Obrazy na stronie
PDF
ePub

4. He gives them to understand, that the doctrine of grace, and freedom from the curfe of the law, by faith in him, is readily miftaken by mens corrupt judgments, as if it did loose or flacken the obli gation of believers to obey the commands, and to be fubject to the authority of the law; and that this error is indeed a destroying of the law and of the prophets which he will in no cafe ever endure in any of his difciples, it is fo contrary to the end of his coming, which is first to fanctify, and then to fave believers: Think not faith he) that I am come to deftroy the law and the prophets.

[ocr errors]

5. He teacheth, that the end of the gospel and covenant of grace is to procure mens obedience unto the moral law: I am come (faith he) to fulfil the law and the prophets.

6 That the obligtion of the moral law, in all points, unto all holy duties, is perpetual, and shall ftand to the world's end, that is, till heaven and earth pass away.

7. That as God hath had a care of the fcriptures from the begin ning, to fhall he have a care of them ftill to the world's end, that there fhall not one jot or one title of the fubftance thereof be taken away; fo faith the text, verfe 18.

8. That as the breaking of the moral law, and defending the tranf greffions thereof to be no fin, doth exclude men, both from heaven, and justly allo from the fellowship of the true kirk; fo the obedience of the law, and teaching others to do the fame, by example, countel and doctrine, according to every man's calling, proveth a man to be a true believer, and in great eftimation with God, and worthy to be much efteemed of by the true church. Verse 19.

9. That the righteoufnefs of every true Chriftian must be more than the righteoufnefs of the Scribes and Pharifees; for the Scribes and Pharifees, albeit they took great pains to discharge tundry duties of the law, yet they cutted fhort the expofition thereof, that it might the lefs condemn their practice; they ftudied the outward part of the duty, but neglected the inward and fpiritual part; they discharged fome meaner duties carefully, but neglected judgment, mercy, and the love of God: In a word, they went about to establish their own righteousness, and rejected the righteoufnefs of God by faith in Jefus. But a true Chriftian must have more than all this; he muft acknowledge the full extent of the fpiritual meaning of the law, and have a respect to all the commandments, and labour to cleante himfelf from all filthi nefs of fleth and fpirit, and not lay weight upon what fervice he hath done, or feall do, but clothe himfelf with the imputed righteoufnels of Chrift, which only can hide his nakedness, or elle he cannot be faved; fo faith the text, Except your righteousness, &c.

The fecond thing requifite to evidence true faith, is, that the believer endeavour to put the rules of godlinefs and righteoufnefs in practice, and to grow in the daily exercife thereof, holden forth, a Pet. i. 5;

• And

AN

ND besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; 'verfe 6. And to knowledge, tem'perance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness;' verse 7. And to godlinefs, brotherly kindnefs; and to brotherly"kindness, charity. Verfe 8. For, if thefe things be in you, and ' abound, they make you, that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jefus Chrift.'

Wherein, 1. The apoftle teacheth believers, for evidencing of precious faith in themselves, to endeavour to add to their faith feven other fifter graces; The first is virtue, or the active exercife and practice of all moral duties, that fo faith may not be idle, but put forth itfelf in work. The second is knowledge, which ferves to furnish faith with information of the truth to be believed, and to furnish virtue with direction what duties are to be done, and how to go about them prudently. The third is temperance, which ferveth to moderate the use of all pleasant things, that a man be not clogged therewith, nor made unfit for any duty whereto he is called. The fourth is patience, which ferveth to moderate a man's affections, when he meeteth with any difficulty or unpleasant thing; that he neither weary for pains required in well-doing, nor faint when the Lord chaftifeth him, nor murmur when he croffeth him. The fifth is godlinefs, which may keep him up in all the exercises of religion, inward and outward; whereby he may be furnished from God, for all other duties which he hath to do. The fixth is brotherly kindness, which keepeth eftimation of, and affection to, all the houfhold of faith, and to the image of God in every one wherefoever it is feen. The feventh is love, which keepeth the heart in readiness to do good to all men, whatsoever they be, upon all occafions which God fhall offer.

