ASermon on John 7· 19. or Man. But this la!l being rhe chi<f Pan of the Law of Mof<s is here likewifo eh idly meant and intended. J(t r.one ofyouf..kuprth the Law; i.e. n~e of you ohfervcth ro do according to the Commands ot the Moral La~. For our Saviour fre. quemly bears th ~rn Wimefs that they were very pun~ual Obi..: r~er s. of the Ceremonial and Judicial Laws, but condemns the~ for negleEbng the tvttglmcr Mauers of tbe Moral Law, Judgment, Mercy, and Faztb, 1-lanh. ~3· . SeconA!y Whereas iris f3id, That the Law was gzven unto tbem, 1. e. to the Jcw.r, jr muft be ~nderRood that rhe Ceremonial and' Judicial Law was given unro rhem both immediately and only; b~,tt the Moral Law was gi\(,en to them indeed immediately, bur not only. No orher People on Earth were nece!fa;ily obliged r o the Ob· krvation of the Ceremomal Law, much lefs of the Judicial, bur the Jews alone. Yea, and (as I have before obferved,) Profelytes of other Nations were admitted to the Hopes of Salvation, 1r~ithout binding rhem to any other Obfervances befides the keeping of the Seven Precepts of :Aroab; To renounce Idols, to worftJ_ip the true Got(, ro commit no Murtber, n11r Vnc!eaRncjs, nor Tbejt, to cxuuu ]ujbce, aJJd to abflam from Blood. But the Moral Law, although it was given to them immediately, yet not only to them; but its Obligation is as Univerfal as Humane Nature itfdf; fOr indeed it is the very Law of Nature and right Reafon reduced into Precept-s, and therefore ahhough Mofes gave this Law unto them as the Minifter and Media tor of 1he Old Covenant, yet it is likewife given to us by God as the Callfe and Author of our Nature, and the Commands of it are as obligatory unto us as them; fo that as our Saviour !Jith to the Jews, Did not Mofes give you the Law? 1 may fay to you, Did 1f(lf God give ybu the Law? And yet none ofyou kccpcth the Law. Jbird1y, Whereas it-isfaid that Mofcs gave them the Law, we muft here Note; Firjl, That Mofn gave it only Minifierially, but God Primarily and Authoritative· Iy · And thereforo, Gal. 3· r9. it is fa id, that the Law roM tJvm by the Hand of a Mediator, and Mojcs is commended for being faithful in all God's Hoflfc ai a Servant, Heb. 3· 5· as one who received Commands from the great Lord and Mafier ofit, and delivt:red them to his Fellow.Servanrs. Secondly, That although the Law were given by A1ofes, yet as to the Moral Part .ofir, and tOme of the Ceremonial, it was owned in the Church of God long befOre his Minifiry. As for fome Parts of the Ceremonial Law, we read frequently of Sacrifices and Circumcifion in ufe among the P;uriarchs many Ages before;: Mofes~s Time; and fo fahh our Saviour, John 7· 22. Mofesgave unto you the Circumcifion, not becauft it i.s of Mofes, but of the Fathers. And tor the Moral Law, all the Du· ties of it were incumbent upon Mankind from the very fir!l: Creation of the World, long before the Promulgation of the Law from Mount Sinai. Murther was forbidden, and known w be a Sin before the Lord Proclaimed, Thou }halt not Kill. Yea, and cauflefs Anger, and bloody revengeful Purpofes, as appears, Gen. 4· ) , 6, Forn ication was then alfo accounted a Sin won by of Death, as appearerh, Gen. 38. 24. The outward Worlhip and Service of God in Solemn and Publick illfemblies was tben known to be a Duty, as appears, Gen. 4• 26. So that the Church of God never woas, never fhall be, witboatthis Law, both written upon their Hearts, and likewife preach'd unto them publickly by the Minillry of the Church: Fot fo Noab is faid to be a Preacher •f Rigbreoufnefs to the Old World, 2 Pet. 2. 5· Yet, Thirdly, It is faid to be given by .i'llofcs, becaufe of the more foiemn and confpicuous Delivery ofit at Mount Sinai, ~hen God efpecially magnified him, by calling him up into the Mount, converfing w1 rh him Forty Days, writing with his owo Fin- ~c:r the Ten Commandments, or Two Tables of Srone, and deliveQng them into his Hands to exhibit unto tbe People. Now becaufe of this Solemn Promulgati on of the Law by the Means and Miniftry of Mofes. our Saviour tells the Jews that it was given them by him. And this is all that I !hall confider in the l:.xpofiularion, Did not Mofesgiv&J'btttbe Law? That which I principally intend ro infill on is the Accufation, Andyet none of yo" keepub tbe Laro. An Accufarion that may truly be laid not only againft the Jews, but againfi all the World. Never any of the Sons of Men, from the very fir ll Creati· on of the World unto this Day, excepting him only who was the Son of God as well as ~he Son of~lan, and whom it became to fulfil all Righuoufnefs, ever did: or can pertet\ly and exaaly, fulfil all that the Law of God requires. And to this the Scriptures give •bundant Tellimony, Ro,. 3· 23. All hove fin· nrd, and mne jhorr of tbe Glory of God. Jam.. 3· 2. In muny Tbin~s we o.!Jend all. Fff2 Aod
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