31 Evan. But the law of the ten commandments, of moral law, may be either faid to be the matter of the law of works, or the matter of the law of Christ: and therefore I pray you tell me in whether of these fenfes you conceive it ought to be a rule of life to a believer? Nom. Sir, I muft confefs, I do not know what you mean by this diftinction: but this I know, that God requires that every Christian should frame and lead his life according to the rule of the ten commandments; the which if he do, then may he expect the bleffing of God both upon his own foul and body; and if he do not, then can be expect nothing else but his wrath and curfe upon them both. Evan. The truth is, neighbour Nomista, the law of the ten commandments, as it is the matter of the law of works, ought not to be a rule of life to a believer (b). But in thus faying, you have affirmed that it ought; and therefore therein you have erred from the truth. And now, friend Antinomista, that I may alfo know your judgment, when you fay the law ought not to be a rule of life to a believer, pray tell me what law you mean? Ant. Why, I mean the law of the ten command ments. 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 Chrift? he. Surch, ir. I do conceive, that the ten com PACKS E no way to be a rule of life to a beTere; or Cr bath delivered him from them. Fun. But the his, the law of the ten comwines as the matter of the law of Chrift, aught to be armee to a believer (c); and therefore, a pro Dead here in the cafe of Adam's having PARXAgate food the time of his trial, Rowbeit it remains in full debate is craton force as to unbelievers. Bur ret it was either the natural law of the ten erots ar the commands, (which can neCever expire or determine, but the term af egeth in all poffible states foda kopter, at brour of the creature, in earth, a after man was heaven, and hell) is, from created, and pet into the that momentthelawof works garden, this natural law, ba- expires as to believers, efving, unto man able to fall feed forth to them (still liaaway from God, a threating ble to infirmities, though of eternal death in cafe of not to falling away like Aduobedience, had aliða p dara) in the channel of the mufe of eternal hire ancexed covenant of grace, bearing to it in cafe of obedience; a 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 fill the matter. All mankind being ruined by the breach of this law, Jefus Chriftobeys and dies in the room of the elect, that they might be faved: they being united to him by faith, are, thro' his obedience and fatisfaction imputed to them, freed from eternal death, and beCome heirs of everlasting life: fo that the law of works, being fully fatisfied, expires as to them, as it would have done of courfe promife of help to obey (Ezek. xxxvi. 27.) and, agreeable to their flate before the Lord, having annexed to it a promife of the tokens of God's fatherly love, for the fake of Chrift, in cafe of that obedience; and a threatning of God's fatherly difpleafure in cafe of their disobedience, John xiv. 21. He that hath my commandments, and keep eth them, be it is that lo'veth me: and he that loIveth me, fhall be loved of my Father; and I will love him, and will manifeft myC felf to him.' Pfal. lxxxix. 31, 32, 33. If they break my ftatutes, and keep not my commandments; then ⚫ will I vifit their tranfgref fon 1 fore, you having affirmed to the contrary, have therein alfo erred from the truth. Nom. The truth is, fir, I muft confefs, I never took any notice of this threefold law, which, it seems, is mentioned in the New Teftament. Ant. And I must confefs, if I took any notice of them, I never understood them. Evan. Well, give me leave to tell you, that fo far forth as any man comes fhort of the true knowledge of this threefold law (d), so far forth he comes (hort ., both of the true knowledge of God and of himfelf; and therefore I wish you both to consider of it, fion with the rod, and their iniquity with ftripes. Nevertheless, my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor fuffer my faithfulness, to fail.' Thus it becomes the law of Chrift to them; of which law alfo the fame ten commands are likewife the matter. In the threatnings of this law there is no revenging wrath; and if the promifes of it no proper conditionality of works: but here is the order in the covenant of grace, to which the law of Chrift belongs; a beautiful order of grace, obedience, particularly favours, and chaftifements for difobedience. Thus the ten commands ftand, both in the law of works and in the law of Chrift at the fame time, being the common matter of both but as they are the matter of (i. e. ftand in) the law of works, they are actually a part of the law of works; howbeit, as they are the matter of, or ftand in, the law of Chrift, they are : C Nom. actually a part, not of the law of works, but of the law of Chrift. And as they stand in the law of Chrift, our author exprefly afferts, against the Antinomian, that They