Evan. But whether do you mean that law, as it is the matter of the law of works, or as it is the matter of the law of Christ?

Ant. Surely, Sir, I conceive, that the ten commandments are no way to be a rule of life to a believer; for Christ hath delivered him from them.

Evan. But the truth is, the law of the ten commandments, as it is the matter of the law of Christ, ought to be a rule of life to a believer;* and therefore, you, having affirmed to the contrary, have also erred from the truth.

The law of the ten commands, being the natural law, was written on Adam's heart in his creation; while as yet it was neither the law of works, nor the law of Christ, in the sense wherein these terms are used in scripture, and by our author. But after man was created, and put into the garden, this natural law, having, unto man liable to fall away from God, a threatening of eternal death in case of disobedience, had also a promise of eternal life annexed to it, in case of obedience, in virtue of which, he, having done his work, might thereupon plead and demand the reward of eternal life. Thus it became the law of works, whereof the ten commands were, and are still, the matter. All mankind being ruined by the breach of this law, Jesus Christ obeys and dies in the room of the elect, that they might be saved. They being united to him by faith, are, through his obedience and satisfaction imputed to them, freed from eternal death, and become heirs of everlasting life: So that the law of works, being fully satisfied, expires as to them, as it would have done of course, in the case of Adam's having stood the time of his trial (see chap. 2, sect 2.) how beit it remains in full force, as to unbelievers. But the natural law of the ten commands (which can never expire or determine, but obligeth in all possible states of the creature, in earth, heaven and hell) is, from that moment the law of works expires as to believers, issued forth to them (still liable to infirmities, though not falling away like Adam) in the channel of the covenant of grace, bearing a promise of help to obey, Ezek. 36: 27. and, agreeable to their state before the Lord, having ar nexed to it a promise of the tokens of God's fatherly love, for the sake of Christ, in case of that obedience; and a threatening of God's fatherly dis pleasure, in case of their disobedience. John 14: 21. "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me, shall be loved of my Father; and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." Psal. 89: 31, 32, 33. "If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; then will I visit their transgressions with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless, my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail." Thus it becomes the law of Christ to them; of which law also the same ten commands are likewise the matter. In the threatenings of this law, there is no revenging wrath: and in the promises of it, no proper conditionality of works: But here is the order in the covenant of grace, to which the law of Christ belongs; a beautiful order, of grace, obedience, particular favors, and chastisements for disobedience. Thus the ten commands stand, both in the law of works, and in the law of

!

Nom. The truth is, Sir, I must confess, I never took any notice of this threefold law; which, it seems, is mentioned in the New Testament.

Ant. And I must confess, if I took any notice of them, I never understood them.

Evan. Well, give me leave to tell you, that so far as any man comes short of the true knowledge of this threefold law;* so far he comes short, both of the true knowledge of God, and of himself: and therefore, I wish you both to consider it.

Nom. Sir, if it be so, you may do well to be a means to inform us, and help us to the true knowledge of this threefold law: and therefore, I pray you, first tell us what is meant by the law of works.

CHAPTER I.

OF THE LAW OF WORKS, OR, COVENANT OF WORKS. 1. The nature of the covenant of works. 2. Adam's fall. 3. The sinfulness and misery of mankind by the fall. 4. No recovery by the law or covenant of works. 5. The covenant of works binding, though broken.

1. Evan. THE law of works, opposed to the law of faith,† Rom. 3:27. holds forth as much as the covenant of works: for it is manifest, says Musculus, that the word, which signifieth covenant or bargain, is put for law: so that you see, the law of works is as much as to say, the covenant of works. The which covenant the Lord made with all mankind, in Adam,

Christ, at the same time; being the common matter of both. But as they are the matter of (i. e. stand in) the law of works, they are actually a part of the law of works; howbeit, as they are the matter of, or stand in, the law of Christ, they are actually a part, not of the law of works, but of the law of Christ. And as they stand in the law of Christ, our author expressly asserts against the Antinomian, that they ought to be a rule of life to a believer; as they stand in the law of works, he justly denies against the legalist. Even as when one and the same crime stands forbidden in the laws of different independent kingdoms; it is manifest, that the rule of life to the subjects, in that particular, is the prohibition, as it stands in the law of that kingdom whereof they are subjects respectively, and not as it stands in the law of that kingdom of which they are not subjects.

*Not of the terms, here used to express it; but of the things thereby meant, to wit, the covenant of works, the covenant of grace, and the law as a rule of life to believers; in whatever terms these things be expressed. + Ball on the covenant of grace, p. 9. Com. Pla. Eng. p. 118.

"* In

before his fall: the sum of which was, "Do this, and thou shalt live; and if thou do it not, thou shalt die the death." which covenant there was first contained, a precept, Do this; secondly, a promise joined unto it, If thou do it, thou shalt live; thirdly, a like threatening, If thou do it not, thou shalt die the death. Imagine, saith Musculus, that God had said to Adam, Lo, to the intent that thou mayest live, I have given thee liberty to eat, and have given thee abundantly to eat: Let all the fruits of paradise be in thy power, one tree except, which see thou touch not, for that I keep to mine own authority: the same is the tree of knowledge of good and evil; if thou touch it, the meat thereof shall not be life, but death.

Nom. But, Sir, you said that the law of the ten commandments, or moral law, may be said to be the matter of the law of works; and you have also said, that the law of works, is as much as to say, the covenant of works: by which it seems to me, you hold that the law of the ten commandments, was the matter of the covenant of works; which God made with all mankind, in Adam, before his fall.

