Ambrose - BT200 A42 1658

Chap. 1 .Secl.6 Loo.ltingr~vt~ 1efw. Booic I U. 19) pe;~re before God. 3. They were tied to the obfervation of rna.. D,-ur.t6.•t6. ny dayes , the new moones, and many ceremonial Sabbaths; · and they were rdl:rained from many liberties , as in meates , and the like , oh what burthens were upon them ! -but in the new covenant or teftarnent the yoake i's made more eafie , we ~.rebound indeed to the duties of the moral law as well as they, yet a great yoake is taken offfrom us, and therefore Chrift inviti.ng us to the Gofpel, he gives it out thus, takf my yoa~e upon you (faith he) f(}r Mlt.IT ~9· my yoak.f is eajie , and mJ burthen light. s. In the weakenefs of the law Qfold : the law then was unable to give life, to purge the confcience, to pacifie Gods wrath; and therefore faith the Apoftle, there is verily adif-He&.1 ,1c ~<nulling ofthe commandment gcing before, for the weak§nefs and unprofit~tblenrfs thereof. Hence they are called weak! a»dbeggerlJ Ga!.,. .,, rudiments; in comparifon of the new teftarnent, there was then a lelfe forcible influence oftheSpirit accompanying that difpenfation of the covenant: the Spirit was not then given in that large meafure as now ,bec~tufe Chrijl WIIJ not thenglorified.It appeares in Job.7-J9· thefe particulars. 1. There was lelfe power of faith in the Saints, before Chrift; when the dod:rineoffaith was more fully revealed, then was faith it felf more fully revealed in the hearts and lives ofGod6 people. Befmfaith came (faith the Apoftle) we were A:ept under Gll.J.:3• the Law,/but.Np unto thefaith which jboNidafterwards /Je revta!ed. Surely this implies there was a time, when there was le{fe faith in Gods people, and that was the time ofthe Law. 2. There was lelfe power of love in the Saints before Chrift ; according to the-meafure of our faith , fo is our love; the lellc they knew the loving-kindneffe ofGod towards them in Chrift , the leffe they loved. It may be they were more drawn by the terrours of theLaw,then by the promifcs ofgrace,and therefore they had leffe love in them. 3. They had a l.effe meafure of comfort to carry them on in all their troubles. Chrii1: exhibited,is called the confolation ~f Jfrael; L k and therefore themore Chrift is imparted the more meanes of u .~ . :r. comfort : hence the primitive Saints after Chrift are faid to walk.. in _rhe fear of ~h~ Lord, and in_ the comfort ef the Holy Ghoft. Cer- Act 9 ·3 r. tamly the Spmt was pouredm ldfe plenty on the faithful in the Old Teftament, becaufe that benefit was to be referved to the C ':1. times

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