Sidor som bilder
PDF
ePub

by their good works, when the witneffes thereof fhall glorify your Father which is in heaven.'

3. He gives them no other rule for their new obedience than the moral law, fet down and explicated by Mofes and the prophets; Think not (faith he) that I am come to destroy the law and the prophets.'

[ocr errors]

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 mistaken by mens corrupt judgments, as if it did loofe or flacken the obligation of believers to obey the commands, and to be subject 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 firft to fanctify, and then to fave believers: Think not (faith he) that I am come to destroy the law and the prophets.'

5. He teacheth, that the end of the gofpel 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 obligation of the moral law, in all points, unto all holy duties, is perpetual, and fhall 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 beginning, fo fhall he have a care of them ftill to the world's end, that there fhall not one jot or one tittle of the substance 'thereof be taken away;' fo faith the text, Verfe 1 8.

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

9. That the righteousness of every true Chriftian must be

more

more than the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharifees; for the Scribes and Pharifees, albeit they took great pains to difcharge fundry duties of the law, yet they cutted short the expofition thereof, that it might the less condemn their practice; they studied the outward part of the duty, but neglected the inward and fpiritual part; they difcharged 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 must acknowledge the full extent of the fpiritual meaning of the law, and have a refpect to all the commandments, and labour to cleanfe himself from all filthinefs of flesh and spirit, and not lay weight upon what fervice he hath done, or fhall do,' but clothe himself with the imputed righteousness of Chrift, which only can hide his nakedness, or else he cannot be faved; fo faith the text, Except your righteousness,' &c.

[ocr errors]

The second thing requisite to evidence true faith is, that the believer endeavour to put the rules of godlinefs and righteousness in practice, and to grow in the daily exercise thereof, holden forth, 2 Pet. i. v.

AND befides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; Verse 6. And to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godlinefs; Verfe 7. And to godliness, brotherly-kindness; and to brotherly-kindness, charity. Verfe 8. For if these 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 apostle teacheth believers, for evidencing of precious faith in themselves, to endeavour to add to their faith seven other fifter graces; The firft is virtue, or the active exercise and practice of all moral duties, that fo faith may not be idle, but put forth itself in work. The fecond is know

[blocks in formation]

Tedge, 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 where to 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 exercifes of religion, inward and outward; whereby he may be furnifhed from God, for all other duties which he hath to do. The fixth is brotherly-kindness, which keepeth estimation of, and affection to, all the houshold of faith, and to the image of God in every one wherefoever is 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.

3. He affureth all profeffed believers, that as they fhall profit in the obedience of this direction, fo they fhall profitably prove the foundness of their own faith; and if they want these 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 Chrift, &c. holden forth, 1 Tim. i. 5. NOW, the end of the commandment is love, out of a pure heart, and of a good confcience, and of faith unfeigned. Wherein the apoftle teacheth these seven doctrines;

1. That

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 impoffible that finners can be justified by the law, who, for every tranfgreffion, 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.

3. That the true end of the law, preached unto the people, is, that they, by the law, being made to fee their deserved condemnation, fhould flee to Chrift unfeignedly, to be juftified by faith in him; so faith the text, while it maketh love to flow through faith in Chrift.'

[ocr errors]

4. That no man can fet 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 Christ, as the end of the law for righteousness, fo often asit finds itself 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 uncleannefs, and to a fedfast 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 conscience good, and the heart pure, and the man lovingly obedient to the law; for, when Chrift's blood is seen by faith to quiet juftice, then the confcience becometh quiet alfo, and will not

Gg 3

fuffer

fuffer the heart to entertain the love of fin, but fets the man on work to fear God for his mercy, and to obey all his com mandments, out of love to God, for his free gift of juftifica tion, by grace beftowed 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 keep: ing ftrait communion with Chrift, the fountain of all graces, and of all good works; holden forth, John xv. 5.

I 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 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 himfelf, 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 yine (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 a mutual inhabitation of them in him, by faith and love; and of him in them, by his word and fpirit: for he joineth thefe 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 goodness, in God's estimation; 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 welldoing: For he that abideth in me, and I in him (faith he)

'the

« FöregåendeFortsätt »