(1.) It informs us of the holy nature and will of God, and of our duty
to him. This is the first idea we have of a law[199], which signifies
more especially a doctrine; and, as the subject-matter thereof, respects
our being taught what we are obliged to, as commanded by a law-giver, it
signifies a law. The divine perfections are eminently instamped on it in
very legible characters; his sovereignty, as having a right to demand
obedience; his holiness in the matter thereof, and in the obligation we
are herein laid under to be _holy in all conversation; because it is
written, be ye holy, for I am holy_, 1 Pet. i. 15, 16. and therefore
this perfection is set forth in those threatnings that are annexed to
it, whereby _the wrath of God is revealed against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men_, Rom. i. 18. As it is designed to discover our
secret faults, that we may be humbled for them, and hereby a multitude
of sins may be prevented, so it not only sets forth the holiness, but
the goodness of God; and indeed there is nothing enjoined therein as our
duty, but what includes in it some advantage. Thus the Psalmist
describes it as _more to be desired than gold, yea, than much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey and the honey comb; and adds, that in keeping
thereof, there is great reward_, Psal. xix. 10, 11.
(2.) The moral law is of use to all men, as it binds them to perform
that which is therein enjoined as matter of duty, which is another idea
contained in a law, _viz._ as it is that which binds the consciences of
men, that so we may not vainly and presumptuously conclude, to our own
destruction, that we may live as we list, or say, who is Lord over us?
It is a great instance of the care and goodness of God, that he has
taken this method to prevent that ruin which would arise from our
withdrawing the allegiance which we owe to him, and lay us under the
strictest engagement to seek after that blessedness which is connected
with obedience to him.
(3.) We are hereby convinced of our inability to keep the law, and of
the sinful pollution of our nature, hearts, and lives, as an expedient
to humble us under the sense of sin and misery. The law being spiritual,
we are thereby convinced that _we are carnal_, and _sold under sin_, as
the apostle expresses it, Rom. vii. 14. And he also says, _I had not
known sin, but by the law_, ver. 7. When we consider ourselves as being
obliged to yield perfect obedience, and compare our hearts and lives
therewith, we shall see nothing but holiness and purity on the one hand,
and a wretched mass of corruption and impurity on the other. God demands
perfect obedience; and we are unable, of ourselves, to perform any
obedience. And our best duties being attended with many imperfections,
we are hereby led to be humbled under a sense of sin, whatever thoughts
we, before this, had of ourselves. When _the law enters, sin_ will
_abound_, chap. v. 20. and if we were apprehensive that we were alive,
as the apostle expresseth it, _without the law; when the commandment
comes, sin_ will _revive and we die_, chap. vii. 9. and see ourselves
exposed to the miseries threatened to those that violate it.
(4.) From hence arises a clear sight of the need that persons have of
Christ, and of the perfection of his obedience. When we find ourselves
condemned by the law, and that righteousness is not to be attained by
our own obedience to it, then we are led to see our need of seeking it
elsewhere; and when the gospel gives us a discovery of Christ, as
ordained by God, to procure for us righteousness, or a right to eternal
life by his obedience, this will shew us the need we have of faith in
him, whereby we derive from him that which could not be attained by our
own conformity to the law.
2. The moral law is of use in particular to the unregenerate. We have
considered, under the former head, that it is of use to all men (among
whom the unregenerate are included) as it gives them a discovery of the
pollution and guilt of sin; and now we are led to enquire into the
consequence hereof. Sin may be charged on the conscience, and the guilt
thereof make it very uneasy, so that a person may apprehend himself
under the condemning sentence of the law, and yet receive no saving
advantage hereby; he may have a sight of sin, and not be truly humbled
for it or turned from it. In some, corruption is hereby excited, and the
soul grows worse than it was before; thus the apostle says, _sin taking
occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence_,
ver. 8. Others, when filled with a dread of the wrath of God, are
inclined to stretch out their hand against him, and strengthen
themselves against the Almighty; resolving, some way or other, to
disentangle themselves, though they render their condition much worse
thereby. These are compared to _a wild bull in a net, full of the fury
of the Lord_, Isa. li. 20. or, as our Saviour says concerning Paul,
before his conversion, _they kick against the pricks_, Acts ix. 5. Every
step they take to free themselves from the horrible pit and miry clay,
into which they are cast, sinks them deeper into it. Others are
convinced of sin by the law, and, at the same time, despair of obtaining
mercy; they complain with Cain, _My punishment is greater than I can
bear_, Gen. iv. 13. or, as it is in the margin, _Mine iniquity is
greater than that it may be forgiven._ These see themselves lost, or
condemned by the law, but have no sight of Christ as coming into the
world to save sinners, or, at least, the chief of them. The wound is
opened, but there are no healing medicines applied. But there are others
whose condition is no less dangerous, in whom the _wound is healed
slightly_, who _say, Peace, peace, when there is no peace_, Jer. vi. 14.
