The SanRionofthe Law, &c. 287 Exercitatio XXI. TheSanílion ofthe Law inPromrfes and Threatnings. The Law confideredfeveralways. As the Rule ofthe old Covenant. As having anewendput to it. As it was the Inffrumentof the Jew;fh Polity. Thefaxîlion ofitin shojifenfes. Puniflamentsthreatnedtobeinflitledby Godhimfélf. By others. Promifesofthreeforts.TobefulllledbyGod himfelf. By others. Pa- rents how theyprolong the lives oftheir children. Punifhment t'CW1 + +3 what. Provi- dentialpunifhments. Partial. Total. Perfins entru/tedwithpower ifpuniJhment. Theori- ginal diffribution ofthe people. Tasltmaffers andOfficers in Egypt, who. The authority of Mofes. The diffributian of the people in the Wildernefs. Intfitution of the Sanhedrin. Judges. Kings. Penalties Ecclefiaffical. The threedegrees ofit explained and examined. Carafe'sofNiddui. Intance,Joh. 9.20. OfCherem. And Shammatha. FormsofanEx- communication. The Semence, Ezra 8. explained. GivilPenalties and Capital. The feveralfarts ofthem. Y the Sanclionofthe Law we intend the Promifes and Penalties wherewith, by B God, the obfervation ofit, and obedience unto it, was enforced. This the Apode hathrefpeet unto infundry places ofthisEpistle, the principal whereof , are reported in the fore-going Dissertation. To reprefent this diffintlly, we may obfcrve, that theLaw falls under a three-fold confideration : Ertl, As it was a Repe- titionand Expression of the Law ofNature, and theCovenant of Works established thereon. Secondly, as it had a new End and defignput Upon the Adminifirationofit, todirect the Church untothe ufe andbenefit of thePromife given of old to Adam, and renewed untoAbraham four hundred and thirty years before. Thirdly, As it was the Inflrument ofthe Rule and Government ofthe Church and People ofIJrael, with refpe6t :unto the Covenant made with them in and about the Land of Canaan. And in this three-fold refped it had a three-foldSanction. Firft; As confidered abjlutely, it was attended withpromifes of life, and threayaings ofdeath, both Eternal. The original promife of life upon obedience, and the carte On its tranfgreilion were infeparably annexed unto it; yea, were efttntial partsof it, as it contained the Covenant between God and Man. See Gen. a. Dew. 27.26. Rom. 6. 23. Rom. 4.4. Rom. 10. q. Rom. II. 6. Lev. 18. q. Exelt, 29. 11. Gal. 5. 12 13. Now in the Adminiftration ofthe Law, theChurch wasthus far brought under theobligation of thefePromifes andThreatnings of Life and Death eternal, fofar in- terefted in the one, and made obnoxious unto the other, as that ifthey ufèd not the Law according to thenew difpenfationof ît, wherein it was put into a fubferviency unto thePromife s asGal. 3. 19, 20, 21,22 23, 24. that they were leftto (landand fall according tothe abfolute tenure ofthat firsi Covenant and its ratification, which by reafon ofthe entrance offin proved fatally ruinous unto all that cleaved unto it, Rom. 8. 3. chap. 9.31. Secondly, The Law had in this Adminifiration of it, a new End and deign put upon it, and that in three things. First, that it wasmade directive and inftruerive unto another End, andnot meerly preceptive as at the beginning. The Authoritative In- ftítutions that in it were super-added to the Moral commands of the Covenant of works, did all of themdirell and teachthe Church to look for Righteoufnefs and Sal- vation, the original ends ofthe first Covenant, inAnother, andby another way ; as the Apostle at large disuter in this Epifile, and declares pofitively, Gal. 3. throughout. Secondly, In that it had a difpenfation addedunto the commands ofobedience and interpretation, cap' ineíxtouy, by condifcenfion, given byGod himfelf, as to the perfe- 6tionof its obfervance, andmanner of its performance, inreference unto this new end. It required not absolutelyperfetï obedience, but perfeRnefs ofheart, integrity andupright nefs in them that obeyed. Andunto the Law thus confidered, the former promifes and threatnings are annexed. For theneglect ofdais ufe ofit left 'the Tranfgrefors obnoxious to the Curfe denounced in general againfi them that continued not in the whole 5. a. ß 3. 5.4.
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