Evan. That is a truth agreed upon by all authors and interpreters, that I know. And indeed the law of works (as a learned author says) signifies the moral law; and the moral law, strictly and properly taken, signifies the covenant of works.§

* Lev. 18: 5. Gen. 2: 17. Ames. Med. Eng. p. 48.

+ Com. Pla. p.

31.

Downham on Justif. pp. 443. 465.

§ The moral law is an ambiguous term among divines. 1. The moral law is taken for the decalogue or ten commands simply. So the law in ten commandments, is owned to be commonly called the moral law. Westm. Conf. Chap. 19. Art. 2, 3. And thus our author hath hitherto used that term, reckoning the moral law not the covenant of works itself, but only the matter of it. 2. The moral law is taken for the ten commands, having the promise of life, and threatening of death annexed to them; that is, for the law (or covenant) of works. Thus the moral law is described to be, "The declaration of the will of God to mankind, directing and binding every one to personal, perfect, and perpetual conformity and obedience thereunto, in the frame and disposition of the whole man, soul and body, and in performance of all these duties of holiness and righteousness which he oweth to God and man; promising life upon the fulfilling, and threatening death upon the breach of it." Larg. Cat. quest 93. That this is the covenant of works, is clear from the Westm. Conf. chap. 19, art. 1. "God 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 threatened

Nom. But, Sir, what is the reason you call it but the matter of the covenant of works?

Evan. The reason why, I rather choose to call the law of the ten commandments, the matter of the covenant of works, than the covenant itself, is, because I conceive that the matter of it cannot properly be called the covenant of works, except the form be put upon it; that is to say, except the Lord require, and man undertake to yield perfect obedience thereunto, upon condition of eternal life and death.

And therefore till then, it was not a covenant of works, between God and all mankind in Adam. As for example, you know, that although a servant* has ability to do a master's work; and though a master has wages to bestow upon him for it: yet is there not a covenant between them, till they have thereupon agreed. Even so, though man at the first had power to yield perfect and perpetual obedience to all the ten commandments; and God had an eternal life to bestow upon him: yet was there not a covenant between them till they had thereupon agreed.

Nom. But, Sir, you know there is no mention made in the book of Genesis, of this covenant of works; which, you say was made with man at first.

Evan. Though we read not the word covenant between God and man, yet have we there recorded what may amount to as much. For God provided, and promised to Adam, eternal happiness, and called for perfect obedience; which appears from God's threatening, Gen. 11: 17. For since man

death upon the breach of it." And this our author owns to be the sense of that term, strictly and properly taken; the reason of which I conceive to be, that the moral law properly signifying the law of manners, answers to the scripture term the law of works, by which is meant the covenant of works. And if he had added, that, in this sense, believers are delivered from it, he had said no more, than the Larger Catechism does, in these words, "They that are regenerate, and believe in Christ, are delivered from the moral law, as a covenant of works." Quest. 97. But in the mean time, it is evident, he does not here use that term in this sense; and in the next paragraph, save one, he gives a reason why.

*Not a hired servant, for there is a covenant between such an one and the master; but a bond servant, bought with money, of another person, or born in the master's house; who is obliged to serve his master, and is liable to punishment in case he do not, but cannot demand wages, since there is no covenant between them.

This was the case of mankind, with relation to the Creator, before the Covenant of works was made.

+ Ball on the Covenant, p. 6,

must die if he disobeyed, it implies strongly, that God's covenant was with him, for life, if he obeyed.

Nom. But, Sir, you know the word covenant signifies a mutual promise, bargain, and obligation, between two parties.* Now though it is implied, that God promised man, life, if he obeyed; yet we read not, that man promised to be obedient.

Evan. I pray take notice, that God does not always tie man to verbal expressions:† but often contracts the covenant in real impressions, in the heart and frame of the creature;‡ and this was the manner of covenanting with man at the first:|| for God had furnished his soul with an understanding mind,§ by which he might discern good from evil, and right from wrong; and not only so, but also in his will was most great up. rightness, and his instrumental parts,** were orderly framed to obedience. The truth is, God did engrave in man's soul, wisdom and knowledge of his will and works, and integrity in the whole soul, and such a fitness in all the powers thereofs that neither the mind did conceive, nor the heart desire,†† nor the body put in execution, any thing, but that which was acceptable to God: so that man, endued with these qualities, was able to serve God perfectly.

Nom. But, Sir, how could the law of the ten commandments be the matter of this covenant of works; when they were not written, as you know, till the time of Moses?

Evan. Though they were not written in tables of stone, until the time of Moses;‡‡ yet were they written in the tables

* Walker on the Covenant, p. 39.

+ Ball on the Covenant, p. 5.

The soul approving, embracing, and consenting to, the covenant; which, without any more, is plain language, though not to man, yet unto God, who knoweth the heart.

The covenant being revealed to man, created after God's own image, he could not but perceive the equity and benefit of it; and so heartily approve, embrace, accept, and consent to it. And this accepting is plainly intimated in Eve's words to the serpent, Gen. 3: 2, 3. "We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it; neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die."

§ Calv. Inst. fol. Eng. p. 8.

Eccl. 7: 29.

** Executive faculties and powers, by which the good known and will ed was to be done.

++ Basting, Cat. p. 8.

#Ursin. Cat. p. 517. Calv. Inst. p. 190. Col. 3: 10. Eph.4: 24