2._____ The same law that was first written in the heart of man continued
to be a perfect rule of righteousness after the fall, and was delivered
by God upon Mount Sinai, in ten commandments, and written in two tables,
the four first containing our duty towards God, and the other six, our
duty to man.
(
Romans
2:14, 15; Deuteronomy
10:4 )
3._____ Besides this law, commonly called moral, God was pleased to
give to the people of Israel ceremonial laws, containing several typical
ordinances, partly of worship, prefiguring Christ, his graces, actions,
sufferings, and benefits; and partly holding forth divers instructions
of moral duties, all which ceremonial laws being appointed only to the
time of reformation, are, by Jesus Christ the true Messiah and only law-giver,
who was furnished with power from the Father for that end abrogated and
taken away.
(
Hebrews
10:1; Colossians
2:17; 1
Corinthians 5:7; Colossians
2:14, 16, 17; Ephesians
2:14, 16 )
4._____ To them also he gave sundry judicial laws, which expired together
with the state of that people, not obliging any now by virtue of that institution;
their general equity only being of moral use.
(
1
Corinthians 9:8-10 )
5._____ The moral law doth for ever bind all, as well justified persons
as others, to the obedience thereof, and that not only in regard of the
matter contained in it, but also in respect of the authority of God the
Creator, who gave it; neither doth Christ in the Gospel any way dissolve,
but much strengthen this obligation.
(
Romans
13:8-10; James
2:8, 10-12; James
2:10, 11; Matthew
5:17-19; Romans
3:31 )
6._____ Although true believers be not under the law as a covenant of
works, to be thereby justified or condemned, yet it is of great use to
them as well as to others, in that as a rule of life, informing them of
the will of God and their duty, it directs and binds them to walk accordingly;
discovering also the sinful pollutions of their natures, hearts, and lives,
so as examining themselves thereby, they may come to further conviction
of, humiliation for, and hatred against, sin; together with a clearer sight
of the need they have of Christ and the perfection of his obedience; it
is likewise of use to the regenerate to restrain their corruptions, in
that it forbids sin; and the threatenings of it serve to shew what even
their sins deserve, and what afflictions in this life they may expect for
them, although freed from the curse and unallayed rigour thereof. The promises
of it likewise shew them God's approbation of obedience, and what blessings
they may expect upon the performance thereof, though not as due to them
by the law as a covenant of works; so as man's doing good and refraining
from evil, because the law encourageth to the one and deterreth from the
other, is no evidence of his being under the law and not under grace.
(
Romans
6:14; Galatians
2:16; Romans
8:1;Romans
10:4; Romans
3:20;Romans
7:7, etc; Romans
6:12-14; 1
Peter 3:8-13 )
7._____ Neither are the aforementioned uses of the law contrary to the
grace of the Gospel, but do sweetly comply with it, the Spirit of Christ
subduing and enabling the will of man to do that freely and cheerfully
which the will of God, revealed in the law, requireth to be done.
(
Galatians
3:21; Ezekiel
36:27 )