; 328 The I,ighteouß lude, or, 41fe r Is it fo that Chrift vvill proceed. in judgement by his ovvn Lavv: thenit ferves in u epcoof of the firft placefor thejuit reproof of thofe that neglea the Lavv, that neglea this di- thofe that neg- rection that Chrift gives them. Mas is it a fmall matter thus to flight the Lacy of lea the law. God? the Word of God? vvhy, you (hall be judged by this : God(hall judge tke limes ofall men (faith the_Apoltle) in that day according to myGold, Rom. z. 16. not only that look vvhat he hath fpo en ofthe judgement [hall prove true ; but that in the judgement there (hall be a proceeding proportionable and agreeable to vvhat hehath fpokeninthatvvordthathecallshisGofpel.Thereforetakeheedhovv you flight this'Word, it is adangerousthing. Saith Solomon, Prov. 13.13. he that defiifeth the commandment /hall perijh. He that defpifeth the, commandment, vvhen God hath revealed his vvill in matter of duty, for the direaionof life (for that hecalls the Commandment.there) novv ifa man come to defpife this, he [hall certainlyperith, faith Solomon. . ueft When doth a man defpife the commandment ? Anjm. You xnovvto defpife is vvhen a manaccounts a thingof noforce; that To delpife dei`fiife net Prophefying. The word is,account it not a thing ofnothing, account it Gds com- mandmentt, not a flight matter. what ? Now you know a man accounts a thing as a thing ofnothing when he underva- lues it,when he gives it lets acknowledgement than it is worthy cú.As ifa maneome to buy aJewel or a Pearl in theMarket,andoffer (eight and finall matter for it,he hadas good bid nothing, the undervaluingof a commodity, is as the accountingof it worth nothing.In fpiritualthings when a manaccounts theLawof God below it felf,that is,when he makes itnot the chiefdireáionof his hfe,thenhe accounts it as a thing of nothing, and defpifeth the Law. For either the Law is fomewhat by Gods appointment, or not at all ; if it be fomewhat byGods appointment,then it muff have that place that God bathappoint- ed ir,or cite we give a not any efteemaccording to theappointmentöfGod,but ac- cording to our own Fancy. : I fay, ifwe give che. Law efteem according to Gods appointment, and by vertue ofhisWord, then we will give it the efteem that God bath put upon it, that is, that it (hall rule us in all our adions ; and that it 'hall be our fupream rule and guide, that a man (hall account nothing elfe as the fufhcient direRion ofhis lifebut theLaw. Nowwhennien come to this, that theywill pre- fer their 'ownopinions before theLaw; when they will prefer the opinion ofother menbefore the Text ofScripture : when they refer the cuftoms of the world,be- fore the rule oftheWord. Ihis is nowto defpife the Law,to make it as a thingof nothing. As you fee it plain, k is ordinary in Scripture thus to tax men ; as when they would account the traditions ofmen above the word 5 Invain they norJhip me, faith God, theybecomevanity themfelves for accounting the Law vain. -So when they preferred the cuftoms of their fore-fathers equal vvith. the Lavv, they defpifed the' Lavv : this mixture, this joyningofother things vvith it, it is that that the Scripture calls the defjiftngofshe Lon : Therefore it is a dangerous thing to defpife the Lavv, is it not dangerousto defpife the Judge ? the Lave (hall be your Judge ; that is, the rulewhereby the Judge (hall proceed. You knovv it isthe aggravation of thefault of a Malefaaor,that henot only tranf- grefleth and fourthagainft the Lavvs ofthe Kingdom, but that he bath defpifed she Lavv a ifhe have been heard to fpeak any fpeeches to the contempt of the Lave, : this is a great aggravation ofhis fn : hove much more full it be in the dayof the Lord? Mens Lavves areitnperfea, and therefore are revoked manytimes, and re. pealed,and reverfed,but this Lavv ofGod isa perfe6hLavv,and therefore it (hallne- ver be reverted, it lhall never be revokednor altred. Nove for aman to flight and neglea this in anypoint or degree.it is a high contempt againft Godhìmfelf. That asa man might fay of the Jcvvs ; vvhenChrift cameamongft them, he offered him- fell to be theirKing ; but being they would not take him for their King vvho (if they had taken:himfo) vvould havebeen their Saviour;therefore the time (hall conic 'thathevvill be thrit Judge and. nottheir Saviour.. -Sol fayconcerning the Lavv the Law nove published inthe preaching oftheWord; thofe thatvvillnot nove ftakae yin i i to be their counfellor (hall find it then to .be their condemner. If this bea harfh
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