so far is it from inclining men to looseness o.

IV. True believers may have the assurance of their salvation divers ways shaken, diminished and intermitted; as, by negligence in preserving of it, by falling into some special sin, which woundeth the conscience, and grieveth the Spirit; by some fodden or vehement temptation; by God's withdrawing the light of his countenance, and suffering even such as fear him to walk in darkness and to have no light p: yet are they never utterly destitute of that seed of God, and life of faith, that love of Christ and the brethren, that sincerity of heart and conscia ence of duty, out of which, by the operation of the Spirit,

this

time that their corn and their wine Christ Jesus; who walk not after the increased. Pfal. cxix. 32, I will flesh, but after the Spirit. v. 12. run the way of thy commandments, Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, when thou shalt enlarge my heart. not to the flesh, to live after the flcm.

ol John ii. 1. My little children, i John iii. 2. Beloved, now are we these things write I unto you, that the sons of God, and it doth not yet, ye fin not. And if any man fin, we appear what we thatl be: but we have an advocate with the Father, know that when he fall appear, Jesus Christ the righteous. 1. 2. we shall be like him : for we shall And he is the propitiation for our see him as he is. v. 3. And every fios- and not for ours only, but al. man that hath this bope in him, so for the fins of the whole world. purifieth himself, even as he is pure. Rom, vi. 1. What shall we say then? Plal.cxxx. 4. But there is forgive. shall we continue in fin, that grace ness with thee; that thou mayest; may abound ? v. 2. God forbid: be feared. Joho i. 6. If we say how shall we that are dead to fin, that we have fellowship with him, live any longer therein ? Tit. ii. 11. and walk in darkness, we lie, and For the grace of God that bringeth do not the truth, v. 7. But if we salvation, hath appeared to all men, walk in the light, as he is in the 5.-12. Teaching us, that denying light, we have fellowship one with ungodliness and worldly lusts, we another, and the blood of jesus should live soberly, rightevusly, and Christ his Son cleanseth, us from all godly in this present world. v. 14. fin. Who gave himself for us, that he IV. p Cant. v. 2. 1. sleep, but might redeem us from all iniquity, niy heart wakech : it is the voice of alid parify unto himse!f a peculiar my beloved that knocketb, faying, people, zealous of good works.

Open to me, my Glter, my love, Cor. vii. 1. Having therefore these my dove, iny undefiled : for my. promises (dearly beloved) let us head is filed with dew, and my:

, cleanse ourselves from all filthiness locks with the drops of the night. of the flesh and spirit, perfecting 7, 3. I have put off my coat, bow. holiness in the fear of God. Rom. shall I put it on ? I have washed my vii, 1. There is therefore now no feet, how shall I defile them? v. 61* condemnation to them wino are in I upened to my beloved, but my

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this affurance may in due time be received 4, and by the

92 which, in the mean time, they are supported from utter despair r.

CHA P.

ger,

beloved had withdrawn himself, and mercies ? Selah. v. 19. And I said, was gone : my soul failed when he This is my infirmity, but I will re; {pake; I fought him, but I could member the years of the right hand pot find him; I called him, but he of the most high. Mat. xxvi. 69. gave me no answer. Pfal. li. 8. Now Peter sat without in the palace ; Make me to hear joy and gladness; and a damsel came unto him, say, that the bones whích thou halt bro ing, Thou also walt with Jesus of ken, may rejoice. v. 12. Restore Galilee. v. 70, But he denied be. unto me the joy of thy salvati. fore them all, saying, I know not an; and uphold me with thy free what thou sayest. v. 71. And when Spirit. v. 14. Deliver ine from blood. he was gone out into the porch, aguiltiness, O Gud, thou God of my nother maid saw him, and said unto falvation : and my tongue shall fing them that were there, This fellow aloud of thy righteousness. Eph. iv. was also with Jesus of Nazareth. v, 30. And grieve not the holy Spirit 72. And again he denied with an of God, whereby ye are sealed unto oath, I do not know the man.