2. Albeit it be true, that there is much corruption and infirmity in the godly; yet the apoftle will have men uprightly endeavouring, and doing their best, as they are able, to join all these graces one to another, and to grow in the measure of exercising them; Giving all diligence, faith he, add to your faith,' &c.

[ocr errors]

4. He affureth all proteffed believers, that as they fhall profit in the obedience of this direction, fo they fhall profitably prove the foundaefs of their own faith; and if they want thefe graces, that they fhall be found blind deceivers of themfelves, verfe 9.

The third thing requifite to evidence true faith is, that obedience to the law run in the right channel, that is, through faith in Christ, &c. holden forth, 1 Tim. i. 5.

OW, the end of the commandment is love, out of a pure heart, and of a good confcience, and of faith unfeigned.

Wherein

6

Wherein the apostle teacheth theie feven doctrines;

1. That the obedience of the law muft flow from love, and love, from a pure heart, and a pure heart from a good confcience, and a good confcience 'from faith unfeigned: This he makes the only right channel of good works; The end of the law is love,' &c.

2. That the end of the law is not, that men may be justified by their obedience of it, as the Jewish doctors did falfly teach; for it is impof. fible that finners can be juftified by the law, who for every tranfgref fion, are condemned by the law: For the end of the law is' (not fuch as the Jewish doctors taught, but) love out of a pure heart,' &c.

[ocr errors]

3. That the true end of the law, preached unto the people, is, that they, by the law, being made to fee their deferved condemnation, fhould flee to Chrift unfeignedly, to be justified by faith in him; fo faith the text, while it maketh love to flow through faith in Christ.' 4. That no man can let himself in love to obey the law, except in as far as his confcience is quieted by faith, or is feeking to be quieted in Chrift; for the end of the law is love, out of a good confcience and faith unfeigned.'

5. That feigned faith goeth to Chrift without reckoning with the law, and fo wants an errand; but unfeigned faith reckoneth with the law, and is forced to flee for refuge unto Chrift, as the end of the law for righteousness, so often as it finds itfelf guilty for breaking of the law. For the end of the law is faith unfeigned.'

6. That the fruits of love may come forth in act particularly, it is neceffary that the heart be brought to the hatred of all fin and uncleanness, and to a ftedfaft purpose to follow all holiness univerfally: 'For the end of the law is love, out of a pure heart.'

7. That unfeigned faith is able to make the confcience good, and the heart pure, and the man lovingly obedient to the law: for, when Christ's blood is feen by faith to quiet justice, then the confcience be cometh quiet alfo, and will not fuffer the heart to entertain the love of fin, but fets the man on work to fear God for his mercy, and to of obey all his commandments, out of love to God, for his free gift justification, by grace bestowed on him: For this is the end of the law indeed,' whereby it obtaineth of a man more obedience than any other way.

[ocr errors]

The fourth thing requifite to evidence true faith is, the keeping ftrait communion with Chrift, the Fountain of all graces, and of all good works; holden forth John xv. 5.

[ocr errors]

Am the true Vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the fame bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing.'

Wherein

Wherein Chrift, in a fimilitude from a vine-tree, teacheth us,

1. That by nature we are wild barren briers, till we be changed by coming unto Chrift; and that Chrift is that noble vine-tree, having all life and fap of grace in himself, and able to change the nature of every one that cometh to him, and to communicate fpirit and life to as many as fhall believe in him: I am the vine,' faith he, and ye are the • branches.'

2. That Chrift loveth to have believers fo united unto him, as that they be not feparated at any time by unbelief: and that there may be at mutual inhabitation of them in him, by faith and love; and of him in them, by his word and fpirit: for he joineth these together, If ye abide in me, and I in you,' as things infeparable.