They are indeed, convinced of sin, and this is attended sometimes with
an external humiliation, arising from the dread of God’s judgments. This
effect it had in Pharaoh, Exod. x. 16, 17. and Ahab, 1 Kings xxi. 27-29.
and they are willing to part with some particular sins, while they
indulge others, that by this partial reformation they may free
themselves from the condemning sentence of the law; but all this is to
no purpose, sin gains strength hereby, and the guilt thereof is still
increased. This is a wrong method taken to flee from the wrath to come;
and therefore, when these convictions of sin have a good issue, in
flying from it, they have recourse to Christ. This is called a being
driven to Christ; by which we are to understand that they see themselves
under an unavoidable necessity of going to him, as not being able to
find peace or solid rest elsewhere. But since this effect is, in a
peculiar manner, ascribed to the gospel, the law being only the remote
means hereof, I would rather express it by their being drawn to him, or
encouraged by the grace contained therein, to close with him by faith;
and then the work is rendered effectual, and convictions end in a saving
conversion. But if it be otherwise, or they apply themselves to indirect
means, to ease themselves of the burden that lies on them, they are
farther described as left inexcusable, and still remaining under the
curse and condemning sentence of the law.
3. The moral law is of use to the regenerate. In considering which it
may be observed; that there is something supposed in the answer, which
treats on this subject, namely, that they who believe in Christ are
delivered from it as a covenant of works; which is the only sense in
which we are to understand those scriptures, which speak of believers as
_not_ being _under the law_, Rom. vi. 14. and being _dead to the law_,
chap. vii. 4. as _being redeemed from the curse thereof_, Gal. iii. 13.
The moral law is to be considered in two respects, as a rule of life,
and so no one is delivered from it; or else, as a covenant of works, in
the same sense in which it was given to man in innocency, the condition
of which was his performing perfect obedience, in default whereof he was
liable to a sentence of death. In this latter respect a believer is
delivered from it.
This is the great privilege that such are made partakers of in the
gospel; which sets forth Christ as our Surety, performing perfect
obedience for us, and enduring the curse we were liable to; so that
though it was a covenant of works to him, it ceases to be so to them who
are interested in him; and accordingly it is farther added, that they
are hereby neither justified nor condemned. Not justified; thus the
apostle says, _By the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified_,
Rom. iii. 20. This is therefore only to be expected from him who is _the
Lord our righteousness_, Jer. xxiii. 6. _in whom all the seed of Israel
shall be justified, and glory_, Isa. xlv. 25. Nor are they condemned by
the law; for that is inconsistent with a justified state; as the apostle
says, _There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus_, Rom.
viii. 1. However, we must distinguish between a believer’s actions being
condemned by the law, or his being reproved thereby, and laid under
conviction, for sins daily committed; and his being in a condemned
state, according to the sentence thereof. We are far from denying that a
believer is under an obligation to condemn or abhor himself, that is, to
confess that he deserves to be condemned, by God, for the sins that he
commits, which, if he should mark, or punish him according to the
demerit of, he could not stand. Thus the Psalmist says, though speaking
of himself as a believer, and consequently in a justified state, _Enter
not into judgment with thy servant; for in thy sight shall no man living
be justified_, Psal. cxliii. 2. This a believer may say, and yet not
conclude himself to be in a state of condemnation; inasmuch as he sees
himself, by faith, to have ground to determine that he is delivered
from, and so not condemned by the law, as a covenant of works.
Moreover, it is observed, on the other hand, in the answer under our
present consideration, that the moral law is of use to a believer, in
those respects in which it is of use to all men; and therefore he is
laid under the strictest obligation to perform all the duties which we
owe to God and man, and to be humbled for those defects which he has
reason to charge himself with, which call for the daily exercise of
repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ.
But as to the special use of the moral law to those who are regenerate,
as distinguished from all others, it is said to shew them how much they
are bound to Christ for his fulfilling it, and enduring the curse
thereof in their stead, and for their good. Thus _Christ is_ said to be
_the end of the law for righteousness_, Rom. x. 4. that is, he has
answered the end and demand of the law, by performing that obedience
which it requires, and thereby procuring a justifying righteousness,
which is applied to every one that believes. This lays them under a
superadded obligation to obedience, peculiar to them as believers; so
that they are not only engaged to the practice of universal holiness,
from the consideration of the sovereignty of God commanding in common
with all others, but from _the love of Christ_, which does as it were
_constrain them_ hereunto, 2 Cor. v. 14. And hereby they are said to be
provoked to more thankfulness, as they have greater inducements hereunto
than any others; and this gratitude cannot be better expressed than by
the utmost care to approve themselves to him in all things. Therefore
the grace of God is so far from leading to licentiousness, that all who
have experienced it, are hereby put upon the exercise of that obedience
which they owe to God as their rightful Lord and Sovereign, and to
Christ as their gracious Redeemer, whom they love entirely; and
therefore keep his commandments.