Psal. the day of redemption, v. 31. Let ***i. 22. For I said in my hafte, ! all bitterness, and wrath, and an- am cut off froni before chine eyes :

and clamour, and evil-speak- nevertheless thou heard the voice ing be put away from you, with all of my fupplications, when I cried malice. Pfal. lxxvii. 1, i cried un- unto thee. (Plal. Ixxxvii, throughto God with my voice : even unto our.) isa. 1. 10, Who is among you God with my voice, and he gave that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth car unto me. v. 2. In the day of the voice of his servant, that walk. my trouble I sought the Lord : my eth in darkness, and hath no light? fore ran in' the night and ceased not let him trust in the name of the Lord, my soul refused to be comforted, v. and stay upon his God. I remembered God, and was

9 1 Joh iii. 9. Whosoever is horn troubled; I complained, and my of God, doth not commit fin; for bis Spirit was 'overwhelmed. Selah. v. seed remaineth in him, and he can. 4 Thou huldest mine eyes waking: not sin because he is born of God. Tam so troubled, that I cannot speak. Luke xxü. 32. But I have prayed for v, 5. I have considered the days of thee, that thy faith fail not; and old, the years of ancient times. v. when thou art converted, strength 6. I call to remembrance my song in thy brethren. Job. xiii, 15. Thor the night: I commune with mine, he slay me, yet will I trust in own heart, and my spirit made di- but I will niaintain mine on ligent search, v.%. Will the Lord before him, Pfal. ks cast off for eyer ? and will he be fa. I will speak oh vourable no more ? v. 8. Is his offend agai mercy clean gone for ever? doth childrer his promise fail for evermore? v.9. immr Hath God Forgotten to be gracious le bath he in' anger shut up his tendes

a

CHAP. XIX. Of the Law of God.
OD gave to Adam a law as a covenant of works, by which

he bound him and all his posterity to personal, entire, exact and perpetual obedience, promised life upon the fulfilling, and threatned death upon the breach of it; and endued him with power and ability to keep it a.

II. This

G ,

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unto the Lord : I will wait for the halt thou forsaken me? why are Ged of my falvation : my God will thou fo far from helping me, and hear me. v. 8. Rejoice not again{t from the words of my roaring? me, O mine enemy; when I fall, 1 (Plal. lxxxviii. throughout.) fhall arise : when I sit in darkness, l. a Gen.i. 26. And God said, Let the Lord shall be a light unto me. us make man in our image, after our v.9. I will bear the indignation of likeness : and let them have dominithe Lord, because I have Sinned a. on over the film of the sea, and over gainst liim, until he plead my cause, the fowl of the air, and over the catand execute jndgment for me: he tle, and over all the earth, and over will bring me forth to the light, and every creeping thing that creepeth I shall behold his righteousness. Jer. upon the earth. v. 27. So God crea. xxxii, 40. And I will make an ever- ted man in his own image, in the i. Jasting covenant with them, That mage of God created he him : male I will not turn away from them, to and female created he them. With do them good; but I will put my Gen. ii. 17, But of the tree of the fear in their hearts, that they shall knowledge of good and evil, thou not depart from me. Isa. liv. 7. For sale not eat of it: for in the day a small moment have l forsaken thee; that thou eatest thereof, thou hall but with great mercies will I gather surely die. Rom. ii. 14. For when the thee. v. 8. In a little wrath I hid Gentiles who have not the law, do by my face from thee, for a moment; nature the things. contained in the but with everlasting kindness will I law, these having not the law, are a have mercy on thee, faith the Lord law unto themselves: v.15.Who shew thy Redeemer. v.9. For this is as the the works of the law written in their waters of Noah unto me: for as I hearts, their conscience also bearing have sworn that the waters of Noah witness; and their thoughts the mean should no more go over the earth; while accufing, or else excusing one to have I sworn that I would not be another. Rom. x. 5. For Moses dewroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. scribeth the righteousness which is 1. 10. For the mountains shall de- of the law, that the man who doth part, and the hills be removed, but those things, shall live by, them. my kindness fhall not depart from Rom. v. 12. Wherefore, as by one thee, neitber thall the covenant of muo sio entred into the world, and my peace be removed, faith the death by fo; and fo death palied Lord, that hath mercy on thee, upon all men, for that all have lon. Pfal. xxii. L. My.cod, my God, why ned. v. 19. For as by one wan's dif

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II. This law, after his fa!l, continued to be a perfect rule of righteousness; and, as such, was delivered by God upon mount Sinai in ten commandments, and weitten in two tables b; the four first commandments containing our duty towards God, and the other six our duty to man c.

III. Beside this law, commonly called Moral, God was pleafed to give to the people of Israel, as a church under age, ceremonial laws, containing several typical ordinances, partly of worship, prefiguring Christ, his graces, actions, sufferings and

bene.

