a curfe for us: for it is written, Curfed is every one that bangeth on a tree that the bleffing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jefus Chrift; that we might fecei the promife of the Spirit through faith, Gal. iii.

13. 14.

2.) To a rule of life unto them, wherein they may exprefs their gratitude by obeying the law of Chrift. So the law leads to Chrift as a Redeemer from its curfe and condemnation, and he leads back to the law as a directory, the rule and standard of their obedience to him.

Object. But does not the apoftle fay, Rom. vi. 14. Te are not under the law, but under grace? and Gal. v. 22.23. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, &c.-against fuch there is no law?..

Anf. Believers are not under the law as a covenant of works, to be either juftified or condemned thereby. For the apoftle fays, Christ hath redeemed us from the curfe of the law, being made a curfe for us, Gal. iii. 13; and that there is no condemnation to them which are in Chrift Fefus. They are neither under the commanding nor the condemning power of that law, feeing Chrift has given perfect obedience to it as a covenant of works, fo that under that character it can have no thing to demand of them; and has fully fatisfied all its demands in point of punishment, having fuffered the very penalty threatened therein. So that as a covenant of works. they are entirely delivered from it. And as to the fruits of the Spirit in them, they are the product of the Spirit, agreeable to the will and law of God; and no law can be against them, feeing they are agreeable to the very letter and fpirit thereof. But believers are ftill under the law as a rule of life, according to which they are to regulate their hearts and lives. It is the pole ftar that muft direct their courfe to heaven, and is of fingular ufe to provoke and excite them to gratitude to Chrift, who hath perfectly fulfilled it in their room and ftead.

I fhall conclude by drawing a few inferences from what has been faid.

Inf. 1. That the Pope is Antichrift, and that man of fin, who fhews himself as if he were God, by commanding things contrary to and inconfiftent with the moral law, 2 Theff. ii. 3. 4. The Papists add canons and traditions to the moral law, as if it were in itself an imperfect rule of manners. This is taxing God's wif dom and goodnefs, as if he knew not how to make his own laws, or would not give a fufficient and com plete rule to his creatures. This is a provoking fin in the fight of God; and a moft dangerous thing it is to add to or impair his holy law. See Rev. xxii. 18. 19. 2. Is the moral law the rule of our obedience, to which we ought to conform ourselves in heart and converfation? then what ground of reproof is there here to many among you? Are there not many who caft God's words behind their backs, and trample upon his commandments? Some fet up their carnal wisdom, as the ftandard and rule of their actions, and regulate themselves by the dictates of their corrupt reafon. O. thers iubject themfelves to the law of their lufts and paffions. They ftudy to fulfil the defires of their flefhly mind, and to gratify their fenfual appetite; but have no regard to the holy law of God. They break all thefe cords, and caft all the divine commands from them. This their way is their great fin and folly, exposes them to the wrath of God, and fooner or later will bring down heaven's vengeance on their guilty heads.

3. It is neceffary the law be preached, in order to convince men of their fin, and inability to yield per fect obedience to it, that they may betake themselves to jefus Chrift, who hath fulfilled all righteousness for every one that will come to him for deliverance from fin and the wrath to come. It is neceifary to be fludied and known by all who would attain to true holinefs both in heart and life, which principally lies in a fincere and upright obedience to the whole law of

God, in dependence upon the grace that is in Jefus Chrift. The law is a lamp to their feet, and a light to their path; and the more they study it in its fpirituality and extent, the more vigorously will they prefs after conformity to it.

4. Let us remember we are under a law in whatever cafe we be. And therefore our actions are a feed that will have a proportionable harvest. And there will be a day of judgement, wherein every man's works and actions fhall be narrowly examined. Let us therefore ftudy to conform ourfelves to the holy law of God, being holy as God is holy, and exercifing ourselves to keep confciences void of offence both towards God and towards man.

The moral Law fummarily comprehended in the ten Commandments.

TH

MATTHEW xix. 17.

If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments, HIS is Chrift's anfwer to a felf-jufticiary, who expected life by the works of the law, Chrift, to convince him of his folly, fends him to the law, faying, If thou wilt enter into life, keep the command

ments."

There are only two things which I take notice of here for our purpose. 1. That by the commandments are understood the ten commandments, ver. 18. where feveral of them are specified. 2. That under these commandments he comprehends the whole moral law; for this refolution of the young man's queftion is founded on that, Gal. iii. 12. The man that doth them fhall live in them; compared with ver. 10. For as many as are of the works of the law, are under the curfe. The man had deceived himself in taking the commandments only according to the letter, and therefore

thought he had kept them; but Chrift finds him out new work in these commandments which he had not thought of.

The doctrine I obferve from the text, is,

DOCT. "The moral law is fummarily comprehend"ed in the ten commandments."

In difcourfing from this fubject I fhall fhew,
I. How the commandments were given.

II. Why the law was thus given and renewed. III. How the moral law is fummarily comprehended in the ten commandments.

IV. Lastly, Apply.

I. I fhall fhew how the moral law, or ten commandments were given. There are ten commandments, not more nor fewer, as appears from Deut. x. 4. where they are exprefsly called ten. And therefore the Papifts who in fome fort leave out the fecond, fplit the tenth into two, to make up the number. They were given to the Ifraelites after they came out of their Egyptian bondage; for they that caft off Satan's yoke, muft take on the Lord's. They were given two ways, 1. By an audible voice from the Lord on mount Sinai, accompanied with great terror. Never was law given in fuch a folemn manner, with fuch dread and awful majefty, Exod. xix. Deut. iv. 5. Heb. xii. 18. The people were commanded to wash their cloaths before the law was delivered to them. By this, as in a type, the Lord required the fanctifying of their ears and hearts to receive it. There were bounds and limits fet to the mount, that it might breed in the people dread and reverence to the law, and to God the holy and righteous Lawgiver, There were great thunderings and lightnings. The artillery of heaven was fhot off at that folemnity, and there fore it is called a fiery law. The angels attended at the delivery of this law. The heavenly militia, to fpeak fo, were all mustered out on this important occa

fion. In a word, the law was promulgated with the marks of iupreme majefty; God by all this fhewing how vain a thing it is for finners to expect life by the works of the law; and thereby alfo fhewing the neceffity of a mediator.

men.

2. The ten commandments were written on two tables of ftone, and that by the finger of God himself. This writing them on ftone might hold out the perpetuity of that law, and withal the hardnefs of mens hearts. There were two tables that were given to Mofes, writ ten immediately by God himfelf, Exod. xxxi. ult. Thofe Mofes brake, chap. xxxii. 16. 19. plainly holding out the entertainment they would get amongst Then other two tables were hewn by Mofes, yet written by the finger of God, chap. xxxiv. 1.; for by the law is the finner hewed, but by the Spirit of gofpel-grace is the law written on the heart. These two tables were afterwards laid up in the ark of the covenant, in order to be fulfilled by Chrift, who is the end of the law for righteoufnefs to every one that believeth. This writing of the law upon tables of ftone, is juftly fuppofed to have been the firft writing in the world; and therefore this noble and useful invention was of divine origin, and the foundation of all Mofes's after writings, which have been fo ufeful to the church in all ages,

II. I fhall fhew why the law was thus given and

renewed.

1. For the confirmation of the natural law. For though there was no need of fuch a confirmation of the law while man ftood, yet fuch was the darkness of the mind, the rebellion of the will, and diforder of the affections and other faculties, that there remained only fome relics of it, which that they might not allo be loft, the ten commandments were given.

2. That the fame might be corrected in those things wherein it was corrupted by the fall, or defective, And indeed there was great need of it in this refpect.