I cannot but here take occasion to observe, not only with dislike, but a
just indignation, how some, under a pretence of religion, sap the very
foundation of it, while they frequently make mention of the gospel, and
the liberty wherewith Christ has made his people free, and at the same
time abuse it, not only by practising, but pleading for licentiousness.
The Epicureans were libertines among the Heathen, and the Sadducees
among the Jews; but these were vile and profligate out of principle;
either denying the being of a God, or disowning his perfections as well
as future rewards and punishments; and therefore it is no wonder they
had no regard to the divine law. But I want words to express the
wickedness of those who pervert the gospel of Christ, as though that
exempted them from the obligation which all are under to universal
obedience.
The apostle had to do with some such in his day; and therefore he
represents them as saying, _Is the law sin?_ that is, since we are
delivered from the condemning sentence thereof, may we not take
encouragement from thence to sin? or, as he elsewhere brings them in as
saying, _Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?_ chap. vi. 1.
To both which he replies, with the greatest detestation, _God forbid_.
After this, in an early age of the church, the Nicolaitans, Rev. ii. 6.
and Gnostics, and among them, the Valentinians held these pernicious
opinions, and encouraged themselves in the practice of the greatest
immoralities[200]. And Augustin speaks of the Aetians and Eunomians, who
lived in his time, who pretended that any one who persisted in the
vilest crimes, would receive no detriment thereby, provided they adhered
to the sentiments which they advanced[201]. And there are many, in later
ages, whose sentiments have been, in this respect, subversive of all
religion; and from their denying the obligation we are under, to yield
obedience to the law of God, are justly called Antinomians.
However, that we may not appear to be unjust to the characters of men,
let it be considered, that we are not here speaking of the charge of
Antinomianism, which some, who defend or oppose the doctrines of grace,
bring against each other; as supposing that their respective sentiments
lead to licentiousness. The Papists and Pelagians pretend, though
unjustly, that the doctrine of predestination, efficacious grace, and
the final perseverance of the saints, is liable to this charge; while
they on the other hand, lay themselves open to the like charge, by
advancing doctrines which have the most pernicious tendency, as
subversive of practical godliness, in various instances; particularly
their asserting, that God in the gospel-covenant, dispenses with
imperfect obedience instead of perfect; and this is no other than what
we are able to perform without the aids of divine grace. But this we
pass over, leaving each party to defend their scheme from this
imputation.
As to others, who are more especially known by the character of
Antinomians, these are of two sorts, namely, such who openly maintain
that the moral law is not a rule of life in any sense; and that good
works are not to be insisted on as having any reference to salvation;
and therefore, if persons presume, as they, according to them, ought to
do, that Christ died for them, and they were justified before they had a
being, they may live in the practice of the greatest immoralities, or
give countenance to them that do so, without entertaining the least
doubt of their salvation; and that it is a preposterous thing for those
who thus presumptuously conclude themselves to be justified, to confess
themselves guilty of sin; since that would be to deny that they are in a
justified state, or in any sense, to pray for the pardon thereof; since
that would argue that it is not forgiven. Neither can they, with any
tolerable degree of patience, entertain the least exhortations to
practical godliness; because they pretend, that they are exempted from
the obligation to perform any branch thereof, by their not being under
the law. Nay, some of them have been so impudent, and daringly wicked,
as to assert, that if they should commit murder, adultery, or any other
crimes of the like nature, even this would be no bar in the way of their
salvation; nor the most vile sins that can be committed, do them any
hurt, or in the least affect their eternal state. I have, indeed,
sometimes thought that this representation of Antinomianism was no other
than a consequence, deduced from some absurd doctrines that have been
maintained; or that so much of hell could never put on the mask or shew
of religion in any degree; and that this character belonged to none but
those who are open and professed Atheists. But though my lot has not
been cast among persons of so vile a character, yet I have been
informed, by those whose souls have been grieved with such conversation,
that there are some in the world who thus set themselves against the law
of God.
There are others, indeed, who are styled Antinomians, whose conversation
is blameless, and are not therefore to be ranked with these men, or
judged Antinomians in practice; who, nevertheless, do great disservice
to the truth; and, it may be, give occasion to some to be licentious, by
advancing unguarded expressions, which will admit of a double
construction, without condescending to explain some bold positions,
which they occasionally lay down.