ought to be a rule of life to a believer; but that they ought to be a rule of life to a believer, as they ftand in the law of works, he juftly denies against the Legalift. Even as when one and the fame crime ftands forbidden in the laws of different independent kingdoms, it is manifeft that the rule of life to the fubjects in that particular is the prohibition, as it ftands in the law of that kingdom whereof they are fubjects refpectively, and not as it ftands in the law of that kingdom of which they are not fubjects. (d) Not of the terms here ufed to exprefs it by, 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 thefe things expreffed. Introd. § 2. Ant. Surely, fir, I do conceive, that the ten com. mandments are no way to be a rule of life to a believer; for Chrift hath delivered him from them. Evan. But the truth is, the law of the ten com mandments, as it is the matter of the law of Christ, ought to be a rule of life to a believer (c); and therefore, (c) 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 Chrift, in the fenfe wherein thefe terms are ufed in fcripture, and by our author. But after man was created, and put into the garden, this natural law, ha ving, unto man liable to fall away from God, a threatning of eternal death in cafe of difobedience, had alfo a promife of eternal life annexed to it in cafe of obedience in virtue of which he, ha ving 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 ftill the matter. All mankind being ruined by the breach of this law, Jefus Chrift obeys and dies in the room of the elect, that they might be faved: they being united ; in the cafe of Adam's having ftood the time of his trial, howbeit 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 poffible ftates of the creature, in earth, heaven, and hell) is, from that momentthelawof works expires as to believers, ef fued forth to them (ftill liable to infirmities, though not to falling away like Adam) in the channel of the covenant of grace, bearing a promife of help to obey (Ezek. xxxvi. 27.) and, agreeable to their ftate before the Lord, having an nexed to it a promife of the tokens of God's fatherly love, for the fake of Christ, in cafe of that obedience; and a threatning of God's fatherly difpleafure in cafe of their difobedience, John xiv. 21. He that hath my commandments, and keep eth them, be it is that lo . to him by faith, are, thro'veth me: and he that lohis obedience and fatisfac 6 veth me, fhall be loved of my Father; and I will love him, and will manifeft myfelf to him.' Pfal, lxxxix. 31, 32, 33. If they break my ftatutes, and keep not my commandments; then ⚫ will I vifit their tranfgref hon fore, you having affirmed to the contrary, have therein alfo erred from the truth. Nom. The truth is, fir, I muft confefs, I never took any notice of this threefold law, which, it seems, is mentioned in the New Teftament. Ant. And I must confefs, if I took any notice of them, I dever understood them. Evan. Well, give me leave to tell you, that fo far forth as any man comes fhort of the true knowledge of this threefold law (d), fo far forth he comes (hort both of the true knowledge of God and of himself; and therefore I wish you both to confider of it. Nom. fion with the rod, and their actually a part, not of the iniquity with ftripes. Ne- law of works, but of the law vertheless, my loving- of Chrift. And as they kindnefs will I not utterly ftand in the law of Chrift, take from him, nor fuffer our author exprefly afferts, my faithful nefs to fail.' against the Antinomian, that Thus it becomes the law of They ought to be a rule of Chrift to them; of which life to a believer; but that mands are likewife the mat- life to a believer, as they ter. In the threatnings of ftand in the law of works, this law there is no reven- he justly denies against the ging wrath; and in the pro- Legalift. Even as when one mifes of it no proper condi and the fame crime ftands tionality of works: but here forbidden in the laws of difis the order in the covenant ferent independent kingof grace, to which the law doms, it is manifeft that the a beau of Chrift belongs; rule of life to the fubjects in that particular is the prohi dience, particularly favours, bition, as it ftands in the law and chalti fements for difo- of that kingdom whereof bedience, Thus the ten they are fubjects refpective Commands ftand, both in the ly, and not as it ftands in law of works and in the law the law of that kingdom of of Chrift at the fame time, which they are not fubjects. being the common matter of (d) Not of the terms here matter of (e. ftand in) the the things thereby meant, to they are the used to exprefs it by, but of lawof works, they are ac both: but as wit; the covenant of works tually a part of the law of the covenant of grace, and works, how beit, the matter of, the law as a rule of life to believers,in whatever terms the law of Christ, they are these things expreffed. 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