GOD'S SItNDING JESUS CHRIST, iYo Sinai, and the ensuing expositionsof it by theprophets, rituality of the command, was reserved for Christ in the discharge of his office: and he gave it untous, that we might have a perfect and complete rule of holiness. This therefore was the immediate end of this work or dutyof theoffice of Christ. Andwhere weanswer it not, we reject that great prophet which God bath sent, to which excision is so severely threatened. Sect. 8. (2.) The second part of this office, or of the discharge of it, with respect unto the church of all ages, which takes in the ministry of the apostles, as di- vinely inspired by him, consisted in the revelation of those duties of holinéss, which, although they had a general foundation in the law, and the equity of them was therein established; yet could they never have been known to be duties, in their especial nature, incum bent on us, and necessary unto us, but by his teach- ings and instructions. Hence are they called the old and hew commandments in distinct senses; such are faith in God through himself, brotherly love, denial of ourselves in taking up the cross, doing good for evil, with some others of the same kind: and how a great part ofevangelical holiness consists in these things, is known. Besides, he also teacheth us all those ordi nances of worship wherein our obedience unto him be- longs unto our holiness also; whereby it is enlarged and promoted. This, I say, is the nature and end of the prophetical office of Christ, wherein he acts towards us from God, and in his name, as to the de- claration of the will of God in his commands. And it is our holiness which is his only end and design therein. So it is summarily represented, Titus ii. 10, 11, 12. Sect. 10.There are three things considerable in the doctrine of obedience that Christ teacheth: (1.) That it reacheth the heart itself with all its inmost and se- cret actings; and that in the first place. The practice of most goes no further but unto outward acts; the teachings of many go no further, or, at best, unto the moderation of affections. But he, in the first place, requires the renovation of our whole souls, in all their faculties, motions, and actings, into the image of God, 1 John iii. 1. Eph. iv. 23, 24, 25. (2.) it is exten- sive. There is nothing in any kind pleasing to God, conformable to his mind, or compliant with his will, but he requires it; nothing crooked, or perverse, or displeasing to God, but it is forbidden by him, It is 33 given excellent precepts for holiness and obedience; but the people unto whom they were given, being carnal, they were not able to bear the spiritual light and sense of them, which was therefore greatly veiled under the Old Testament. Not only the promises, but the pre- cepts also of the law, were then but obscurely appre- hended. Besides, the church being grown corrupted, there were solemn expositions of God's commands re- ceived amongst them, whose sole design was to accom, modate them unto the lusts and sins of men, or to ex- empt them, if not totally, yet, in many instances, from an obligation unto obedience to them. Our blessed Saviour applies himself in the discharge of his propheti- cal office with respect unto the end of the command, which is our holy obedience, unto both these, in the declaration of its excellency and efficacy. Sect. 7. And, (First,) He declares the inward spi- ritual nature of the law, with its respect unto the most secret frames of our hearts and minds, with the least disorder or irregularity of our passions and affections. And, then, (Secondly,) He declares the true sense of its commands, their nature, signification, and extent, vindicating them from all the corrupt and false glosses which thenpassed current in the church, whereby there was an abatement made of their efficacy, and an indul- gence granted unto the lusts of men. Thus they had, by their traditional interpretation, restrained the sixth commandment, Thou shalt not kill, unto actual mur- der; and the seventh, 2heu shalt not commit adultery, unto actual uncleanness, as some now would restrain the second commandment, unto the making of images and worshipping them, excluding the primary intent of the precept, restraining all means and manners of worship unto divine institution. How, in his doctrine, he took off these corruptions, we may see, Matth. v. 21, 22, 27, 28. Sect. 8. Thus he restored the law to its pristine Crown, as the Jews have a tradition, that it shall be done in the days of the Messiah. Herein did the Lord Christ place the beginning of his prophetical office and ministry, Matth. v. 6, 7. He opened, unveiled, ex- plained, and vindicated, the preceptive part of the will of God before revealed, to the end, that, by a com- pliance therewith, we should be holy. The full revelation of the mind and will of God, in the perfection and spi- 5 B
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