:

obedience many were made finners : by the law of liberty. Rom. xiii. 8. so by the obedience of one shall many Owe no man any thing, but to love be made righteous. Gal. iii. 10. For one ancther : for he that loveth aas many as are of the works of the nother, hath fulfilled the law. v.9. law, are under the curse: for it is for this, Thou shalt not commit awritten, Cursed is every one that dultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou continueth not in all things, which halt' not steal, Thou shalt not bear are written in the book of the law, false witness, Thou shalt not covet, to do them. v. 12. And the law is and if there be any other commandnot of faith : but, The man that ment, it is briefly comprehended in doth them, Mall live in them. Eccl. this saying, namely, Thou shalt vii. 29. Lo, this only have I found, love thy neighborr as thyself. Deut. that God hath made man uprighr: v. 32. Ye Thall observe to do therebut they have fought out many in. fore as the Lord your God hath ventions Job xxviii. 28, And unto coronadded you; you thall not turn man he said, Behold the fear of the alide to the right hand or to the Lord, that is wisdom ; and to de- left. Deut. 8. 4. And he wrote on part from evil, is understanding. the tables, according to the first

11.6 James i. 25. But whoso look- writing, the ten commandments eth into the perfect law, of liberty, which the Lord spake unto you in and con inueth therein, he being not the mount, out of the midst of the a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the fire, in the day of the assembly: and word, this man shall be blessed in the Lord gave them upto me. Exod. his deed, James ii. 8. If ye fulfil xxxix. 1. And the Lord said unto the royal law, according to the Moses, Hew thee two tables of Ilone scripture, Thou malç love thy like unto the first; and I will write neighbour as thyself, ye do well upon these tables the words that v. 10. For whosoever hall keep the were in the first tables which thou whole law, and yet offend in one brakeft. point, he is guilty of all. v, 11. For c Mat. xxii. 37. Jesus said uniQ he that faiz, Do not commit adul. him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy tery; faid also, Do not kill. Now if God with all thy heart, and with all thou commit noadultery, yee if thou thy foul, and with all thy mind. v. kill, thou art become a tran!greffor 38. This is the first avd great comof the law. 5. 12. So speak ye, and mandment. v. 39. And the second to do, as they that shall be judgei is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy

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benefits d; and partly holding forth divers instructions of mo-sal duties e All which ceremonial laws are now abrogated under the New Testament f.

IV. To them also, as a body politic, he gave fundry judicial laws, which expired together with the state of that people, nor obliging any other 110w, further than the general equity thereof may require g.

V. The

neighbour as thyself. 5. 40. On in drink, or in respect of an holy these two commandments hang all day, or of the new moon, or of the law and the prophets.

the fabbath-days, v. 17. Which III. d (Heb.ix. chapter.) Heb. x. are a shadow of things to come, but 1. For the law. having a shadow of the body is of Chrilt. Dan, ix. good things to come, and not the 27. And he shall confirm the cove. very image of the things, can never nant with many for one week : and with thole sacrifices, which they of- in the midst of the week, he shall fered year by year continually, make cause the sacrifice and the oblation the comers thereunto perfed. Gal. to ceale; and for the overspreading iv, i. Now I say that the heir as long of abominations, he thall make it as he is a child, differeth nothing defolate, even until the conlumatifrom a servant, though he be lord on, and that determined shall be of all: v. 2. But is under tutors poured upon the desolate. Eph. and governors, until the time ap. ii. 15. Haviog abulished in bis felh pointed of the Father. V. 3. Even the enmity, even the law of comto we, when we were children, were mandments, contained in ordiin bondage under the elements of nances, for to make in himself of the world, Col. ii, 17. Which are twain, one new man, so making a shadow of things to come; but the peace ; v. 16. And that he might body is of Christ.

reconcile both unto God in one bo. ei Cor. v. 7. Purge out therefore dy by the cross, having flain the enthe old leaven, that ye may be a nity thereby, new lemp, as ye are unleavened : IV.8(Exod. xxi. chapter. Exod. for even Christ our pasforer is facri- xxiij. to the 29. verse : See both ia ficed for us. 2 Cor. vi, 17. Where the Bible.) Gen. xlix. 10. The scey: fore come out from among them, tre shall not depart from Judah, nor and be ye separate, faith the Lord, a lawgiver from between his feet, and touch not the unclean thing; uoril Shiloh come; and unto him and I will receive you. Jude 23. shall the gathering of the people be. And others fave with fear, pulling With 1 Pet. ii. 13. Submit yourselves them out of the fire: hating even

to every ordinance of man for the the garments spotted by the flesh. Lord's sake, whether it be to the

f Col. ii. 14. Blotting out the king, as fupreme ; v. 14. Or unto hand-writing of ordinances, that governors, as unto thein that are was against us, which was contrary sent by him, for the punishment of to us, and took it out of the way, evil-doers, and for the praise of nailing it to his cross. V. 16. Let no them that do well. Mat. v. 17. mag therefore judge you in meat of Think not that I am corne to de