Thus when they maintain eternal justification, without considering it as
an immanent act in God, or as his secret determination, not to impute
sin to those who are given to Christ; but ascribe that to it, which is
only to be applied to justification, as it is the result of God’s
revealed will, in which respect it is said to be by faith: and when they
encourage persons from hence, to conclude that their state is safe; and
to maintain that it is the duty of every one to believe that he is thus
justified; this has certainly a tendency to lead some out of the way of
truth and holiness, whether they design it or no. And when others speak
diminutively of good works as though they were in no sense necessary to
salvation, because they are not the matter of our justification. This
may give occasion to some to think that they may be saved without them.
And when others deny the law to be a rule of life, or assert that
believers have nothing to do with it; though, it may be, they understand
nothing else by it, but that it is not that rule, according to which God
proceeds in justifying, or giving his people a right to eternal life;
or, that a believer is not under the law, as a covenant of works; yet
many would be ready to think the words had a different meaning, and so
be led out of the way thereby, how far soever this might be from their
intention. And if a person seems studiously to avoid confessing of sin,
or praying for forgiveness, some would be ready to judge of his
sentiments by his practice; and certainly our denying this to be a duty
in any sense, is not only contrary to scripture, but inconsistent with
that humility and faith which are essential to practical godliness. Or
when persons deny that self-examination is a duty; and speak of all
marks and evidences of grace, though never so just and agreeable to the
scripture-account thereof, as legal, or a low way, in order to a
person’s coming to the knowledge of himself; or suppose that they are
unnecessary, as being inconsistent with the Spirit’s testimony: This has
a tendency to lead to presumption, which is a degree of licentiousness.
Moreover, when they assert that God is not angry with his people for
their sins, nor, in any sense, punishes them for them, without
distinguishing between fatherly chastisements, and the stroke of
vindictive justice, or the external and sensible effects of that hatred
which God cannot but exercise against sin, and his casting them out of a
justified state: Such doctrines as these lead some persons to
licentiousness, whatever be the secret meaning of those that advance
them.
We have an instance of this, as the historian observes[202], in
Agricola, who was Luther’s towns-man, and great admirer; who, as it is
probable, did not thoroughly understand what he maintained concerning
the subserviency of the law to the gospel, and its having no place in
the justification of a sinner; or else, from some unguarded expressions,
which he was sometimes apt to make use of; this friend of his took
occasion to advance some Antinomian tenets, _viz._ that repentance ought
not to be urged from the consideration of the breach of the law; and
that the gospel ought to be preached to sinners before they are brought
under conviction by the law; and that how scandalous and debauched
soever persons be in their lives, yet, if they do but believe the
promises of the gospel, they shall be justified. In this, Agricola was
followed by a party of men; and accordingly Antinomianism is said to
have taken its rise, in this part of the world, from that time. Luther,
on the other hand, was forced to take a great deal of pains to rectify
his mistakes; which, though it tended to his conviction, yet it did not
put a stop to the spread of his errors, which he had before propagated.
As for those who were charged with Antinomianism in England, in the last
century, such as Dr. Crisp, Eaton, Saltmarsh, Town, and others, whatever
their design might be, and how much soever they were remote from the
charge of Antinomianism in practice; though it be alleged in their
vindication, by some, that the principal thing they had in view, was to
bear their testimony against the prevailing doctrine of Arminianism,
that was studiously propagated by some persons of great character and
influence in the nation: Nevertheless, we cannot but conclude, that they
had done more service to the cause of truth, had they been more cautious
in explaining their sentiments, and saved those, who had favourable
thoughts of them in other respects, the trouble of producing some
expressions out of their writings, to convince the world that they did
not hold those dangerous notions which were charged upon them: and it is
too evident to be denied, that many have taken them in the worst sense;
who have from hence been ready to charge the most important doctrines of
the gospel, as leading to licentiousness, and this has made some more
sparing in defending those truths which ought to have been insisted on,
and explained, though in other words more intelligible and
unexceptionable.
Footnote 198:
_It is a known maxim in the civil law, Cessante capacitate subditi non
cessat obligatia._
Footnote 199:
_Thus the word_ הודה, _is derived from_ ורה, didicit, _or_ viam
monstravit.
Footnote 200:
_Vid. Cov. Hist. lit. Tom. I. Page 30._
Footnote 201:
_Vid. Aug. de Hæres. Cap. liv. where speaking of Eunomius, he says,
Fertur etiam usque adeo fuisse bonis moribus inimicus, ut asseveraret,
quod nihil cuique obesset, quorumlibet perpetratio ac perseverantia
peccatorum, si hujus quæ ab illo docebatur, fidei particeps esset._
Footnote 202:
_See Slled. Comment. de Stat. Relig. & Repub. Lib._ xii.
Quest. XCVIII.