·

3. That except a man be ingrafted in Chrift, and united to him by faith, he cannot do any the leaft good works of his own ftrength; yea, except in as far as a man doth draw fpirit and life from Chrift by faith, the work which he doth is naughty and null in the point of goodneis, in God's eftimation; For without me, faith he, ye can do nothing.

4. That this mutual inhabitation is the fountain and infallible caufe of conftant continuing and abounding in well-doing: For, he that • abideth in me, and I in him, faith he, the fame beareth much fruit.' Now, as our abiding in Christ presupposeth three things. 1. That we have heard the joyful found of the gofpel, making offer of Christ to us who are loft finners by the law; 2. That we have heartily embraced the gracious offer of Christ, That by receiving of him we are become the fons of God, John i. 12. and are incorporated into his myfti cal body, that he may dwell in us, as his temple, and we dwell in him as in the refidence of righteoufnefs and life: So our abiding in Chrift importeth other three things, 1. An employing of Chrift in all our addreffes to God, and in all our undertakings of whatfoever piece of fervice to him. 2. A contentednefs with his fufficiency; without going out from him to feek righteousness, or life, or furniture in any cafe, in our own or any of the creatures worthiness. 3 A fixedness in our believing in him, a fixedness in our employing and making use of him and a fixednefs in our contentment in him, and adhering to him, fo that no allurement, no temptation of Satan or the world, no terror nor trouble may be able to drive our fpirits from firm adherence to him, or from the conftant avowing of his truth, and obeying his commands, who hath loved us, and given himself for us; and in whom not only our lifeis laid up, but also the fulness of the Godhead dwelleth bodily, by reafon of the fubftantial and perfonal union of the divine and human nature in him.

Hence let every watchful believer, for ftrengthening himself in faith and obedience, reafon after this manner.

[blocks in formation]

"

WH

HOSOEVER doth daily employ Christ Jefus, for cleansing his confcience and affections from the guiltiness and filthiness "of fins against the law, and for enabling him to give obedience to "the law in love, he hath the evidence of true love in himself.

"But (may every watchful believer fay) do daily employ Jefus "Chrift, for cleanfing my confcience and affections from the guiltiness "and filthiness of fins against the law, and for enabling of me to give "obedience to the law in love.

"Therefore I have the evidence of true faith in myself."

And hence alfo, let the fleepy and fluggish believer reason for his own up-stirring, thus;

"Whatfoever is neceffary for giving evidence of true faith, I ftudy "to do it, except I would deceive mytelt and perish.

"But, to employ Chrift Jefus daily, for clean fing of my confcience " and affections from the guiltinefs and filthiness of fins against the law, and for enabling me to give obedience to the law in love, is "neceffary for evidencing of true faith in me.

"Therefore, this I muft ftudy to do, except I would deceive my "felf and perish."

And, Laftly, Seeing Chrift himself hath pointed this forth, as an undoubted evidence of a man elected of God unto life, and given to Jefus Chrift to be redeemed, if he come unto him,' that is, close covenant, and keep communion with him, as he teacheth us, John vi. 37. faying, All that the Father hath given me, shall come to me; and he that cometh to me, I will in no wife caft out;' let every perfon, who doth not in earnest make use of Chrift for remiffion of fin, and amendment of life, reafon hence, and from the whole premiffes, after this manner, that his confcience may be awakened;

"Whosoever is neither by the law, nor by the gofpel, fo convinced "of fin, righteoufnets and judgment, as to make him come to Chrift, "and employ him daily for remiffion of fin, and amendment of life; "he wanteth not only all evidence of faving faith, but alfo all appear"ance of his election, fo long as he remaineth in this condition.

"But I (may every impenitent perfon fay) am neither by the law "nor the golpel fo convinced of fin, righteoufnefs and judgment, as "to make me come to Chrift, and employ him daily for remission of "fin, and amendment of life.

"Therefore I want, not only all evidence of faving faith, but allo "all appearance of my election, fo long as I remain in this condition."

FIN IS.
FIN

« PoprzedniaDalej »