects whereof are implanted in the law according to its original constitution; whereupon in it they are often called to be holy, because the Lord and Lawgiver is holy. (2.)
That it gave a representation of his grace and condescension, par-—
doning sin in the covenant of mercy, inasmuch as he allowed a compensation by sacrifices for so many transgressions, which in their own nature were forfeitures of their interest in that land. (3.) That it was a righteous rule of obedience unto that people
Re
SECT. 3-9.] IN PROMISES AND THREATENINGS. 501
as unto their especial covenant condition. (4.) That it fully repre- sented the severity of God against wilful transgressors of his cove- nant, as now renewed in order to the promise, seeing every such transgression was attended, in their administration of rule, with death without mercy.
6. It is of the law under this third consideration,—though not abso- lutely as the instrument of the government of the people in Canaan, but as it had a representation in it of that administration of grace and mercy which was contained in the promises,—whereof we treat. Concerning this, or the law in this sense, we may consider first the promises, then the threatenings of it. And the promises are of two sorts ;—first, Such as God took immediately upon himself the accom- plishment of; secondly, Such as others, by his institution and ap- pointment, were to communicate the benefit of unto the obedient.